The Third Church - Part 4
the Israelitish and Jewish Church
By Rev. Paul Booth
the Israelitish and Jewish Church
By Rev. Paul Booth
We need to know and understand what the Israelitish and Jewish Church represents. Thus far we have been brought up to the time where the Israelitish Church had reached the state when it progressed into light or into the truth of the day and enter into the land Canaan. However, we need a clearer understanding of what all this meant to that Church. What was their worship like? We earlier learned that it was through correspondences, representatives and signification that conjoined the natural world is with the spiritual. However, now, with the spiritual Church's end, the Word with them also ended and, so to, did the knowledge of correspondences. The Israelitish and Jewish Church that was now being raised up lacked this knowledge. Still, there had to be some way that there was conjunction between mankind and the spiritual world, particularly to Heaven, if man was to enjoy the love of God. Those of the Israelitish and Jewish Church had only external worship as we can see by the Old Testament. They had to be led by external means, and that external means was done through miracles. This is why we see so many miracles being done in that Church and then coming to an end in the early Christian Church. Thus were the external representatives worshipped as being holy in the Israelitish Church. We see that miracles would drive them in their worship and in their following the commandments, but they would soon turn again back into their former ways of worshipping other gods until another miracle was seen. It is only with those in external worship that miracles are done, for it is representative and signification of the natural that conjoins them with the spiritual world and so man life's can continue. It is only, then, that a man could be led and, so, looks to the Lord's return, to salvation from hell. We see, also, that this Church could not be spiritually conjoined with the Lord and remained an external Church a Church without an internal. In other words, they did not understand spiritually what the representative things used in their worship meant. They only knew that when they follow the commandments and worshipped according to what they were instructed that they benefited. They're desire was to be a great nation and to rule over others.
In such worship there is no opposition between their external and their internal, so miracles did not hurt their faith as they do today with those who want to enter the true Church. Thus, we learn that there is no contribution to faith from miracles. This is seen in that all the miracles done in the Israelitish Church there was no effect on them, in that, as we saw, they turned back to their old ways. There are examples of this. In Genesis 14: 16 we see the children of Israel being led into the wilderness and that they are to serve and worship Jehovah there. Now, it is wilderness that denotes uninhabitation and where there is no culture. Isn't it the wilderness where the Lord went and was tempted? Thus, it is where the people of the Israelitish and Jewish Church are tempted and where they develop a doctrine and receive instruction. The internal Church is in Heaven closed as it was to man. Thus, what is observed is a natural good coming from the truths of faith that was instilled in them. Remember if you will, they had been in Egypt, which in a spiritual sense, signifies a state of infestations and of being in doubt. This is the state of the Church and of a man before the Lord's Coming to him. We know that in the time of their captivity in Egypt that they worshipped several gods, not one, as they did when they were introduced into the land of Canaan. It was just that they named their God the God of Israel and the Jews by the name of Jehovah. They believed Jehovah was a greater God then all the other gods because of the miracles they experienced. Yet, we see that when miracles ceased that they lapsed into idolatry, worshipping other gods. Their worship was an external worship and one with the mouth, but not believed.
In the instructions, which was God's Word to them, they were guided out of falsities as we see Moses, commanded by Jehovah, was to stand up to Pharaoh and demand him to let them go. They are to serve Jehovah and this can be only through their spiritual otherwise, such service is not in freedom, the natural of man being ruled by falsities and evils. Here, we need to mention that 'My people' are meant those of the spiritual Church. In other words, God calls, as it were; man into the spiritual Church and that is why the Lord came to save the spiritual Church. For, there is where the Lord is conjoined and communicates with man. So, it needs to be understood that Israelites only represented the people of Jehovah, not that they were better than others who then lived. And, who in fact, in their heart worshipped the gods of Egypt as was seen manifest from the golden calf which they themselves made. We see that they believed that sins could be washed off as dirt is by water. So, you see, they were not elected at all, but they only accepted the representation of Heavenly things, not knowing what they corresponded to. Thus, their worship was an external worship without an internal. They were separated from the internal. And, thus, it was that the Word could be written by them, for in the various things they worshipped there could be represented the Lord and His Kingdom, that is, His good and His truth. The difference between them and other nations was that other nations worship idols as gods themselves, but the Israelites and Jewish nation worship an invisible God and the things of their worship was not that God. Their worship was a representative worship of the things of Heaven the truths and the goods and their affections. And, if they followed the Commandments to love the neighbor as the second tablet teaches, they could have natural good, even though it is only is from the self.
In time, they were divided into two kingdoms the Israelitish and the Jewish kingdoms. This was when they asked that a king rule over them as the other nations around them had. There, again, we learn that that Church only represented the things in Heaven one celestial the other spiritual.
It was earlier stated that this Church was in idolatry. Here, we turn to the Ten Commandments that were given to them by which they were to be taught and led. In the Commandments we read, "I am a jealous God. . . visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons." This was so serverly forbidden because the adoration of other gods obliterated everything representing the Church. We need to realize that worship of other gods then the Divine will cause every representation to perish and all communication with Heaven cease. I think you can begin to see, here, that the religion of this Third Church on earth was truly not a representative Church, but became only a representative of a Church. To see of what character the Israelites and Jews were we need but read Exodus 20:23 when Jehovah instructs Moses to say to them that they are not to make silver or gold gods. You see, they would have themselves made silver and gold images and worshipped them as god only for the reason they thought were holy and altogether worshipped as Divine things that were external and separated from the internal. We, in fact, learn this is what they did.
In Exodus 24:1, we learn of the announcement of the judgment that they were to adore Jehovah and humiliate themselves before Him. However, at this state, which was the state when they turned aside from true representative worship into idolatry. They were only in externals without an internals. In other words, the act of bowing only represented and was but a jester, and because of being external their bowing was not of the heart. Yet, they did humble themselves, prostrate themselves to the ground, even to roll themselves in the dust and cry aloud for days. Nonetheless, we can read that they could know about external things of faith things from Heaven and very little about the internal things of faith, not being able to apprehend them. We can understand this from the fact that in natural good with a man there can be instruction by angels, and thus be conjoined with them and Heaven.
How were they able to know God? The Most Ancient Church, we said, was taught Heavenly things by direct intercourse with angels and God. Afterwards, information about Heavenly things was by means of correspondences and through representatives, as the Ancient Church experienced. Thus, was man enlightened. Correspondences and Representatives are external forms of Heavenly things. Such communication is effected when men are in the good of love and in charity as was the Spiritual Church. However, we have shown that this ended when such knowledge had turned them to magic. This Church the Israelitish and Jewish Church succeeded the former Church. And, instead of receiving enlightenment or influx into their interiors, angles spoke to them, but mainly to certain people prophets - by a living voice and gave instruction, such as we heard was to Moses. In other words, through the written Word, as it was, dictated to them. That Word they attributed to God in Human form. Those who were in natural good received reverently the things taught them.
Before we continue, perhaps you have read or heard of the Golden, Silver, and the Brass ages? Here, you may understand those as states of the Church the Most Ancient Church as the Golden Age, the Ancient Church as the Silver Age, and the Israelitish and Jewish Church as the Brass Age. There you see the celestial, spiritual, and the natural good of man. I think you can see that the state of day or of light, as it was, was ending, when they were no longer receiving instruction and following the Commandments the Word.
In such worship there is no opposition between their external and their internal, so miracles did not hurt their faith as they do today with those who want to enter the true Church. Thus, we learn that there is no contribution to faith from miracles. This is seen in that all the miracles done in the Israelitish Church there was no effect on them, in that, as we saw, they turned back to their old ways. There are examples of this. In Genesis 14: 16 we see the children of Israel being led into the wilderness and that they are to serve and worship Jehovah there. Now, it is wilderness that denotes uninhabitation and where there is no culture. Isn't it the wilderness where the Lord went and was tempted? Thus, it is where the people of the Israelitish and Jewish Church are tempted and where they develop a doctrine and receive instruction. The internal Church is in Heaven closed as it was to man. Thus, what is observed is a natural good coming from the truths of faith that was instilled in them. Remember if you will, they had been in Egypt, which in a spiritual sense, signifies a state of infestations and of being in doubt. This is the state of the Church and of a man before the Lord's Coming to him. We know that in the time of their captivity in Egypt that they worshipped several gods, not one, as they did when they were introduced into the land of Canaan. It was just that they named their God the God of Israel and the Jews by the name of Jehovah. They believed Jehovah was a greater God then all the other gods because of the miracles they experienced. Yet, we see that when miracles ceased that they lapsed into idolatry, worshipping other gods. Their worship was an external worship and one with the mouth, but not believed.
In the instructions, which was God's Word to them, they were guided out of falsities as we see Moses, commanded by Jehovah, was to stand up to Pharaoh and demand him to let them go. They are to serve Jehovah and this can be only through their spiritual otherwise, such service is not in freedom, the natural of man being ruled by falsities and evils. Here, we need to mention that 'My people' are meant those of the spiritual Church. In other words, God calls, as it were; man into the spiritual Church and that is why the Lord came to save the spiritual Church. For, there is where the Lord is conjoined and communicates with man. So, it needs to be understood that Israelites only represented the people of Jehovah, not that they were better than others who then lived. And, who in fact, in their heart worshipped the gods of Egypt as was seen manifest from the golden calf which they themselves made. We see that they believed that sins could be washed off as dirt is by water. So, you see, they were not elected at all, but they only accepted the representation of Heavenly things, not knowing what they corresponded to. Thus, their worship was an external worship without an internal. They were separated from the internal. And, thus, it was that the Word could be written by them, for in the various things they worshipped there could be represented the Lord and His Kingdom, that is, His good and His truth. The difference between them and other nations was that other nations worship idols as gods themselves, but the Israelites and Jewish nation worship an invisible God and the things of their worship was not that God. Their worship was a representative worship of the things of Heaven the truths and the goods and their affections. And, if they followed the Commandments to love the neighbor as the second tablet teaches, they could have natural good, even though it is only is from the self.
In time, they were divided into two kingdoms the Israelitish and the Jewish kingdoms. This was when they asked that a king rule over them as the other nations around them had. There, again, we learn that that Church only represented the things in Heaven one celestial the other spiritual.
It was earlier stated that this Church was in idolatry. Here, we turn to the Ten Commandments that were given to them by which they were to be taught and led. In the Commandments we read, "I am a jealous God. . . visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons." This was so serverly forbidden because the adoration of other gods obliterated everything representing the Church. We need to realize that worship of other gods then the Divine will cause every representation to perish and all communication with Heaven cease. I think you can begin to see, here, that the religion of this Third Church on earth was truly not a representative Church, but became only a representative of a Church. To see of what character the Israelites and Jews were we need but read Exodus 20:23 when Jehovah instructs Moses to say to them that they are not to make silver or gold gods. You see, they would have themselves made silver and gold images and worshipped them as god only for the reason they thought were holy and altogether worshipped as Divine things that were external and separated from the internal. We, in fact, learn this is what they did.
In Exodus 24:1, we learn of the announcement of the judgment that they were to adore Jehovah and humiliate themselves before Him. However, at this state, which was the state when they turned aside from true representative worship into idolatry. They were only in externals without an internals. In other words, the act of bowing only represented and was but a jester, and because of being external their bowing was not of the heart. Yet, they did humble themselves, prostrate themselves to the ground, even to roll themselves in the dust and cry aloud for days. Nonetheless, we can read that they could know about external things of faith things from Heaven and very little about the internal things of faith, not being able to apprehend them. We can understand this from the fact that in natural good with a man there can be instruction by angels, and thus be conjoined with them and Heaven.
How were they able to know God? The Most Ancient Church, we said, was taught Heavenly things by direct intercourse with angels and God. Afterwards, information about Heavenly things was by means of correspondences and through representatives, as the Ancient Church experienced. Thus, was man enlightened. Correspondences and Representatives are external forms of Heavenly things. Such communication is effected when men are in the good of love and in charity as was the Spiritual Church. However, we have shown that this ended when such knowledge had turned them to magic. This Church the Israelitish and Jewish Church succeeded the former Church. And, instead of receiving enlightenment or influx into their interiors, angles spoke to them, but mainly to certain people prophets - by a living voice and gave instruction, such as we heard was to Moses. In other words, through the written Word, as it was, dictated to them. That Word they attributed to God in Human form. Those who were in natural good received reverently the things taught them.
Before we continue, perhaps you have read or heard of the Golden, Silver, and the Brass ages? Here, you may understand those as states of the Church the Most Ancient Church as the Golden Age, the Ancient Church as the Silver Age, and the Israelitish and Jewish Church as the Brass Age. There you see the celestial, spiritual, and the natural good of man. I think you can see that the state of day or of light, as it was, was ending, when they were no longer receiving instruction and following the Commandments the Word.