148. And upon the stone a new name written, which no one knoweth except he that receiveth, signifies a state of interior life unknown to all except those who are in it. This is evident from the signification of "name," as being the quality of state (of which see Arcana Coelestia, n. 1754, 1896, 2009, 3237, 3421); here the quality of the state of the interior life, because it is said "a new name, which no one knoweth except he that receiveth," for the quality of the state of the interior life is wholly unknown to those who are not in the interior life. Those are in the interior life who are in love to the Lord, and none are in love to the Lord except those who acknowledge the Divine in His Human (that to love the Lord is to live according to His precepts, see Arcana Coelestia, n. 10143, 10153, 10578, 10645, 10829). Interior life is the spiritual life, in which the angels of heaven are; but the exterior life is the natural life, in which are all who are not in heaven. With those, moreover, who live according to the precepts of the Lord and acknowledge the Divine in His Human, the interior mind is opened, and man then becomes spiritual; but those who do not so live, and do not acknowledge the Lord, remain natural. (That to all who are not in heavenly love the state of the interior or spiritual life is unknown, see in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 395-414; and in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, n. 105, 238.) [2] That "name" in the Word signifies quality of state is evident from many passages there, some of which I will here cite in confirmation. Thus in Isaiah:
Lift up your eyes on high and see; who hath created these? He that leadeth out the host in number; that calleth them all by name (Isa. 40:26). "His calling them all by name" is knowing the quality of all, and giving to them according to the state of love and faith with them. In John the meaning is similar:
He that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out (John 10:2-3). In Isaiah:
Thus saith Jehovah thy Creator, O Jacob, and thy Former, O Israel, Fear not; for I have redeemed thee, and have called thee by name; thou art Mine (Isa. 43:1). In the same:
That thou mayest know that I am Jehovah, who had called thee by thy name. For Jacob My servant's sake, and Israel My chosen, I have called thee by thy name, when thou didst not know Me (Isa. 45:3-4). "I have called thee by thy name" means that He knew the quality of the state of the church; for "Jacob" and "Israel" are the church, "Jacob" the external church, and "Israel" the internal. [3] In the same:
Israel, if thou hadst hearkened to My commandments, his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before Me (Isa. 48:18-19). "The name being cut off and destroyed from before Jehovah" denotes the quality of the state by which conjunction is effected, which state is the spiritual state of him who is of the church signified by "Israel." Again in the same prophet:
Jehovah hath called me from the womb, from the bowels of my mother doth He make mention of my name (Isa. 49:1). here "making mention of the name" is knowing the quality. In the same:
For Zion's sake I will not be still, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not be quiet. And the nations shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory; and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of Jehovah shall utter (Isa. 62:1, 2). In the same:
He shall call His servants by another name (Isa. 65:15). "To call by a new name," and "by another name," is to bestow another state of life, namely, a state of spiritual life. In Ezekiel:
The city of bloods, polluted by name (Ezek. 22:2, 5). "The city of bloods" is the doctrine that offers violence to the good of charity; this is said to be "polluted by name" when it abounds with falsities and evils therefrom, which constitute its quality. [4] In Moses:
Moses said unto Jehovah, Thou hast said, I know thee by thy name. And Jehovah said unto Moses, This word also that thou hast spoken I will do, for I know thee by name (Exod. 33:12, 17). "His knowing Moses by name" is knowing his quality. In Revelation:
Thou hast a few names in Sardis which have not defiled their garments. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white garments, and I will confess his name before My Father. He that overcometh, I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, and My new name (Rev. 3:4, 5, 12). It can be seen that "name" here signifies the quality of state in respect to the good of love and the truth of faith. In another place:
Whose names have not been written in the book of life (Rev. 13:8; 17:8). "Names written in the book of life" are the quality of all things of man's love and faith, the all things of his spiritual life. In another place:
They shall see the face of God and the Lamb, and His name shall be in their forehead (Rev. 22:4). "His name in their forehead" is a state of love, for "forehead" corresponds to love, and therefore signifies love. [5] "Name" in the Word signifies the quality of man's state, because in the spiritual world each one is named according to the state of life in which he is, thus variously; for spiritual speech is not like human speech; all things there are expressed according to ideas of things and of persons; and these ideas fall into words. (This can be seen more clearly from what is shown on The Speech of the Angels in Heaven, in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 234-245; also see above, n. 102, 135, where it is shown what "the name of Jehovah," "of the Lord," and "of Jesus Christ" signify in the Word.)
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