9789. For their generations with the sons of Israel. That this signifies what is eternal in the spiritual kingdom, is evident from the signification of "generations," as being what is eternal (of which in what follows); and from the signification of "the sons of Israel," as being the spiritual church (see n. 9340), and therefore the spiritual kingdom; for the spiritual kingdom of the Lord in the heavens is the spiritual heaven, and on earth it is the spiritual church. "Generations" denote what is eternal, because by them in the internal sense are meant the generations of faith and charity (n. 613, 2020, 2584, 6239, 9042, 9079), thus the things which are of heaven and the church, which are eternal. Moreover, by "the sons of Israel," of whom the "generations" are predicated, is signified the church (n. 9340). That by "generations" is signified what is eternal, is plain from the following passages in the Word:
My righteousness shall be to eternity, and My salvation unto generations of generations. Awake as in the days of antiquities, the generations of eternities (Isa. 51:8, 9). I will set thee for a magnificence of eternities, a joy of generation and generation (Isa. 60:15). The smoke thereof shall go up to eternity; from generation to generation it shall be laid waste, none shall pass through it for everlasting of everlastings (Isa. 34:10). The counsel of Jehovah shall stand to eternity, the thoughts of His heart to generation and generation (Ps. 33:11). I will praise Thy name to eternity and forever, generation to generation shall praise Thy works (Ps. 145:2, 4). They shall fear Thee with the sun, and before the moon, from generation of generations (Ps. 72:5). This is My name to eternity, and this My memorial unto generation and generation (Exod. 3:15);
besides many other passages. It is said "to eternity," and "to generation and generation," and "eternity" is predicated of the Divine celestial, or good; and "generation," of the Divine spiritual, or truth; for in the Word, especially in the prophetic Word, there are for the most part two expressions relating to one and the same thing, as in the passages above quoted, "to eternity," and "to generation and generation;" and this on account of the heavenly marriage in each and all things of the Word. The heavenly marriage is the marriage of good and truth, or the conjunction of the Lord and heaven (see the passages cited in n. 9263).
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