Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 2859

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2859. 'And Abraham dwelt in Beersheba' means that the Lord is that doctrine itself. This is clear from the meaning of 'dwelling', from the representation of 'Abraham', and from the meaning of 'Beersheba', all of which have been dealt with already, and is at the same time clear from what has gone immediately before. 'Dwelling in Beersheba' means abiding in doctrine, but when used in reference to the Lord the expression means His being such doctrine, even as 'dwelling in heaven', which also is said of the Lord, means not only that He is in heaven but also that He is heaven, for He is the All of heaven, 551, 552. It is well known that the Lord is the Word; so He is doctrine also, 2533, for all doctrine is drawn from the Word. The whole of the doctrine within the Word is received from the Lord and has to do with the Lord. In the internal sense of the Word nothing else than the Lord and His kingdom are the subject, as shown many times. It is the Lord's Divine Human that is the subject primarily of the internal sense of the Word. The whole of the doctrine within the Word, where man is concerned, has to do with worshipping Him and loving Him.


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