The Word in the Old Testament contains hidden or deeper meanings, and every single aspect of it has to do with the Lord, His Church, and faith and the literal tenents of faith. Every part of the Old Testament contains inner meanings...this is the fascinating introduction to Emanuel Swedenborg's major work "Secrets of Heaven". Enjoy...
Most of us were raised with the traditional, literal story of creation. With further understanding, it is easy to see that each of the seven days of creation represents the development of a soul.
THE FIRST DAY (or stage)-- we are in preliminary infancy. What it means is we have no awareness or understanding of our connection with God. Rather than saying we are born with "original sin" -- I think it's more fitting to say we are born without a connection to the Lord. There is void (absence of goodness), empty (absence of good) which results in darkness. Darkness is a person being totally ignorant or oblivious of anything having to do with faith in the Lord or a spiritual or heavenly life. The first stirring is the Lord's mercy. The spirit of God is in constant motion like a "mother hen to her brood". Some people never develop past this stage.
THE SECOND DAY (or stage) -- An awareness or distinction is defined between things that are the Lord's and things that are our own. It is the starting of awareness of of our "inner" or "higher" self which are things of the Lord (also called a remnant or survivor) -and- things of our outer self, which consists of bodily or worldly concerns -- and are our own. The "things" of the outer self are completely separated from things of the inner self. The "remnant" which is of the Lord, at this stage refers to religious knowledge we have learned. This remnant contained in our inner self, is put aside by the Lord until the right time.
THE THIRD DAY (or stage) -- Is repentence. The inner self begins to awaken and we begin to speak devoutly and reverently (yielded a good harvest) and even sometimes show acts of neighborly kindness. These "things" are still part of the void and emptiness (lifeless), indicated by the Lord creating "the tender plant"..alive, but not sentient. The reason we are still considered lifeless is because we still think these acts and thoughts come from ourselves, rather than the Lord. We are in a state of trial and anguish at this point, between our inner self (of the Lord) and our outer self (of the world).
THE FOURTH DAY (or stage) -- Love stirs and faith enlightens us!! Before, we spoke devoutly and reverently (yielded a good harvest), but we did so in a state of trial and anguish...not from a call from faith and kindness. We now speak from a state of faith and kindness prompted from our inner selves (of the Lord)...represented by two lights.
THE FIFTH DAY (or stage) -- We now speak with conviction and in that process strengthen ourselves in truth and goodness. Things we now produce have life (God) in them represented by fish of the sea, and birds in the heavens.
THE SIXTH DAY (or stage) -- Now, we not only speak but act with conviction (from love) in speaking truth and doing good. It is now represented in the Word that what we produce is called a living soul and a beast. We have reached a state where we begin to act as much from love as from conviction ...We have reached the state of a "SPIRITUAL PERSON".
Before we proceed, let's look at aspects of inner meanings of phrases in the Bible, Genesis 1. Remember, I am merely skimming the surface of infinitely deep, multidimensional hidden meanings...it would take many lifetimes to even understand a portion of the Word...it's that awesome!!
1. In the beginning... One meaning of "beginning" includes the first period (Day 1) of regeneration (rebirth) when people are being born anew and receiving life.
2. Heaven or Sky...symbolizes the inner self (of the Lord)
3. Earth...symbolizes the outer self...before regeneration (rebirth)
4. Face of the abyss...means our cravings and falsities that cravings give rise to
5. Spirit of God...stands for the Lord's mercy
6. Remnant or Survivor...it is the knowledge of truth and goodness, which can never emerge to the light of day until our outer nature has been devastated (We completely let go and release concerns and ownership of our outer self...earthly and body
7. Light... Light is the Lord. The Lord is goodness itself, or life, and truth itself...nothing good or true exists that does not come from Him.
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