Arcana Coelestia (Potts) n. 10374

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10374. And on the seventh day He rested, and took breath. That this signifies a state of good when the church is being set up, or when man is being regenerated, is evident from the signification of "the seventh day," as being a holy state, which is that of the church when it is in good, thus when it is set up, that is, when the man of the church is in good, thus when he is regenerated. In the supreme sense by "the seventh day," and by the "rest" and "taking breath" of Jehovah, is signified the union in the Lord of the Divine Itself which is called "the Father" and of the Divine Human which is "the Son;" thus when the Lord even as to His Human has become the Divine good of the Divine love, or Jehovah. From this it is that "seven" in the Word denotes what is holy (see n. 395, 433, 716, 881, 5265, 5268). The reason why Jehovah is said then to have rested and taken breath, is that the Lord as to His Human was then above all infestations from the hells, and at the same time heaven and earth were under His rule (Matt. 28:18). There was at the same time also rest and taking breath in heaven, because all things in heaven had then been reduced by the Lord into order, and the hells had been subjugated. It was similar on earth, because when heaven was in order and the hells had been subjugated, man could be saved. From this it is plain that the "rest of Jehovah" denotes peace and salvation for the angels in the heavens, and for men on earth when these are in good and thereby in the Lord.


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