2397. And Jehovah hath sent us to destroy it. That this signifies that they cannot but perish, is to be understood in the same way as the signification given just above (n. 2395). That "us" (that is, the "men" or "angels") denotes the Lord's Divine Human and Holy proceeding, has been shown above. Through these were the good saved, and the evil destroyed; and yet the latter by the law that evil itself destroyed them. And because they perished in this way, and this through the Lord's advent into the world, it is said according to the appearance, that they "were sent to destroy them." [2] It is sometimes said of the Lord in the Word, that He was "sent by the Father," as it is said here, "Jehovah hath sent us;" but in the internal sense by being "sent" is everywhere signified to go forth, as in John:
They have received, and have known of a truth that I came forth from Thee, and they have believed that Thou didst send Me (John 17:8). So in other places, as in the same:
God sent not His Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world through Him may be saved (John 3:17). Again:
He that honoreth not the Son, honoreth not the Father who hath sent Him (John 5:23). Besides many other passages (as Matt. 10:40; 15:24; John 3:34; 4:34; 5:30, 36-38; 6:29, 39-40, 44, 57; 7:16, 18, 28-29; 8:16, 18, 29, 42; 9:4; 10:36; 11:41-42; 12:44-45, 49; 13:20; 14:24; 17:18; 20:21; Luke 4:43; 9:48; 10:16; Mark 9:37; Isa. 61:1). [3] In the same way it is said of the Holy Spirit, that it was "sent," that is, that it goes forth from the Lord's Divine, as in John:
Jesus said, When the Comforter shall come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth which goeth forth from the Father, He shall testify of Me (John 15:26). If I go away, I will send the Comforter unto you (John 16:5, 7). Hence the prophets were said to be "sent," because the words which they spoke came forth from the Holy of the Lord's Spirit. And because all Divine Truth comes forth from Divine Good, the expression "to be sent" is properly predicated of Divine Truth. But what "to go forth" means, is also evident, namely, that he who goes forth, or that which goes forth, is of him from whom it goes forth.
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