ACV9 6917. Vessels of silver, and vessels of gold. That “vessels of silver” signify the memory-knowledges of truth, and “vessels of gold” the memory-knowledges of good, is evident from the signification of “vessels,” as being memory-knowledges (see n. 3068, 3079); memory-knowledges are called “vessels” because they are generals, and can contain within them innumerable truths and manifold goods; from the signification of “silver” as being truth, and of “gold” as being good (n. 1551, 1552, 2954, 5658). (That the “silver” of Egypt denotes true and suitable memory-knowledge may be seen above, n. 6112.) As to the “vessels of silver and… Read more »
Submission: Historically, I have a clear picture of how the Lord uses truth in my life to dispel falsity. It feels like a stone dropping into a pond with a ripple effect over my memory knowledges, together with a deep cry of soul grief as I let go of a falsehood that has had power over my life. To me, scientifics feel like individual constructs of thought, feeling and action formed largely through survival needs or love of self and the world. These bonds are then broken by truths from the Word or via influx, which then allows me to… Read more »
Mandy Millar
May 8, 2024 9:50 pm
AC 6895 part [2] That by the “coming of the Lord” is not meant His appearing with angels in the clouds, but acknowledgement in hearts by love and faith. The appearance of the external Word is nothing like what is meant by the internal sense. I was looking at the story of Leah and Rachel and even though there was the idea to remove person, place, and time, internally I still attributed natural thoughts and affections to the story in what I thought was fair and just or what wasn’t fair and just. When this was recognised, it was interesting how those… Read more »
6893. Hath been seen of me. That this signifies presence, is evident from the signification of “being seen of” anyone as being presence; for by “being seen,” in the internal sense, is not signified being seen by the eyes, but by the thought. Thought itself also causes presence, for the person thought of appears as if present before the internal sight. In the other life this is actually the case, for when anyone is there thought of intently, he becomes present; hence it is that in the other life friends meet together, and also foes, and from the latter they… Read more »
I didn’t have long on this task having travelled round the globe. But I had a strong experience of thinking about loved ones and they really did feel present with me. I can see how this happens in the afterlife. I know that when I think negatively about anyone that this brings in the evil spirits to attack me so this is the other side of the coin. I constantly need to try and stay in a loving sphere. I feel I need to call on the spirits from Mercury to help me with my dropping of “PPTS” but I… Read more »
6904. A life of truth is the life that is led by those who belong to the spiritual Church; for when the truth that they know from the Word or from the teaching of the Church becomes a matter of life it is called good, yet it is truth expressed in action. Task: Reflect on what a life of truth looks like.
Submission: My reflections began with SWEDENBORG’S OWN RULES OF LIFE Diligently read and meditate on the Word of God. Be content under the dispensation of the Lord’s Providence. Observe a propriety of behaviour and keep the conscience pure. To obey what is ordered; to attend faithfully to one’s office and other duties; and, in addition, to make one’s self useful to society in general. Further reflections gave rise to the following points. A life of truth involves: • turning away from selfish and materialistic desires and towards a life focused on spiritual values and the welfare of others. • one’s… Read more »
Judy & Len Robinson
May 7, 2024 10:30 am
ACV9S12-Judy # 6917…”As to the “vessels of silver and gold” with the Egyptians being the memory-knowledges of truth and the memory-knowledges of good, when yet by the “Egyptians” both here and in what precedes, and also in what follows, are signified false memory-knowledges, be it known that in themselves these knowledges are not truths, neither are they falsities, but that they become truths with those who are in truths, and falsities with those who are in falsities, this being the effect of their application and use…..” Principle: The life of use is what determines the quality of the memory-knowledges (natural… Read more »
Janna King
May 3, 2024 3:35 am
6915. And it shall be that when ye go, ye shall not go empty. That this signifies life no longer in need in respect to the things of the natural mind, is evident from the signification of “going,” as being life and from the signification of “not going empty,” as being life no longer in need. That “emptiness” denotes where there is no truth may be seen above (n. 4744), thus it denotes where there is spiritual need. That it denotes need in respect to the things of the natural mind is plain from what precedes, namely, that they who… Read more »
Denyse Daurat
May 3, 2024 12:45 am
6895.2 “The Lord’s coming” means the acceptance of Him in people’s hearts through love and faith and also His appearance from within the Word.
Task: Try to access the love and faith within myself in a conscious way.
AC 6915 And it shall be that when ye go, ye shall not go empty. That this signifies life no longer in need in respect to the things of the natural mind, is evident from the signification of “going,” as being life (see n. 3335, 4882, 5493, 5605, 6904); and from the signification of “not going empty,” as being life no longer in need. That “emptiness” denotes where there is no truth may be seen above (n. 4744), thus it denotes where there is spiritual need. That it denotes need in respect to the things of the natural mind is… Read more »
And it shall be when I go, I shall not go empty. Scientifics captivate the mind and infest it and pull it down to the sensuous level, and posses no desire to enter into a pursuit of higher-level truths and goods. And I realized that there is a big difference between a scientific as an end in itself, and a scientific OF, ..such as Goods and Truths. I found myself wondering if I actually pay attention to the underlying current as thoughts(sons), and affections(daughters) are stirred up. As I observed the influx I noticed a distinct difference between an “appearance”… Read more »
Liz Coggins
April 25, 2024 4:38 pm
6905: that we may sacrifice to Jehovah our God. That this signifies thus the worship of the Lord is evident from the signification of ‘sacrificing’ as being worship in general. 6907 [3] They who are in evil of life, and from this in falsity, are in the light of the world…..The glory of the world, which is from the love of self, kindles that light and causes it to glow; and because this is so, truths appear therein wholly as falsities, and falsities wholly as truths. Task: What does it mean as a personal experience – “sacrifices mean none other than the Lord,… Read more »
Submission: The sense of ‘sacrifice’ carries all sorts of associations, and different levels, depending which part of myself is involved; nonetheless, there has been a sense of welcoming-in the process, almost impatience….. of wanting to let go of burdens, of shedding and stripping away – identifying specific proprial loves, and recognising them in order to turn away. I notice that the more I sacrifice living from the light of the world, the more the sense of worship rises, and the more it rises the easier it is to turn away from that dull outer light….so the sacrifice and the worship must… Read more »
When I read the word sacrifice, the following teachings come to mind. The term ‘sacrifice’ comes from the Latin word ‘sacrifico‘ (sacrificium), and is built from the roots sacer— sacred, holy; and facio — to make, create, or cause. Consequently, sacrifice means ‘creating or making a holy sacred state’. This implies a change from an unholy state to a holy state, and calls for the eradication of those factors responsible for the unholiness. In order to prepare sacred ground in ourselves where higher powers may take up residence, it is imperative that unholy, negative and detestable things and states in… Read more »
ACV9 6917. Vessels of silver, and vessels of gold. That “vessels of silver” signify the memory-knowledges of truth, and “vessels of gold” the memory-knowledges of good, is evident from the signification of “vessels,” as being memory-knowledges (see n. 3068, 3079); memory-knowledges are called “vessels” because they are generals, and can contain within them innumerable truths and manifold goods; from the signification of “silver” as being truth, and of “gold” as being good (n. 1551, 1552, 2954, 5658). (That the “silver” of Egypt denotes true and suitable memory-knowledge may be seen above, n. 6112.) As to the “vessels of silver and… Read more »
Submission: Historically, I have a clear picture of how the Lord uses truth in my life to dispel falsity. It feels like a stone dropping into a pond with a ripple effect over my memory knowledges, together with a deep cry of soul grief as I let go of a falsehood that has had power over my life. To me, scientifics feel like individual constructs of thought, feeling and action formed largely through survival needs or love of self and the world. These bonds are then broken by truths from the Word or via influx, which then allows me to… Read more »
AC 6895 part [2] That by the “coming of the Lord” is not meant His appearing with angels in the clouds, but acknowledgement in hearts by love and faith. The appearance of the external Word is nothing like what is meant by the internal sense. I was looking at the story of Leah and Rachel and even though there was the idea to remove person, place, and time, internally I still attributed natural thoughts and affections to the story in what I thought was fair and just or what wasn’t fair and just. When this was recognised, it was interesting how those… Read more »
6893. Hath been seen of me. That this signifies presence, is evident from the signification of “being seen of” anyone as being presence; for by “being seen,” in the internal sense, is not signified being seen by the eyes, but by the thought. Thought itself also causes presence, for the person thought of appears as if present before the internal sight. In the other life this is actually the case, for when anyone is there thought of intently, he becomes present; hence it is that in the other life friends meet together, and also foes, and from the latter they… Read more »
I didn’t have long on this task having travelled round the globe. But I had a strong experience of thinking about loved ones and they really did feel present with me. I can see how this happens in the afterlife. I know that when I think negatively about anyone that this brings in the evil spirits to attack me so this is the other side of the coin. I constantly need to try and stay in a loving sphere. I feel I need to call on the spirits from Mercury to help me with my dropping of “PPTS” but I… Read more »
6904. A life of truth is the life that is led by those who belong to the spiritual Church; for when the truth that they know from the Word or from the teaching of the Church becomes a matter of life it is called good, yet it is truth expressed in action.
Task: Reflect on what a life of truth looks like.
Submission: My reflections began with SWEDENBORG’S OWN RULES OF LIFE Diligently read and meditate on the Word of God. Be content under the dispensation of the Lord’s Providence. Observe a propriety of behaviour and keep the conscience pure. To obey what is ordered; to attend faithfully to one’s office and other duties; and, in addition, to make one’s self useful to society in general. Further reflections gave rise to the following points. A life of truth involves: • turning away from selfish and materialistic desires and towards a life focused on spiritual values and the welfare of others. • one’s… Read more »
ACV9S12-Judy # 6917…”As to the “vessels of silver and gold” with the Egyptians being the memory-knowledges of truth and the memory-knowledges of good, when yet by the “Egyptians” both here and in what precedes, and also in what follows, are signified false memory-knowledges, be it known that in themselves these knowledges are not truths, neither are they falsities, but that they become truths with those who are in truths, and falsities with those who are in falsities, this being the effect of their application and use…..” Principle: The life of use is what determines the quality of the memory-knowledges (natural… Read more »
6915. And it shall be that when ye go, ye shall not go empty. That this signifies life no longer in need in respect to the things of the natural mind, is evident from the signification of “going,” as being life and from the signification of “not going empty,” as being life no longer in need. That “emptiness” denotes where there is no truth may be seen above (n. 4744), thus it denotes where there is spiritual need. That it denotes need in respect to the things of the natural mind is plain from what precedes, namely, that they who… Read more »
6895.2 “The Lord’s coming” means the acceptance of Him in people’s hearts through love and faith and also His appearance from within the Word.
Task: Try to access the love and faith within myself in a conscious way.
AC 6915 And it shall be that when ye go, ye shall not go empty. That this signifies life no longer in need in respect to the things of the natural mind, is evident from the signification of “going,” as being life (see n. 3335, 4882, 5493, 5605, 6904); and from the signification of “not going empty,” as being life no longer in need. That “emptiness” denotes where there is no truth may be seen above (n. 4744), thus it denotes where there is spiritual need. That it denotes need in respect to the things of the natural mind is… Read more »
And it shall be when I go, I shall not go empty. Scientifics captivate the mind and infest it and pull it down to the sensuous level, and posses no desire to enter into a pursuit of higher-level truths and goods. And I realized that there is a big difference between a scientific as an end in itself, and a scientific OF, ..such as Goods and Truths. I found myself wondering if I actually pay attention to the underlying current as thoughts(sons), and affections(daughters) are stirred up. As I observed the influx I noticed a distinct difference between an “appearance”… Read more »
6905: that we may sacrifice to Jehovah our God. That this signifies thus the worship of the Lord is evident from the signification of ‘sacrificing’ as being worship in general. 6907 [3] They who are in evil of life, and from this in falsity, are in the light of the world…..The glory of the world, which is from the love of self, kindles that light and causes it to glow; and because this is so, truths appear therein wholly as falsities, and falsities wholly as truths. Task: What does it mean as a personal experience – “sacrifices mean none other than the Lord,… Read more »
Submission: The sense of ‘sacrifice’ carries all sorts of associations, and different levels, depending which part of myself is involved; nonetheless, there has been a sense of welcoming-in the process, almost impatience….. of wanting to let go of burdens, of shedding and stripping away – identifying specific proprial loves, and recognising them in order to turn away. I notice that the more I sacrifice living from the light of the world, the more the sense of worship rises, and the more it rises the easier it is to turn away from that dull outer light….so the sacrifice and the worship must… Read more »
When I read the word sacrifice, the following teachings come to mind. The term ‘sacrifice’ comes from the Latin word ‘sacrifico‘ (sacrificium), and is built from the roots sacer— sacred, holy; and facio — to make, create, or cause. Consequently, sacrifice means ‘creating or making a holy sacred state’. This implies a change from an unholy state to a holy state, and calls for the eradication of those factors responsible for the unholiness. In order to prepare sacred ground in ourselves where higher powers may take up residence, it is imperative that unholy, negative and detestable things and states in… Read more »