Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 641295c. [4] The Lord’s will in the Old Testament is called His“good pleasure,” and this likewise means the Divine love; and to doHis good pleasure or His will signifies to love God and theneighbor, thus to live according to the commandments of the Lord,since this is to love God and the neighbor, and this comes downfrom the Lord’s love. For no one can love the Lord and theneighbor except from the Lord; for this is the veriest good for man,and all good is from the Lord. That “good pleasure” has thissignification is clear from the following passages. In Isaiah:In My wrath I smote thee, but in My good pleasure have I hadmercy on thee (60:10).“To smite in anger” signifies temptation; “in good pleasure to havemercy” signifies deliverance from love; “to have mercy” is to dogood to the needy from love.[5] In David:My prayer is unto thee, O Jehovah, in the time of good pleasure;O God, for the greatness of Thy mercy answer me, in the truth of Thysalvation (Ps. 69:13).“The time of Jehovah’s good pleasure” signifies acceptance fromlove; “time,” when said of men, signifies the existing state, but inreference to Jehovah, perpetual existing, thus His love, because thisis perpetual. Hearing and help from love through the proceedingDivine which is the Divine truth, is signified by “for the greatnessof Thy mercy answer me, in the truth of Thy salvation.”[6] In Isaiah:Jehovah said, In the time of My good pleasure have I answeredthee, and in the day of salvation have I helped thee (49:8).Here also “the time of good pleasure,” that is, of will, signifies theDivine love; and “to answer” signifies to bring aid, and to benefit.