一、“雅威”之名表明独一上帝的永恒自有
19# 独一上帝被称为 “雅威”，正是源于祂的 “存在”（亦即“是”）—— 唯独祂是昔在（过去是）、今在（现在是）、以后永在（将来是）；祂是首先的，也是末后的；是初，也是终；是阿拉法，也是俄梅戛。
“雅威”意为“是”或“存在”，此乃公认之义。上帝自远古时代便被如此称呼，这一点可从《创世记》中得见：第一章中祂被称为“上帝”，自第二章起则被称为“雅威上帝”。后来，亚伯拉罕的子孙随雅各寄居埃及之时，遗忘了上帝的这名，这名才被重新启示。关于此事，经上记着说：
摩西对上帝说：“……他们若问我说：‘他叫什么名字？’”……上帝对摩西说：“我是自有永有的（我是那‘我是’）；……你要对以色列人（以色列众子）这样说：‘那自有的（我是）打发我到你们这里来。’”……“你要这样说：‘雅威——你们祖宗的上帝……打发我到你们这里来。’雅威是我的名，直到永远；这也是我的纪念，直到万代。”（出3:13-15）
正因唯独上帝是“是”与“存在”，也就是雅威，所以受造宇宙之中，无物不是从祂而得其存在。至于获得的方式，下文将予以阐明。
以下经文所指的也是同一真理：
我是首先的，我是末后的，是初和终，是阿拉法和俄梅戛。（赛44:6；启1:8，11；22:13）
这些话语的含义是：自始至终，祂是存在本身，是独一的存在，万物皆由祂而出。
【2】上帝之所以被称为阿拉法和俄梅戛、初和终，是因为阿拉法（A）是希腊字母表中的第一个字母，俄梅戛（Ω）是最后一个字母，因此它们代表了万有的总和。其原因是：在灵性的世界中，字母表中的每一个字母都代表某种事物；而元音由于服务于声音，则代表某种情感或爱。灵性世界中的言语（即天使的言语）以及那里的文字，正是起源于此。这是一个迄今未知的奥秘。这是一种普世的语言，所有的天使和灵都使用它；它与世上任何人类的语言都没有共同之处。人死后都会进入这种语言，因为它从创世之初就内在于每一个人里面。因此，在灵性的世界中，每个人都能理解其他人。我曾多次听见这种语言，并将其与世上的语言相比较，发现它与世上任何自然语言甚至在最细微的层面上都没有共同之处。它的根本区别在于：每一个声音中的每一个字母都代表某种事物。正因为如此，上帝被称为阿拉法和俄梅戛。藉着这个名号所要表明的是：从首至尾，祂是存在自身，是独一的存在，万物都从祂而来。
关于这种语言及其文字——它们是从天使的灵性思维中流出来的——可参看《婚姻之爱》一书（第326-329节），以及后续的论述。
19# （1）独一神凭存在而被称为耶和华，也就是说，因为唯独祂今在、昔在和永在；还因为祂是首先的和末后的，是始和终，是阿拉法和俄梅戛。众所周知，“耶和华”表示“自有永有”（I am and Being，直译，我是和存在）；自上古时代以来，神就被如此称呼，这一点从创世记或创世书清楚看出来，在那里的第一章，祂被称为“神”，在第二章和后续章节，祂被称为“耶和华神”，后来，当亚伯拉罕经由雅各而来的后裔因长期寄居在埃及而忘了神的名字时，它重新唤回他们的记忆；如经上所记：
摩西对神说，你的名字是什么？神对摩西说，我是自有永有的，你要对以色列人这样说，那自有的差我到你们这里来；你要说，耶和华你们祖宗的神，差我到你们这里来；这是我的名，直到永远，这也是我的纪念，直到代代。（出埃及记3:13-15）
既然唯独神是自有永有的，或是耶和华，那么凡不从祂那里获得其存在的，都不能存在于受造宇宙中；下面会看到这是怎么回事。以下这些话具有相同的含义：
我是首先的和末后的，是始和终，是阿拉法和俄梅戛。（以赛亚书44:6; 启示录1:8; 22:13）
这些话表示祂从初至末都是自我（Self）或自身，是独一无二的，是一切事物的源头。
神被称为“阿拉法和俄梅戛，始和终”，因为阿拉法是希腊字母表中的第一个字母，俄梅戛是最后一个字母；因此，这两个字母表示在复合体中的一切事物，或综合起来的一切事物。原因在于，在灵界，字母表中的每个字母都表示某种事物。由于元音赋予音调，或每个元音都是声音的一个象征，所以元音表示属于情感或爱的某种事物。这就是灵人或天使的言语和写作的起源。但迄今为止，这仍是一个未知的奥秘；因为有一种通用语言是所有天使和灵人的语言，这种语言与世人的任何语言都没有共同之处。每个人死后都会使用这种语言，因为它是每个人自受造以来所固有的；因此，在灵界，所有人都能理解彼此。我经常被允许听到这种语言，并将其与世上的语言进行比较，发现无论在哪个方面，它都与地上的任何属世语言不一致。它在其初始元素或基本原则上就不同于这些语言，也就是说，每个单词的每个字母都有其特定含义。正因如此，神被称为阿拉法和俄梅戛，意思是，祂从初至末都是自我或自身，是独一无二的，是一切事物的源头。关于从天使的属灵思维中流出的这种语言和写作形式，可参看《婚姻之爱》（326-329节），以及本书后面的章节（TCR 280，365，386节）。
19. 1. The one God is called Jehovah from "being," that is, from the fact that he alone is [and was] and will be, and that he is the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and the Omega. "Jehovah" means "I am" and "to be," as is generally known. We know from the Book of Creation, or Genesis, that God was called "Jehovah" from most ancient times. In the first chapter he is called "God," but in the second and subsequent chapters he is called "Jehovah God. " Later on the descendants of Abraham through Jacob forgot the name of God owing to their long sojourn in Egypt. Then in the event recorded in the following passage it was recalled to memory:
Moses said to God, "What is your name?" God said, "I Am I Who Am. So you will say to the Children of Israel, 'I Am sent me to you. ' And you will say, Jehovah, the God of your fathers, sent me to you. This is my name to eternity, and this is how I will be remembered from generation to regeneration. " (Exodus 3:13-15)
Since God alone is "I Am" and being, or "Jehovah," therefore nothing exists in the created universe that does not derive its underlying reality from him. (How this happens will be discussed below [21, 75-76, 78].) The same thing is meant by these words: "I am the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and the Omega" (Isaiah 44:6 and Revelation 1:8, 11; 22:13). This means that on every level of existence he is the one and only entity, the source of all things.
[2] God is called the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, because alpha is the first letter in the Greek alphabet and omega is the last; so together they mean all things as a whole.
In the spiritual world, every alphabetical letter has a meaning. A vowel, because it carries tone, means a feeling or some kind of love. Spiritual and angelic speech, and also writing, depends on these meanings - but this is a mystery that has not been known until now. There is in fact a universal language shared by all angels and spirits. It has nothing in common with any human language in our world. After death everyone inherits that language, because it is latent in everyone from creation. In the spiritual world, then, everyone can understand everyone else. I have often been allowed to hear that language. I have compared it with languages in the physical world and have ascertained that it has not even the least thing in common with any earthly language. It differs by its very origin, which is that every letter of every word has a meaning. This is why God is here called the Alpha and the Omega, meaning that on every level of existence he is the one and only entity, the source of all things. (For more on how this language and its written form flow from angels' spiritual thought, see the work <"../cl/326.htm">Marriage Love 326-329; see also what follows in this work [280].)
19. (i) THE ONE GOD IS NAMED JEHOVAH FROM HIS BEING, THAT IS, FROM THE FACT THAT HE ALONE IS, [WAS] AND WILL BE, AND BECAUSE HE IS THE FIRST AND THE LAST, THE BEGINNING AND THE END, ALPHA AND OMEGA.
It is well known that Jehovah means 'I am' and 'Being'. It is clear from the Book of Creation, called Genesis, that God was so called from most ancient times; for there He is called God in the first chapter, but in the second and subsequent ones Jehovah God. Later on when the descendants of Abraham, starting with Jacob, forgot the name of God owing to their long stay in Egypt, it was recalled to their memory. About this we read:
Moses said to God, What is your name? God said, I am who I am; thus
shall you say to the Children of Israel, I am has sent me to you; and you shall say, Jehovah the God of your fathers has sent me to you. This is my name for ever, and this is my memorial from generation to generation, Exodus 3:13-15.
Since God alone is I am or Being, that is, Jehovah, therefore there cannot be anything in the created universe which does not owe its being to Him; how this happens will be seen below. The same is meant also by these words:
I am the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, Alpha and Omega, Isaiah 44:6; Revelation 1:8, 11; 22:13.
This means that He is the one single source from beginning to end, from which everything comes.
[2] God is called Alpha and Omega 1 , the Beginning and the End, because alpha is the first and omega the last letter in the Greek alphabet, and they thus mean everything taken together. The reason is that every letter of the alphabet in the spiritual world stands for some thing. Vowels, which allow words to be pronounced, stand for something to do with affection or love. This is the origin of the speech of spirits or angels, and also of their writing-systems. But this is a mystery not previously known: there is a universal language used by all angels and spirits, which has nothing in common with any human language in the world. Everyone comes into possession of this language after death, for it is inborn in everyone from his creation. Therefore everyone throughout the spiritual world can understand everyone else. I have often been permitted to hear that language, and I have compared it with languages in the world, and found that it does not agree in the slightest detail with any natural language on earth. It differs from them in its basic principle, which is that each letter of every word stands for some thing. That can now be seen to be the reason why God is called Alpha and Omega, the one single source from beginning to end, from which everything comes. On this language and its writing-system, which is derived from the spiritual thought of angels, see <"../cl/326.htm">Conjugial Love 326-329, and also further in this book [280, 365, 386].
Footnotes:
1. This passage is repeated with minor changes from Apocalypse Revealed 29.
19. (1) The one God is called Jehovah from Esse, that is, because He alone Is, Was, and Is To Be, and because He is the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and the Omega. It is known that "Jehovah" signifies I Am and To Be [Esse]; and that God has been so called from the most ancient times is clear from the Book of Creation, or Genesis, where in the first chapter He is called "God," and in the second and subsequent chapters "Jehovah God," and afterwards, when the children of Abraham through Jacob, during their long sojourn in Egypt, forgot the name of God, it was recalled to their remembrance; of which as follows:
Moses said unto God, What is Thy name? God said unto Moses, I am who I Am, thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent Me unto you; and thou shalt say, Jehovah God of your fathers hath sent Me unto you: this is My name to eternity, and this is My memorial from generation to generation (Exodus 3:13-15).
Since God alone is the I Am and Esse, or Jehovah, nothing can exist in the created universe that does not derive its esse from Him; but how will be seen below. The words:
I am the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and the Omega (Isaiah 44:Revelation 1:8, 11; 22:13),
have the same meaning, signifying, Who is the Itself and the Only from things first to things last, the source of all things.
[2] God is called "the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," because Alpha is the first letter in the Greek alphabet and Omega the last; and therefore the two signify all things in the complex. This is because each letter in the alphabet in the spiritual world signifies a thing. And as the vowels furnish the tone, they signify something belonging to affection or love. This is the origin both of spiritual or angelic speech and of writing there. But it is an arcanum hitherto unknown; for there is a universal language which is the language of all angels and spirits, and which has nothing in common with any language of men in the world; into this language everyone comes after death, for it is inherent in every man from his creation; consequently in the spiritual world everyone can understand every other. I have frequently been permitted to hear that language; and I have compared it with languages in the world, and have found that in no respect whatever does it agree with any natural language on earth. It differs from them in its initial element, which is that each letter in each word has its special meaning. It is for this reason that God is called Alpha and Omega, which means that He is the Itself and the Only from things first to things last, the source of all things. But regarding this speech and form of writing, which flows from the spiritual thought of the angels, see the work on Conjugial Love (n. <"../cl/326.htm">. 326-329) also in the following pages.
19. (1) THE ONE GOD IS CALLED JEHOVAH FROM HIS BEING (Esse), BECAUSE HE ALONE IS, AND WILL BE; AND BECAUSE HE IS THE FIRST AND THE LAST, THE BEGINNING AND THE END, THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA.
It is well known that Jehovah signifies "I Am" and "Being;" and that God was so called from the most ancient times appears from the Book of Creation, or Genesis, where in the first chapter He is called God, but in the second and following chapters, Jehovah God. Afterwards, when the descendants of Abraham through Jacob forgot the name of God during their sojourn in Egypt, it was recalled to their remembrance as it is written:
"Moses said unto God, what is thy name? God said: I Am thee that I Am. Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you, and thou shalt say, JEHOVAH God of your fathers hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations" Exodus 3:13-15.
Since the only God is the I Am, and Being (Esse) or Jehovah, there is nothing in the created universe which does not derive its being (esse) from Him. How this is will be seen below. The same is also meant by these words:
"I am the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and the Omega" Isaiah 44:6; Revelation 1:8, 11; 22:13; by which is meant that He is the Self and only One from first things to last, and that all things are from Him.
[2] God is called the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End because Alpha is the first and Omega the last letter in the Greek alphabet, and therefore they signify all things in the complex. This is because every letter of the alphabet in the spiritual world has a signification of its own; and every vowel, because it is a symbol of sound, signifies something of affection or love. From this arose spiritual or angelic speech and writing. Hitherto it has been unknown that there is a universal language, 1 the language of all angels and spirits, which has nothing in common with any language of men in the world. Into the use of this language every man comes after death, for it is implanted in every one from creation, and therefore throughout the whole spiritual world all can understand one another. I have frequently been permitted to hear this language, and I have compared it with languages in the world and found that it agrees in not the least particular with any natural language on earth. It differs from these in its fundamental principle that each letter of every word has a particular signification. For this reason God is now called the Alpha and the Omega, by which is meant that He is the Self and only One from first things to last, and that all things are from Him. Concerning this language and its written form expressing the spiritual thought of angels, see the work <"../cl/326.htm">CONJUGIAL LOVE 326-329, and also the following Nos. herein [280, 365, 386].
Footnotes:
1. Sed hoc est Arcanum hactenus ignotum. Arcanum, what is shut up, enclosed, from arceo, to shut up, and area, an ark, chest or box.
19. I. QUOD UNUS ILLE DEUS DICATUR JEHOVAH EX ESSE, ITA EX EO QUIA SOLUS EST, FUIT, ET ERIT, 1 ET QUIA EST PRIMUS ET ULTIMUS, PRINCIPIUM ET FINIS, ALPHAH ET OMEGAH. Quod Jehovah significet Sum et Esse, notum est; et quod Deus ab antiquissimis temporibus ita vocatus sit, constat ex Libro Creationis seu Genesi, ubi in Primo Capite nominatur Deus, at in Secundo et sequentibus Jehovah Deus: et postea cum filii Abrahami ex Jacobo per commorationem in Aegypto obliti sunt nominis Dei, in memoriam revocatum est; de quo ita; "Moses dixit ad Deum, quodnam Nomen tuum, dixit Deus, SUM QUI SUM; sic dices filiis Israelis, SUM misit me ad vos, et dices, JEHOVAH DEUS Patrum vestrorum 2 misit me ad vos: hoc Nomen meum in aeternum, et hoc Memorabile meum a generatione in generationem," 3 Exodus 3:13-14, 15. 4 Quoniam solus Deus est Sum et Esse, seu Jehovah, ideo non datur in Universo Creato aliquid, quod non ducit suum esse ab Ipso; sed quomodo, videbitur infra: hoc idem etiam intelligitur per haec, Ego sum Primus et Ultimus, Principium et Finis, Alphah et Omegah, Esaias 44:6, 5 et Apocalypsis 1:8, 11; 22:13 per quae significatur, Qui est Ipsum et Unicum a primis ad ultima, ex quo omnia.
[2] Quod Deus dicatur Alphah et Omegah, Principium et Finis, est quia Alphah est Prima et Omegah est Ultima Syllaba in Alphabetho Graeco, et inde significant Omnia in complexu; causa est, quia unaquaevis Litera Alphabetica in Mundo spirituali significat aliquam rem, et Vocalis, quia inservit sono, aliquid affectionis seu amoris; ex hac origine est Loquela Spiritualis seu angelica, et quoque Scriptura ibi: sed hoc est Arcanum hactenus ignotum; est enim Lingua Universalis, in qua sunt omnes Angeli et Spiritus, et haec nihil commune habet cum aliqua Lingua hominum in Mundo; in hanc Linguam venit omnis homo post mortem, est enim illa cuivis homini ex creatione insita; quare unusquisque alterum in Universo Mundo Spirituali intelligere potest: datum est mihi saepius illam Linguam audire, et contuli illam cum linguis in Mundo, et compertus sum, quod ne quidem in aliquo minimo unum faciat cum aliqua Lingua naturali in terris; differt ab his ex primitivo suo, quod est, quod unaquaevis litera cujusvis vocis significet aliquam rem. Inde nunc est quod Deus dicatur Alphah 6 et Omegah; per quod significatur, quod sit Ipsum et Unicum a primis ad ultima, ex Quo omnia: sed de hac Lingua et ejus Scriptura fluente ex Spirituali cogitatione Angelorum, videatur in Opere de Amore Conjugiali 326-329, et quoque in sequentibus.
Footnotes:
1. SOLUS EST, FUIT, ET ERIT ubi in prima editione SOLUS EST, ET ERIT.
2. Prima editio: vestorum.
3. Prima editio: regenerationem.
4. Prima editio: 3:14, 15.
5. Prima editio: 14:16.
6. Prima editio: Aphah.