Church to which these persons belonged was not itself a true Church, but only the representative of a true church. Consequently these persons were themselves only the representatives of what their names signify. Thus Joshua was not really what the name signifies, the Lord, the Savior; but, according to Swedenborg, he merely represented the Lord in respect to truth combatting against falses and evils, and thus saving men from hell. Hence the reason why this name in the Hebrew denotes the Lord, the Savior. Elisha and Elijah also represented the Lord as to the Word which is from Him, and through the medium or strength of which men are saved. Hence the reason why their names signify, one, the Strong Lord, the other, God that saves. Similar remarks will apply to every other individual in the representative church, whose names are mentioned in the Word.
But is any one prepared to affirm his belief that Jesus Christ was merely a representative personage, the same as those in the Hebrew Church whose names we have just mentioned? Is it easy—is it indeed possible for Christians to believe this? Is it not obvious that He was the real Person whom these individuals represented in various ways?—that he was not representatively but really Immanuel, as He was called?
Again, it is written in Is. 40: 3, “The voice of
