10153. And I will dwell in the midst of the sons of Israel. That this signifies the presence of the Lord, and His influx, through good in heaven and in the church, is evident from the signification of "dwelling," when said of the Lord, as being to be present and to flow in; that this is through the Divine good is because "to dwell" is predicated of good (see n. 2268, 2451, 2712, 3613, 8269, 8309), wherefore also it is said, "in the midst," because by "the midst" is signified the inmost, and the inmost is good (that this is signified by "the midst," see n. 2940, 5897, 6084, 6103). And from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being the church (see n. 9340).
[2] That by "dwelling in the midst," when said of the Lord, is signified His presence and influx through Divine good, is because the Lord flows in and is present with a man in the man's good which he receives from the Lord; for good makes the man himself, because everyone is such as is his good. By good is meant love, for everything that is loved is called good. Everyone who spies out another knows that the love or good makes the man, for when he has spied him out he leads him by his love wherever he wishes, in so much that while he is kept in his love, he is no longer his own master, and then all reasons that are contrary to his love are of no avail, whereas those which agree with the love are of all avail.
[3] That this is the case is also very evident in the other life. There all spirits are known by their loves, and when they are kept in them, they cannot do anything contrary to them, for to act contrary to them is to act contrary to themselves. They are therefore the forms of their loves; they who are in the heavens are forms of charity and of heavenly love, of such beauty as cannot be described; but they who are in the hells are forms of their loves, which are those of self and of the world, consequently they are also forms of hatred and revenge, thus are such monsters as cannot be described.
[4] As therefore the whole man is such as is his love, it is evident that the Lord cannot be present with a man who is in an evil love, but only with a man who is in a good love, thus in his good. It is believed that the Lord is present in the truth which is called the truth of faith, but He is not present in truth without good. But where good is, there the Lord is present in the truth through the good, and He is present in the truth insofar as it leads to good, and as it proceeds from good. Truth without good cannot be said to be within a man, it being merely in his memory as so much memory-knowledge, which does not enter the man and form him until it becomes of the life; and it becomes of the life when he loves it, and from love lives according to it. When this is the case, then the Lord dwells with him, as He Himself also teaches in John:
He that hath My commandments, and doeth them, he it is that loveth Me, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him, and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him (John 14:21, 23);
"to manifest Himself" denotes to enlighten in the truths of faith from the Word; "to come unto him" denotes to be present; and "to make abode with him" denotes to dwell in his good.