114. Without the Word No One Would Have Any Knowledge of God, of Heaven and Hell, of Life after Death, and Still Less of the Lord

This follows as a general conclusion from everything we have already said and shown: That the Word is Divine truth itself (nos. 1-4). That the Word is the means of conjunction with angels in heaven (nos. 62-69). That the Word throughout contains a marriage of the Lord and the church and so a marriage of goodness and truth (nos. 80-89). That the character of a church is such as its understanding of the Word (nos. 76-79). That the Word exists also in the heavens and is the source from which angels have their wisdom (nos. 70-75). That it is by means of the Word that nations and peoples not in the church have spiritual light (nos. 104-113). And more as well.

One may conclude from this that without the Word no one would have any spiritual intelligence, which consists in having knowledge of God, of heaven and hell, and of life after death. And no one would have any knowledge at all of the Lord, and of faith in and love for Him, thus nothing of redemption, even though it is the means of salvation.

The Lord also says to His disciples, “Without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

And John [the Baptist] says, “A man can gain nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven” (John 3:27).

29. It is owing to this that the number three in the Word means, in the spiritual sense, something complete and perfect, and everything together. And because this is the symbolic meaning of the number, it is therefore employed in the Word whenever something of that sort is indicated, as in the following instances:

That Isaiah walked naked and barefoot three years (Isaiah 20:3).

That Jehovah called Samuel three times, that Samuel three times ran to Eli, and that Eli understood the third time (1 Samuel 3:1-8).

That David told Jonathan he would hide in the field three days; that Jonathan later shot three arrows to the side of the stone; and that David afterward bowed three times before Jonathan (1 Samuel 20:5, 12-41).

That Elijah stretched himself out on the widow’s son three times (1 Kings 17:21).

That Elijah ordered the people to pour water on the burnt offering three times (1 Kings 18:34).

That Jesus said the kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened (Matthew 13:33).

That Jesus told Peter he would deny Him three times (Matthew 26:34).

That the Lord three times said to Peter, “Do you love Me?” (John 21:15-17).

That Jonah was in the belly of the great fish three days and three nights (Jonah 1:17).

That Jesus said they would destroy the Temple, and in three days He would rebuild it (John 2:19, Matthew 26:61).

That Jesus prayed three times in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:39-44).

That Jesus rose on the third day (Matthew 28:1)

And so on in many other places where three is mentioned. And it is mentioned wherever the subject is a finished and perfect work, because that is the symbolic meaning of the number.