1228. And I fell down before his feet to adore him.- That this signifies perception from him of the Divine, to which belongs adoration, is evident from the signification of falling down before the feet and adoring, as denoting to acknowledge, confess, and worship the Divine, concerning which see above (n. 805, 821, 1206). That it is only perception of the Divine from him is evident from his saying that he is not to be adored, because he is merely an angel, and a servant of the Lord, even in like manner as men are; but the case is this, that when the Lord sends angels to men, as He did to the prophets, He fills them with His Divine, and so causes them to speak. The angel who is sent does not speak from himself, but from the Lord; but as soon as he has spoken, he returns to himself, and then knows that he is only an angel. Thus the Word was written from the Lord by means of angels, and thus the Lord spoke with the ancients, as with Abraham, with Hagar his handmaid, with Gideon, and in general with the prophets, therefore also the angels are called by them Jehovah; and some were adored so long as they were filled with the Divine. This presence of the Lord is the same as the presence of the Holy Spirit. It is evident from these things what the above words signify.
[2] 8. Because Divine Love and Divine Wisdom belong to the Lord, therefore Divine Omnipresence and Divine Omniscience, proceeding from both of them, belong to Him; the former proceeding principally from Divine Love, the latter principally from Divine Wisdom.
Love and wisdom in the Lord are not two but one; and this one is the Divine Love, which before the angels of heaven appears as the Sun. But the love and wisdom proceeding from the Lord as the Sun appear as two distinct things, the love as heat, the wisdom as light; but both, in virtue of their origin from the Sun, act as one. They are, however, separated with the angels of heaven, and with the men of the Church. Some, who receive love, which is heat, more than wisdom, which is light, are called celestial angels and men; and others, who receive wisdom, which is light, more than love, which is heat, are called spiritual angels and men. These points may be illustrated by the sun of the world, in which fire and the source of light are one thing - this one thing being the fiery property of the sun. From this sun proceed heat and light, which appear as two distinct things, but still, in virtue of their origin, act as one; this oneness of action being evident on the earth in the seasons of spring and summer. They become, however, two distinct things, according to the position of the earth with regard to the sun, and thus also according to direct or oblique reception. This correspondence may serve as an illustration.
[3] The case is similar with omnipresence and omniscience; they are one in the Lord, but still they proceed from Him as two distinct attributes; the former having reference to love, and the latter to wisdom; or, what is the same thing, the former referring to good, and the latter to truth, because all good originates in love, and all truth in wisdom. The reason why the Lord's omnipresence refers to love and good is, that the Lord is present with man in the good of his love; and the reason why His omniscience refers to wisdom and truth is, that from the good of man the Lord is omnipresent in the truths of his understanding; and this omnipresence is called omniscience. The case is the same with all men generally, as it is with each man individually.
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