10577. 'And I will be gracious to whom I am gracious, and I will show mercy to whom I show mercy' means that Divine Truth and Good will be revealed to those who are receptive. This is clear from the meaning of 'being gracious' as endowing with spiritual truth and good, in this instance revealing it, since the subject is the inner substance and the outward form of the Church, worship, and the Word; and from the meaning of 'showing mercy' as endowing with celestial truth and good, in this instance revealing it. The reason why among those who are receptive is meant is that the internal things of the Word, the Church, and worship are revealed to none but those who are receptive.
[2] The reason why 'being gracious' means endowing with spiritual truth and good, and 'showing mercy' endowing with celestial truth and good, is that grace is a term used in reference to faith and mercy is a term used in reference to love; and the good of faith is spiritual good, and the good of love is celestial good. What spiritual good and celestial good are, and what is the difference between them, see in the places referred to in 9277. Those who are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom speak of grace, whereas those who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom speak of mercy, 598, 981, 5929. Unless there were such a difference between grace and mercy both expressions - 'being gracious' and 'showing mercy' - would not have been used. For the same reason Jehovah is called both 'gracious' and 'merciful' in Exod 34:6; Joel 2:13; Ps 103:8; 145:8. And in Isaiah,
Therefore Jehovah will remain to show you grace, and therefore He will exalt Himself to be merciful to you. Isa 30:18.
[3] Because there are two realities to which all things of the Church belong, namely love and faith, and since mercy belongs to love, and grace as well as truth belongs to faith, the Word uses the terms 'mercy' and 'grace' when the Lord is being implored; but it uses 'mercy' and 'truth' when He is being described, as in the following places: In David,
Your mercy is before my eyes, and I walk in Your truth. Ps 26:3.
In the same author,
O Jehovah, Your mercy is in the heavens, and Your truth reaches to the skies. Ps 36:5.
In the same author,
God will send from the heavens His mercy and His truth. Great even to heaven is Your mercy, and Your truth even to the skies. Ps 57:3,10.
In the same author,
Let mercy and truth meet, and let righteousness and peace kiss each other. Ps 85:10.
In the same author,
I will sing of the mercy of Jehovah forever, to generation after generation [I will make known] Your truth with my mouth. For I have said, Forever will mercy be built, in the very heavens You will make firm Your truth. Righteousness and judgement are the support of Your throne, mercy and truth will stand before Your face. Ps 89:1,2,14.
'Mercy' in these places means love and 'truth' faith.
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