3
The Word’s Literal Meaning Is the Foundation,
the Container, and the Structural Support
for Its Spiritual and Heavenly MeaningsIn all that is divine there is a primary component, a middle component, 210
and an outermost component. The primary component goes forth through
the middle component to the outermost component; by doing so it takes
on a form and a continued existence. As a result, the outermost component
is a foundation.The primary component is also present in the middle com-
ponent; and by means of the middle component it is present in the outer-
most component. Therefore the outermost component is also a container.
Because the outermost component is both a container and a foundation, it
is also a structural support.
The educated reader will understand that these three components
could be called the purpose, the means, and the result; and also the being,
the becoming, and the taking shape. The purpose is the being, the means
is the becoming, and the result is the taking shape. Therefore in everything
that is complete, there is a trine called the primary component, the middle
component, and the outermost component, or the purpose, the means,
and the result. People who understand this also understand that the outer-
most component of every divine work is complete and perfect; and every-
thing is present in that outermost component because prior components
are collectively present in it.
As a result of this, threein the Word has the spiritual meaning “being 211
complete and perfect” and also “containing all aspects at once.” Since the
number three has these meanings, it comes into play in the Word when-
ever these qualities need to be designated. For example, Isaiah went around
naked and barefoot for three years(Isaiah 20 : 3 ). Jehovah called Samuel three
times,and three timesSamuel ran to Eli. The third time,Eli understood
( 1 Samuel 3 : 1 – 8 ). Jonathan told David to hide himself in the field for three
days.Jonathan shot three arrowsto the side of a stone. Then David bowed
down three timesbefore Jonathan ( 1 Samuel 20 : 5 , 12 – 42 ). Elijah stretched
out on the widow’s son three times( 1 Kings 17 : 21 ). Elijah ordered people to
pour water over the sacrifice three times( 1 Kings 18 : 34 ). Jesus said that the
kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three meas-
uresof meal until the whole amount was leavened (Matthew 13 : 33 ). Jesus
§211 sacred scripture 289