[2] That “flowers” denote the memory-knowledges of truth, and in general truths, is evident from the following passages:
Their root shall be as rottenness, and their flower as dust; because they have rejected the law of Jehovah Zebaoth, and despised the discourse of the Holy One of Israel (Isa. 5:24).
Jacob shall cause those to come to take root; Israel shall blossom and flower; so that the faces of the world shall be filled with produce (Isa. 27:6).
Woe to the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of his glory and comeliness (Isa. 28:1).
“Drunkards” denote those who reason from falsities (see n. 1072); “Ephraim” denotes the intellectual of the church, here perverted (n. 5354, 6222, 6234, 6238, 6267); “glory,” truth Divine (n. 4809, 5922, 8267, 8427, 9429); from which it is plain that a “flower” denotes the memory-knowledge through which is truth. Again:
The grass is withered, the flower faded, the people is grass; but the word of our God abideth forever (Isa. 40:7, 8).
The flower of Lebanon languisheth (Nah. 1:4);
where also “the flower” denotes memory-knowledges as means for growing wise.
[3] In Daniel:
Nebuchadnezzar saw in a dream, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, the height thereof great, the leaf thereof beautiful, and the flower thereof much; the beast of the field had shade under it, and the birds of heaven dwelt in the branches thereof, and all flesh was fed. But the Holy One from heaven, crying aloud, said, Hew down the tree, cut off his branches, shake off his leaf, scatter his flower; let the beast of the field flee from under it, and the birds from its branches (Dan. 4:10, 12-14).
By “the tree” and “the height thereof” is signified the increase of the religiosity signified by “Babel,” which is holy in externals, but profane in internals (n. 1182, 1283, 1295, 1304-1308, 1321, 1322, 1326); “the leaf” denotes memory-truth in general (n. 885); “the flower,” the memory-knowledge of truth insofar as it serves as a means for growing wise, but here insofar as it serves as a means for growing insane, because it is said that “the flower shall be scattered;” “the beast of the field” denotes those who are in affections of good; and in the opposite sense, those who are in affections of evil (n. 45, 46, 142, 143, 246, 714, 715, 719, 776, 1823, 2179, 2180, 3218, 3519, 5198, 7523, 9090, 9280); but “the birds of heaven” denotes those who are in affections of truth, and in the opposite sense those who are in affections of falsity (n. 3219, 5149, 7441); therefore it is said that “under the shade of that tree dwelt the beast of the field,” and that “in its branches dwelt the birds of heaven,” and that “all flesh was fed;” and afterward that “the beast of the field should flee from under it, and the birds from its branches.”
[2] The end is everything of the cause, and the cause is everything of the effect; whence it follows that the end is everything of the effect, insomuch that if the end or final cause is withdrawn, there is no efficient cause and no effect of it. In like manner do the celestial, the spiritual, and the natural succeed each other; from the celestial is all the spiritual, and from the spiritual is all the natural, that is, from the celestial through the spiritual. With man all is called “celestial” that is of the good of love, all “spiritual” that is of the truth of faith thence derived, and all “natural” that is of memory-knowledge. That memory-knowledge is natural, is because this knowledge is truth appearing in the light of the world; whereas the truth of faith, insofar as it is of faith with man, is in the light of heaven.
[3] From all this it can now be seen how one thing is produced and derived from another, and that the first is everything in the products and derivatives, insomuch that if the first is withdrawn, the things which follow from it perish. Everyone capable of perception can know that the Divine is the first of all things, and therefore is the all in all of the order of things, thus in all things of good and truth which make heaven, and which make the life of heaven, with man. Consequently good from the Divine is in all the truths of faith, and if good is not everything in them, and if the Divine of the Lord is not everything in good, the man has in him nothing of heaven, thus nothing of the church.
[4] But the Divine of the Lord is in all things of good with a man, and from this in all things of truth with him, when he wills from love, and believes from the consequent faith, that all good and all truth, thus everything of love and everything of faith, are from the Lord, and absolutely nothing from himself; and also that he possesses the truth of faith in the exact proportion of his reception of good from the Lord; for, as before said, good is the all in all things of truth, and truth without good is truth without life. From all this it can be seen what is meant by that which is entire and perfect because from the same good, which is signified by “one solid of pure gold.”
No man hath seen God at any time; the Only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath set Him forth (John 1:18).
Ye have not heard the voice of the Father at any time, nor seen His shape (John 5:37).
He that is washed needeth not save to be washed as to his feet, and is clean every whit (John 13:10);
“washing” signified the purification of the internal man (n. 3147, 5954, 9088); and “the feet,” the natural (n. 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952).
* place of waste removal
[2] Such things cannot be seen by the eyes of a man, so long as he is in the world, for these eyes have been formed to receive earthly and bodily, thus material things. They are therefore so gross that they cannot even compass with their vision the interior things of nature, as can be well enough seen from the lenses they need to be furnished with in order to see merely those things of interior nature that are nearest to them. In a word, these eyes are most dull, and being such, the representatives which appear to spirits in the other life cannot possibly be seen by them; and if they are to appear, the light of the world must be taken away from the eyes, and then the things which are in the light of heaven may be seen. For there is a light of heaven, and there is a light of the world. The light of heaven is for the spirit of man, and the light of the world is for his body. The case herein is as follows. The things that are in the light of heaven are in thick darkness so long as a man sees from the light of the world; and, conversely, the things that are in the light of the world are in thick darkness when a man sees from the light of heaven. From this it is that when the light of the world is taken away from the sight of the bodily eye, the eyes of the man’s spirit are opened, and those things are seen which are in the light of heaven; thus, as before said, the representative forms.
[3] From all this it can be known why it is that at the present day men are in thick darkness concerning heavenly things, and why some are in darkness so great that they do not even believe that there is a life after death, nor that they will live forever. For at the present day man is so immersed in the body, thus in bodily, earthly, and worldly things, and is consequently in so gross a light of the world, that heavenly things are absolute thick darkness to him and therefore the sight of his spirit cannot be enlightened. From all this it is now evident what it is to see with those eyes of the spirit with which Moses saw the form of the Tent on Mount Sinai.
By means of angels from the Lord I was conducted to a certain earth in the universe, where it was granted me to look at the earth itself; but not to speak with the inhabitants of it, but with the spirits who came from it. For after their life in the world is completed, all the inhabitants, or men, of every earth, become spirits, and remain about their earth. Nevertheless these give information about their earth, and the state of its inhabitants; for men who depart out of the body carry with them all their former life, and all their memory.
THE DOCTRINE OF CHARITY AND OF FAITH
All that is called Freedom which is of the will, thus which is of the love; whence it is that Freedom manifests itself by means of the delight of willing and thinking, and of the consequent doing and speaking. For all delight is of love, and all love is of the will, and the will is the being of man’s life.
Everyone that doeth sin is the servant of sin. The servant abideth not in the house forever; the Son abideth forever. If the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed (John 8:34-36).
So is the Kingdom of God, as a man who casteth seed into the earth; the seed germinateth and groweth, while he knoweth not. The earth beareth fruit of its own accord (Mark 4:26-28).
“The kingdom of God” denotes heaven with man, thus the good of love and the truth of faith.
EXODUS 26
1. And thou shalt make the Habitation, ten curtains; of fine twined linen, and blue, and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed, with cherubs, the work of a thinker,* shalt thou make them.
2. The length of one curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits; and the breadth four cubits, for one curtain; one measure for all the curtains.
3. Five curtains shall be joined together one to the other; and five curtains shall be joined together one to the other.
4. And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain at the extremity in the joining, and so shalt thou do in the edge of the uttermost curtain in the second joining.
5. Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain, and fifty loops shalt thou make in the extremity of the curtain that is in the second joining; the loops shall be taken up one to the other.
6. And thou shalt make fifty hooks of gold, and shalt join together the curtains one to the other in the hooks, and it shall be one Habitation.
7. And thou shalt make curtains of goats’ [hair] for a Tent over the Habitation; eleven curtains shalt thou make them.
8. The length of one curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth four cubits, for one curtain; one measure for the eleven curtains.
9. And thou shalt join together five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shalt double the sixth curtain over against the faces of the Tent.
10. And thou shalt make fifty loops upon the edge of the one uttermost curtain in the joining, and fifty loops upon the edge of the curtain of the second joining.
11. And thou shalt make fifty hooks of brass, and shalt bring the hooks into the loops, and shalt join together the Tent, that it may be one.
12. And that which superaboundeth over and above in the curtains of the Tent, the half of the curtain that is over and above, thou shalt make to superabound over the hinder parts of the Habitation.
13. And the cubit on the one side, and the cubit on the other side, in that which is over and above in the length of the curtains of the Tent, shall superabound over the sides of the Habitation, on this side and on that, to cover it.
14. And thou shalt make for the Tent a covering of skins of red rams, and a covering of badgers’ skins above.
15. And thou shalt make the planks for the Habitation of shittim wood, standing up.
16. Ten cubits shall be the length of a plank, and a cubit and half a cubit the breadth of one plank.
17. Two hands shall there be in one plank, combined one to the other: thus shalt thou make for all the planks of the Habitation.
18. And thou shalt make the planks for the Habitation, twenty planks for the corner of the south toward the south.
19. And thou shalt make forty bases of silver under the twenty planks; two bases under one plank for its two hands, and two bases under one plank for its two hands.
20. And for the other side of the Habitation, at the corner of the north, twenty planks:
21. And their forty bases of silver; two bases under one plank, and two bases under one plank.
22. And for the two legs of the Habitation toward the sea thou shalt make six planks.
23. And two planks shalt thou make for the corners of the Habitation in the two legs.
24. And they shall be twinned from beneath, and they shall be twinned together at the head of it unto one ring; thus shall it be for them both; they shall be at the two corners.
25. And there shall be eight planks, and their bases of silver, sixteen bases; two bases under one plank, and two bases under one plank.
26. And thou shalt make bars of shittim wood; five for the planks of the one side of the Habitation:
27. And five bars for the planks of the other side of the Habitation, and five bars for the planks of the side of the Habitation at the two legs toward the sea.
28. And the middle bar in the middle of the planks shall pass through from extremity to extremity.
29. And thou shalt overlay the planks with gold, and make their rings of gold, houses for the bars; and thou shalt overlay the bars with gold.
30. And thou shalt set up the Habitation according to the method which thou wast made to see in the mountain.
31. And thou shalt make a veil of blue, and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed, and fine twined linen; with the work of a thinker* shall he make it, with cherubs:
32. And thou shalt bestow it upon four pillars of shittim overlaid with gold, and their hooks of gold, upon four bases of silver.
33. And thou shalt bestow the veil under the hooks, and shalt bring in thither from within the veil the ark of the Testimony; and the veil shall divide for you between the holy and the holy of holies.
34. And thou shalt bestow the propitiatory [mercy seat] upon the ark of the Testimony in the holy of holies.
35. And thou shalt put the table outside the veil, and the lampstand over against the table upon the side of the Habitation toward the south; and thou shalt bestow the table at the side of the north.
36. And thou shalt make a covering for the door of the Tent, of blue, and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed, and fine twined linen, the work of the embroiderer.
37. And thou shalt make for the covering five pillars of shittim, and overlay them with gold; and their hooks shall be of gold; and thou shalt cast for them five bases of brass.
* skilled craftsman
In this chapter the second or middle heaven is represented by the Habitation and the Tent; and the celestial and spiritual things therein are represented by the things of which these were constructed. And afterward the Intermediate that unites this heaven and the inmost heaven is represented by the veil between the Habitation and the ark of the Testimony.
Verse l. And thou shalt make the Habitation ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed, with cherubs; the work of a thinker* shalt thou make them. “And thou shalt make the Habitation,” signifies the second or middle heaven; “ten curtains,” signifies all the truths from which it is; “of fine twined linen, and blue, and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed,” signifies the spiritual and celestial things from which are these truths; “with cherubs,” signifies the guard of the Lord lest it be approached and injured by the hells; “the work of a thinker* shalt thou make them,” signifies the understanding.
* skilled craftsman
[2] These three degrees of life in man are opened successively; the first degree by a life in accordance with what is equitable and just; the second degree by a life in accordance with the truths of faith from the Word, and in accordance with the consequent goods of charity toward the neighbor; and the third degree by a life in accordance with the good of mutual love and the good of love to the Lord. These are the means whereby are successively opened these three degrees of life in man, thus the three heavens in him. But be it known that in proportion as a man recedes from the good of life, and accedes to the evil of life, these degrees are closed, that is, the heavens are closed in him; for just as the good of life opens them, so the evil of life closes them. It is from this that all who are in evil are outside of heaven, thus are in hell. And because, as before said, the heavens are successively opened in a man according to the good of his life, be it known that for this reason in some the first heaven is opened and not the second; and in some the second heaven is opened and not the third; and that the third heaven is opened in those only who are in the good of life from love to the Lord. (That a man is heaven in the least form, and that he was created after the image both of heaven and of the world, may be seen in the passages cited in n. 9279).
[3] Therefore it is the inmost heaven which is represented by the ark of the Testimony, treated of in the preceding chapter; it is the middle heaven which is represented by the Habitation, treated of in this chapter; and it is the ultimate heaven which is represented by the court, treated of in the following chapter. Heaven is called “the Habitation of God” from the fact that the Divine of the Lord dwells there; for it is the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord’s Divine good that makes heaven, for this gives the life of an angel who is there. And because the Lord dwells with the angels in that which is from Himself (n. 9338e), therefore heaven is called “the Habitation of God,” and the Divine truths themselves from the Divine good, of which the angels or the angelic societies are the receptions, are called His “Habitations; as in the following passages:
O send out Thy light and Thy truth; let these lead me; let them lead me unto the mountain of holiness, and to Thy habitations; that I may go in unto the altar of God, unto God (Ps. 43:3-4).
There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holiness of the habitations of the Most High (Ps. 46:4).
They have profaned the habitation of Thy name to the earth (Ps. 74:7).
How lovely are Thy habitations, O Jehovah (Ps. 84:1).
[4] That the Divine things which proceed from the Lord’s Divine Human are what are in particular called His “Habitations,” and that from this, heaven itself is called His “Habitation” is also evident in David:
He swore to Jehovah, he vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob, I will not give sleep to mine eyes until I have found out a place for Jehovah, habitations for the Mighty One of Jacob. Lo, we heard of Him in Ephrathah, we found Him in the fields of the forest; we will go into His Habitations (Ps. 132:2, 4-7).
“The Mighty One of Jacob” denotes the Lord as to the Divine Human (n. 6425); “Ephrathah,” where He was to be found, is Bethlehem, where He was born (Gen. 35:19; 48:7; Micah 5:2; Matt. 2:4-6); “the fields of the forest” denote the goods of the church among the Gentiles.
[5] In Ezekiel:
They shall dwell upon the land that I have given to Jacob My servant; they shall dwell upon it, they and their sons’ sons forever; and David My servant shall be prince to them forever. I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them, and I will set My sanctuary in the midst of them forever. So shall My habitation be with them (Ezek. 37:25-27).
“David,” who was to be “prince to them” denotes the Lord (n. 1888); “the sanctuary” denotes the Lord’s Divine Human, because from Him is all that is holy (n. 3210, 9229); thus His “Habitation” denotes heaven and the church where the Lord is.
[6] In Jeremiah:
Thus said Jehovah, Behold I bring back the captivity of Jacob’s tents, and have compassion on his habitations, that the city shall be built upon its heap (Jer. 30:18).
“To bring back the captivity of Jacob’s tents” denotes to restore the goods and truths of the external church which had been destroyed; “having compassion on his habitations” denotes to restore the truths of the internal church; “the city which shall be built upon its heap” denotes the doctrine of truth (n. 2449, 2943, 3216, 4492, 4493).
[7] In what way the Lord dwells in the heavens, can be seen from what has been shown already concerning the Lord; namely, that the Lord as to the Divine Human is the Sun from which are the heat and light in the heavens. The heat from the Lord as the Sun is love, and the light is faith. From this the Lord dwells with those who receive from Him the good of love and the truth of faith, thus the heat and light of life. His presence is according to the degrees of the reception.
[2] That “the curtains” denote the truths of faith belonging to those who are in the Lord’s spiritual kingdom, is evident from the passages in the Word where they are mentioned; as in Isaiah:
Sing, O barren one that didst not bear, for more are the sons of the desolate one than the sons of the married one; enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of thine habitations; lengthen the cords. For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the nations (Isa. 54:1-3);
treating of the church about to be set up among the Gentiles, which is called “the barren one that did not bear,” for the reason that they had been without truths from the Word (n. 9325); and now it is said to have “more sons than the sons of the married one,” because its truths are more numerous than the truths of the former devastated church, for “sons” denote truths (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 3373, 3704); “to enlarge the place of the tent” denotes the holiness of worship from the good of love (n. 3312, 4391, 4599); “to stretch out the curtains of the habitations” denotes the holiness of worship from the truths of faith.
[3] In Jeremiah:
The whole land hath been laid waste, suddenly have My tents been laid waste, My curtains in a moment (Jer. 4:20).
“The land that hath been laid waste” denotes the church (n. 9325); “tents laid waste” denotes the holiness of worship from the good of love; “curtains laid waste” denotes holy worship from the truths of faith.
[4] Again:
My tent hath been laid waste, and all My cords pulled out; My sons are gone forth from Me, and they are not; there is none to stretch out My tent any more, and to set up My curtains. For the shepherds are become foolish (Jer. 10:20, 21);
where the meaning is similar. Again:
Arise ye, and go up against Arabia, and lay waste the sons of the east; let them take their tents and their flocks, let them carry away for themselves their curtains, and all their vessels, and their camels (Jer. 49:28, 29).
“Arabia and the sons of the east” denote those who are in the knowledges of good and truth (n. 3249); “taking the tents and flocks” denotes the interior goods of the church (n. 8937); “taking the curtains” denotes the interior truths of the church; “their vessels” denote the exterior truths of the church (n. 3068, 3079); “camels” denote general memory-knowledges (n. 3048, 3071, 3143, 3145). In Habakkuk:
Under Aven I saw the tents of Cushan; the curtains of Midian did shake (Hab. 3:7).
“The curtains of Midian” denote truths with those who are in simple good (n. 3242, 4756, 4788, 6773, 6775).
[5] From all this it is evident what is meant in David:
O Jehovah Thou hast put on glory and honor; who covereth Himself with light as with a garment; He stretcheth out the heavens like a curtain (Ps. 104:1, 2).
“To cover Himself with light as with a garment” denotes Divine truths. (That “light” denotes truth, see n. 9548; as also “a garment,” n. 4545, 4763, 5319, 5954, 9093, 9212, 9216); consequently “to stretch out the heavens like a curtain” denotes to enlarge the heavens by means of an influx of truth Divine, from which come intelligence and wisdom. That “to stretch out and expand the heavens” is predicated of the new, that is, the regenerate, understanding, may be seen at the end of the following article.
[2] As spiritual and celestial things follow in this order, therefore fine twined linen is here mentioned first; but in the case of the veil, which was between the Habitation and the ark, or between the holy and the holy of holies-see verse 31 of this chapter-it is mentioned in the last place. The reason why in the veil the fine twined linen is mentioned last, is that the veil signifies the intermediate that unites the inmost heaven with the middle heaven, and therefore in this intermediate it must be the last, so that, for the sake of conjunction, it may be the first in what follows.
[3] But by “fine twined linen” is properly signified the understanding such as belongs to a spiritual man, or to an angel who is in the Lord’s spiritual kingdom. The reason why the understanding is signified by “fine twined linen,” is that with the spiritual man a new will from the Lord has been implanted in his understanding (n. 863, 875, 895, 927, 1023, 1043, 1044, 1555, 2256, 4328, 4493, 5113); and as the understanding of the spiritual man is signified by “fine twined linen,” therefore also spiritual truth is signified thereby, because all truth belongs to the part of the understanding, and all good to the part of the will (n. 3623, 9300); for the understanding is the subject or containant, and truth belongs to it, and these two make a one. From all this it can also be seen that with those who are of the Lord’s spiritual kingdom the understanding is “the Habitation” in the close sense (n. 9296, 9297), and that it is described by the expanse of the curtains.
[4] From all this it can be known what is signified by “spreading out and stretching out the heavens” in the following passages:
Jehovah that stretcheth out the heavens, that spreadeth out the earth, that giveth breath to the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein (Isa. 42:5).
I, Jehovah, that maketh all things; that stretcheth out the heavens alone; that spreadeth out the earth by Myself (Isa. 44:24).
I have made the earth, and created man upon it; I, My hands, have stretched out the heavens (Isa. 45:12).
He who maketh the earth by His power, prepareth the world by His wisdom, and by His intelligence stretcheth out the heavens (Jer. 51:15).
Jehovah, that stretcheth out the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man in the midst of him (Zech. 12:1).
[5] That by “stretching out the heavens and spreading out the earth” the same is here signified as by “stretching out and spreading out the habitation” by means of the curtains is manifest; and that this denotes to regenerate man, and thus to create or form a new understanding in which is a new will, which is the very heaven of the spiritual man, wherein the Lord dwells with this man. That it is regeneration, or the formation of a new understanding and therein of a new will, thus of a new man, which is signified by “stretching out the heavens and spreading out the earth” is clear from the very explanation given in the above passages, for it is said, “that giveth breath to the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein; also, “that formeth the spirit of man within him.” That “heaven and earth” denote the internal and external church, see n. 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118, 3355, 4535; also that “the earth” in general denotes the Lord’s kingdom and church (n. 9334); and this is also plainly to be seen, for unless “the earth” had this signification, what could be meant by “spreading out the earth,” and by “laying the foundation of the earth,” and by “forming the spirit of man therein”?
[6] That by “stretching out the heavens, and spreading out the earth” the like is here signified as by “stretching out and spreading out the habitation” by means of the curtains is evident from other passages where it is stated more expressly, as in the following:
Jehovah, that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in (Isa. 40:22).
Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch the curtains of thy habitations (Isa. 54:2).
Jehovah covereth Himself with light as with a garment; He stretcheth out the heavens like a curtain (Ps. 104:2).
From all this it is also evident what is signified by “the expanse” in the first chapter of Genesis:
God said, Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it be to the waters a dividing between the waters. And God made the expanse, and divided between the waters that were under the expanse and the waters that were above the expanse. And God called the expanse heaven (Gen. 1:6-8).
In this first chapter is described the regeneration of the man of the celestial church; and his new will and understanding are described by “the expanse;” “the waters under the expanse, and above the expanse” denote the truths of the external and of the internal man (that “waters” denote truths, see n. 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 8568, 9323).
I have called by name Bezaleel, and I have filled him with the spirit of God, as to wisdom, as to intelligence, and as to knowledge, and as to all work; to think thoughts, to work in gold, in silver, and in brass, and in the engraving of stone for filling, and in the carving of wood, to work in every work of thought (Exod. 31:2-5; 35:30-33).
(That the understanding is signified, is also evident from what was shown just above, n. 9596.)
* Latin, excogitator; Hebrew, hashab, to think out – a skilled craftsman. [Reviser.]
[2] That “measure” signifies the state of a thing as to truth, and also the state of a thing as to good, is evident from the passages in the Word that treat of the measurements of the New Jerusalem, and also of the new temple. By the “New” or “Holy Jerusalem” is signified the Lord’s New Church, in like manner by the temple; and therefore by their “measurements” are signified states as to truth and as to good; as in John:
The angel had a golden reed, to measure the holy Jerusalem, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof; and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. And he measured the wall thereof, a hundred forty and four cubits, which is the measure of a man, that is, of an angel (Rev. 21:15-17).
That the “measurements” here signify states as to good and truth is very manifest, for the “holy Jerusalem” denotes the Lord’s New Church; “the gates and the wall” denote the protecting truths of faith; “twelve thousand” denotes all truths and goods in the complex; likewise “a hundred forty and four” (n. 7973), for this number signifies the like as the number “twelve” because it arises from twelve multiplied by twelve (that “twelve” denotes all truths and goods in the complex, see n. 577, 2089, 2129, 2130, 3272, 3858, 3913); “the measure of a man, that is, of an angel” signifies that such is the state of the church and of heaven in respect to the goods of love and the truths of faith, for “a man” denotes the church, and “an angel,” heaven. Unless it were known what is signified by “the holy Jerusalem,” by its “gate” and its “wall,” by the number “twelve thousand furlongs,” and by “the measure of the wall being a hundred forty and four,” also what by “measure,” what by “a man,” and what by “an angel,” who would ever know what is meant by “the measure of the city being twelve thousand furlongs,” and “the measure of the wall a hundred forty and four cubits, the measure of a man, that is, of an angel”?
[3] The like is signified by “measurement” in Zechariah:
I lifted up mine eyes again and saw a man in whose hand was a measuring line. I said, Whither goest thou? He said, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof (Zech. 2:1-2).
Also in Ezekiel, where a man who had a measuring reed measured the houses of the new city, and also the temple, as to the outer walls, the inner walls, the gates, the foundations, the thresholds, the windows, the steps (Ezek. 40-42). Unless these measurements signified the states of the matter in respect to truth and good, such things would never have been mentioned. By “measuring” in general is signified the state of truth and good; as in these passages:
Thus said Jehovah, If the heavens above shall be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, behold still will I disapprove the seed of Israel for all that they have done. Behold the days come in which the city shall be built to Jehovah. And the measuring line shall go out more fully over the hill Gareb, and shall turn about unto Goah (Jer. 31:37-39).
Who hath measured the waters in His fist, and meted out the heavens with the span, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? (Isa. 40:12).
[2] All the conjunction of the countless angelic societies in heaven, together with the methods of their conjunction, was represented in the form of the construction of the Habitation and of the Tent, as treated of in this chapter. But these methods of conjunction, such as they are in heaven, cannot come from this to a man’s idea, for the reason that man does not even know that heaven was represented by the Habitation; and even if he knew this, still he does not know that the heavenly societies have been so joined together by means of love as to represent a one. But all these things flow fully into the idea of the angels, when these things relating to the Habitation are read; for each and all things of the description have an internal sense, which when made manifest by the Lord before the angels, exhibits the state of conjunction together, by means of the love which is from the Lord, of all in the universal heaven.
[3] The conjunction of the angelic societies into one heaven has reference to these laws: 1. Everyone in the form of the heavens comes forth in accordance with the heavenly harmony of many associated together. 2. Love is spiritual conjunction, whence comes heavenly harmony. 3. There must be a universal bond, in order that all the individuals may be held together in conjunction. 4. The universal bond must flow into the individual bonds, and must make them. 5. The universal bond is the Lord, thus love from Him, and consequently love to Him. 6. The individual bonds are derived from this, and are those of mutual love, or of charity toward the neighbor. These are the laws by virtue of which heaven, consisting of innumerable angelic societies, is nevertheless as one man.
[2] Nay, scarcely anyone knows that the man who is in the good of love and of faith is a heaven in the least form, and that such a man, both as to his interiors and his exteriors, corresponds to heaven (n. 9276). If these things had been known, the well-informed in the Christian world, who have acquired some knowledge of the forms of the human body, might have been in some intellectual light, and consequently in some idea about heaven, and then might have apprehended what things in heaven are represented by the ark, its propitiatory [mercy seat], and the cherubs over it; what by the table upon which were the breads of faces, and by the lampstand, and by the golden altar of incense; also what things are represented by the Habitation, its curtains, planks, and bases; and further by the Tent and its two coverings; for like things occur with man, in his internals and in his externals, and they are also presented in a material form in his body, to which these internal things exactly correspond. For unless the external things which are of the body exactly corresponded to the internal things which are of the understanding and the will, there would not be any life in the body, and consequently there would not be any corresponding acts.
[3] It is said that like things occur in the tabernacle as in man, because the representatives in nature bear relation to the human form, and have a signification according to their relation to it (n. 9496). There are four coverings in man’s external things that encompass and enclose all the interior things, and which are called coats and skins. To what internal things these correspond may be seen from experience (n. 5552-5559, 8980). Similar things were represented in the coverings which constituted the expanse of the tabernacle. From this the understanding may borrow some light concerning the forms of heaven; and yet this light would be extinguished with all those who have not a distinct knowledge of the things that are in the human body, and who have not at the same time a distinct knowledge of the spiritual things of faith and the celestial things of love, to which these things correspond. As with most people both the latter and the former things are in shade, nay, in thick darkness, not only from the lack of knowledge, but also from lack of faith, it is needless to unfold them further; for, as before said, they would not fall into any idea, because of the lack of intellectual light on such subjects.
[2] The same is signified by “the south” or “noonday” in Isaiah:
I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back; bring My sons from far, and My daughters from the end of the earth (Isa. 43:6).
In this passage a new church is treated of; “saying to the north” denotes to those who are in darkness or ignorance concerning the truths of faith, who are the nations outside the church; “saying to the south” denotes to those who are in light from the knowledges of good and truth, who are those who are within the church; wherefore it is said to the latter that they should “not keep back,” but to the former that they should “give up.”
[3] In Ezekiel:
Set thy faces toward the south, and drop toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the field unto the south; and say to the forest of the south, Behold, I kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned. Set thy faces toward Jerusalem, and drop against the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel (Ezek. 20:46, 47; 21:2).
“The south” here denotes those who are in the light of truth from the Word, thus those who are of the church, but who are in falsities which they confirm from the sense of the letter of the Word wrongly unfolded; whence it is said, “the forest of the field unto the south,” and “the forest of the south.” A “forest” denotes where memory-knowledge reigns; but a “garden,” where truth reigns. From this it is plain what is signified by “setting the faces toward the south, and dropping [words] toward the south, and prophesying against the forest of the field unto the south;” and afterward by “setting the faces toward Jerusalem, and dropping against the holy places, and prophesying against the land of Israel; for “Jerusalem” and “the land of Israel” denote the church, and “the holy places” there denote the things which are of the church.
[4] In Isaiah:
If thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and sate the afflicted soul; then thy light shall arise in darkness, and thy thick darkness shall be as the noonday (Isa. 58:10);
where “darkness” and “thick darkness” denote ignorance of truth and good; while “light” and “the noonday” denote the understanding of them. Again:
Bring forth counsel, execute judgment; make thy shadow like the night in the midst of the noonday; hide the outcasts; reveal not the wanderer (Isa. 16:3);
where “in the midst of the noonday” denotes in the midst of the light of truth. In Jeremiah:
Sanctify ye the battle against the daughter of Zion; arise, and let us go up into the south, for the day is going away, for the shadows of the evening have been bent down (Jer. 6:4);
where “going up into the south” denotes against the church, in which truth is in light from the Word. In Amos:
I will make the sun go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the day of light (Amos 8:9);
denoting the extinguishing of all the light of truth from the Word.
[5] In David:
Thou shalt not be afraid for the dread of night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day; for the pestilence in the thick darkness, for the death that wasteth at noonday (Ps. 91:5, 6);
“the dread of night” denotes the falsities of evil which are from hell; “the arrow that flieth by day,” the falsity which is openly taught; “the death that wasteth at noonday,” the evil which is openly lived in, whereby truth is destroyed where it can be in its light from the Word.
[6] Again:
The prophecy of the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds from the south, to pass through; it cometh from the wilderness, from a terrible land (Isa. 21:1).
The he-goat of the goats magnified himself exceedingly; and his horn grew toward the south, and toward the east, and toward comeliness; and it grew even unto the army of the heavens, and some of the army and of the stars it cast down to the earth, and trampled upon them (Dan. 8:8-10).
The subject here treated of is the state of the future church, and it is foretold that the church will perish through the doctrine of faith separated from the good of charity; “the he-goat of the goats” denotes such a faith (n. 4169, 4769); its “horn growing toward the south” denotes the power of falsity therefrom against truths; “toward the east” denotes against goods; “toward comeliness” denotes against the church; “unto the army of the heavens” denotes against all the goods and truths of heaven; “casting down to the earth some of the army and of the stars” denotes to destroy these goods and truths, and the very knowledges of good and truth (n. 4697).
[7] In the same prophet is described a war between the king of the south and the king of the north (chap. 11), and by “the king of the south” is signified the light of truth from the Word, and by “the king of the north” reasoning from memory-knowledges about truths; the alternations that the church was to undergo until it should perish, are described by the various events of this war.
[8] As “the south” signified truth in light, it was ordained that the tribes of Reuben, Simeon, and Gad should encamp “toward the south” (Num. 2:10-15); the encampments represented the setting in order of all things in the heavens in accordance with the truths and goods of faith and love (see n. 4236, 8103, 8193, 8196); and “the twelve tribes” which encamped signified all truths and goods in the complex (n. 3858, 3862, 3926, 3939, 4060, 6335, 6337, 6397, 6640, 7836, 7891, 7996, 7997); by “the tribe of Reuben” was signified the truth of faith in doctrine (n. 3861, 3866, 5542); by “the tribe of Simeon,” the derivative truth of faith in life (n. 3869-3872, 4497, 4502, 4503, 5482); and by “the tribe of Gad” were signified works from these truths (n. 6404, 6405). This shows why these tribes were encamped “toward the south;” for all things of truth, that is, of faith, belong to “the south,” because they belong to light.
[9] From all this it is now evident what is signified by “the corner of the south,” namely, where the state of truth is in light. For all states of the good of love and of the truth of faith are signified by “the four corners of the earth”-states of the good of love by “the corner of the east, and the corner of the west,” and states of the truth of faith by “the corner of the south,” and “the corner of the north.” In like manner by “the four winds” in these passages:
Angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth (Rev. 7:1).
Satan shall go forth to seduce the nations which are in the four corners of the earth (Rev. 20:8).
He shall send His angels, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from the ends of the heavens to the ends of them (Matt. 24:31).
Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live (Ezek. 37:9).
[10] As by these “winds,” that is, by these “quarters,” were signified all things of good and of truth, thus all things of heaven and of the church, and by “the temple” was signified heaven or the church, therefore it has been customary from ancient times to place temples in an east and west direction, because “the east” signified the good of love in its rising, and “the west,” the good of love in its going down. This had its origin from the representatives in which were the ancients who belonged to the church.
[2] Moreover, the bases correspond to the feet and soles of the feet in man; and in general to the bones which support all the fleshy part of the body; and by “the feet” and “the bones” in like manner is signified the truth which supports; and by “the fleshy part” in the body is signified the good which supports itself by means of truth. (That all things in nature bear relation to the human form, and have a signification in accordance with their relation to it, see n. 9496; also that “flesh” signifies good, n. 3813, 6968, 7850, 9127; that “the feet” denote what is natural, thus truth in power from good, n. 5327, 5328; that “the body” signifies good, n. 6135; and “the bones,” truth supporting, n. 3812e, 8005.)
[3] It is for this reason also that a “foundation,” which is a common base, denotes the truth of faith, and faith itself, as can be seen from the passages in the Word where a “foundation” is spoken of; as in Isaiah:
Do ye not know? Do ye not hear? Do ye not understand the foundations of the earth? (Isa. 40:21).
He who does not know what is signified by a “foundation,” and what by “the earth,” has no other idea than that the lowest parts of the earth are here meant by “the foundations of the earth,” although he may perceive, if he pays attention, that something else is meant; for what would it be to know, to hear, and to understand the foundations of the earth ? From this it can be seen that by “the foundations of the earth” are signified such things as belong to the church. That “the earth” in the Word denotes the church, is very evident from the passages in the Word where “the earth” is mentioned (see what has been cited above, n. 9325); and that its “foundations” denote the truths of faith, for these truths serve the church for foundations, as can also be seen further from the following passages. In David:
They acknowledge not, neither do they understand; they walk in darkness; all the foundations of the earth totter (Ps. 82:5);
that the foundations of the earth do not “totter,” but the truths of the church with those who do not know, who do not understand, and who walk in darkness, is clear. Again:
The earth was shaken and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains were agitated, and were shaken (Ps. 18:7);
where “mountains” denote the goods of love (n. 795, 4210, 6435, 8327), and their “foundations,” the truths of faith. And in Isaiah:
The cataracts from on high have been opened, and the foundations of the earth have quaked (Isa. 24:18);
As a “foundation” denotes the truth of faith, and a “city,” the doctrine of it, therefore in the Word “the foundations of the city” is said when the truth of doctrine is meant; as in David:
The channels of waters appeared, and the foundations of the city* were uncovered, by the rebuke of Jehovah (Ps. 18:15).
(That a “city” denotes the doctrine of truth, see n. 402, 2449, 2943, 3216, 4492, 4493).
[4] From this it can be seen what is signified by “the foundations of the city of the holy Jerusalem” in John:
The wall of the city of the holy Jerusalem had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. The foundations of the wall were adorned with every precious stone (Rev. 21:14-20).
He who does not know what is signified by “the holy Jerusalem,” what by a “city,” what by a “wall,” what by a “foundation,” and what by “the twelve apostles,” can see nothing of the secret here hidden; when yet by “the holy Jerusalem” is meant the New Church of the Lord which will succeed this of ours; by “the city” is meant doctrine; by a “wall,” the truth protecting and defending; by “the foundations,” the truths of faith; and by “the twelve apostles,” all the goods of love and truths of faith in the complex. From this it can be seen why it is said that there will be “twelve foundations,” and that they will be “adorned with every precious stone; for a “precious stone” denotes the truth of faith from the good of love (n. 114, 3858, 6640, 9476); and “the twelve apostles” denote all things of love and faith in the complex (n. 3488, 3858, 6397).
[5] From this it is evident what is here signified by “foundations” in Isaiah:
Behold, I set thy stones with antimony,** and lay thy foundations with sapphires (Isa. 54:11);
where “sapphires” denote interior truths (n. 9407). In the same:
Jehovah shall smite Asshur with a rod. Then shall be every passing of the rod of the foundation, upon which Jehovah shall cause him to rest (Isa. 30:31, 32);
“the rod of the foundation” denotes the power of truth (that a “rod” denotes power, see n. 4013, 4015, 4876, 4936, 6947, 7011, 7026). And in Jeremiah:
They shall not take from thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone of foundations (Jer. 51:26);
where “a stone of foundations” denotes the truths of faith.
[6] In Job:
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare if thou knowest intelligence; who hath appointed the measures thereof, if thou knowest? Upon what were its bases? or who laid the cornerstone thereof? when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God sounded (Job 38:4-7)?
He who does not know what is signified in the internal sense by “the earth,” by “the measures thereof,” and by “the bases,” also what by a “cornerstone,” “morning stars,” and “the sons of God,” sees nothing of the secret therein, believing that it is the earth which is meant, and also its foundation, measures, bases, and corner stone; and knowing not at all what is signified by “the morning stars singing,” and by “the sons of God sounding.” But he will come out of darkness into light as soon as he knows that “the earth” denotes the church; that its “foundations” denote the truth of faith; its “measures,” states of good and truth; its “bases,” the supporting truths themselves; “the cornerstone,” the power of truth; “the morning stars,” the knowledges of good and truth derived from good; and “the sons of God,” truths Divine. The latter are said “to sound” when they come into existence, and the former “to sing” when they arise.
* Here urbis, city; but in n. 8286 and 9818, orbis, world.
** In n. 1298, “carbuncle.”
[2] It is for this reason also that interior things are expressed in the Word by “the head;” as in these passages:
Jehovah will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day (Isa. 9:14).
Neither shall there be for Egypt any work, which head and tail, branch and rush, may do (Isa. 19:15).
In these passages the subject treated of is the church, the interiors of which are “the head,” and the exteriors “the tail.”
[3] Again:
On all heads is baldness, every beard is shaved (Isa. 15:2);
“baldness on the heads” denotes no good and truth in the interiors; “the beard shaved,” no good and truth in the exteriors. In Jeremiah:
Thou shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Asshur. And thy hands shall be upon thy head; in that Jehovah hath abhorred thy defenses (Jer. 2:36, 37);
thus is described shame on account of the goods and truths of the church which have been destroyed through memory-knowledges and the reasonings from them. “Egypt” denotes memory-knowledge; “Asshur,” reasoning therefrom; “the hands upon the head” denotes to cover the interiors for shame. In like manner in another passage:
They were ashamed, and disgraced, and covered their head (Jer. 14:3; see also 2 Sam. 13:19).
[2] That “eight” denotes in every way is because by this number is signified the same as by “two,” and by “four,” for it arises from these multiplied together, and by “two” and “four” is signified conjunction to the full (n. 5194, 8423, 8877), and from this also what is full (see n. 9103), and consequently in every way; for that which is in fullness is also in every way. By “eight” is also signified what is full and in every way, from the fact that by a “week” is signified an entire period from beginning to end (n. 2044, 3845); consequently by “the eighth day” is signified a full state, from which there is afterward made a new beginning. From this it was that male children were circumcised when eight days old (Gen. 17:12; 21:4); for by “circumcision” was signified purification from filthy loves by means of the truth of faith (n. 2039, 2046, 2799, 3412, 3413, 4462); the foreskin corresponded to the defilement of good by these loves (n. 4462, 7045, 7225); and “the sword of stone,” with which the circumcision was performed, signified the truth of faith by means of which purification is effected (n. 2039e, 2046e, 2799, 7044).
[3] What is full and in every way is also signified by “eight” after “seven,” in Micah:
When Asshur shall come into our land, and shall tread our palaces, then shall we set over him seven shepherds and eight princes of men. And they shall feed on the land of Asshur with the sword; and He shall deliver us from Asshur (Micah 5:5, 6);
“Asshur” denotes reasoning about the goods and truths of the church from man’s own intelligence; total or complete deliverance from the falsity thence, is signified by the “eight princes of men who shall destroy;” the “princes of men” denote the primary truths of good.
[4] That “eight” denotes what is full, and in every way, is also plain from experience concerning the admission and reception of societies into heaven (as may be seen above, n. 2130). The societies that were first received appeared up to twelve in number, and afterward eight; for those who are admitted and received into heaven are those who have been purified from earthly things, and therefore from the loves of them, and who have afterward been instructed; by the number “eight” was then signified what is full.
[5] The like is signified by “eight” in other parts of the Word, as by the porch of the gate from the house being “eight ells,” and by there being “eight steps” to the house, in Ezekiel 40:9, 31, 41. A new house is there treated of, by which is signified a New Church of the Lord; the truths which lead to good, and from good to truths, are signified by the porch and by the steps.
[6] He who knows not that in the Word numbers infold realities, is bound to get the idea that where the tabernacle, the temple of Solomon, and afterward a new house, and a new temple, and a new earth, are described in Ezekiel, the measurements and numbers have no real meaning, and therefore no holiness, although in the Word not a syllable is void of meaning. Let him who has intelligence consider the measurements and numbers in Ezekiel, from chapter 40 to chapter 48, and the measurements and numbers given by John in the Revelation, chapter 21, where also it is said that “the angel measured the wall of the New Jerusalem a hundred forty and four cubits,” and that “this measure is that of a man, that is, of an angel” (verse 17); also in another passage: “He that hath intelligence, let him compute the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred and sixty-six” (Rev. 13:18); besides those given in many other passages. (That all the numbers mentioned in the Word signify real things, see n. 482, 487, 575, 647, 648, 755, 813, 1963, 1988, 2075, 2252, 3252, 4264, 4495, 4670, 5265, 5291, 5335, 5708, 6175, 7973; and in the places where it has been shown what is signified by some numbers in particular.)
[2] How the case is with these things cannot be known unless it is known how it is with interior and exterior things in the spiritual world. Those things which are best and purest, thus which are more perfect than the rest, are in the inmost; those which proceed thence toward the exteriors are less perfect according to the degree of removal from the inmost things; and finally those things which are in the extremes are the least perfect of all (n. 9648). Those things are said to be less perfect which can be more easily wrested from their form and beauty, thus from their order. It is the same with fruits, which contain in their inmost part seeds, on the outside of which is the pulp. The seeds are in a more perfect state than the pulp which is outside; as can be seen from the fact that when the pulp decays, the seeds nevertheless remain entire. The case is the same with the seeds; inmostly in them is the prolific germ, and this is in a more perfect state than those parts of the seed which are outside; for when the exterior parts are dissolved the prolific germ remains in its entirety, and produces a new tree or plant. The case is the same in heaven, where the inmost things, being nearer to the Lord, are in a more perfect state than the exterior ones. From this it is that the inmost heaven excels in wisdom and intelligence, and therefore in happiness, the heavens which are below. The case is the same in each heaven, the inmost therein being more perfect than the things round about. It is the same with a man who is in the good of love and the truths of faith. His internal is in a more perfect state than his external, for the internal man is in the heat and light of heaven, but the external is in the heat and light of the world. It is the same in every perfect form; its inmost is the best. It is the inmost which is meant by “the middle.”
[3] That by “passing through from extremity to extremity,” when said of the bar, is signified the power thence derived and everywhere continued, is because “from extremity to extremity,” signifies the first end and the last, thus from beginning to end, for the first end is the beginning. It is for this reason that by “the extremities” are signified all things and everywhere; as in Jeremiah:
The sword of Jehovah devoureth from the extremity of the land unto the extremity thereof (Jer. 12:12).
A “sword” denotes truth fighting against falsity and destroying it, and in the opposite sense falsity fighting against truth and destroying it (n. 2799, 4499, 6353, 7102, 8294); “devouring from the extremity of the land unto the extremity thereof” denotes all things of the church, because “the land” denotes the church (n. 9334). In David:
His going forth is from the extremity of the heavens, and His circuit unto the extremities thereof (Ps. 19:6);
where also “from the extremity of the heavens unto the extremities thereof” denotes all things and everywhere.
[4] And in Mark:
He shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from the extremity of the earth even unto the extremity of heaven (Mark 13:27);
where “the extremity of the earth and the extremity of heaven” denote all the external and internal things of the church (that “the earth” denotes the external of the church, and “heaven” its internal, see n. 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118, 3355, 4535, where the signification of “the new earth and the new heaven” is unfolded). So with “extremities” in the plural, as in these passages:
Look unto Me, that ye be saved, all the extremities of the earth (Isa. 45:22).
O God of our salvation, the trust of all the extremities of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea (Ps. 65:5).
And also in the singular number, when it is said “even unto the extremity,” as in these passages:
That My salvation may be even unto the extremity of the earth (Isa. 49:6).
Jehovah shall make it to be heard even unto the extremity of the earth, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold thy salvation cometh (Isa. 62:11).
A tumult shall come even unto the extremity of the earth (Jer. 25:31).
In these passages “even unto the extremity” implies from extremity to extremity.
[5] But when by “extremity” is meant only what is extreme or ultimate, then by it is signified that which is ultimate of heaven or of the church; as in Isaiah:
Sing unto Jehovah a new song, His praise, the extremity of the earth, going down to the sea, and the fullness thereof; ye Isles, and the inhabitants thereof (Isa. 42:10);
where “the extremity of the earth going down to the sea” denotes the ultimate of the church where good and truth are in obscurity (that “the sea” has this signification, see n. 9653); “the isles” denote those who are more remote from truths, and consequently from worship (n. 1158).
[6] Again:
Bring My sons from far, and My daughters from the extremity of the earth (Isa. 43:6);
where “sons from far” denote those who are in obscurity as to truths; and “daughters from the extremity of the earth” denote those who are in obscurity as to goods; such as were the Gentiles. (That “sons” denote those who are in truths, and in the abstract sense, truths, see n. 264, 489, 491, 1147, 2623, 2803, 2813, 3373, 3704; also that “daughters” denote those who are in goods, and in the abstract sense, goods, n. 489-491, 2362, 3963, 8994.) From this it is also evident that “extremity” is predicated of good, and “from far” of truth (see also Ps. 65:5, and Isa. 13:5). But be it known that by “the extremity of heaven” is not meant any extremity of space, but of the state of good and truth; for in heaven there is no space, but only the appearance of it according to the states of good and truth.
[2] The entrance was toward the eastern quarter for the reason that the Lord enters into heaven through the good of love, as can also be seen in Ezekiel, where the “new temple” is treated of, and where are these words:
He led me to the gate that looketh toward the east, when behold the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east. And the glory of Jehovah entered into the house by the way of the gate whose face is toward the east, and the glory of Jehovah filled the house (Ezek. 43:1-6).
Jehovah said unto me, This gate that looketh toward the east shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; but Jehovah the God of Israel shall enter in by it (Ezek. 44:1, 2);
from which it is very evident that the Lord alone enters into heaven through the good of love, and that the good of love from the Lord fills heaven and makes it. “The east” signifies the Lord as to the good of love, for the reason that the Lord is the Sun of heaven (n. 3636, 3643, 7078, 7083, 7270). But in heaven the case is this. The east is where the Lord appears as the Sun, which is in front over against the right eye (n. 4321, 7078, 7171); toward the west from it, and thus in a straight line from the east to the west, are those who are in the good of love; but toward the south are those who are in the light of truth, and toward the north are those who are in the shade of truth. All who are in heaven look toward the Lord, for looking forward there is looking to Him. No one in heaven can look backward from Him, however he may turn himself (see n. 4321). But this is a secret which the natural man cannot comprehend. Such are the things represented by the method shown to Moses in the mountain, in accordance with which the Habitation was to be set up.
* skilled craftsman
[2] These two heavens, namely the inmost and the middle, are so distinct that there is no entrance from the one into the other. But still they constitute one heaven by means of intermediate angelic societies, which are of such a genius that they can accede to the good of both heavens. These societies are what constitute the uniting intermediate which was represented by the veil. It has also been sometimes granted me to speak with angels from these societies. The quality of the angels of the inmost heaven, and the relative quality of the angels of the middle heaven, can be seen from correspondence. To the angels of the inmost heaven correspond those things in man which belong to the province of the heart, and to that of the cerebellum; but to the angels of the middle heaven correspond those things in man which belong to the province of the lungs, and to that of the cerebrum. The things that belong to the heart and the cerebellum are called involuntary and spontaneous, because they so appear; but those which belong to the lungs and the cerebrum are called voluntary. From this can in some measure be seen the nature of the perfection of the one heaven over the other, and also the nature of the difference between them. But to the intermediate angels who accede to both heavens, and conjoin them, correspond the cardiac and pulmonary networks of blood vessels by means of which is effected the conjunction of the heart with the lungs; and also the medulla oblongata, in which the fiber of the cerebellum is conjoined with the fiber of the cerebrum.
[3] (That the angels who are of the Lord’s celestial kingdom, that is, who are in the inmost heaven, constitute the province of the heart in the Grand Man; and that the angels who are of the Lord’s spiritual kingdom, that is, who are in the middle heaven, constitute the province of the lungs, see n. 3635, 3886-3890; also that from this comes the correspondence of the heart and of the lungs in man, n. 3883-3896.) It is the same with the correspondence of the cerebrum and the cerebellum. The quality of the celestial, or of those who are in the inmost heaven, and the quality of the spiritual, or of those who are in the middle heaven; and the difference between them, may be seen above (n. 2046, 2227, 2669, 2708, 2715, 2718, 2935, 2937, 2954, 3166, 3235-3236, 3240, 3246, 3374, 3833, 3887, 3969, 4138, 4286, 4493, 4585, 4938, 5113, 5150, 5922, 6289, 6296, 6366, 6427, 6435, 6500, 6647, 6648, 7091, 7233, 7877, 7977, 7992, 8042, 8152, 8234, 8521). From this it can be seen what is the quality of the intermediate angels who constitute the uniting intermediate which was represented by the veil.
[4] That the veil of the temple was rent in twain when the Lord suffered the cross (Matt. 27:51; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45) signified His glorification; for when the Lord was in the world, He made His Human Divine truth; but when He departed out of the world, He made His Human Divine good, from which the Divine truth now proceeds (see the citations in n. 9199, 9315). Divine good is the holy of holies.
[5] The glorification of the Lord’s Human even to the Divine good which is “Jehovah,” is also described in the internal sense by the process of expiation, when Aaron entered into the holy of holies within the veil (Lev. 16); and in the relative sense by the same process is described the regeneration of man even to celestial good, which is the good of the inmost heaven. The process referred to was as follows. Aaron was to take a bullock for a sacrifice, and a ram for a burnt-offering, for himself and his house; and he was to put on the garments of holiness, which were a tunic of linen, breeches of linen, a belt of linen, and a miter of linen, and to wash his flesh in water. And he was to take two he-goats, and cast lots upon them; and one of these was to be offered to Jehovah, and the other to be sent forth into the wilderness; the latter for the assembly of the sons of Israel. When he sacrificed the bullock he was to bring incense within the veil and to sprinkle of the blood of the bullock and of the he-goat seven times upon the propitiatory [mercy seat] eastward, and also to put blood upon the horns of the altar.
Afterward he was to confess the sins of the sons of Israel, which he was to put upon the he-goat, and this was to be sent forth into the wilderness. Lastly he was to put off the garments of linen, and to put on his own, and to make a burnt-offering for himself and for the people. The sacrifices that were not to be offered are stated. This was to be done every year, when Aaron entered into the holy of holies within the veil. The priesthood which Aaron administered represented the Lord as to Divine good, even as the regal office which was afterward vested in the kings represented the Lord as to Divine truth (n. 6148). The process of the glorification of the Lord’s Human even to Divine good is here described in the internal sense. This process was exhibited to the angels when Aaron performed these things and entered within the veil, and it is also now exhibited to them when this portion of the Word is read.
[6] By “the bullock for the sin-offering,” and by “the ram for a burnt- offering,” is signified the purification of good from evils in the external and in the internal man; by “the tunic of linen, the breeches of linen, the belt of linen, and the miter of linen,” which he was to put on when he entered in, and by “the washing of his flesh,” is signified that the purification was effected by means of truths from good; by “the two he-goats of the goats for a sin-offering,” and by “the ram for a burnt-offering,” and by “the he-goat which was offered,” and by the other one that was “sent forth,” is signified the purification of truth from falsities in the external man; by “the incense which he was to bring within the veil,” is signified adaptation; by “the blood of the bullock; and the blood of the he-goat which was to be sprinkled seven times upon the propitiatory [mercy seat] eastward and afterward upon the horns of the altar,” is signified Divine truth from Divine good; by “the confession of sins over the living goat, which was to be sent forth into the wilderness,” is signified a complete separation and casting out of evil from good; by his “putting off the garments of linen, and putting on his own garments,” when he was to offer the burnt-offerings, also by “the bringing forth of the flesh, the skin, and the dung of the sacrifices outside the camp and burning them,” is signified the putting on of celestial good with a regenerate person, and the glorification in the Lord of the Human even to Divine good, after all those things had been rejected which were of the human derived from the mother, even until He was no longer her son (see the citations in n. 9315). These are the things which are signified by this process of purification, when Aaron entered into the holy of holies within the veil; for after these things had been performed, Aaron represented the Lord as to Divine good. From all this it can be seen that by “the veil between the holy and the holy of holies” is also signified the intermediate uniting the Divine truth and the Divine good in the Lord.
[2] Those in heaven who bear relation to the uniting medium are called “celestial spiritual” and “spiritual celestial;” the former are represented in the Word by Joseph, and the latter by Benjamin. (That in the representative sense “Joseph” denotes the celestial spiritual, see n. 4286, 4592, 4963, 5249, 5307, 5331, 5332, 5417, 5869, 5877, 6224, 6526; and that “Benjamin” denotes the spiritual celestial, n. 3969, 4592; and thus that “Joseph” denotes the internal uniting medium, and “Benjamin” the external uniting medium, n. 4585, 4592, 4594, 5411, 5413, 5443, 5639, 5686, 5688, 5689, 5822. What the celestial spiritual is, and what the spiritual celestial, see n. 1577, 1824, 2184, 4585, 4592, 4594.)
[3] From the opposites also, which are in the hells, it is known of what nature is the distinction between the celestial and the spiritual in the heavens. Those in the hells who are opposite to the celestial are called “genii;” and those in the hells who are opposite to the spiritual are called “spirits.” The genii, who are opposite to the celestial, are at the back; but the spirits, who are opposite to the spiritual, are in front; and the intermediate ones are at the sides. The genii, being opposite to the celestial, are in more interior evil than the spirits. (Concerning both of these from experience, see n. 5977, 8593, 8622, 8625.) The hell of the genii is quite separate from that of the spirits, insomuch that they who are in the one cannot pass into the other; for there are intermediate ones there who conjoin them, who are opposite to the intermediate ones in the heavens.
* skilled craftsman
[2] By “pillars” in the spiritual sense are signified those things which support heaven and the church, and which are the goods of love and the goods of faith from the Lord. These are signified by “pillars” in these passages:
I will judge in rectitudes, the earths are melting and all its inhabitants, I will make firm its pillars (Ps. 75:2, 3).
God, who shaketh the earth out of her place, so that the pillars thereof tremble (Job 9:6).
“The pillars of the earth” denote the goods and truths which support the church; for “the earth” in the Word denotes the church (n. 9325). It is evident that the pillars of the earth are not the things which tremble. And in John:
He that overcometh, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go outside no more; and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from My God, and My new name (Rev. 3:12);
where a “pillar in the temple” denotes the goods and truths of the church, which are also meant by “the name of God,” and “the name of the city, the New Jerusalem.” (That “the name of God” denotes all the good and truth of the church, or everything in the complex by which the Lord is worshiped, see n. 2724, 3006, 6674, 9310.)
[2] All good is holy, and all truth is holy insofar as it has good in it. Good is called “holy” from the Lord, because the Lord alone is holy, and because from Him is all good and all truth (n. 9229, 9479). From this it is evident why the Habitation is called “the holy; and why the ark in which was the Testimony is called “the holy of holies;” for the Testimony denotes the Lord Himself as to Divine truth (n. 9503); and “the ark” denotes the inmost heaven where the Lord is (n. 9485). The Lord is also in the middle heaven; but He is more fully present in the inmost heaven; for they who are conjoined with the Lord by the good of love are with Him; but they who are conjoined with the Lord by the good of faith are indeed with Him, but more remotely. In the middle heaven there is conjunction with the Lord through faith implanted in the good of charity toward the neighbor. From all this it is evident why the Habitation that was outside the veil is called “the holy;” and why the Habitation that was within the veil is called “the holy of holies.”
[3] That it is the Lord from whom is all the holy, and that He is the very holy of holies, is evident in these passages:
Seventy weeks have been decreed upon My people, to anoint the holy of holies (Dan. 9:24).
Who shall not fear Thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? For Thou only art holy (Rev. 15:4).
Therefore also the Lord is called “the Holy One of Israel” (Isa. 1:4; 5:19, 24; 10:20; 12:6; 17:7; 29:19; 30:11, 12, 15; 31:1; 37:23; 41:14, 16, 20; 43:3, 14; 45:11; 60:9, 14; Jer. 50:29; 51:5; Ezek. 39:7; Ps. 71:22; 78:41; 89:18; 2 Kings 19:22; and elsewhere). Therefore among the sons of Israel whatever represented the Lord, or the good and truth which proceed from Him, after inauguration was called “holy,” for the reason that the Lord alone is holy. The “Holy Spirit” in the Word is also the holy which proceeds from the Lord.
[2] How the case is with the presence of the Lord in the inmost heaven, and with His presence in the middle heaven, and also in the ultimate heaven, can be seen from what has been shown in many places about the influx of good and truth from the Lord. The presence of the Lord is effected by means of influx, and the influx is according to the life of good and of truth. Those who are in the good of love to the Lord are those who receive the influx most immediately; those who are in the good of charity toward the neighbor also receive it, but more remotely, because the good of charity toward the neighbor is more remote than the good itself of love to the Lord; while those who are in the good of faith also do indeed receive the influx, but only in proportion to the good which the faith has in it; and therefore those who receive it are in the good of life from the truths of faith; for the Lord is in good, because all good is from Him, and absolutely none from man, nor from the angels in heaven.
[3] As to what further concerns the presence of the Lord in heaven, and through heaven with man, be it known that the Lord is above the heavens, for He is the very Sun of heaven, but nevertheless He is present by means of the light and heat from the Sun. The light therefrom is the Divine truth which is of faith, and the heat therefrom is the Divine good which is of love. That which proceeds from the Lord is Himself. From all this it is evident that the Lord is present where the good which is from Him is received. But all these things can be better comprehended from what has been shown concerning influx; namely, that everything of life flows in from the Lord, thus all good and truth, because these make the life of man, and that which flows in, is according to the reception with everyone (n. 2535, 2706, 2886-2889, 2893, 3001, 3318, 3484, 3742, 3743, 4151, 5846, 5850, 5986, 6053-6058, 6189-6215, 6307-6327, 6466-6495, 6598-6626, 6982, 6985, 6996, 7004, 7055, 7056, 7058, 7147, 7270, 7343, 8321, 8685, 8701, 8717, 8728, 9110, 9111, 9216); and that influx from the Lord is immediate, and also mediate through the heavens (n. 5147, 6058, 6063, 6466, 6472, 6473, 6982, 6985, 6996, 7004, 7007, 7055, 7056, 7058, 7270, 8685, 8701, 8717, 8728, 9216).
[2] The influx of the Lord is also immediate with everyone, for without immediate influx the mediate effects nothing. Immediate influx is received according to the order in which the man or angel is, thus according to the Divine truth which is from the Divine, because this is order (n. 1728, 1919, 2447, 4839, 5703, 7995, 8512, 8513, 8700, 8988); and so it is order itself with man that he should live in the good which is from the Lord, that is, that he should live from the Lord. This influx is continual, and is adjoined to each and all things of the will of man, directing them as much as possible into order, for man’s own will is continually leading him away from order. It is the same with the voluntary and involuntary things in man. His voluntary things continually lead away from order, but the involuntary ones continually bring back to order. It is for this reason that the motion of the heart, which is involuntary, is completely removed from man’s will, and in like manner the action of the cerebellum; and that the motions of the heart, and the powers of the cerebellum, direct the voluntary things, to prevent them from rushing beyond bounds and extinguishing the life of the body before its time; and therefore the primal activities of both the involuntary and the voluntary things in the whole body go on conjointly. These things have been said in order in some measure to illustrate the idea about the immediate and the mediate influx of the celestial things of love and the spiritual things of faith from the Lord.
[2] But in order that the arcana themselves may be clearly seen, it must be stated how the case is in the heavens. The Lord appears to those who are of the celestial kingdom as a Sun, but to those who are of the spiritual kingdom as a Moon. The Lord as a Sun appears at a middle altitude over against the right eye; and as a Moon also at a middle altitude over against the left eye. From the Lord as a Sun, light comes to those who are in His celestial kingdom; and from the Lord as a Moon, light comes to those who are in His spiritual kingdom (concerning these two kingdoms, see the places cited in n. 9277). The light in the heavens is the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord’s Divine Human, and this, when received by the angels of the spiritual kingdom, is called the truth of faith from the good of charity toward the neighbor. The middle heaven, which is called the spiritual heaven, consists of this good and this truth. The lampstand in the Habitation represented the Moon, from which those who are of the spiritual kingdom have light, thus it represented the Lord as to Divine truth there; for, as before said, the Lord appears as a Moon to those who belong to this kingdom. From all this it can now be seen why the lampstand was placed toward the south, for “the south” or “midday” denotes where Divine truth is in light (see n. 9642); and why the table upon which were the breads of faces was placed toward the north, for “the north” denotes where Divine truth is in obscurity (n. 3708). The case is the same with the Divine good signified by “the breads” upon this table; this good becomes spiritual good through the reception of Divine truth as of light from the Moon. These are the arcana which are signified by the lampstand and its position toward the south; and by the table upon which were the breads of faces, and its position toward the north.
[3] That “the lampstand” denotes the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord’s Divine Human, is evident from Revelation:
I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the feet, and girt about the breasts with a golden girdle (Rev. 1:12, 13);
“the Son of man” denotes the Lord in respect to the Divine truth from His Divine Human (n. 2803, 2813, 3704). And in another passage in the same book:
The glory of God shall lighten the Holy City Jerusalem, and the Lamb is the lamp thereof (Rev. 21:23);
“the glory of God” denotes the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord (n. 9429); “the lamp which is the Lamb,” that is, the Lord, denotes faith, and the consequent intelligence of truth and wisdom of good, which are from the Lord alone (n. 9548); “the New Jerusalem” denotes the Lord’s New Church (see n. 2117).
[4] (That the Lord is a Sun to those who are in the celestial kingdom, and appears as a Moon to those who are in the spiritual kingdom, see n. 1053, 1521, 1529-1531, 3636, 3643, 5097, 7083, 7173, 7270, 8644, 8812; consequently that by “the sun” in the Word is signified the Lord as to celestial good, and by “the moon” the Lord as to spiritual good, n. 1529, 1530, 2441, 2495, 4060, 4696, 7083, 8644; and that the Lord as a Sun appears at a middle altitude over against the right eye, and as a Moon also at a middle altitude over against the left eye, n. 1531, 4321, 7078, 7171. It is for this reason that the east in heaven is where the Lord appears as a Sun, and the south where the Lord appears as a Moon. (That the light from the Lord as a Sun and as a Man is the Divine truth that proceeds from His Divine Human, see n. 1053, 1521-1533, 1619-1632, 2776, 3094, 3138, 3167, 3190, 3195, 3222, 3223, 3337, 3339, 3341, 3636, 3643, 3862, 3993, 4060, 4180, 4302, 4408, 4414, 4415, 4419, 4527, 4598, 5400, 6032, 6313, 6315, 6608, 6907, 7174, 8644, 8707, 8861, 9399, 9407.) And as the light from the Lord as a Sun and as a Moon is the Divine truth that proceeds from Him, therefore the heat from the Lord as a Sun in heaven is the Divine good of His Divine love (n. 3338, 3339, 3636, 3643, 5215, 6032).
[5] From this can be seen the nature of the difference between the celestial kingdom and the spiritual kingdom of the Lord in respect to the reception of Divine truth, namely, that it is like the difference between the light from the sun and the light from the moon. (That on this account they who are in the spiritual kingdom are comparatively in obscurity in respect to the truth of faith and the good of love, see n. 2708, 2715, 2718, 2831, 2849, 2935, 2937, 3241, 3833, 6289, 6500, 6945, 7233; that these especially were saved by the coming of the Lord into the world, n. 2661, 2716, 3969, 6373, 6854, 6914, 7035, 7091, 7828, 7932a, 8018, 8054, 8159, 8321, 9596; and that they have illumination in the Lord’s Divine Human, n. 2716, 2833, 2834; but that those belonging to the spiritual church are saved who are in the good of life through the truths of faith, n. 2954, 6435, 6647, 6648, 7977, 7992, 8643, 8648, 8658, 8685, 8690, 8701.)
[2] Such truths differ from intellectual truths as external things differ from internal, or as in man the natural differs from the spiritual; for memory-knowledges serve the understanding as objects from which it may hatch out truths. For the understanding is the organ of sight of the internal man, and memory-knowledges are the objects of the same in the external or natural man. These latter are signified by “the work of the embroiderer,” but the former by “the work of the thinker,”* for thinking belongs to the understanding, and “embroidering” denotes the work of one who knows and executes from the understanding. It is for this reason that those things in the Habitation which signified internal things were “from the work of the thinker,”* as for instance the curtains themselves therein (verse 1), and the veil between the holy and the holy of holies (verse 31); but those which signified what is external were “from the work of the embroiderer,” as for instance the covering for the door of the Tent, and for the gate of the court (Exod. 38:18), and also the belt (Exod. 39:29); for “the belt” denotes the external thing which conjoins all the internal things. “The court” denotes the ultimate of heaven, and “the door of the Tent” denotes where there is an exit from the middle heaven into the ultimate one.
[3] That “embroidery” and “what is embroidered” denote the memory-knowledge that belongs to the external or natural man, is evident from the following passages in the Word. In Ezekiel:
Fine linen in embroidery from Egypt was thy spreading forth, blue and crimson from the isles of Elishah were thy covering. Syria was thy trader by reason of the multitude of thy works, with chrysoprase, crimson, and broidered work, and fine linen. The traders of Sheba with bales of blue and broidered work (Ezek. 27:7, 16, 24);
treating of Tyre, by which are signified those who are in the knowledges of truth and of good, and in the abstract sense these knowledges themselves (n. 1201). By “fine linen in embroidery” is signified memory-truth, for “fine linen” denotes truth from a celestial origin (n. 5319, 9469), and “embroidery” denotes memory-knowledge; and therefore it is said to come “from Egypt,” because by “Egypt” is signified memory-knowledge (n. 1164, 1186, 1462, 2588, 4749, 4964, 4966, 5700, 5702, 6004, 6015, 6125, 6651, 6679, 6683, 6692, 6750, 7779, 9391); and also to come “from Syria” and” Sheba,” because by “Syria” is signified the knowledges of truth and of good (n. 1232, 1234, 3051, 3249, 3664, 3680, 4112), and in like manner by “Sheba” (n. 1171, 3240). The knowledges of truth and of good are the memory-knowledges of the church. Everyone who possesses the capacity of thinking intellectually, and of taking things into consideration, can see that in the above passage is not meant embroidery, nor fine linen, nor blue, nor crimson; but that by these things are signified such as are worthy of the Word, thus spiritual things that belong to heaven and the church.
[4] In the same:
All the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones, and shall cast away their mantles, and put off their broidered garments; they shall be clothed with terrors (Ezek. 26:16);
speaking here also of Tyre; “the princes of the sea” denote primary memory-knowledges, which are called dogmas (that “princes” denote primary things, see n. 1482, 2089, 5044; and “the sea” memory-knowledge in general, n. 28, 2850); “mantles” denote external truths; “embroideries” denote memory-truths, which are also external (that “garments” denote truths, see n. 2576, 4545, 4763, 5248, 5319, 5954, 6914, 6917, 6918, 9093, 9158, 9212, 9216).
[5] In the same:
I clothed thee with broidered work, and shod thee with badger; I girded thee about with fine linen, and covered thee with silk. Thus wast thou adorned with gold and silver; and thy garments were of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work. But thou hast taken the garments of thy broidered work, and hast covered images, with which thou didst commit whoredom (Ezek. 16:10, 13, 16, 18);
speaking of Jerusalem, by which is signified the church; “garments of broidered work” denote memory-truths; “covering images with which whoredom was committed,” denotes to confirm falsities, for “committing whoredom” denotes to pervert truths by applying them to falsities or evils. Who does not see that by “fine linen,” “silk,” and “broidered work,” are not here meant fine linen, silk, and embroidered work? For the subject treated of is Jerusalem. But what is meant the Christian world does not inquire, because it places the celestial and spiritual things of the Word in its literal sense, and calls its interior ones mystical things that it does not care for.
[6] In the same:
A great eagle, with great wings, with long pinions, full of feathers, which had embroidery (Ezek. 17:3);
speaking of the house of Israel, by which is signified the spiritual church, which is called an “eagle” from perception (n. 3901, 8764); its having “embroidery” denotes that it has memory-knowledge. In David:
The King’s daughter is all glorious within; her garment is of interweavings of gold. She is brought unto the King in broidered work (Ps. 45:13, 14);
where “the King’s daughter” denotes the affection of truth, “broidered work” denotes the memory-knowledge of truth. In the book of Judges:
They shall divide the spoil, to Sisera a spoil of colors, a spoil of colors of embroidered work, the color of the broidered works on the necks of the spoil (Judg. 5:30);
the song of Deborah and Barak, where “broidered work” denotes the memory-knowledge which is of the natural man.
* skilled craftsman
After I had been carried across that great chasm, I at last arrived at a place where I stayed; and then spirits appeared to me above, with whom it was granted to speak. From their speech, and their peculiar way of looking at things, and of setting them forth, I clearly perceived that they were from another earth; for they were quite different from the spirits of our solar system. On the other hand they too noticed from my speech that I had come from afar.
THE DOCTRINE OF CHARITY AND OF FAITH
Something shall now be said about the Internal and the External Man.
EXODUS 27
1. And thou shalt make the altar of shittim wood, five cubits the length, and five cubits the breadth; the altar shall be foursquare; and the height thereof shall be three cubits.
2. And thou shalt make its horns upon the four corners thereof; from it shall be its horns; and thou shalt overlay it with brass.
3. And thou shalt make its pans to take away its ashes, and its shovels, and its basins, and its fleshhooks, and its fire-tongs; all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass.
4. And thou shalt make for it a grating, a network of brass; and upon the net shalt thou make four rings of brass, upon the four extremities of it.
5. And thou shalt bestow it under the compass of the altar beneath, and the net shall be even unto the middle of the altar.
6. And thou shalt make staves for the altar, staves of shittim wood, and shalt overlay them with brass.
7. And the staves thereof shall be put into the rings, and the staves shall be upon the two sides of the altar, in carrying it.
8. Hollow of boards shalt thou make it; as thou wast made to see in the mountain, so shall they make it.
9. And thou shalt make the court of the Habitation at the corner of the south southward; the hangings for the court shall be of fine twined linen, a hundred cubits the length at the one corner.
10. And the pillars thereof shall be twenty, and their bases twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver.
11. And so at the corner of the north in length, there shall be hangings a hundred cubits in length, and the pillars there of twenty, and their bases twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.
12. And the breadth of the court at the corner of the sea shall be hangings of fifty cubits; their pillars ten, and their bases ten.
13. And the breadth of the court at the corner of the east eastward shall be fifty cubits.
14. And the hangings for the one wing shall be fifteen cubits; the pillars thereof three, and their bases three.
15. And for the other wing shall be hangings of fifteen cubits; the pillars thereof three, and their bases three.
16. And for the gate of the court a covering of twenty cubits, of blue, and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed, and fine twined linen, the work of the embroiderer; its pillars four, and their bases four.
17. All the pillars of the court round about shall be filleted with fillets of silver; their hooks of silver, and their bases of brass.
18. The length of the court shall be a hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty by fifty; and the height five cubits, of fine twined linen, and their bases of brass.
19. And as for all the vessels of the Habitation in all the service thereof, all the pegs thereof, and all the pegs of the court, shall be of brass.
20. And thou shalt command the sons of Israel, and let them take unto thee olive oil, pure, beaten, for the luminary, to cause the lamp to go up continually.
21. In the Tent of meeting, without the veil which is over the Testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening until morning before Jehovah; a statute of an age for their generations with the sons of Israel.
In this chapter, in the internal sense, the subject treated of is the worship of the Lord from the good of love. This worship is signified by “the altar,” and is described in general by all things relating to the altar.
Verses 1-8. And thou shalt make the altar of shittim wood, five cubits the length, and five cubits the breadth; the altar shall be foursquare; and the height thereof shall be three cubits. And thou shalt make its horns upon the four corners thereof; from it shall be its horns; and thou shalt overlay it with brass. And thou shalt make its pans to take away its ashes, and its shovels, and its basins, and its fleshhooks, and its fire-tongs; all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass. And thou shalt make for it a grating, a network of brass; and upon the net shalt thou make four rings of brass, upon the four extremities of it. And thou shalt bestow it under the compass of the altar beneath, and the net shall be even unto the middle of the altar. And thou shalt make staves for the altar, staves of shittim wood, and shalt overlay them with brass. And the staves thereof shall be put into the rings, and the staves shall be upon the two sides of the altar, in carrying it. Hollow of boards shalt thou make it; as thou wast made to see in the mountain, so shall they make it. “And thou shalt make the altar,” signifies a representative of the Lord and of the worship of Him; “of shittim wood,” signifies righteousness; “five cubits the length, and five cubits the breadth,” signifies equally from good and from truth; “the altar shall be foursquare,” signifies thus what is righteous; “and the height thereof shall be three cubits,” signifies full in respect to degrees; “and thou shalt make its horns,” signifies power; “upon the four corners thereof,” signifies complete power; “from it shall be its horns,” signifies that the power shall be from good; “and thou shalt overlay it with brass,” signifies a representative of good; “and thou shalt make its pans to take away its ashes,” signifies what is to be removed after uses; “and its shovels, and its basins, and its fleshhooks, and its fire-tongs,” signifies memory- knowledges that contain and that are of service for every use; “all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass,” signifies all things from good; ” and thou shalt make for it a grating, a network,” signifies the sensuous, which is the ultimate; “of brass,” signifies which also is from good; “and upon the net shalt thou make four rings of brass,” signifies the sphere of good through which there is conjunction; “upon the four extremities of it,” signifies everywhere; “and thou shalt bestow it under the compass of the altar beneath,” signifies this in ultimates; “and the net shall be even unto the middle of the altar,” signifies the extension of the sensuous; “and thou shalt make staves for the altar,” signifies the power of keeping in a state of good; “staves of shittim wood,” signifies the good of righteousness and the consequent power; “and shalt overlay them with brass,” signifies a representative of good; “and the staves thereof shall be put into the rings,” signifies the power of the sphere of Divine good; “and the staves shall be upon the two sides of the altar,” signifies the power of good through truth, and of truth from good; “in carrying it,” signifies coming-forth and subsistence; “hollow of boards shalt thou make it,” signifies application; “as thou wast made to see in the mountain, so shall they make it,” signifies from the correspondence of Divine things in heaven.
[2] There were two things by which was represented the Lord as to the Divine Human: the temple and the altar. That this was represented by the temple, He Himself teaches in John:
Jesus said, Take apart this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. He spoke of the temple of His body (John 2:19, 21).
That the same was represented by the altar can also be seen from His own words when He speaks of the temple and at the same time of the altar, in Matthew:
Ye fools and blind, because ye say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is guilty. Which is the greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? Likewise, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools and blind; for which is the greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? He that shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by everything that is upon it. And he that shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by Him that dwelleth therein. And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by Him that sitteth thereon (Matt. 23:16-22).
From this it is evident that, as the temple, so also the altar was a representative of the Lord’s Divine Human; for the same is said of the altar as of the temple, namely, that it is that which sanctifieth the gift that is upon it; thus that the altar was the subject from which came the sanctification; consequently that it also was a representative of the Lord’s Divine Human, from which all that is holy proceeds. But the altar was a representative of the Lord in respect to His Divine good; whereas the temple was a representative of Him in respect to His Divine truth, thus in respect to heaven; for the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord makes heaven. For this reason it is said of the temple that “he that shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it and by Him that dwelleth therein”; and it is added that “he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by Him that sitteth thereon.” “The throne of God” denotes the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord, thus heaven, and “He that sitteth thereon” denotes the Lord (n. 5313). The same that was represented by the temple, was represented also by the Habitation; the Lord in respect to Divine truth being there denoted by “the Testimony” which was in the ark (n. 9503).
[3] As the altar represented the Lord in respect to Divine good, it was the very holy of holies, and sanctified everything that touched it; as can be seen from what follows in this book, where it is said, “Seven days thou shalt make atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; that the altar may be a holy of holies, and everything that shall touch it shall be made holy” (Exod. 29:37); and therefore the fire upon the altar was perpetually burning, and was never put out (Lev. 6:13); and from that fire was taken the fire for the incense, and from no other source (Lev. 10:1-6); for by “the fire of the altar” was signified the Divine good of the Lord’s Divine love (n. 5215, 6314, 6832, 6834, 6849).
[4] That the altar was a representative of the Lord, is evident from the following passages in David:
Let Thy light and Thy truth bring me unto the mountain of Thy holiness, and unto Thy habitations, that I may go in unto the altar of God, unto God (Ps. 43:3, 4).
I wash mine hands in innocency; and I compass Thine altar, O Jehovah (Ps. 26:6).
[5] But that the altar was a representative of the worship of the Lord, is evident from these passages:
All the flocks of Arabia shall be gathered together to thee; the rams of Nebaioth shall minister to thee; they shall come up with acceptance on Mine altar (Isa. 60:7).
The Lord hath forsaken His altar, He hath abhorred His sanctuary (Lam. 2:7);
where “to forsake the altar” denotes to abolish the representative of the worship of the Lord from the good of love; “to abhor the sanctuary” denotes to abolish the representative of the worship of the Lord from the truths of faith.
[6] In Ezekiel:
Your altars shall be destroyed; I will scatter your bones round about your altars; and your altars shall be laid waste, and made desolate; and your idols shall be broken, and shall cease (Ezek. 6:5, 6);
“to destroy, lay waste, and desolate the altars” denotes that so it shall be with representative worship. In Isaiah:
The iniquity of Jacob shall not be expiated, when he shall put all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are scattered (Isa. 27:9);
where “the stones of the altar that are scattered” denote all the truths of worship.
[7] Again:
In that day shall a man look unto his Maker, and his eyes unto the Holy One of Israel. And he shall not look unto the altars, the work of his hands, and to that which his fingers have made (Isa. 17:7, 8);
where “the altars which are the work of his hands and that which his fingers have made” denote worship from one’s own intelligence.
[8] In Hosea:
Ephraim hath multiplied altars for sinning (Hos. 8:11);
where “multiplying altars for sinning” denotes to invent worthless things of worship. In the same:
The thistle and the thorn shall come up on their altars (Hos. 10:8);
denoting that evils and falsities shall enter in and make the worship.
[9] In Isaiah:
In that day there shall be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of Egypt (Isa. 19:19);
where “an altar to Jehovah” denotes the worship of the Lord.
[10] As the altar described in this chapter was portable, it was made of shittim wood, and was overlaid with brass; but the altar which was to remain in its place was made either of earth or of unhewn stones. The altar made of earth was the principal representative of the worship of the Lord from the good of love; and the altar made of unhewn stones was a representative of worship from the goods and truths of faith (n. 8935, 8940); while the portable altar here described was a representative of the worship of the Lord from the good of love. For this reason it was of shittim wood and was overlaid with brass.
[2] This could not have been effected except by means of His Human; that is, through combats with the hells from His Human. And as the Lord did this from His own power, thus alone, therefore to the Lord alone belong merit and righteousness; and therefore it is He alone who still conquers the hells with man; for He who once conquers them, conquers them forever. Wherefore absolutely nothing of merit and righteousness belongs to man; but the merit and righteousness of the Lord are imputed to him when he acknowledges that nothing is from himself, but everything from the Lord. From this it is that the Lord alone regenerates man; for to regenerate man is to drive away the hells from him, consequently the evils and falsities which are from the hells, and to implant heaven in their stead; that is, the goods of love and the truths of faith, for these make heaven. Moreover, by means of continual combats with the hells the Lord glorified His Human, that is, made it Divine; for as man is regenerated by means of combats which are temptations, so the Lord was glorified by means of combats which were temptations. Consequently the glorification of the Human of the Lord by His own power is merit and righteousness; for thereby man has been saved, for thereby all the hells are kept by the Lord in subjection forever.
[3] That this is so is evident from the passages in the Word where the merit and righteousness of the Lord are treated of; as in Isaiah:
Who is this that cometh from Edom, with sprinkled garments from Bozrah? marching in the multitude of His strength? I that speak in righteousness, great to save. Wherefore art Thou red in Thy garments, and Thy garment like his that treadeth in the winepress? I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was no man with Me; therefore I have trodden them in Mine anger; whence their victory has been sprinkled upon My garments, and I have soiled all My raiment. For the day of vengeance was in Mine heart, and the year of My redeemed had come. I looked around, but there was none to help; and I was amazed, but there was none to uphold; therefore Mine arm brought salvation to Me; and My wrath sustained Me. And I trampled the peoples in Mine anger, and I brought down their victory to the earth. Therefore He became the Savior (Isa. 63:1-8);
that these things are said of the Lord, is known; His combats with the hells are described by His “garments being sprinkled,” by His “being red in His garments,” by His “garments being like his that treadeth in the winepress,” and by “the days of vengeance.” His victories and subjugations of the hells are described by His “treading them in His anger,” whereby “their victory was sprinkled upon His garments,” by His “trampling the peoples in anger,” and “bringing down their victory to the earth.” That the Lord did these things from His own power, is described by His “treading the winepress alone,” and by “there being of the peoples no man with Him;” also by His “looking around, but there was none to help;” and by His “being amazed, but there was none to uphold;” likewise by His “own arm bringing salvation unto Him.” That from this came salvation, is described by His “marching in the multitude of His strength, mighty to save,” by “the year of His redeemed being come,” and by His “therefore becoming the Savior.” [4] That all these things belong to righteousness, appears still more clearly in other passages in the same prophet:
He saw that there was no man, and was amazed that there was none to intercede; therefore His arm performed salvation for Him, and His righteousness upheld Him; whence He put on righteousness as a coat of mail, and a helmet of salvation upon His head; He put on garments of vengeance, and covered Himself with zeal as with a cloak (Isa. 59:18, 17).
My righteousness is near, My salvation hath gone forth, and Mine arms shall judge the peoples; in Me shall the islands hope, and upon Mine arm shall they trust (Isa. 51:6);
“the arm which performed salvation for Him, and upon which they shall trust,” denotes His own power, by which He subjugated the hells (that “the arm” denotes power, see n. 4932, 7205). From this it is clear what is meant by “the righteousness and merit that belong to the Lord alone.”
[5] In like manner in other passages:
Who hath stirred up one from the east, whom He hath called in righteousness to follow Him? He hath given nations before Him, and made Him to rule over kings (Isa. 41:2).
I have brought near My righteousness, it is not far off, My salvation shall not tarry (Isa. 46:13).
Jehovah will clothe me with garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the mantle of righteousness (Isa. 61:10).
My mouth shall recount Thy righteousness, Thy salvation all the day; I know not the numberings; I will make mention of Thy righteousness, forsake me not until I have declared Thine arm, Thy might, for Thy righteousness is even unto the height; Thou who hast done great things (Ps. 71:15, 16, 18, 19, 24).
Behold the days come when I will raise unto David a righteous offshoot, who shall reign as king, and shall prosper, and shall do judgment and righteousness in the earth. In those days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell securely; and this is His name whereby they shall call Him, Jehovah our Righteousness (Jer. 23:5-6; 33:15-16).
Seventy weeks have been decreed to expiate iniquity, and to bring in the righteousness of the ages (Dan. 9:24).
[6] That the subjugation of the hells, the setting in order of the heavens by the Lord, the glorification of His Human, and the consequent salvation for the man who receives the Lord in love and faith, are the righteousness and merit that belong to the Lord alone, can be seen from the passages above quoted. But those cannot apprehend this matter who are not aware that there are with man spirits from the hells, and that from them he has evils and falsities; and also that there are angels from heaven with him, and that from them he has goods and truths; and that thus on the one side the life of man is joined to the hells, and on the other to the heavens, that is, through the heavens to the Lord; and thus that man could not possibly be saved unless the hells had been subjugated, and the heavens reduced into order, and in this manner all things made subject to the Lord.
[7] From all this it can be seen why (as said above, n. 9486) the good of the Lord’s merit is the only good that reigns in the heavens; for this good of merit is even now the continual subjugation of the hells, and thus the protection of the faithful. This good is the good of the Lord’s love; for from the Divine love He fought and conquered in the world. From the Divine power in the Human thence acquired, He alone forever fights and conquers for heaven and the church; and thus for the whole human race, and thereby saves them. This then is the good of merit, which is called “righteousness,” because it belongs to righteousness to restrain the hells which are endeavoring to destroy the human race; and to protect and save the good and faithful. (Concerning the combats or temptations of the Lord while He was in the world, see n. 1663, 1668, 1690-1692, 1737, 1787, 1812, 1813, 1820, 2776, 2786, 2795, 2803, 2814, 2816, 4287, 7193, 8273; and that the Lord alone fights for the human race against the hells, n. 1692, 6574, 8159, 8172, 8175, 8176, 8273, 8969.)
And from the signification of “length,” as being good (n. 1613, 9487); and from the signification of “breadth,” as being truth (n. 1613, 3433, 3434, 4482, 9487). From this it is evident that by “five cubits the length, and five cubits the breadth” is signified equally from good and from truth. It is said “equally from good and from truth,” when truth is of good and good is of truth; thus when good and truth act as one, and form a marriage, such as is in heaven from the Lord. This can be illustrated by the understanding and the will in man; when the understanding acts as one with the will, that is, when man perceives truth to be of good, and good to be of truth, then he partakes equally of good and of truth. Moreover, the understanding has been appointed for the perception of truth from good, and the will for the perception of good in truth.
[2] From all this it can be seen how the case is with the truths of faith and the goods of love with the man who is being regenerated; namely, that the good of love chooses for itself suitable truths of faith, and by their means perfects itself; and thus the good of love is in the first place, and the truth of faith in the second, as often shown before (n. 3325, 3494, 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570, 3576, 3603, 3701, 4925, 4977, 6256, 6269, 6272, 6273). After the memory-knowledges, or the knowledges of good and truth, in the memory of the external man, have performed this use, they as it were vanish from this memory. They are circumstanced like those matters of instruction which have served the man from infancy as means for perfecting his moral and civil life; after these have performed this use, and the man has acquired life therefrom, they perish from the memory, and remain only as a matter of practice or use. In this way man learns to speak, to think, to discriminate, and to judge, to lead a moral life, and to conduct himself becomingly; in a word, he learns languages, good manners, intelligence, and wisdom.
[3] The memory-knowledges which have served for these uses are signified by “the ashes which are to be removed;” and the knowledges of truth and of good, through which the man has gained spiritual life, after they have served this use, that is, after they have become of the life, are also signified by “the ashes of the altar which were to be removed.” But when they are being removed, they are first placed near the altar, and afterward are carried forth outside the camp into a clean place. Meanwhile the fire of the altar is always burning for the use of a new burnt-offering or sacrifice, according to the process described by Moses in Leviticus:
The priest shall cause the burnt-offering to ascend upon the hearth upon the altar all night even unto the dawn. Afterward he shall put on his linen clothing and his linen breeches, and he shall take up the ashes, into which the fire hath consumed the burnt-offering on the altar. Afterward he shall put off his garments, and shall put on other garments, and carry forth the ashes outside the camp into a clean place. But the fire upon the altar shall be burning, it shall not be put out; the priest shall burn wood on it at the dawn of every day; and he shall arrange the burnt-offering upon it, and shall burn upon it the fat of the sacrifices. The fire shall be burning upon the altar continually; it shall not be put out (Lev. 6:9-13);
all these particulars involve arcana of heaven, and signify the Divine things of the worship of the Lord from the good of love; what “the ashes” consequently signify has been told above. That something heavenly is signified by “the ashes of the altar” can be seen by everyone who reflects, as that when the priest was to take away the ashes from the altar, he was to put on clothing of linen and breeches of linen, and afterward in other garments was to carry them outside the camp, and lay them in a clean place. Nothing in the Word is worthless, not even any word, thus not any circumstance of this procedure.
[4] From all this it can in some measure be seen what is signified by “the ashes of the red cow that was burnt,” by means of which the water of separation and of cleansing was prepared, of which we read in Numbers 19:2-10, 17; and what is signified by “ashes” in the opposite sense, namely, what is condemned that remains after the burning from the fire of self love. This is signified by “the ashes” which they carried on the head, and in which they rolled themselves when bewailing their sins (Jer. 6:26; Ezek. 27:30; Jonah 3:6).
Attend unto Me, O house of Jacob, and all the remains of the house of Israel, which I have carried from the womb; and even to old age, I am the same, and even to hoar hairs will I carry you; I have made, and I will carry, and I will bear (Isa. 46:3, 4);
where “to make” denotes that it may come-forth; “to carry,” that it may subsist; and “to bear,” that it may come-forth perpetually.
[2] Moreover, the very good of faith, which is the good of the ultimate heaven, is a court, for through it man is introduced into the good of charity toward the neighbor, which is the good of the middle heaven. Be it known that the good with a man makes his heaven, and that his heaven is such as his good is. There are three goods which follow in order: the good of faith, the good of charity toward the neighbor, and the good of love to the Lord. The good of faith, as just said, makes the ultimate or first heaven; the good of charity toward the neighbor makes the middle or second heaven; and the good of love to the Lord makes the inmost or third heaven.
[3] A few words shall be said in order to make known still better how the case is with the heavens. The heavens are distinguished into two kingdoms: the celestial kingdom, and the spiritual kingdom; and in each of these kingdoms there is an internal and an external. In the internal of the celestial kingdom are those who are in the good of love to the Lord, and in its external are those who are in the good of mutual love; but in the internal of the spiritual kingdom are those who are in the good of charity toward the neighbor, and in its external are those who are in the good of faith (see n. 9680). The external of both kingdoms is what is called the ultimate or first heaven, and was represented by the court. It was for this reason that the court around the temple was twofold, outer and inner; the outer court denotes those who are in the external things of the spiritual kingdom, and the inner court those who are in the external things of the celestial kingdom.
[4] With respect to these two courts of the temple at Jerusalem, see 1 Kings 6:3, 36; 2 Kings 21:5. With respect to the outer court of the new temple in Ezekiel, see Ezek. 40:17, 31, 34; 42:1-20; and with respect to the inner court there, Ezek. 40:23, 28, 32, 44; 42:3; 43:5. From this it is evident that it is the good of faith which makes the ultimate heaven that was represented by the outer court of the temple, and that it is the good of mutual love which makes the ultimate heaven that was represented by the inner court. Those who are in the good of mutual love are in the affection of good for the sake of good; but those who are in the good of faith are in the affection of truth for the sake of truth; for good rules in the celestial kingdom, but truth in the spiritual kingdom.
[5] That the ultimate heaven is signified by “the courts,” is evident from the passages in the Word where these are mentioned; as in Ezekiel:
The glory of Jehovah lifted up itself above the cherub, over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the cloud filled the inner court, and the court was full of the brightness of the glory of Jehovah. And the voice of the wings of the cherubs was heard even to the outer court (Ezek. 10:3-5).
As the court was the representative of the ultimate heaven, therefore it was filled with the cloud and the brightness of the glory of Jehovah, as was the house itself; for “the cloud” and “the glory” denote Divine truth (that a “cloud” denotes this, see n. 5922, 6343, 6752, 8106, 8443; and also “glory,” n. 8267, 8427, 9429); “the voice of the wings” denotes the truth of faith from good (n. 8764, 9514).
[6] Again:
The spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court of the temple, when behold the glory of Jehovah filled the house. And I heard one speaking unto me out of the house, saying, Son of man, this is the place of My throne, and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the sons of Israel forever (Ezek. 43:5-7);
here the temple together with the court is called “the place of the throne of Jehovah, and the place of the soles of His feet,” because the temple together with the court represented heaven; “the throne of Jehovah” denotes the spiritual heaven (n. 5313, 8625), and “the place of the soles of His feet” denotes the ultimate heaven.
[7] The ultimate heaven is also signified by “the court,” and by “courts,” in the following passages. In David:
Blessed is he whom Thou choosest, and causest to approach; he shall dwell in Thy courts; we shall be sated with the good of Thy house, with the holy of Thy temple (Ps. 65:4);
it is evident that to “dwell in the courts” denotes to dwell in heaven. Again:
A day in Thy courts is better than thousands. I have chosen to stand at the door in the house of my God (Ps. 84:10).
Give unto Jehovah the glory of His name; bring an offering, and come into His courts (Ps. 96:8).
Praise ye the name of Jehovah; praise ye, O servants of Jehovah, who stand in the house of Jehovah, in the courts of the house of our God (Ps. 135:1, 2).
They shall gather the grain and the new wine; they shall eat it, and praise Jehovah, and they that shall gather it shall drink it in the courts of My holiness (Isa. 62:9).
In these passages “the courts” denote the ultimate heavens, for the interior heavens are called “the house of Jehovah” and “His temple” (n. 3720).
[8] In John:
The angel said, Arise and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple cast out, and measure it not; because it hath been given unto the Gentiles; and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months (Rev. 11:1, 2);
“the temple, and the altar, and they that worship therein” denote the church and the worship of the church; “the court without the temple” denotes the good of mutual love (as before said); “the Gentiles, to whom it has been given to tread under foot the holy city,” denote the evils of self-love and of the love of the world, which destroy the church (n. 6306); “forty and two months” signify the like as six weeks, and six weeks the like as the six days of one week, for six multiplied by seven makes forty-two; “a week” signifies an entire period, greater or less (n. 2044, 3845); “the six days which precede the seventh,” which is the Sabbath, signify the former church even to the end, and the setting up of a new church; “the Sabbath” denotes the conjunction of good and truth, thus the church (n. 8495, 8510, 8889, 8893, 9274).
[2] This can also be seen from the things which appear in the other life. The Sun of heaven, which is the Lord, appears at a middle altitude toward the right eye; from this the angels of the heavens have all light, and with the light all intelligence and wisdom. But when the sun of the world is thought of, it does not appear; but in its stead there appears something dark which is in the opposite direction, at the back. There also is the west to the heavens, for the Lord as a Sun is the east in heaven. From this it can be seen that by “the west” is signified good in obscurity, and that the external or natural man is in this good, who as before said is in the light of the world, which light relatively to the light of heaven is like the shade when the sun is setting. But the truth of the natural man is signified by “the water of the sea,” and this truth is memory-knowledge; for the truth in the natural or external man is truth in knowledge; whereas the truth in the spiritual or internal man is the truth of faith. Truth in knowledge also becomes truth in faith when it is raised out of the natural or external man into the spiritual or internal man. Hence the truths with a man in his youth are truths in knowledge; but in adult age, if he suffers himself to be regenerated, they become truths in faith; for the internal man is successively opened even to this age.
[3] That “the sea” denotes a collection of memory-knowledges, comes from the fact that “waters,” “springs,” and “rivers,” signify truths, and therefore collections of these are signified by “seas.” That this is so, is also evident from passages in the Word where mention is made of “the sea” and of “seas;” as in David:
The earth is Jehovah’s, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. He hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the streams (Ps. 24:1, 2);
where “the earth” and “the world” denote the church; “the seas upon which He hath founded the world,” denote memory-truths; “the streams upon which He hath established it,” denote the truth of faith. That the earth, the world, seas, and rivers are not meant here, is evident, for the world is not founded upon the seas, nor is it established upon the streams.
[4] Again:
Thou didst break through the sea by Thy strength; Thou hast broken the heads of the whales upon the waters. Thou hast broken the heads of Leviathan, Thou gavest him for meat to the people Ziim, Thou hast dried up the rivers of strength (Ps. 74:13-15);
in the internal sense, the subject here treated of is the memory-knowledges that destroy the truths of faith; “the whales whose heads are broken,” denote memory-knowledges in general (n. 42, 7293); in like manner “Leviathan” (n. 7293); “the people Ziim to whom he was to be given for meat,” denote those who are in falsities, or the falsities themselves. From this it is evident what is denoted by “the sea,” namely, memory-knowledge misapplied to weaken and destroy truths. In Habakkuk:
Thou didst tread the sea with Thy horses, the mire of many waters (Hab. 3:15);
where “treading the sea with horses,” when spoken of Jehovah, denotes to instruct the natural man who has memory-knowledges.
[5] In Zechariah:
In that day, living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; part of them toward the eastern sea, and part of them toward the hinder sea (Zech. 14:8);
“living waters from Jerusalem” denote truths of faith made living from the good of love; “the eastern sea and the hinder sea” denote the natural and sensuous in which are memory-knowledges, which are collections of truths. In Hosea:
They shall walk after Jehovah, and the sons shall come with honor from the sea. They shall come with honor as a bird out of Egypt (Hos. 11:10, 11)
“sons from the sea” denote the memory-truths that belong to the natural man; for this reason it is said that “they shall come as a bird out of Egypt,” for “Egypt” in the Word denotes memory-knowledge (n. 9340, 9391).
[6] In Ezekiel:
All the princes of the sea shall come down from upon their thrones, and shall cast away their mantles, and put off the garments of their embroidery; they shall be clothed with terrors; they shall say, How hast thou perished that wast inhabited in the seas, the renowned city, that wast strong in the sea (Ezek. 26:16, 17);
where the subject treated of is the vastation of the knowledges of good and truth, which are “Tyre” (n. 1201); the knowledges of good and truth are the memory-knowledges of the church; “the princes of the sea” denote the primary knowledges (n. 1482, 2089, 5044); “to cast away the mantles and garments of embroidery” denotes to cast away memory-truths (n. 9688). As these things are signified by “Tyre,” therefore Tyre is said to be “inhabited in the seas, and to be a city strong on the sea.”
[7] In Jeremiah:
The sea is come up upon Babylon; she is covered with the multitude of the waves thereof. Her cities have been brought into desolation (Jer. 51:42, 43);
“Babylon” denotes worship which in externals appears holy, but in internals is profane (n. 1182, 1326); “the sea upon Babylon” denotes falsity from memory-knowledges; its “waves” denote reasonings therefrom, and the consequent denials; “the cities which are brought into desolation” denote doctrinal things.
[8] In like manner in Revelation:
Every pilot, and everyone who is employed upon the seas, and mariners, and all they who trade upon the sea, stood afar off, when they saw the smoke of the burning of Babylon, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, wherein were made rich all that have ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! Then an angel took up a stone as it were a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall Babylon be cast down (Rev. 18:17-21).
“ships” denote doctrinal things from the Word (see n. 6385); hence it is plain what is meant by a “pilot,” and a “mariner,” also by “the sea,” and “those who trade upon it;” “a stone as it were a millstone,” denotes the truth through which is faith; “being cast into the sea,” denotes into the falsity of memory-knowledges. In the other life there appear seas, and also ships upon them; as has often been granted me to see. The seas there in a bad sense signify the falsities of memory-knowledges, and those who are in the ships signify those who boast of having such things, and teach them.
[9] In Jeremiah:
Thus said Jehovah, that giveth the sun for a light by day, the statutes of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, who throweth into commotion the sea, that the waves thereof are tumultuous (Jer. 31:35);
“the sun for a light by day” denotes the good of love from which comes the light in truths; “the statutes of the moon and of the stars for a light by night” denote the goods of faith and of knowledges, from which comes the light of truth in the dark; “to throw the sea into commotion that the waves thereof are tumultuous,” denotes to dispel the falsities of memory-knowledges from which come reasonings about truth.
[10] In Isaiah:
By shortening is My hand shortened, that there is no redemption? Or is there no power in Me to rescue? Behold by My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness; their fish shall rot, because there Is no water, and it dieth of thirst (Isa. 50:2);
“to dry up the sea” denotes to destroy the good and truth of memory-knowledges; “to make the rivers a wilderness” denotes to vastate the truths themselves; “the fish which shall rot” denotes the memory-knowledge that belongs to the natural man (see n. 40, 991); “because there is no water” denotes that there is no truth (n. 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668, 8568).
[11] In like manner elsewhere in the same:
The waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be made quite dry and shall dry up. And the stream shall recede; the rivers of Egypt shall be diminished and dried up (Isa. 19:5, 6);
“the waters that shall fail from the sea” denote truths where there is a collection of them; “the rivers of Egypt which shall be dried up,” denote memory-knowledges. Again:
The earth is full of the knowledge of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea (Isa. 11:9);
“the waters” denote truths; “the sea,” a collection of them, that is, of memory-knowledges; therefore it is said, “the earth is full of the knowledge of Jehovah.”
[12] In John:
The second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea; and the third part of the sea became blood; whence there died the third part of the creatures that were in the sea having souls; and the third part of the ships was destroyed (Rev. 8:8, 9);
“a great mountain burning with fire” denotes the love of self; “the sea into which it was cast” denotes memory-knowledge in general; “the blood which was from it” denotes truth falsified and profaned (n. 4735, 6978, 7317, 7326); “the creatures which thereby died” denote those who are in the doctrinal things of truth.
[13] In like manner elsewhere in the same:
The second angel poured out his vial into the sea; and it became blood as of a dead man; whence every living soul in the sea died (Rev. 16:3);
here by “the sea” is meant memory-knowledge that is of service to evils to destroy truths, and to confirm falsities. Again:
A beast coming up out of the sea speaking blasphemies (Rev. 13:1, and following verses);
“a beast out of the sea” denotes memory-knowledge destroying the truths of faith. From all this it can be seen that “the sea” denotes where there is a collection of memory-knowledges, from which there is reasoning about the truths of faith.
[14] As “the sea” has this signification, it is said of Zebulun:
He shall dwell at the shore of the seas, and at a haven of ships (Gen. 49:13).
He shall suck the affluence of the sea, and the covered things of the hidden things of the sand (Deut. 33:19);
by “Zebulun” in the representative sense are meant those who draw conclusions from memory-knowledges about the truths of faith; wherefore it is said that “he should dwell at the shore of the seas.”
[15] But in the opposite sense “the sea” denotes memory-knowledge which looks to the world; its “waves” are in this case reasonings from worldly things about Divine ones; consequently “to be sunk in the sea” denotes to be immersed in memory-knowledges from worldly and earthly things even to the denial of truth Divine; as in Matthew:
Whoso shall cause to stumble one of these little ones that believe in Me, it is expedient for him that an ass millstone be hanged about his neck, and that he be sunk in the depth of the sea (Matt. 18:6);
“a millstone” denotes the truth that is of service to faith (n. 4335, 7780); “an ass” denotes the natural, because it is a beast of service (n. 2781, 5741, 5958, 6389, 8078); consequently “an ass millstone,”* denotes memory-knowledge that is natural and worldly; “the neck” denotes the conjunction of things interior and exterior (n. 3542); “being hanged there” denotes the shutting off and interception of good and truth (n. 3542, 3603); “being sunk in the depth of the sea” denotes in what is merely worldly and bodily, thus into hell. These things spoken by the Lord, like all other things spoken by Him, are therefore significative.
[16] But memory-knowledge is signified by “the sea” in accordance with the density and blackness of its waters; and on the other hand, in accordance with their tenuity and transparence. From this it is that the memory-knowledge which looks to heaven, which is spiritual in the natural man, is called “a glassy sea” (Rev. 15:1, 2). That there shall be no reasoning about the truths of faith from memory-knowledges; but that truths shall be impressed on the heart, is signified by, “the sea shall be no more” (Rev. 21:1).
* That is, a millstone turned by an ass. [REVISER.]
[2] That, “pegs,” “stakes,” or “nails,” denote things which conjoin and strengthen, is because they do conjoin and strengthen. Similar things are also signified by them in the Word throughout; as in Isaiah:
Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations; forbid not; lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes (Isa. 54:2);
a new church from the Lord is here treated of; “enlarging the place of the tent, and stretching forth the curtains of the habitations,” denotes the doctrine of good and truth, and the consequent worship (n. 9596); “long cords,” and “stakes,” denote an ample connection and confirmation of truths. That the court also had its cords may be seen in Exodus 35:18; Numbers 3:37; 4:32.
[3] Again:
Look upon Zion; thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be dispersed; the stakes thereof shall never be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be pulled away (Isa. 33:20);
where “stakes,” and “cords,” in like manner denote things which strengthen and conjoin. “Nails” also denote strengthening and conjunction in Isaiah 41:7, and in Jeremiah 10:4; but are there used in regard to idols, by which are signified doctrines of falsity, because from own intelligence (n. 8941, 9424). However, by “the nail” on which anything is hung, is signified affixing and adjoining, in Isaiah 22:23, 24, and in Ezekiel 15:3.
[2] As the Word is the doctrine of good, therefore in order that the Word may be understood, it must be known what good is; and no one knows what good is unless he lives in good according to the Word; for when anyone lives in good according to the Word, then the Lord instills good into his life, from which the man perceives it and feels it, and consequently apprehends the nature of it; otherwise it does not appear, because it is not perceived. From this it can be seen in what state they are who merely know what is in the Word, and persuade themselves that it is so, and yet do not do it. They have no knowledge of good, consequently none of truth; for truth is known from good, and never without good, except as memory-knowledge devoid of life, which perishes in the other life.
[3] That “oil” and also “the olive” denote good, is evident from the passages in the Word where they are mentioned, as in Zechariah:
I saw a lampstand of gold. Two olive-trees were beside it; one on the right side of the flask, and the other on the left side thereof. These are the two sons of oil that stand beside the Lord of the whole earth (Zech. 4:2, 3, 14);
where “the two olive-trees,” and “the two sons of oil,” denote the good of love to the Lord, which is on His right, and the good of charity toward the neighbor, which is on His left. In like manner in John:
The two witnesses prophesied a thousand two hundred and sixty days. These are the two olive-trees and the two lampstands that stand before the God of the earth (Rev 11:3, 4);
where “the two olive-trees and the two lampstands” denote these same goods, which, being from the Lord, are called “the two witnesses.”
[4] Again:
I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, Hurt not the oil and the wine (Rev. 6:6);
where “the oil” denotes the good of love and charity, and “the wine,” the good and truth of faith. Again:
I will set in the wilderness the cedar of Shittah, and the myrtle, and the wood of oil (Isa. 41:19).
They shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together unto the good of Jehovah, to the wheat, and to the new wine, and to the oil (Jer. 31:12).
The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the grain is wasted, the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth (Joel 1:10).
The floors are full of pure grain, and the presses overflow with new wine and oil (Joel 2:24).
I will give the rain of your land in its season, that thou mayest gather in thy grain, thy new wine, and thine oil (Deut. 11:14).
[5] “Grain, new wine, and oil” are here spoken of, but that these things are not meant can be seen by everyone who considers; for the Word, being Divine, is spiritual, not worldly, and therefore it does not treat of the grain, the new wine, and the oil of the earth, insofar as these are of service to the body for foods, but insofar as they are of service to the soul; for all foods in the Word signify heavenly foods, as do the bread and the wine in the Holy Supper. What “the grain” and “the new wine” signify in the passages here quoted, may be seen above (n. 3580, 5295, 5410, 5959); from this it is evident what “the oil” signifies.
[6] The case is the same with all things spoken by the Lord while He was in the world, as when He said of the Samaritan that “he came to the man who was wounded by thieves, and bound up his wounds and poured in oil and wine” (Luke 10:33, 34). Here are not meant oil and wine, but the good of love and of charity, by “oil” the good of love, and by “wine” the good of charity and of faith; for the subject treated of, is the neighbor, thus charity toward him (that “wine” has this signification, see n. 6377).
[7] In like manner what the Lord said of the ten virgins, of whom “five took their lamps and no oil with them, and five took also oil,” and that the latter were admitted into heaven, but the former rejected (Matt. 25:3, 4, and following verses); “oil in the lamps” denotes the good of love and of charity in the truths of faith; “the virgins who took their lamps and no oil” denote those who hear the Word, read it, and say that they believe, and yet do no good in consequence, and if they do any good, it is not done from the love of good or of truth, but from the love of self and of the world.
[8] As “oil” signified the good of charity, therefore also the sick were anointed with oil and were healed, as we read of the Lord’s disciples, who “went forth and cast out demons, and anointed with oil them that were sick, and healed them” (Mark 6:13). And in David:
Thou wilt make fat my head with oil; my cup shall run over (Ps. 23:5);
where “to make fat the head with oil” denotes to endow with celestial good. In Moses:
Jehovah fed him with the produce of the fields; He made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the stone of the rock (Deut. 32:13);
speaking of the Ancient Church; where “sucking oil out of the stone of the rock” denotes to be imbued with good through the truths of faith.
[9] In Habakkuk:
The fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall produce be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall lie, and the fields shall yield no food (Hab. 3:17);
here neither fig-tree, nor vine, nor olive, nor fields are meant, but heavenly things to which they correspond; as also everyone is able to acknowledge from himself who acknowledges that the Word treats of such things as belong to heaven and the church, thus as belong to the soul. But they who think of nothing but worldly, earthly, and bodily things, do not see the internal things, and even do not wish to see them, for they say within themselves, What are spiritual things? What are celestial things? and so, What is heavenly food? That these are such things as belong to intelligence and wisdom they indeed know when it is so said; but that they belong to faith and love, they do not desire; for the reason that they do not imbue their life with such things, and therefore do not attain to the intelligence and wisdom of heavenly truths and goodnesses.
[10] In Ezekiel:
I washed thee with waters, and I washed away thy bloods from upon thee, and I anointed thee with oil. I clothed thee with broidered work. Thy garments were fine linen, silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil. But thou didst take thy broidered garments, and coveredst images; and didst set Mine oil and Mine incense before them (Ezek. 16:9, 10, 13, 18).
Who cannot see that in this passage are not meant garments of broidered work, fine linen, and silk, nor oil, honey, or fine flour; but Divine things which are of heaven and the church; for the subject treated of is Jerusalem, by which is meant the church; and therefore by the several things mentioned are meant such things as are of the church. That by each particular is meant some special thing of the church, is evident; for in the Word, which is Divine, there is not a word that is worthless. (That “Jerusalem” denotes the church, see n. 3654; also what is meant by ” broidered work,” n. 9688; by “fine linen,” n. 5319, 9469; by “fine flour,” n. 2177; by “honey,” n. 5620, 6857; by “washing with waters,” n. 3147, 5954, 9088; and by “washing away bloods,” n. 4735, 9127.)
[11] In Hosea:
Ephraim feedeth on wind, they make a covenant with the Assyrian, and oil is carried down into Egypt (Hos. 12:1);
these things are quite unintelligible unless it is known what is meant by “Ephraim,” what by “the Assyrian,” and what by “Egypt;” yet there is here described the understanding of the man of the church, which is perverted through reasonings from memory-knowledges; for “Ephraim” denotes this understanding (n. 3969, 5354, 6222, 6238, 6267); “the Assyrian,” reasoning (n. 1186); and “Egypt,” memory-knowledge (n. 9391); consequently “to carry down oil into Egypt” denotes to defile in this way the good of the church.
[12] That the Lord so often went up the Mount of Olives (Luke 21:37; 22:39), was because “oil” and “the olive” signified the good of love, as also does a “mountain” (n. 6435, 8758). The reason was that while the Lord was in the world all things respecting Him were representative of heaven; for thereby the universal heaven was adjoined to Him; wherefore whatever He did and whatever He said was Divine and heavenly, and the ultimate things were representative. The Mount of Olives represented heaven in respect to the good of love and of charity; as also can be seen in Zechariah:
Jehovah shall go forth, and fight against the nations. His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before the faces of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives shall be cleft asunder, that a part thereof shall recede toward the east, and toward the sea, with a great valley; and a part of the mountain shall recede toward the north, and a part of it toward the south (Zech. 14:3-4).
[13] Here the Lord and His coming are the subject treated of; by “the Mount of Olives” is signified the good of love and of charity; thus the church, for these goods make the church. That the church would recede from the Jewish nation, and would be set up among the Gentiles, is signified by “the mountain being cleft asunder toward the east, toward the sea, and toward the north, and the south;” in like manner as by the words of the Lord in Luke:
Ye shall be cast down outside; whereas they shall come from the east, and the west, and from the north, and the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God (Luke 13:28, 29).
In a universal sense by “Jehovah going forth and fighting against the nations,” and by “His feet standing upon the Mount of Olives which is before the faces of Jerusalem,” is meant that the Lord from Divine love would fight against the hells; for “the nations” denote evils which are from the hells (n. 1868, 6306), and “the Mount of Olives,” on which were His feet, denotes the Divine love.
They shall make a continual burnt-offering at the door of the Tent of meeting before Jehovah; where I will meet with you, to speak there with thee. And there I will meet with the sons of Israel; and it shall be sanctified by My glory. And I will sanctify the Tent of meeting, and the altar. Aaron also and his sons will I sanctify, that they may minister to Me in the priesthood. And I will dwell in the midst of the sons of Israel (Exod. 29:42-45).
And that the Lord met with them there, that is, that He was present there, can be seen from this passage:
When all things were finished, the cloud covered the Tent of meeting, and the glory of Jehovah filled the Habitation. And Moses could not enter into the Tent of meeting, because the cloud dwelt upon it, and the glory of Jehovah filled the Habitation. The cloud of Jehovah was upon the Habitation by day; and there was fire therein by night, in the eyes of all the house of Israel (Exod. 40:33, to the end).
From all this it can be seen that by “the Tent of meeting” is signified where the presence of the Lord is. The reason was that the Tent represented heaven, and heaven is heaven by virtue of the presence of the Lord in it, on which account also it was called “the Habitation of Jehovah.”
My righteousness shall be to eternity, and My salvation unto generations of generations. Awake as in the days of antiquities, the generations of eternities (Isa. 51:8, 9).
I will set thee for a magnificence of eternities, a joy of generation and generation (Isa. 60:15).
The smoke thereof shall go up to eternity; from generation to generation it shall be laid waste, none shall pass through it for everlasting of everlastings (Isa. 34:10).
The counsel of Jehovah shall stand to eternity, the thoughts of His heart to generation and generation (Ps. 33:11).
I will praise Thy name to eternity and forever, generation to generation shall praise Thy works (Ps. 145:2, 4).
They shall fear Thee with the sun, and before the moon, from generation of generations (Ps. 72:5).
This is My name to eternity, and this My memorial unto generation and generation (Exod. 3:15);
besides many other passages. It is said “to eternity,” and “to generation and generation,” and “eternity” is predicated of the Divine celestial, or good; and “generation,” of the Divine spiritual, or truth; for in the Word, especially in the prophetic Word, there are for the most part two expressions relating to one and the same thing, as in the passages above quoted, “to eternity,” and “to generation and generation;” and this on account of the heavenly marriage in each and all things of the Word. The heavenly marriage is the marriage of good and truth, or the conjunction of the Lord and heaven (see the passages cited in n. 9263).
It has also been granted me to see some of the in- habitants of a lower class. They were seen in a garment such as is worn by rustics in Europe. There was also seen a man with his wife. She appeared of handsome figure and becoming mien, as did likewise the man. But I was surprised at his grand style of walking, with steps as it were haughty, while on the other hand the woman walked with a lowly gait. The angels said that such is the custom on that earth, and that the men who are like this are loved, because they are nevertheless good. It was said further that they are not allowed to have more wives than one, because this is contrary to the laws.
THE DOCTRINE OF CHARITY AND FAITH
When it is known what the internal man is, and what the external man, the source of the Understanding of Truth, and of the Will of Good, can then be known.
I speak by parables; because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand (Matt. 13:13).
The world cannot receive the Spirit of truth, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him (John 14:17).
EXODUS 28
1. And thou shalt cause to draw near unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from the midst of the sons of Israel, that he may minister in the priest’s office to Me, Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons.
2. And thou shalt make garments of holiness for Aaron thy brother, for glory and for comeliness.
3. And thou shalt speak unto all the wise in heart, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, and they shall make Aaron’s garments to sanctify him, that he may minister to Me in the priest’s office.
4. And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a tunic of checker work, a miter, and a belt; and they shall make garments of holiness for Aaron thy brother, and for his sons, that he may minister to Me in the priest’s office.
5. And they shall take the gold, and the blue, and the crimson, and the scarlet double-dyed, and the fine linen.
6. And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue and crimson, of scarlet double-dyed and fine twined linen, with the work of a thinker.*
7. It shall have two shoulders joined at the two extremities thereof; and it shall be joined together.
8. And the girdle of his ephod, which is upon it, according to the work thereof, shall be from it; of gold, of blue and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed and fine twined linen.
9. And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel.
10. Six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the six that remain on the other stone, according to their generations.
11. With the work of a worker in stone, with the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones, according to the names of the sons of Israel; encompassed with settings of gold shalt thou make them.
12. And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod, to be stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel; and Aaron shall bear their names before Jehovah upon his two shoulders for a remembrance.
13. And thou shalt make settings of gold.
14. And two chains of pure gold; from their borders shalt thou make them, with cord-work; and thou shalt put the chains of cords on the settings.
15. And thou shalt make a breastplate of judgment, with the work of a thinker;* like the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of blue and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed and fine twined linen, shalt thou make it.
16. Foursquare it shall be, doubled; a span the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof.
17. And thou shalt fill it with a filling of stone, four rows of stone; a row, a ruby, a topaz, and a carbuncle, row one;
18. And the second row, a chrysoprase, a sapphire, and a diamond;
19. And the third row, a cyanus, an agate, and an amethyst;
20. And the fourth row, a tarshish [beryl], and an onyx, and a jasper; they shall be enclosed in gold in their fillings.
21. And the stones shall be upon the names of the sons of Israel, twelve, upon their names; with the engravings of a signet, for everyone upon his name, they shall be for the twelve tribes.
22. And thou shalt make upon the breastplate chains of the border with cord-work, of pure gold.
23. And thou shalt make upon the breastplate two rings of gold, and shalt put the two rings on the two extremities of the breastplate.
24. And thou shalt put the two cords of gold on the two rings at the extremities of the breastplate.
25. And the two extremities of the two cords thou shalt put on the two settings, and shalt put them on the shoulders of the ephod over against the faces thereof.
26. And thou shalt make two rings of gold, and thou shalt put them upon the two extremities of the breastplate, upon the edge thereof, which is toward the side of the ephod inward.
27. And thou shalt make two rings of gold; and shalt put them on the two shoulders of the ephod underneath, over against its faces, opposite to the joining thereof, above the girdle of the ephod.
28. And they shall bind the breastplate by the rings thereof unto the rings of the ephod with a thread of blue, that it may be upon the girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate withdraw not from upon the ephod.
29. And Aaron shall carry the names of the sons of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holiness, for a remembrance before Jehovah continually.
30. And thou shalt put unto the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron’s heart, when he goeth in before Jehovah; and Aaron shall carry the judgment of the sons of Israel upon his heart before Jehovah continually.
31. And thou shalt make the robe of the ephod all of blue.
32. And there shall be a mouth of the head of it in the midst thereof; there shall be a lip for the mouth of it round about, the work of the weaver, as the mouth of a coat of mail it shall be, that it be not rent.
33. And upon the skirts of it thou shalt make pomegranates of blue, and of crimson, and of scarlet double-dyed, upon the skirts thereof round about; and bells of gold in the midst of them round about.
34. A bell of gold and a pomegranate, a bell of gold and a pomegranate, upon the skirts of the robe round about.
35. And it shall be upon Aaron to minister; and the voice thereof shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holiness before Jehovah, and when he goeth out, that he die not.
36. And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and engrave upon it with the engravings of a signet, Holiness to Jehovah.
37. And thou shalt put it upon a thread of blue, and it shall be upon the miter; over against the faces of the miter it shall be.
38. And it shall be upon Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron shall bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the sons of Israel shall sanctify in respect to all the gifts of their holy things; and it shall be upon his forehead continually, to make them well-pleasing before Jehovah.
39. And thou shalt checker the tunic of fine linen, and thou shalt make a miter of fine linen, and a belt thou shalt make with the work of the embroiderer.
40. And for Aaron’s sons thou shalt make tunics, and thou shalt make for them belts; and tiaras shalt thou make for them, for glory and for comeliness.
41. And thou shalt put them on Aaron thy brother, and on his sons with him; and shalt anoint them, and fill their hand, and shalt sanctify them, and they shall minister to Me in the priest’s office.
42. And thou shalt make for them breeches of linen to cover the flesh of nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall be.
43. And they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they go in unto the Tent of meeting, or when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holiness; lest they bear iniquity, and die: it is a statute of an age to him and to his seed after him.
* skilled craftsman
The subject here treated of is the garments of holiness which Aaron and his sons were to put on when they ministered. By the priesthood which Aaron with his sons was to administer was represented the Lord in respect to the Divine celestial, which is the Divine good in heaven; and by Aaron’s garments was represented the Divine spiritual, which is the Divine truth thence proceeding.
Verses 1, 2. And thou shalt cause to draw near unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from the midst of the sons of Israel, that he may minister in the priest’s office to Me; Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons. And thou shalt make garments of holiness for Aaron thy brother, for glory and for comeliness. “And thou shalt cause to draw near unto thee Aaron thy brother,” signifies the conjunction of Divine truth with Divine good in the Lord’s Divine Human; “and his sons with him,” signifies the Divine truth that proceeds from the Divine good; “from the midst of the sons of Israel,” signifies in heaven and in the church; “that he may minister in the priest’s office to Me,” signifies a representative of the Lord; “Aaron,” signifies in respect to the Divine celestial; “Nadab and Abihu,” signifies in respect to the Divine spiritual thence derived; “Eleazar and Ithamar,” signifies in respect to the Divine natural; “Aaron’s sons,” signifies which proceed from the Divine celestial; “and thou shalt make garments of holiness for Aaron thy brother,” signifies a representative of the spiritual kingdom joined to the celestial kingdom; “for glory and for comeliness,” signifies in order to present, in the internal and the external form, Divine truth such as it is in the spiritual kingdom joined to the celestial kingdom.
[2] All things in the universe, both in heaven and in the world, bear relation to good and to truth in order to be anything; for good is the being of truth, and truth is the coming-forth of good; and therefore good without truth does not come-forth, and truth without good has no being; from which it is evident that they must be conjoined. Their conjunction is represented in the Word by two married partners, and also by two brothers; by two married partners, when the subject treated of is the heavenly marriage, which is that of good and truth, and successive derivation from it; and by two brothers, when the subject treated of is the double ministry of judgment and of worship.
Those who ministered in judgment were called “judges,” and afterward “kings;” and those who ministered in worship were called “priests.” And because all judgment is effected by means of truth, and all worship is effected from good, therefore by “judges” in the Word, in a sense abstracted from person, is signified truth from good; but by “kings,” truth from which is good; and by “priests” is signified good itself. It is from this that in the Word the Lord is called a “Judge,” also a “Prophet,” and likewise a “King,” when truth is treated of; but a “Priest” when good is treated of. In like manner He is called “the Christ,” “the Anointed,” or “the Messiah,” when truth is treated of; but “Jesus,” or “Savior,” when good is treated of.
[3] On account of this brotherhood, which is that of the truth which is of judgment and the good which is of worship, Aaron the brother of Moses was chosen to minister in the priesthood. That by “Aaron and his house” is therefore signified good, is evident in the following passages:
O Israel, trust thou in Jehovah; He is their help and their shield. O house of Aaron, trust ye in Jehovah; He is their help and their shield. Jehovah hath remembered us, He will bless the house of Israel, He will bless the house of Aaron (Ps. 115:9, 10, 12).
Let Israel now say, that His mercy is forever. Let the house of Aaron now say, that His mercy is forever (Ps. 118:2, 3).
O house of Israel, bless ye Jehovah; O house of Aaron, bless ye Jehovah (Ps. 135:19).
“The house of Israel” denotes those who are in truths; “the house of Aaron,” those who are in goods; for in the Word, where truth is treated of, good is also treated of, because of the heavenly marriage (n. 9263, 9314); (that “the house of Israel” denotes those who are in truths, see n. 5414, 5879, 5951, 7956, 8234).
[4] Again;
Jehovah sent Moses His servant, Aaron whom He had chosen (Ps. 105:26);
where Moses is called a “servant” because a “servant” is predicated of truths (n. 3409); and a “chosen one” is predicated of good (n. 3755). Again:
Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. It is like the good oil upon the head, that went down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard; that went down upon the mouth of his garments (Ps. 133:1, 2).
He who does not know what is signified by a “brother,” what by “oil,” what by “the head,” what by “the beard,” what by “garments,” and likewise what Aaron represents, cannot apprehend why these things are compared to the dwelling together of brethren, for how can the oil that went down from the head upon Aaron’s beard, and from thence upon his garments, be like the concord of brethren? But the likeness in the comparison is plain from the internal sense, in which the subject treated of is the influx of good into truths, and the brotherhood of these is described in this way. For “oil” denotes good; “the head of Aaron,” the inmost of good; “the beard,” the most external of it; “garments” denote truths; and “to go down” denotes influx. From this it is clear that by these words is signified the influx of good from interiors to exteriors into truths, and conjunction there. Without the internal sense, who can see that these heavenly things are contained in these words? (That “oil” denotes the good of love, see n. 886, 4582, 4638, 9780; that “the head” denotes what is inmost, n. 5328, 6436, 7859, 9656; that “the beard” denotes what is most external, is evident in Isaiah 7:20; 15:2; in Jeremiah 48:37; and in Ezekiel 5:1; that “garments” denote truths, n. 2576, 4545, 4763, 5319, 5954, 6914, 6917, 9093, 9212, 9216; and that “Aaron” denotes celestial good, may be seen above.)
[5] From the fact that Aaron was chosen to minister in the priest’s office, thus to administer the most holy things, it may be comprehended how the case was with the representations in the Jewish Church, namely, that they did not regard the person who represented, but the thing that was represented; thus that a holy thing, nay, a most holy one, could be represented by persons whose interiors were unclean, and even idolatrous, provided that while they were in worship their externals were disposed to holiness. The quality of Aaron can be seen from the following words in Moses:
Aaron took the gold from the hand of the sons of Israel, and fashioned it with a graving tool, and made it a molten calf. And Aaron built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation and said, Tomorrow shall be a feast to Jehovah (Exod. 32:4, 5, 25).
Jehovah was moved with anger exceedingly against Aaron, to destroy him; but I prayed for Aaron also in that time (Deut. 9:20).
(That the representatives of the church with the Israelitish and Jewish nation did not regard persons, but the things themselves, see the places cited in n. 9229.)
[2] Anyone who knows that by “sons” are signified truths, and by “daughters” goods, can see many arcana in the Word, especially in the prophetic Word, that otherwise would be hidden; as also what is meant in particular by “the Son of man,” which the Lord often calls Himself in the Word. That the Divine truth which proceeds from His Divine Human is meant, is evident from the passages in which He is so named, and which may be here cited for the purpose of confirming at the same time that a “son” denotes truth; as in John:
The crowd said unto Jesus, How sayest Thou, the Son of man must be exalted? Who is this Son of man? Jesus answered them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness take you. While ye have the light, believe in the light, that ye may be sons of light (John 12:34-36).
From these words it is evident that by “the Son of man” is signified the like as by “the light,” for when they inquired, Who is this Son of man? the Lord answered that He was the light in which they should believe (that this “light” denotes the Divine truth, see the places cited in n. 9548, 9684); thus it also denotes the Son of man.
[3] In Luke:
Blessed are ye when men shall hate you for the Son of man’s sake (Luke 6:22);
where “for the Son of man’s sake” denotes for the sake of the Divine truth which proceeds from the Lord; Divine truth is everything of faith in, and of love to, the Lord, and “being hated for the sake of this” is “blessedness.” Again:
The days will come when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, but ye shall not see it. Then they shall say unto you, Lo here! or Lo there! go not away, nor make search (Luke 17:22, 23);
“to desire to see one of the days of the Son of man” denotes to see one of the states of Divine truth which is genuine. The subject here treated of is the end of the church, when there is no longer any faith, because no charity; at which time all genuine truth Divine will perish; and because truth Divine is signified by “the Son of man,” therefore it is said, “then they shall say, Lo here! or Lo there! search not,” which can be said of truth Divine from the Lord, but not of the Lord Himself. [4] Again:
When the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:8);
that is, when truth Divine shall be revealed from heaven, it will not be believed. “The Son of man” here also denotes the Lord as to truth Divine, that is, the truth Divine which proceeds from the Lord. “The coming of the Lord” denotes the revelation of truth Divine at the end of the church.
[5] In Matthew:
As the lightning goeth forth from the east, and appeareth even unto the west, so shall be the coming of the Son of man. Then shall appear the sign, and then shall all the tribes of the earth wail, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and glory (Matt. 24:27, 30);
“the coming of the Son of man” denotes the revelation of truth Divine in the consummation of the age, that is, at the end of the church; “all the tribes of the earth which shall then wail,” denote all the truths and goods of faith and of love from the Lord, and thus to the Lord, in the complex; “the clouds of heaven in which He will come,” denote the literal sense of the Word; “power and glory” denote the internal sense, in the inmost of which the subject treated of is the Lord alone (see the further explication of these words in n. 4060).
[6] In like manner elsewhere:
I say unto you, Henceforth ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming upon the clouds of heaven (Matt. 26:64).
From henceforth shall the Son of man be sitting at the right hand of the power of God (Luke 22:69).
“The Son of man” denotes the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord; “sitting at the right hand of power” denotes that He has omnipotence, for Divine good has omnipotence by means of Divine truth; its being said that “from henceforth they shall see it” signifies that Divine truth was in its omnipotence after the Lord in the world had conquered the hells, and had reduced all things therein and in the heavens into order, and that in this way those could be saved who would receive Him in faith and love (see n. 9715). (That “sitting at the right hand” denotes omnipotence, see n. 3387, 4592, 4933, 7518, 8281, 9133; that good has all power through truth, see n. 6344, 6423, 8304, 9327, 9410, 9639, 9643; that the Divine power itself is Divine truth, n. 6948; that “the clouds in which the Son of man,” that is, Divine truth, “will come,” denote the Word in the letter, see the preface to Genesis 18; and n. 4060, 4391, 5922, 6343, 6752, 8443, 8781; and that “glory” denotes the Divine truth itself, such as it is in the internal sense of the Word, see the preface to Genesis 18; and n. 4809, 5922, 8267, 9429.)
[7] From all this it can now be seen what is signified by these words:
I saw and behold a white cloud; and on the cloud one sitting like, unto the Son of man, having on His head a golden crown (Rev. 14:14).
I saw in the night visions, and behold there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto the Son of man (Dan. 7:13).
The Father gave Him to execute judgment, because He is the Son of man (John 5:27).
As all judgment is effected from truth, it is said that it was “given to the Lord to execute judgment, because He is the Son of man;” “the Son of man,” as before said, denotes the Divine truth; the Father from whom it proceeds, denotes the Divine good (n. 2803, 3704, 7499, 8328, 8897). As it pertains to Divine truth to execute judgment, therefore it is said that “when He shall come, the Son of man shall sit upon the throne of His glory” (Matt. 19:28; 25:31); and that “the Son of man shall render to everyone according to his deeds” (Matt. 16:27).
[8] Further:
He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; the seed are the sons of the kingdom; the tares are the sons of the evil one (Matt. 13:37, 38);
“the good seed” denotes truth Divine, therefore it is said that “the Son of man soweth it;” “the sons of the kingdom” denote truths Divine in heaven and in the church, for a “son” denotes truth (see n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623), and in the opposite sense, falsity, which also is “the son of the evil one;” “the kingdom” denotes heaven, and likewise the church.
[9] In John:
No man hath ascended into heaven, but He that came down from heaven, the Son of man who is in the heavens (John 3:13);
from this it is evident that “the Son of man” denotes the Divine truth in the heavens; for this comes down, and therefore ascends, because no one can ascend into heaven unless Divine truth comes down into him from heaven, because the influx is Divine, and not the other way about. And because the Lord is this truth, therefore He calls Himself “the Son of man who is in the heavens.” In Matthew:
The Son of man hath not where to lay His head (Matt. 8:20);
here “the Son of man” denotes the Divine truth; “not having where to lay His head,” means that Divine truth had no place anywhere, or with any man, at that time.
[10] That “the Son of man was to suffer, and to be put to death” (Matt. 17:12, 23; 20:18; 26:2, 24, 45; Mark 8:31; 9:12, 31; and elsewhere), involves that such was the treatment of Divine truth, and consequently of the Lord, who was the Divine truth itself, as also He Himself teaches in the following passages:
I am the way, and the truth, and the life (John 14:6).
No man shall dwell there, neither shall any son of man stay therein (Jer. 49:18, 33).
In the cities shall no man dwell, neither shall any son of man pass through them (Jer. 51:43).
Anyone not acquainted with the spiritual sense of the Word will believe that by “cities” are here meant cities, and that by “man” and “the son of man” are meant a man and a son; and that the cities would be so desolated that no one would dwell there; but it is the state of the church in respect to the doctrine of truth which is described by these words; for “cities” denote the doctrinal things of the church (n. 402, 2449, 3216, 4492, 4493); “a man,” the truth itself of the church conjoined with good (n. 3134, 7716, 9007); therefore “the son of man” denotes truth.
[11] As by “the Son of man” was signified the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord, therefore also the prophets, through whom it was revealed, were called “sons of man,” as in Daniel 8:17; in Ezekiel 2:1, 3, 6, 8; 3:1, 3, 4, 10, 17, 25; 4:1, 16; 8:5, 6, 8, 12, 15; 12:2, 3, 9, 18, 22, 27; and in many other passages.
[12] As most expressions in the Word have also an opposite sense, it is the same with the signification of “the son of man,” which in this sense denotes the falsity that is opposite to truth, as in Isaiah:
Who art thou, that thou art afraid of man that dieth, and of the son of man who is given as grass? (Isa. 51:12);
where “the son of man given as grass” denotes the memory-knowledge through which falsity arises. In David:
Put not your trust in princes, in the son of man, in whom there is no salvation (Ps. 146:3);
where “princes” denote primary truths (n. 2089, 5044), thus in the opposite sense, primary falsities; and “the son of man” denotes the falsity itself.
[2] That by the priestly office was represented the Divine good of the Lord’s Divine love, thus every office which the Lord discharges as the Savior is evident from the following passages in the Word:
The saying of Jehovah unto my Lord, Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool. Jehovah shall send forth the scepter of strength out of Zion; rule Thou in the midst of Thine enemies. Thy people is one of readinesses in the day of Thy strength, in the honors of holiness from the womb of the dawn, Thou hast the dew of Thy birth. Jehovah hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest forever, according to My word, Melchizedek. The Lord at Thy right hand hath smitten kings in the day of His anger; He hath judged among the nations; He hath filled with dead bodies; He hath smitten the head over much land. He shall drink of the stream in the way: therefore shall He lift up the head (Ps. 110:1-7).
From this it is plain what the Lord is as a priest, consequently what the priestly office represented in the Lord, namely, all the work of the salvation of the human race; for in this passage the subject treated of is the Lord’s combats with the hells, while He was in the world, through which He acquired for Himself Divine omnipotence over the hells, by virtue of which He saved the human race, and also saves at this day all those who receive Him. It is this salvation itself, because it is from the Divine good of the Divine love, by virtue of which it is said of the Lord, “Thou art a priest forever, according to My word, Melchizedek.” “Melchizedek” means “the king of righteousness”; and the Lord was so called from the fact that He became righteousness, and thereby salvation (according to what was shown above, n. 9715).
[3] But as each particular expression in the above Psalm contains arcana concerning the Lord’s combats while He was in the world, and these cannot be revealed without the internal sense, therefore they may here be briefly unfolded. “The saying of Jehovah unto My Lord” signifies that it is said of the Lord while He was in the world (that by “the Lord” here is meant the Lord as to the Divine Human is evident in Matthew 22:41-43, in Mark 12:35, 36, and in Luke 20:41-44). “Sit thou at My right hand” signifies the omnipotence of Divine good through the Divine truth which the Lord then was, and from which He fought and conquered (that “sitting at the right hand” denotes a state of power, and that when said of the Divine it denotes omnipotence, see n. 3387, 4592, 4933, 7518, 7673, 8281, 9133; and that all the power of good is through truth, n. 6344, 6423, 8304, 9327, 9410, 9639, 9643).
[4] “Until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool” signifies until the evils which are in the hells shall be subjugated and made subject to his Divine power. “Jehovah shall send forth the scepter of strength out of Zion” signifies power then from celestial good (that “Zion” denotes this good, see n. 2362, 9055). “Rule Thou in the midst of Thine enemies” signifies that this good has dominion over evils; evils are meant by “enemies” because they are opposed to the Divine, and specifically to the Lord. “Thy people is one of readinesses in the day of Thy strength” signifies the Divine truths then fighting. “In the honors of holiness” signifies which are from the Divine good. “From the womb of the dawn, Thou hast the dew of Thy birth,” signifies conception from the Divine good itself from which He had Divine truth. “Jehovah hath sworn and will not repent” signifies what is stable and certain.
[5] “Thou art a priest forever” signifies the Divine good of the Divine love in Him. “According to My word, Melchizedek,” signifies that His Divine Human is the like; “Melchizedek” means “king of righteousness,” thus that Jehovah became righteous through combats and victories (n. 9715). “The Lord at Thy right hand” signifies the Divine truth which is then from Him, through which He has omnipotence, as above. “Hath smitten kings in the day of His anger” signifies the destruction then of falsities; “the day of anger” was when He fought against evils and destroyed them; “kings” denote truths, and in the opposite sense falsities (n. 2015, 2069, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068, 6148). “He hath judged among the nations” signifies the dispersion of evils; for “nations” denote goods, and in the opposite sense evils (n. 1259, 1260, 1849, 6005). “He hath filled with dead bodies” signifies thus spiritual death, which is the total deprivation of truth and good. “He hath smitten the head over much land” signifies the casting down of the infernal love of self into the hells, and its damnation. “He shall drink of the stream in the way, therefore shall He lift up the head,” signifies the endeavor to emerge by means of reasonings about truths. This is the sense of the above words which is perceived in heaven when this Psalm is read by man.
[6] As the priestly office was representative of the Lord in respect to all the work of salvation from Divine love, therefore also all Divine worship belonged to the office of the priest; which worship at that time consisted chiefly in offering burnt-offerings, sacrifices, and meat-offerings, and in arranging the breads of faces upon the table, in lighting the lamps every day, and in burning incense; consequently in making expiation for the people and in remitting sins. Moreover, when the priests were at the same time prophets, it also consisted in unfolding the Divine law, and in teaching. That Aaron with his sons performed all these things is evident from the institution of the priest’s office in Moses. That all these things were representative of the Lord’s works of salvation, is manifest; wherefore also that part of the sacrifices and meat-offerings which was for Jehovah, that is, for the Lord, was given to Aaron; in like manner the firstfruits of various kinds, and also the tithes (see Exod. 29:1-36; Lev. 7:35-36; 23:15-21; 27:21; Num. 5:6-10; 18:8-20, and 25 to the end; Deut. 18:1-5), and the firstborn; but instead of all the firstborn of men were the Levites, who were given as a gift to Aaron (Num. 1:47; 3:9), for the reason that they belonged to Jehovah (Num. 3:12-13, 40-45).
[7] As the Lord in respect to the whole work of salvation was represented by the high-priest, and the work of salvation itself by his office, which is called the priesthood, therefore no inheritance and portion with the people was given to Aaron and his sons, for it is declared that Jehovah God is their inheritance and portion (Num. 18:20); neither was any portion given to the Levites, because they belonged to Aaron (Num. 26:58-63; Deut. 10:9; 18:1, 2). For the people represented heaven and the church, but Aaron with his sons and with the Levites represented the good of love and of faith which makes heaven and the church, thus they represented the Lord from whom is this good. For this reason the land was granted to the people for an inheritance, but not to the priests, for the Lord is in them, but not among them as one of them and distinct from them.
[8] The like is involved in these words from Isaiah:
Ye shall be called the priests of Jehovah, the ministers of our God; ye shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory ye shall boast yourselves (Isa. 61:6);
where “eating the wealth of the nations” denotes to appropriate goods to themselves; “boasting themselves in their glory” denotes to enjoy truths, thus to have joy and happiness from both. (That “nations” denote goods, see n. 1259, 1260, 4574, 6005; and that “glory” denotes truth from the Divine, n. 9429.)
[9] In the Word throughout “kings” and “priests” are mentioned in a series, also “kings,” “princes,” “priests,” and “prophets;” and in the internal sense by “kings” are there signified truths in the complex; by “princes,” primary truths; by “priests,” goods in the complex; and by “prophets,” doctrines, as in the following passages:
Jesus Christ hath made us kings and priests (Rev. 1:6; 5:10).
The house of Israel were ashamed, they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets (Jer. 2:26).
In that day the heart of the king shall perish, and the heart of the princes; and the priests shall be amazed, and the prophets shall marvel (Jer. 4:9).
At that time they shall draw out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets (Jer. 8:1).
(That by “kings” in the sense abstracted from persons are signified truths in the complex, see n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 4581, 4966, 5044, 6148; that by “princes” are signified primary truths, n. 1482, 2089, 5044; that “priests” denote goods, n. 1728, 2015, 3670, 6148; and that “prophets” denote doctrines derived from these things and concerning them, n. 2534, 7269.) The kingly office of the Lord is also signified by His name “Christ,” “Anointed,” “Messiah”; and His priestly office by His name “Jesus,” for “Jesus” means “Savior” or “Salvation,” concerning which it is thus written in Matthew:
The angel appeared unto Joseph in a dream, and said, Thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins (Matt. 1:21).
As this belonged to the priest’s office, therefore the like was represented by the office of the high priest who made expiation for the people for sins (Lev. 4:26, 31, 35; 5:6, 10, 13, 16, 18; 9:7; 15:15, 30).
[10] Seeing that evil cannot possibly be joined to good, because they have aversion for each other, therefore purifications of various kinds were commanded for Aaron and his sons when they ministered in the priest’s office, whether at the altar, or in the Tent of meeting; and it was also commanded that the high priest was not to marry any but a virgin; not a widow, nor one divorced, nor a harlot (Lev. 21:13-15); that those of the sons of Aaron who were unclean “if they should eat of the sanctified things, were to be cut off” (Lev. 22:2-9); that “no one of the seed of Aaron in whom was a blemish should offer bread” (Lev. 21:17-21); that “the high priest was not to shave his head, to rend his garments, to defile himself with any dead body, not even of his father and his mother, and that he was not to go out of the sanctuary” (Lev. 21:10-12). As before said, these and many other laws were enacted for the reason that the high priest represented the Lord as to Divine good; and good is of such a nature that evil cannot be joined to it, for good shuns evil, and evil dreads good as hell dreads heaven; and therefore no conjunction of them is possible.
[11] But as for truth, it is of such a character that falsity can be joined to it; yet not the falsity in which there is evil; but that in which there is good, such as there is with little children, and with boys and girls while they are as yet in innocence, and with well-disposed Gentiles who are in ignorance; and such as there is with all who are in the literal sense of the Word, and who remain in the doctrine thence derived, and who nevertheless have the good of life as their end; for this good, as the end, drives away all the malevolence of falsity, and by applying itself forms the falsity into a certain likeness of truth.
[2] Divine celestial good, which makes the third or inmost heaven, is the good of love to the Lord; Divine spiritual good, which makes the middle or second heaven, is the good of charity toward the neighbor; and Divine natural good, which makes the first or ultimate heaven, is the good of faith and of obedience. To Divine natural good pertains also civil good, which is called what is just among citizens; and also moral good, which is that of all the virtues that belong to what is honorable.
[3] These three goods follow in order, like end, cause, and effect; and as the end is the soul of the cause, and the cause is all that is efficient in the effect, so celestial good is the soul of spiritual good, and spiritual good is everything in natural good. That which is the soul, and that which is everything, in something else, is within it, as endeavor is in motion, or as will is in action. That will is the soul and everything in action, is plain, for when will ceases, action ceases. From all this it can be seen how the case is with the celestial, the spiritual, and the natural; namely, that inmostly in natural good there must be celestial good, that is, the good of love to the Lord, which also is the good of innocence.
[2] But who could possibly believe that within the church, where there is the Word, and the consequent enlightenment about Divine and heavenly things, ignorance so great should reign that it is not known that angels and spirits are in the human form, and appear to themselves as men; and also that they see and hear each other, and converse together; and that it is known still less that they appear clothed in garments. That this is the case falls not only into doubt, but also into total denial, with those who are so much immersed in outward things as to believe that the body alone lives, and that all is nothing which they do not see with the bodily eyes, and touch with the bodily hands (n. 1881); when yet the heavens are full of men, who are angels, and who are clothed in garments of varied resplendence. But nothing of these things can be seen by a man on earth through the eyes of his body; but through the eyes of his spirit, when these are opened by the Lord. The angels who were seen by the ancients, as by Abraham, Sarah, Lot, Jacob, Joshua, Gideon, and also the prophets, were not seen with the eyes of the body, but with the eyes of the spirit, which were then opened. That these angels appeared clothed in garments, is evident from the angels who sat at the Lord’s sepulcher, and were seen in shining white garments by Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James (Matt. 28:3; Mark 16:5; Luke 24:4); and especially is the same thing evident from the Lord Himself when seen in His glory by Peter, James, and John, in that His raiment was then white and glistering, and was like the light (Matt. 17:2; Luke 9:29); by which raiment there was also represented the Divine spiritual, that is, the Divine truth which is from Him.
[3] From this it can be seen what is signified by “white garments” in Revelation:
Thou hast a few names in Sardis which have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white garments (Rev. 3:4, 5);
here “garments” denote spiritual truths, which are truths from good (as was shown above); and “white” denotes genuine truth (n. 3301, 4007, 5319). In like manner elsewhere:
I saw heaven open, and behold a white horse, and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True; and in righteousness He doth judge and fight. His armies in heaven followed Him clothed in fine linen, white and clean (Rev. 19:11, 14).
Upon the thrones I saw four and twenty elders, clothed in white garments (Rev. 4:4).
[2] The like is signified by “comeliness” in the following passages. In Jeremiah:
The Lord in His anger doth cloud over the daughter of Zion; He hath cast forth from the heavens unto the earth the comeliness of Israel, neither doth He remember His footstool (Lam. 2:1);
where “the daughter of Zion” denotes the celestial church; and “the comeliness of Israel,” the spiritual church, which is called “comeliness” from the brightness and beauty of truth. In like manner in Isaiah:
I have made My righteousness to draw nigh; it is not far off, and My salvation shall not tarry; I will give salvation in Zion, unto Israel My comeliness (Isa. 46:13).
Look forth from the heavens, from the habitation of Thy holiness and of Thy comeliness (Isa. 63:15);
where “the habitation of holiness” denotes the celestial kingdom; and “the habitation of comeliness” the spiritual kingdom. And in Daniel:
And there came forth one horn from a little one, and grew exceedingly, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward comeliness (Dan. 8:9).
The king of the north shall stand in the land of comeliness, and there is consummation by his hand, and when he shall come into the land of comeliness, many shall be overthrown (Dan. 11:16, 41);
where “the land of comeliness” denotes the church of the Lord, in which is truth Divine, or the Word.
[2] The reason why “the wise in heart” denote those who are in the good of love, is that wisdom is predicated of the life of heaven in man, and also that by “the heart” is signified the good of love. The life of heaven in man is expressed in the Word by “spirit” and by “heart;” by “spirit” is meant the life of man’s intellectual part, and by “heart” the life of his will part. To the intellectual part belongs truth, and to the will part belongs good. Truth belongs to faith, and good to love; for the understanding receives the truths which are of faith, and the will the goods which are of love. From this it is plain that by “the wise in heart” are signified those who are in the good of love from the Lord. The good of love is celestial good, through which is spiritual good; and spiritual good is that which covers celestial good, as garments cover the body. And as by the garments of Aaron was represented the spiritual kingdom of the Lord joined to His celestial kingdom, and the former comes forth through the latter, therefore it is here said that “the wise in heart,” that is, they who are in the good of love from the Lord, “shall make the garments for Aaron and his sons” (as in what follows). (That “the heart” denotes the good of love, or celestial good, see n. 3635, 3880, 3883-3896, 9050; and that on this account it denotes the will, n. 2930, 3888, 7542, 8910, 9113, 9300, 9495.)
Let your discourse be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay; whatsoever is more than these is from evil (Matt. 5:37).
(That they who are in the celestial kingdom of the Lord are of this character, see n. 2715, 2718, 3246, 4448, 5113, 6367, 7877, 9166, 9543; what the difference is between those who are in the celestial kingdom, and those who are in the spiritual kingdom, may be seen in the places cited in n. 9276.)
[2] From all this it can now be seen what is meant by Divine truths being “inscribed.” The word “spirit” is used in many passages in the Word, and when said of man, by his “spirit” is signified the good and truth that have been inscribed on his intellectual part, consequently there is signified the life of this part. That when predicated of man, “spirit” has this signification, is because in respect to his interiors man is a spirit, and in respect to these is also in company with spirits. On this subject see what has been abundantly shown above, namely, that there are spirits and angels with man, and man is directed by the Lord by means of them (n. 50, 697, 986, 2796, 2886, 2887, 4047, 4048, 5846-5866, 5976-5993); that man is among spirits and angels such as he is himself (n. 4067, 4073, 4077, 4111); and that every man has a spirit through which his body has life (n. 4622).
[3] From this it can be known what is meant by “Spirit” when said of the Lord, namely, the Divine truth that proceeds from His Divine good, and that when this Divine truth flows in with man, and is received by him, it is “the Spirit of Truth,” “the Spirit of God,” and “the Holy Spirit;” for it flows in immediately from the Lord, and also mediately through angels and spirits (see the places cited in n. 9682); that “the Spirit of Truth,” “the Spirit of God,” and “the Holy Spirit,” denote this, will be seen in what follows. For it must first be shown that in the Word, “spirit,” when said of man, denotes the good and truth that has been inscribed on his intellectual part, consequently that it denotes the life of this. For there is the life of the intellectual part, and the life of the will part; the life of the intellectual part is to know, to see, and to understand, that truth is true, and that good is good; whereas the life of the will part is to will and to love truth for the sake of truth, and good for the sake of good. This latter life is called in the Word “heart;” but the former is called “spirit.”
[4] That such is the case is evident from the following passages in the Word:
Make for you a new heart and a new spirit; why will ye die, O house of Israel? (Ezek. 18:31).
I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in the midst of you (Ezek. 36:26);
“a new heart” denotes a new will; and “a new spirit,” a new understanding. In Zechariah:
Jehovah stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man in the midst of him (Zech. 12:1);
where “stretching forth the heavens, and laying the foundation of the earth” denotes a new church (that the church is meant by “heaven and earth,” see n. 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118, 3355, 4535); “to form the spirit of man in the midst of him” denotes to regenerate him in respect to the understanding of truth and good.
[5] In David:
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a steadfast spirit in the midst of me. Cast me not away from before Thee, and take not the Spirit of Thy holiness from me. Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation; and let an ingenuous spirit uphold me. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart God doth not despise (Ps. 51:10-12, 17);
“a clean heart” denotes a will that is averse to evils, which are unclean; “a steadfast spirit” denotes the understanding and faith of truth; “a broken spirit,” and “a broken heart,” denote a state of temptation and the consequent humiliation of the life of both of these. That “spirit” denotes life, is plain from each of the above expressions. The Divine truth, from which is this life, is “the Spirit of holiness.” Again:
A generation that maketh not its heart right, and whose spirit is not constant with God (Ps. 78:8);
“a heart not right” denotes that the will is not right; “a spirit not constant with God,” denotes that the understanding and faith are not constant.
[6] In Moses:
Jehovah God made worse the spirit of Sihon king of Heshbon, and hardened his heart (Deut. 2:30);
in this passage also “spirit” and “heart” denote the two lives, which are said to be “hardened” when there is no will of understanding truth and good, nor of doing them. In Ezekiel:
Every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be let down, and every spirit shall be contracted (Ezek. 21:7);
where the meaning is similar. In Isaiah:
Jehovah, that giveth soul unto the people upon the earth, and spirit to them that walk therein (Isa. 42:5);
“giving soul to the people” denotes the life of faith (that “soul” denotes the life of faith, see n. 9050); and “giving spirit” denotes the understanding of truth. Again:
With my soul have I desired Thee in the night; yea, with my spirit in the midst of me have I awaited Thee in the morning (Isa. 26:9);
where the meaning is similar.
[7] Again:
Conceive ye refuse, bring forth stubble; your spirit the fire shall devour (Isa. 33:11).
“The spirit which the fire shall devour,” denotes the understanding of truth, thus intelligence; “fire” denotes evil affection, which being from evil destroys.
[8] Again in the following passages:
Woe to the foolish prophets that go away after their own spirit (Ezek. 13:3).
That which cometh up upon your spirit shall never come to pass (Ezek. 20:32).
Not one hath done so, and the rest who have the spirit: what therefore the one, seeking the seed of God? Therefore take heed by your spirit, that he may not deal treacherously against the wife of thy youth (Mal. 2:15).
Blessed is the man to whom Jehovah imputeth not iniquity, provided in his spirit there is no deceit (Ps. 32:2).
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens (Matt. 5:3.)
Jesus said unto His disciples, Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation; the spirit indeed is ready, but the flesh is weak (Matt. 26:41).
It is very evident that in these passages by “spirit” is meant the very life of man; that it denotes the intellectual life, or the life of truth, can be seen from the fact that by “spirit” in the natural sense is meant the life of man’s respiration; and that the respiration of the lungs corresponds to the life of truth, which is the life of faith and from this of the understanding; while the beating of the heart corresponds to the life of the will, thus of the love. That there is this correspondence of the lungs and of the heart, see n. 3883-3896, 9300, 9495; from which it can be seen what life is meant in the spiritual sense by “spirit.”
[9] That in a general sense “spirit” denotes the life of man’s respiration, is very plain in the following passages:
Thou hidest Thy face, they are troubled; Thou gatherest their spirit, they expire. Thou sendest forth Thy spirit, they are created (Ps. 104:29, 30).
Answer me, O Jehovah, my spirit hath been consumed; hide not Thy faces from me (Ps. 143:7).
My spirit hath been consumed, my days extinguished (Job 17:1).
Jesus, taking the hand of the maid that was dead, said, Maid arise. And so her spirit returned, and straightway she rose up (Luke 8:54, 55).
Every man is become foolish with knowledge, a graven image is a lie, and there is no spirit in it (Jer. 10:14; 51:17).
He carried me forth in the spirit of Jehovah, and set me in the midst of the valley. And there the Lord Jehovih said to the dry bones, Behold I bring spirit into you, that ye may live. Thus said the Lord Jehovih, Come from the four winds, O spirit, and breathe into these slain; and the spirit came into them, and they lived again (Ezek. 37:1, 5, 9, 10).
The two witnesses were slain by the beast that came up out of the abyss; but after three days and a half the spirit of life from God entered into them, that they should stand upon their feet (Rev. 11:7, 11).
[10] From these passages it is very manifest that “spirit” denotes the life of man. That specifically it denotes the life of truth, which is the life of man’s intellectual part, and is called intelligence, is clear in these passages:
The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth. God is a spirit, therefore those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:23, 24).
Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, both of knowledge and of understanding, was in him (Dan. 5:12, 14).
John grew, and waxed strong in spirit (Luke 1:80).
The child Jesus grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was filled with wisdom (Luke 2:40).
He whom the Father hath sent speaketh the words of God; for God hath not given the spirit by measure to him (John 3:34).
“spirit” here denotes intelligence and wisdom; “speaking the words of God” denotes to speak Divine truths.
[11] From all this it is now evident what is signified by “spirit” in John:
Jesus said to Nicodemus, Except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which hath been begotten of the flesh is flesh; and that which hath been begotten of the spirit is spirit (John 3:5-6);
where “to be begotten of water” denotes by means of truth; and “to be begotten of the spirit” denotes the consequent life from the Lord, which is called spiritual life. (That “water” denotes the truth through which is regeneration, see n. 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668, 9323; but “the flesh” denotes what is man’s own, in which there is nothing of spiritual life, n. 3813, 8409.)
[12] The like is signified by “spirit” and “flesh” in the same:
It is the spirit that maketh alive; the flesh profiteth nothing; the words that I speak to you are spirit, and are life (John 6:63);
“the words which the Lord spoke” are Divine truths, the life thence derived is “the spirit.” In Isaiah:
Egypt is man and not God; and his horses are flesh, and not spirit (Isa. 31:3);
“Egypt” denotes memory-knowledge in general; “his horses” denote memory-knowledge from the intellectual, which is called “flesh, and not spirit” when there is nothing of spiritual life therein. (That “Egypt” denotes memory-knowledge, see the places cited in n. 9340, 9391; that “horses” denote the intellectual, n. 2761, 2762, 3217, 5321; and that “the horses of Egypt” denote memory-knowledges from the intellectual, n. 6125, 8146, 8148.) He who does not know what is signified by “Egypt,” by “horses,” and also by “flesh” and “spirit,” cannot possibly know what these words involve.
[13] When it is known what is signified by “spirit” in regard to man, it can be known what is signified by “Spirit” when it is said of Jehovah or the Lord, to whom are attributed all things belonging to man; as face, eyes, ears, arms, hands, and also a heart and a soul; thus also a Spirit, which in the Word is called “the Spirit of God,” “the Spirit of Jehovah,” “the Spirit of His mouth,” “the Spirit of holiness,” or “the Holy Spirit.” That by the “Spirit” is meant the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord, is evident from many passages in the Word. The reason why the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord is signified by “the Spirit of God,” is that the whole life of man is thence, and those have heavenly life who receive this Divine truth in faith and love. That this is “the Spirit of God,” the Lord Himself teaches in John:
The words that I speak to you are spirit, and are life (John 6:63);
“the words which the Lord spoke” are Divine truths.
[14] Again:
Jesus cried with a great voice, saying, If anyone thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. Whosoever believeth in Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow streams of living water. This said He of the Spirit, which they that believe in Him should receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet, because Jesus was not yet glorified (John 7:37-39);
that by “the Spirit which they that believe in the Lord were to receive” is meant the life which is from the Lord, and which is the life of faith and of love, is plain from the details of this passage; for “thirsting and drinking” signify a longing to know and perceive truth; “streams of living water which shall flow from the belly” denote truths Divine. From this it is evident that “the Spirit which they should receive,” which is also called “the Holy Spirit,” denotes life from the Divine truth which proceeds from the Lord, which life (as just said) is called “the life of faith and of love,” and is the very spiritual and celestial life with man. The reason why it is said that “the Holy Spirit was not yet, because Jesus was not yet glorified,” is that while the Lord was in the world He Himself taught Divine truth; but when He was glorified, which was after the resurrection, He taught it through angels and spirits. This holy thing which proceeds from the Lord, and flows into man through angels and spirits, whether manifestly or not manifestly, is “the Holy Spirit” there mentioned; for it is the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord that is called “holy” in the Word (see n. 9680).
[15] From this it is that the Holy Spirit is called “the Spirit of Truth,” and that it is said that “He will lead into all truth;” and that “He shall not speak of Himself, but what things soever He shall hear from the Lord;” and that “He shall receive from the Lord the things that He will proclaim” (John 16:13, 14); and also that when the Lord departed from the disciples, “He breathed into them, and said, Receive ye the Holy Spirit” (John 20:21, 22). The respiration signifies the life of faith (n. 9229, 9281); consequently the inspiration [or breathing] of the Lord signifies a capability imparted to men to perceive Divine truths, and thus to receive the life of faith; whence also comes the word “spirit” from “blowing” and from “wind,” because from the respiration; and therefore spirit is sometimes called “wind.” That the respiration of the lungs corresponds to the life of faith, and the beating of the heart to the life of love, see n. 3883-3896, 9300, 9495.)
[16] The like is signified by “inspiration” [or “breathing into”] in the book of Genesis:
And Jehovah breathed into man’s nostrils the soul of lives (Gen. 2:7).
From this the Lord is called “the spirit of our nostrils” (Lam. 4:20). And as Divine truth consumes and vastates the evil, it is said in the following passages:
The foundations of the world were revealed at the blast of the spirit of Thy nostrils (Ps. 18:15).
By the breath of God they perish, and by the spirit of His nostrils are they consumed (Job 4:9).
By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made, and all the army of them by the spirit of His mouth (Ps. 33:6);
“the word of Jehovah” denotes Divine truth; in like manner “the spirit of His mouth.” That this denotes the Lord is evident in John:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. All things were made by Him. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (John 1:1, 3, 14).
[17] That Divine truth, from which is the heavenly life of man, is signified by “the Holy Spirit,” is plain also from the following passages. In Isaiah:
There shall go forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse; and the spirit of Jehovah shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and intelligence, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Jehovah (Isa. 11:1-2);
these words are said of the Lord, in whom Divine truth, consequently Divine wisdom and intelligence, are called “the Spirit of Jehovah;” and this Spirit is called “the spirit of wisdom and intelligence, of counsel, of might, and of knowledge.” Again:
I have put My Spirit upon Him; he shall bring forth judgment to the nations (Isa. 42:1);
speaking here also of the Lord; “the Spirit of Jehovah upon Him” denotes Divine truth, consequently Divine wisdom and intelligence. Divine truth is also called “judgment” (n. 2235).
[18] Again:
When the enemy shall come as a pent-up stream, the spirit of Jehovah shall lift up a standard against him (Isa. 59:19).
The spirit of the Lord Jehovih is upon Me; therefore Jehovah hath anointed Me to preach glad tidings to the poor (Isa. 61:1);
speaking here also of the Lord; the Divine truth which was in the Lord while He was in the world, and which He Himself then was is “the Spirit of Jehovah.”
[19] That “the Spirit of Jehovah” denotes Divine truth, and that the man who receives it has heavenly life therefrom is still more evident from the following passages. In Isaiah:
Until the spirit be poured upon you from on high, then shall the wilderness become a fruitful field; then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness (Isa. 32:15, 16);
the subject here treated of is regeneration; “the spirit from on high” denotes life from the Divine; for “the wilderness becoming a fruitful field,” and “judgment dwelling in the wilderness,” signifies intelligence where there was none before, thus new life.
[20] In like manner in these passages:
That ye may know that I will give My spirit in you, that ye may live (Ezek. 37:13, 14).
Then I will not hide My faces any more from them; for I will pour out My spirit upon the house of Israel (Ezek. 39:29).
I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh, and upon the manservants and upon the maidservants in those days will I pour out My spirit (Joel 2:28, 29).
I am full of might with the spirit of Jehovah, and with judgment and strength to declare to Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin (Micah 3:8).
The horses that go forth into the land of the north have quieted my spirit in the land of the north (Zech. 6:8).
I will pour waters upon him that is thirsty, and streams upon the dry land; I will pour out My spirit upon thy seed (Isa. 44:3).
That in these passages “the Spirit of Jehovah” denotes the Divine truth, and through this the life of faith and of love, is evident; that it flows in immediately from the Lord and also mediately from Him through spirits and angels, may be seen above (n. 9682).
[21] In like manner in another passage in Isaiah:
In that day shall Jehovah Zebaoth be for a crown of ornament and for a diadem of beauty to the remains of His people; and for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth upon judgment, and for strength to them (Isa. 28:5, 6);
where “a crown of ornament” denotes the wisdom which is of good; “a diadem of beauty,” the intelligence which is of truth; and “a spirit of judgment,” Divine truth, for judgment is predicated of truth (n. 2235, 6397, 7206, 8685, 8695, 9260, 9383).
[22] Again:
The Angel of the faces of Jehovah delivered them; in His love and in His pity He redeemed them; yet they rebelled, and embittered the Spirit of His Holiness; whereby He was turned to be their enemy. He put the Spirit of His Holiness in the midst of him; the Spirit of Jehovah led him (Isa. 63:9-11, 14);
here “the Spirit of holiness” denotes the Lord as to Divine truth, thus the Divine truth which is from the Lord; “the N. Angel of His faces” denotes the Lord as to Divine good, for “the face of Jehovah” denotes love, mercy, and good. In Revelation:
The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy (Rev. 19:10);
“the testimony of Jesus” denotes the Divine truth which is from Him and concerning Him (n. 9503).
[23] In David:
Jehovah God maketh His angels spirits; and His ministers a flaming fire (Ps. 104:4);
where “making the angels spirits” denotes receptions of Divine truth; and “making them a flaming fire” denotes receptions of Divine good, that is, of Divine love. In Matthew:
John said, I baptize you with water unto repentance; but He that cometh after me shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Matt. 3:11);
where “to baptize” denotes to regenerate; “with the Holy Spirit” denotes by means of Divine truth; and “with fire” denotes from the Divine good of the Divine love. (That “to baptize” denotes to regenerate, see n. 5120, 9088; and that “fire” denotes the Divine good of the Divine love, n. 4906, 5215, 6314, 6832, 6834, 4849, 7324.)
[24] In Luke:
If ye, being evil, know how to give good things to your children; how much more shall the Father who is in Heaven give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him? (Luke 11:13);
“to give the Holy Spirit” denotes to enlighten with Divine truth, and to endow with the life thence derived, which is the life of intelligence and wisdom. In Revelation:
The seven lamps of fire burning before the throne are the seven Spirits of God (Rev. 4:5).
In the midst of the elders a Lamb standing, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth (Rev. 5:6).
That in these passages “Spirits” do not mean spirits, is evident from the fact that the lamps and the eyes of the Lamb are called “the Spirits of God;” for “lamps” denote Divine truths (n. 4638, 7072), and “eyes” denote the understanding of truth, and when said of the Lord, the Divine intelligence and wisdom (n. 2701, 4403-4421, 4523-4534, 9051); from which it is evident that “the Spirits of God” signify Divine truths.
[25] When therefore it is known that “the Holy Spirit” denotes the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord, which is holiness itself, the Divine meaning of the Word can be known wherever mention is made of “the Spirit of God,” and “the Holy Spirit;” as in the following passages:
I will ask the Father that He may give you another Paraclete, that He may abide with you forever; the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him; but ye know Him, for He abideth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you orphans. The Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and put you in mind of all things that I have said unto you (John 14:16-18, 26).
When the Paraclete shall come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth, who goeth forth from the Father, He shall bear witness of Me; and ye shall bear witness (John 15:26, 27).
I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away; if I go not away, the Paraclete will not come unto you; but if I go away, I will send Him unto you (John 16:7).
[26] From these passages it is again evident that the Divine truth proceeding from the Divine good which is “the Father,” is “the Paraclete,” and “the Holy Spirit,” and therefore also He is called “the Spirit of Truth;” and it is said of Him that “He shall abide in them,” that “He shall teach all things,” that “He shall bear witness of the Lord.” In the spiritual sense “to bear witness of the Lord” denotes to teach about Him. Its being said that “the Paraclete who is the Holy Spirit is sent from the Father in the name of the Lord,” and again that “the Lord will send Him from the Father,” and afterward that “the Lord Himself will send Him,” is because the Father signifies the Divine Itself which is in the Lord, and consequently that the Father and He are one, as the Lord plainly declares in John 10:30; 14:9-11.
[27] Again:
All sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy of the Spirit shall not be forgiven unto men. If anyone shall say a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whosoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this age, nor in that which is to come (Matt. 12:31, 32);
“to say a word against the Son of man” denotes against truth Divine not yet implanted or inscribed in the life of man (that “the Son of man” denotes the Divine truth, see n. 9807); but “to speak against the Holy Spirit” denotes against the Divine truth that has been implanted or inscribed in the life of man, especially against the Divine truth about the Lord Himself. To speak against this, that is, to deny it after it has once been acknowledged, is profanation; and the profanation is of such a nature that it utterly destroys the interiors of man; and from this it is said that this sin cannot be forgiven. (What profanation is, see n. 3398, 3898, 4289, 4601, 6348, 6959, 6963, 6971, 8394, 8882, 9298.)
[28] And again:
Jesus said unto the disciples, Go ye, and baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19);
“the Father” here denotes the Divine Itself; “the Son” denotes this Divine Itself in a human form; and “the Holy Spirit” denotes the Divine which proceeds. Thus there is one Divine, and yet a Trinity. That the Lord is the Divine Itself under a human form, He Himself teaches in John:
From henceforth ye have known the Father, and have seen Him; he that seeth Me seeth the Father; I am in the Father, and the Father in Me (John 14:7, 9-10).
[2] From this it is plain how it is to be understood that angels, prophets, and apostles are called “holy” (“holy angels” in Matt. 25:31; Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26; “holy prophets” in Rev. 16:6; 18:20; and “holy apostles” in Rev. 18:20), that is, not that they were holy from themselves, but from the Lord; “holy angels” because these are receptions of the Divine truth which is from the Lord, and therefore by them in the Word are signified truths Divine, and in general something of the Lord (n. 1925, 2821, 4085, 4295); “holy prophets” because by these is signified the Word which is Divine truth, and specifically doctrines derived from the Word (n. 2534, 3652, 7269); and “holy apostles” because by these is signified all the truth of faith and all the good of love in the complex (n. 3488, 3858, 6397).
[3] That the Divine truth which proceeds from the Lord is holiness itself, thus the Lord, from whom is this holiness, is evident from many passages in the Word, of which may now be adduced only the words of the Lord in John:
Father, sanctify them in Thy truth; Thy Word is truth. For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified in the truth (John 17:17, 19);
from this it is evident that it is the Lord who sanctifies man, spirit, and angel, because He alone is holy (Rev. 15:4), and that they are holy only insofar as they receive of the Lord, that is, insofar as they receive from Him of faith and love to Him.
[2] As the ephod represented the outermost of the Lord’s spiritual kingdom, it was more holy than the rest of the garments, and on it was the breastplate, in which were the Urim and Thummim, through which answers were given by the Divine. That what is most external is more holy than the internal things, is because the external holds all the interior things in their order, and in their form and connection, insomuch that if the external were removed, the internal things would be dispersed; for internal things not only cease in the external, but they are also together in it. That this is so can be known to those who know how it is with things successive and things simultaneous; namely, that successive things, which proceed and follow one another in their order, are nevertheless presented together in the ultimate things. Take for example, end, cause, and effect; the end is the first in order, the cause is the second, and the effect is the ultimate. So also do they advance in succession. Nevertheless the cause is presented simultaneously in the effect, which is the ultimate; and the end is so presented in the cause. Consequently the effect is the completion, in which the interior or prior things are collected together and are lodged.
[3] The case is similar in man, with will, thought, and action. To will comes first, to think second, and to do is the ultimate, and this is also the effect in which the prior or interior things come forth in simultaneous order. For insofar as the act contains within itself that which the man is thinking, and that which he is willing, so far the interior things are held together in their form and in their connection. It is from this that it is said in the Word, that man will be judged according to his deeds, or according to his works, which means that he will be judged according to his thought and will, for these are in his deeds as the soul is in his body. As then the interior things are presented simultaneously in the ultimate, it follows that, as already said, if the order is perfect, the ultimate is accounted more holy than the interior things, for therein is complete the holiness of the interior things.
[4] As the interior things are together in the ultimate ones (as for instance, as just said, man’s thought and will are together in his deeds or works; or in regard to spiritual things, his faith and love are so), therefore John was beloved by the Lord more than the rest of the disciples, and lay on His breast (John 13:23; 21:20, 22), for the reason that this disciple represented the works of charity. (See the prefaces to Genesis 18 and 22, and also n. 3934.) From this it is also evident why the external or ultimate which is in perfect order, is more holy than the internal things regarded singly; for when the Lord is in the ultimate, He is simultaneously in all things, and when He is in this, the interior things are held together in their order, connection, and form; and under super-vision and guidance at His good pleasure. This is the secret which is meant in n. 9360, which see.
[5] This then is the reason why the ephod, being a representative of the ultimate in the Lord’s spiritual kingdom, was accounted more holy than the rest of the garments of the priesthood. Wherefore the ephod was the chief priestly vestment, and was made of threads of gold in the midst of blue, of crimson, of scarlet double-dyed, and of fine twined linen (Exod. 39:3); but the rest of the priests had ephods of linen (1 Sam. 2:18; 22:18). On this account also the ephod stood for all the vestments of a priest, and he was said “to wear the ephod,” whereby was signified that he was a priest (1 Sam. 2:28; 14:3). On this account also the breastplate was fastened to the ephod, and answers were given by means of the Urim and Thummim thereon, for the reason that this vestment was a representative of the ultimate in the Lord’s spiritual kingdom; and Divine answers are presented in ultimates, for they pass through all the interior things in succession, and are there dictated, because there they cease. That answers were given when the priests were clothed with the ephod, is evident from 1 Samuel 23:6-13; 30:7, 8; and also in Hosea:
The sons of Israel tarried many days without king, and without prince, and without sacrifice, and without pillar, and without ephod, and teraphim (Hos. 3:4);
where “teraphim” signify Divine answers, for answers were formerly given by means of these (Zech. 10:2). Moreover, in the original tongue the word “ephod” comes from “to enclose all the interior things,” as is evident from the meaning of the word in Exodus 29:5; Leviticus 8:7.
[2] As the robe represented the middle in the spiritual kingdom, and the middle partakes of both the others, it is taken representatively for that kingdom itself, as in the first book of Samuel:
Samuel turned about to go away, but Saul laid hold upon the skirt of his robe, and it was rent; wherefore Samuel said, Jehovah shall rend the kingdom of Israel from upon thee this day, and shall give it to thy companion who is better than thou (1 Sam. 15:27, 28);
from these words it is evident that “the rending of the skirt of Samuel’s robe” signified the rending of the kingdom of Israel from Saul, for “the kingdom of Israel” signifies the Lord’s spiritual kingdom (n. 4286, 4598, 6424, 6637, 6862, 6868, 7035, 7062, 7198, 7201, 7215, 7223, 8805). In like manner in the same:
David cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily; and when he showed it to Saul, Saul said, Now I know that reigning thou shalt reign, and the kingdom of Israel shall continue in thine hand (1 Sam. 24:4, 5, 11, 20).
When Jonathan made a covenant with David, he stripped himself of his robe, and gave it to David, even to his sword, to his bow, and to his girdle (1 Sam. 18:3, 4);
by which was represented that Jonathan, who was the heir, abdicated the kingdom of Israel and transferred it to David.
[3] As a robe represented the spiritual kingdom, so likewise it represented the truths of this kingdom in general. The truths of this kingdom are what are called spiritual truths, which are in the intellectual part of man. These are signified by “robes” in Ezekiel:
All the princes of the sea shall come down from upon their thrones, and shall cast away their robes, and put off the garments of their embroidery (Ezek. 26:16);
this is said of Tyre, by which are signified the knowledges of good and truth (n. 1201); the vastation of these in the church is here described; “the robes which they shall cast away” denote the truths of faith which are in the intellectual part; but “the garments of embroidery” denote the memory-knowledges which are in the natural (n. 9688). The reason why these truths are signified, is that the truth which belongs to the understanding reigns in the Lord’s spiritual kingdom; but in the celestial kingdom the good which belongs to the will. In Matthew:
The scribes and Pharisees do all their works to be seen of men, and enlarge the borders of their robes (Matt. 23:5);
where “enlarging the borders of the robes” denotes to speak truths grandiloquently, merely to be heard and seen by men. That such things are signified by “the robe,” will be seen still better from the description of it below in this chapter (verses 31-35).
They made tunics of fine linen, the work of the weaver, for Aaron, and for his sons (Exod. 39:27);
that the tunics were of fine linen was in order that truth from a celestial origin might be represented. (That such truth is signified by “fine linen,” see n. 9469.)
[2] That such is the case is evident from the representatives in the other life. When wisdom and intelligence are taken away from spirits, as is the case when angelic societies are removed from them, the covering of the head appears to be taken away from them; and as soon as this is done they become stupid, and have no perception of truth and good; but afterward, as intelligence and wisdom return, the head is again covered. But in that life the coverings of the head do not so much signify the wisdom which is of good, as the intelligence which is of truth. The miter which belonged to Aaron, however, signifies wisdom also, because it was of fine linen, and the crown of holiness was placed upon it, which was a plate of pure gold, on which was engraven “Holiness to Jehovah” (of which below in this chapter, verses 36-38; and also in Exod. 29:6; 39:28). But “the miter of linen,” and the other garments of linen, which also were for Aaron, signified the intelligence that is of truth; but not the wisdom that is of good (concerning these garments and this miter, see Lev. 16:4; Ezek. 44:18). For “linen” signifies truth in man’s natural (n. 7601); thus a “miter of linen” denotes natural intelligence.
[3] They who do not know how the case is with representatives and correspondences, can with difficulty be led to believe that such things are signified. But let them consider that in heaven spiritual things are perceived in the place of natural things; thus that in place of the miter, and in general in place of garments, such things are perceived as belong to intelligence and wisdom, and also to faith and love; in general such things as belong to truth and good; for all these are spiritual things, because heaven is a spiritual world. Let them consider also that the garments of Aaron were described and commanded by Jehovah on Mount Sinai, and that therefore within every detail there is the Divine celestial, and this is unfolded solely by means of knowledges about correspondences and representatives.
[2] When each and all things look to one end, they are then kept in an unbroken connection, and make a one; for they are under the view, the government, and the providence of One who bends all to Himself in accordance with the laws of subordination and consociation, and thus conjoins them with Himself; and also at the same time bends them to their companions in a reciprocal manner, and in this way conjoins them with each other. From this it is that the faces of all in heaven are kept turned to the Lord, who is the Sun there, and is thus the center to which all look; and this, wonderful to say, in whatever direction the angels may turn (see n. 3638). And as the Lord is in the good of mutual love, and in the good of charity toward the neighbor-for He loves all, and through love conjoins all-therefore the angels are also turned to the Lord by regarding their companions from this love.
[3] For this reason those things which are in ultimates, and which gather up and enclose, in order that each and all things may be kept together in such a connection, were represented by belts or girdles; which in the spiritual world are nothing else than goods and truths in the ultimates, or in the extremes, and which enclose the interior things. By the girdles around the loins were represented celestial goods, and by the girdles around the thighs, and also around the breast, were represented spiritual goods and truths in the ultimates or extremes.
[4] Such things are signified by “the girdles of the loins” in the following passage:
Jehovah said unto the prophet, Buy thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins; but thou shalt not draw it through water. So I bought a girdle, and put it upon my loins. Then the word of Jehovah was made unto me, saying, Take the girdle, and go to Euphrates, and hide it in a hole of the rock. At the end of many days I went to Euphrates, and took again the girdle, and behold it was corrupt, it was profitable for nothing. Then said Jehovah, This evil people, who refuse to hear My words, and are gone after other gods, shall be even as this girdle, which is profitable for nothing (Jer. 13:1-10).
In the spiritual sense by “the linen girdle” is here meant the good of the church, which encloses and holds together in connection the truths in it. Because the good of the church was at that time non-existent, and the truths were consequently dispersed, it is said that it should “not be drawn through water;” for “water” denotes the truth which purifies and thus restores. “The hole of the rock in which the girdle was hid” denotes truth falsified; “the Euphrates” denotes the extension and boundary of the celestial things of good in their ultimate. He who does not know the nature of the Word, may suppose that this is only a comparison of the people and their corruption with the girdle and its corruption; but in the Word all comparisons and metaphorical sayings are real correspondences (n. 3579, 8989). Unless everything in this passage had a correspondence, it would never have been commanded that the girdle should not be drawn through water, that it should be put upon the loins, and that the prophet should go to the Euphrates, and should hide it there in a hole of the rock. It is said that the girdle should be “put upon the loins,” because from correspondence “the loins” signify the good of celestial love (n. 3021, 4280, 5050-5062); thus the placing of the girdle upon the loins denotes conjunction with the Lord through the good of love by the mediation of the Word.
[5] That a “girdle” denotes good bounding and conjoining is plain also in Isaiah:
There shall go forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse; righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins, and truth the girdle of His thighs (Isa. 11:1, 5);
this is said of the Lord; “the righteousness that shall be the girdle of the loins” denotes the good of His love which protects heaven and the church. It is said of the sons of Israel that when they ate the passover, “their loins were to be girded” (Exod. 12:11); which signifies that thus all things were in order, and prepared to receive good from the Lord, and were ready for action (n. 7863). It is from this that those who are ready are said to be “girded,” as is said also of the seven angels in Revelation:
There went forth from the temple the seven angels that had the seven plagues, clothed in linen white and shining, and girt about the breast with golden girdles (Rev. 15:6).
[6] It is said of Elijah:
He was a hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins (2 Kings 1:8);
and in like manner of John:
John had clothing of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins (Matt. 3:4).
Elijah and John were so clothed and girded because they both represented the Word; and therefore their garments denote the Word in the external sense which is natural; for “the hair” denotes the natural (n. 3301, 5247, 5569-5573). “Camels” denote general memory-knowledges in the natural (n. 3048, 3071, 3143, 3145); “leather” and “skin” signify what is external (n. 3540); thus a “leathern girdle” signifies that which gathers up, encloses, and holds together in connection, the interior things. (That Elijah represented the Word, see the preface to Genesis 18, and n. 2762, 5247; and in like manner John the Baptist, n. 9372.)
[7] As truths and goods are set loose and are dispersed by evil deeds, it is said of Joab after he had slain Abner with deceit, that “he put the bloods of war in his girdle that was on his loins” (1 Kings 2:5), by which is signified that he had dispersed and destroyed these things; and therefore when truths have been dispersed and destroyed, it is said that “instead of a girdle there shall be a rent, and instead of a work of entwining, baldness” (Isa. 3:24); speaking of the daughters of Zion, by whom are signified the goods that belong to the celestial church; “a rent instead of a girdle” denotes the dispersion of celestial good.
[8] It is also said of Oholibah, which is Jerusalem, in Ezekiel:
When she saw men portrayed upon the wall, the images of the Chaldeans portrayed with vermilion, girded with girdles on their loins, she doted upon them (Ezek. 23:14-16);
by which are signified truths profaned; for “the Chaldeans” denote those who profess truths outwardly, but inwardly deny them, and thus profane them; “men portrayed upon the wall” denote appearances of truth in outward things; and in like manner “images portrayed with vermilion;” “the girdles with which they were girt on the loins” denote the goods which they feign in order that their truths may be believed.
[9] From all this it can now be seen what was signified in the representative church by the “girdles,” which gather together the garments into one. But that such things were signified can with difficulty be brought to the belief of the natural man, for the reason that he can with difficulty cast away the natural idea about girdles, and about garments in general; and in its place take to himself the spiritual idea, which is that of good holding truths together in connection; for the natural thing, which appears before the sight, keeps the mind fixed on itself, and is not removed unless the intellectual sight can be raised even into the light of heaven, and the man thus be able to think almost abstractedly from natural things. When this is done, there enter the spiritual things of the truth of faith and the good of love, which are imperceptible to the merely natural man.
* skilled craftsman
They spread out plates of gold, and he cut them into threads, to work them in the midst of the blue, and in the midst of the crimson, and in the midst of the scarlet double-dyed, and in the midst of the fine twined linen (Exod. 39:3).
That which reigns universally is that which rules, thus is in each and all things (n. 5949, 6159, 7648, 8067, 8853-8858, 8865). The reason why gold was interwoven everywhere, was that by the garments of Aaron was represented the spiritual heaven (n. 9814), and good reigns in this heaven, as it does in the other heavens also. In the inmost heaven reigns the good of love to the Lord; in the middle heaven, the good of charity toward the neighbor; and in the ultimate heaven, the good of faith. But the truth which is of faith leads men in unto good, and afterward is produced from good. From this it is evident that a man is not in heaven until he is in good. If he is only in the truths which are called matters of faith, he merely stands before the door; and if from these truths he looks to good, he enters into the vestibule; but if from these truths he does not look to good, he does not see heaven, not even from afar. It is said that a man is not in heaven until he is in good, because while a man is in the world he ought to have heaven in himself, in order that he may enter into it after death. For heaven is in man, and is in mercy given to those who, while they live in the world, suffer themselves to be brought through the truths of faith into charity toward the neighbor and into love to the Lord; that is, into good. (That a man is not in heaven until he is in the state of being led by the Lord by means of good, see n. 8516, 8539, 8722, 8772, 9139.) By “good” is meant the good of life, and the good of life is to do what is good from willing it, and to will good is from love; for that which a man loves he wills.
[2] The case is similar in the heavens, where there are two kingdoms, the celestial and the spiritual; the celestial kingdom is for the sake of the reception of good, and the spiritual kingdom is for the sake of the reception of truth. And because the universal heaven corresponds to all things that are in man, therefore before the Lord heaven is like one man, who accordingly also has two faculties, a will and an understanding; his will being in the celestial kingdom, and his understanding in the spiritual kingdom. Now because the spiritual kingdom was represented by the garments of Aaron, and the intellectual part of heaven is in this kingdom, therefore by “the work of a thinker”* is signified the intellectual part. (That from its correspondence with each and all things in man, the universal heaven is like one man, and is called the Grand Man, may be seen in the passages already cited in n. 9276e; and that with those who are in the Lord’s spiritual kingdom goods and truths have been inscribed on their intellectual part; but with those who are in the celestial kingdom on their will part, may also be seen in the passages already cited in n. 9277, 9596.)
* skilled craftsman
[2] The case herein is this. By the ephod (as shown above) was represented the external of the Lord’s spiritual kingdom, and therefore by its shoulder pieces, on which were placed the two onyx stones with the names of the sons of Israel, was represented the perpetual preservation of good and truth; and by the joining together of the ephod on the shoulders, and also before the breast and behind the back, there was represented a complete unition. From this it can be seen what is signified by what is said below about the shoulderpieces and the engravings upon them; namely, the preservation of good and truth forever with all exertion and power; thus the preservation of the heavens. These stones with the names of the sons of Israel were placed on the shoulderpieces of the ephod, by which was represented the external of the spiritual kingdom, for the reason that all preservation depends on the state of the ultimates, for all the interior things cease there, and form a plane there in which they may subsist. Ultimates are like the soles and the feet, on which the whole body stands, and are also like the hands and the arms, by means of which the body exerts its powers, and into which the body transfers its forces. It is also from this that the hands and the arms, as well as the soles and the feet, correspond to the ultimates of heaven. That power and strength reside in ultimates was represented in the Ancient Church by the hair with the Nazirites, in which resided their strength, as is plain from Samson (Judges 14-16), and also their sanctity (n. 3301). (That the hair, which with them was the Naziriteship, corresponds to the ultimates of good and truth, or to good and truth in ultimates, see n. 3301, 5247, 6437.)
[3] That power resides in ultimates, and also the conservation of the interiors in their state, can be understood by those who know how the case is in nature with things successive and thence simultaneous; namely, that successive things at last form in ultimates what is simultaneous, in which these successive things are in a like order side by side. Wherefore simultaneous things, which are ultimate, serve successive things, which are prior, as corresponding supports on which they may lean, and thus by means of which they may be preserved.
[4] That “shoulders” signify all force and power in resisting, in breaking, and in acting, is evident in these passages:
Ye push with side and with shoulder, and thrust all the feeble sheep with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad (Ezek. 34:21).
Egypt is a staff of reed to the house of Israel. When they took hold of thee by the hand, thou didst break, and didst pierce through all their shoulder (Ezek. 29:6, 7);
“to pierce through all the shoulder” denotes to deprive of all power to comprehend truths; “Egypt” denotes the perverted memory-knowledge which deprives.
[5] In Zechariah:
They refused to hearken, and turned a stubborn shoulder (Zech. 7:11);
“to turn a stubborn shoulder” denotes to resist. In David:
They thought a wicked device, they did not prevail, for thou shalt offer to them the shoulder (Ps. 21:11, 12);
“to offer to them the shoulder” also denotes to resist; thus it denotes power. That “the shoulder” denotes power, is plain from the representatives in the other life, where they who resist seem to oppose the shoulder.
[6] That “to put upon the shoulders and carry” denotes to preserve in a state of good and truth forever with all exertion and power, is evident in Isaiah:
The nations shall bring thy sons in their bosom, and they shall carry thy daughters upon the shoulder (Isa. 49:22);
the subject here treated of is the New Church; by “the sons” are signified truths, and by “the daughters,” goods; “to carry upon the shoulder” denotes to preserve them. The preservation of good in its state was also represented by the sons of Israel, when they went forth out of Egypt, carrying the dough on the shoulder (Exod. 12:34); and by the sons of Kohath carrying the works of what is holy upon the shoulder (Num. 7:9).
From this it is that the Lord, who spoke by correspondences, said of the lost sheep when it was found, that “he laid it on his shoulder rejoicing” (Luke 15:5); “the sheep that was lost and was found” denotes the good with the man who repents.
[7] As this was signified by “carrying on the shoulder,” therefore also it is said of the gold and silver which they love and preserve, that “they carry them on their shoulder” (Isa. 46:7). (That “to carry” denotes also to hold together in its state, see n. 9500.) From all this it is evident what was signified by the names of the sons of Israel engraved on two onyx stones being placed upon the shoulder pieces of the ephod, and by its being said that Aaron should bear or carry them upon his two shoulders for a remembrance (verse 12). That “carrying upon the shoulder,” when said of subjection, signifies servitude, may be seen in Gen. 49:15; Ps. 81:6; Isa. 9:4; 10:27; Matt. 23:4; Zeph. 3:9; but that when said of command, it signifies supreme power, Isa. 9:6; 22:22.
Though these may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold I have graven thee upon the hands (Isa. 49:15, 16).
It is from this that the onyx stones are called “stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel” (Exod. 28:12).
[2] That “the onyx stones,” from the engraving on them, signify the interior memory, is because the things that were engraved, which were the names of the sons of Israel, signify spiritual truths (of which below); “the onyx stones” signify such truths; moreover, the interior memory of man must consist of such. (That man has two memories, an exterior and an interior one, and that the exterior memory is natural, thus composed of such things as come forth in the world; but the interior memory is spiritual, thus composed of such things as are in heaven, see n. 2469-2494, 5212, 8067.)
[3] That stones on which there is engraving denote the memory on which truths are inscribed, has its origin from the representatives in heaven. When men go forth who after their decease come into the other life, and bring with them the truths of faith in the natural or exterior memory only, and not in the spiritual or interior memory, they seem to themselves to wander about among rocks and in forests. But when men go forth who bring with them the truths of faith in the spiritual memory also, they seem to themselves to walk among cultivated hills, and also in gardens.
The reason is that the truths of faith of the exterior or natural memory (which are memory-knowledges) have no life unless they are at the same time in the interior or spiritual memory; for the things which are in this latter memory have been made of life, because the interior or spiritual memory is man’s book of life (n. 2474); and the things which are of life are represented in heaven by gardens, oliveyards, vineyards, and by flower-beds and shrubberies; and the things of charity, by hills where such things are (n. 6435); but those things which are not of life are represented by rocky places and thickets which are bare and rough.
[4] It shall be briefly told what are truths of faith from love. Truths of faith from love are truths which love dictates, thus which derive their being from love. These truths are living, because the things which are from love are living. Consequently the truths of faith from love are those which treat of love to the Lord and charity toward the neighbor, for these are the truths which love dictates. The whole Word is the doctrine of such truths; for in its spiritual sense the Word treats solely of things which belong to the Lord and the neighbor, thus which belong to love to the Lord and toward the neighbor. It is from this that the Word is living. This is meant by the statement that “on these two commandments hang the Law and the Prophets” (Matt. 22:34-40); “the Law and the Prophets” denote the Word in its whole complex. But truths of faith from love are not bare knowledges of such things with man in the memory, and from this in the understanding; but they are affections of life with him; for the things which a man loves and therefore does, are of his life. There are also truths of faith which do not, like the former, treat of love; but which merely confirm these truths more nearly, or more remotely. These truths of faith are called secondary truths. For the truths of faith are like families and their generations in succession from one father. The father of these truths is the good of love from the Lord and consequently to Him, thus it is the Lord; for whether we say the Lord, or love from Him and consequently to Him, it is the same thing; because love is spiritual conjunction, and causes Him to be where the love is; for love causes him who is loved to be present in itself.
[2] That by “a worker in stone” is signified the good of love, or the will of one who is regenerate, is because the good of love works in a man while he is being regenerated, and disposes the truths with him into order; and afterward, when he has been regenerated, it keeps them in their order. For truths are created according to the whole likeness of good, and according to its every command, thus according to everything of love; for good is of love. That this is so, is evident from the fact that a man acknowledges as truths the things that he loves, and that in this way he apprehends and acknowledges truths according to his love. It is from this that truths constitute the form of good. From this it can be known how the Lord leads man by means of the truths of faith, that is, by means of faith; namely, that He leads him by means of the good of love that is in him; and further, how the Lord also directs a man mediately through heaven; for a regenerated man is a heaven in a little image (as said above); wherefore, as the Lord directs heaven, He also together with it directs such a man.
[2] That “remembering,” when said of the Lord, denotes to have compassion, and thus from mercy to preserve or deliver, is evident from the following passages:
Jehovah hath made known His salvation; His righteousness hath He revealed before the eyes of the nations. He hath remembered His mercy and His truth toward the house of Israel (Ps. 98:2, 3).
Jehovah hath remembered us in our humility, for His mercy is forever (Ps. 136:23).
Remember not the sins of my youth, and my transgressions; according to Thy mercy remember Thou me, for Thy goodness’ sake, O Jehovah (Ps. 25:7).
He remembered for them His covenant, and repented in the multitude of His mercies (Ps. 106:45).
He hath made His wonderful works to be remembered; Jehovah is gracious and merciful. He hath given food unto them that fear Him; He hath remembered His covenant forever (Ps. 111:4, 5).
Remember not former iniquities; let Thy compassions anticipate us (Ps. 79:8).
God hath accepted his servant Israel, that He might remember His mercy; to do mercy with our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant (Luke 1:54, 72).
What is man that Thou dost remember him? (Ps. 8:4).
Remember me, O Jehovah, in the good pleasure of Thy people (Ps. 106:4).
Jehovah hath remembered us; He blesseth (Ps. 115:12).
If looking Thou wilt look on the misery of Thine handmaid, and wilt remember me, and not forget Thine handmaid (1 Sam. 1:11);
being the prayer of Hannah the mother of Samuel; and when she bare him, it is said that “Jehovah remembered her” (verse 19), that is, looked upon her misery, and performed mercy. In like manner in many other passages, as Lev. 26:41-42, 45; Num. 10:9; Isa. 43:25; 49:1; 64:9; Jer. 31:34.
The workman foundeth a graven image, and the metal-caster spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth with silver chains (Isa. 40:19);
“a graven image” denotes the doctrine of what is false, which is from self-intelligence, thus is devoid of life from the Divine (n. 8869, 8941); the hatching of such doctrine is signified by “the workman foundeth a graven image;” and that this may appear to be from good, is signified by “the metal-caster spreading it over with gold;” and that the falsities may have a coherence is signified by his “casting for it silver chains.” (That “silver” denotes truth, and in the opposite sense, falsity, see n. 1551, 2954, 5658, 6112, 6914, 6917, 8932.)
[2] Moreover, in the other life there appear cords of various twist and thickness, and by them are represented various methods of conjunction. It is from this that by “ropes” or “cords” in the Word also are signified things which conjoin, as in the following passages:
Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope (Isa. 5:18);
where “cords of vanity” denote conjunctions of falsities through which there is iniquity or evil of life. Again:
Look upon Zion, the city of our set feast; thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tent that shall not be scattered; the stakes thereof shall never be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be plucked out. Thy cords have been slackened; they shall not make firm their pole (Isa. 33:20, 23);
here “stakes” and “cords” denote the things which conjoin the truths and goods of heaven, for the Habitation and the Tent, of which “the cords” are here predicated, denote heaven (n. 9457, 9481, 9485, 9615, 9784).
[3] Again:
Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thy habitations; forbid not, make long thy cords and make firm thy stakes (Isa. 54:2).
My tent is laid waste, and all My cords plucked out (Jer. 10:20);
here also “cords” denote things which conjoin and make firm; “tent” denotes the church, which is the heaven of the Lord. In Hosea:
I drew them with cords of a man, with thick cords of love (Hos. 11:4);
where “cords” manifestly denote the things which conjoin, for love is spiritual conjunction. In Ezekiel:
Asshur and Chilmad were thy traders in chests of garments tied with cords (Ezek. 27:23, 24);
speaking of Tyre, by which are signified the knowledges of good and truth (n. 1201); the external conjunctions of these are meant by “garments tied with cords.” Moreover, in the Word “cords” also signify portions of inheritance and of land, for the reason that measurements were made with cords (see Deut. 32:9; Amos 7:17; Micah 2:4, 5; Zech. 2:1; Ps. 16:6; 78:55; 105:11; 140:5; and many other passages).
“And thou shalt make a breastplate of judgment” signifies that which has regard to Divine truth shining forth from Divine good; “with the work of a thinker*” signifies from the intellectual part; “like the work of the ephod thou shalt make it” signifies what is continuous with the external of the spiritual kingdom; “of gold, of blue and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed and fine twined linen, shalt thou make it” signifies the good of charity and of faith; “foursquare it shall be, doubled” signifies what is righteous and perfect; “a span the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof” signifies equally as to good and as to truth; “and thou shalt fill it with a filling of stone” signifies truths themselves in their order from one good; “four rows of stone, a row” signifies the conjunction of all; “a ruby, a topaz, and a carbuncle” signifies the celestial love of good; “row one” signifies a trine therein as a one; “and the second row” signifies this trine also as a one; “a chrysoprase, a sapphire, and a diamond” signifies the celestial love of truth; “and the third row” signifies a trine also here as a one; “a cyanus, an agate, and an amethyst” signifies the spiritual love of good; “and the fourth row” signifies the last trine as a one; “a tarshish [beryl], and an onyx, and a jasper” signifies the spiritual love of truth; “they shall be enclosed in gold in their fillings” signifies that each and all things in general and in particular shall proceed from the good which is of love from the Lord to the Lord; “and the stones shall be upon the names of the sons of Israel” signifies the goods and truths distinctively in respect to every quality; “twelve, upon their names” signifies each and all things in the complex; “with the engravings of a signet” signifies according to the heavenly form; “for everyone upon his name” signifies for each in particular; “they shall be for the twelve tribes” signifies for all in general; “and thou shalt make upon the breastplate chains of the border” signifies the conjunction of the whole heaven in the extremes; “with cord-work” signifies indissoluble; “of pure gold” signifies through celestial good; “and thou shalt make upon the breastplate two rings of gold” signifies the sphere of Divine good from the higher part of heaven, through which there is conjunction; “and shalt put the two rings on the two extremities of the breastplate” signifies in the extremes; “and thou shalt put the two cords of gold on the two rings” signifies the method of the indissoluble conjunction; “at the two extremities of the breast plate” signifies in the extremes; “and the two extremities of the two cords thou shalt put on the two settings” signifies the method of conjunction with the supports in the extremes; “and shalt put them on the shoulders of the ephod” signifies in this way the support of heaven and the preservation of good and truth there with all exertion and power; “over against the faces thereof” signifies eternally; “and thou shalt make two rings of gold” signifies the sphere of Divine good; “and thou shalt put them upon the two extremities of the breastplate” signifies in the extremes; “upon the edge thereof which is toward the side of the ephod inward” signifies the conjunction and preservation of the middle part; “and thou shalt make two rings of gold” signifies the sphere of Divine good; “and shalt put them on the two shoulders of the ephod underneath” signifies the preservation of good and truth in the lowest part of heaven; “over against its faces” signifies eternally; “opposite to the joining thereof, above the girdle of the ephod” signifies where there is a conjunction of all things most nearly within the external bond, by means of which all things are held there in connection and in form; “and they shall bind the breastplate by the rings thereof unto the rings of the ephod” signifies the conjunction and preservation of all things of heaven by means of the sphere of Divine good in the externals of the spiritual kingdom; “with a thread of blue” signifies by means of the celestial love of truth; “that it may be upon the girdle of the ephod” signifies that it may be preserved forever in its connection and its form; “and that the breastplate withdraw not from upon the ephod” signifies that all things of heaven are inseparable from the externals of the spiritual kingdom; “and Aaron shall carry the names of the sons of Israel” signifies the preservation by the Lord of good and truth in respect to all their quality; “in the breastplate of judgment” signifies a representative of heaven as to Divine truth shining forth from the Divine good of the Lord; “upon his heart” signifies from the Divine love to eternity; “when he goeth in unto the holiness” signifies in all worship; “for a remembrance before Jehovah continually” signifies from mercy eternally; “and thou shall put unto the breastplate of judgment the Urim and Thummim” signifies the shining forth of Divine truth from the Lord in ultimates; “and they shall be upon Aaron’s heart” signifies from the Divine good of His Divine love; “when he goeth in before Jehovah” signifies in all worship; “and Aaron shall carry the judgment of the sons of Israel” signifies the Divine truth of heaven and of the church; “upon his heart before Jehovah continually” signifies perpetually shining forth from good.
[2] That “judgment” denotes Divine truth and the intelligence thence derived, consequently that it denotes doctrine and life according to doctrine, is evident from many passages in the Word; as from the following:
The vineyard of Jehovah Zebaoth is the house of Israel. He looked for judgment but behold an abscess; for righteousness, but behold a cry (Isa. 5:7).
“To look for judgment” denotes intelligence from Divine truth, and a life according to the commandments. Again:
He sat upon a throne in truth, in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment (Isa. 16:5);
speaking of the coming of the Lord; “the throne upon which He was to sit” denotes the Divine truth proceeding from Him, and hence the spiritual kingdom (see n. 2129, 5313, 6397, 8625, 9039); “to judge judgment” denotes to teach Divine truth, and “to seek judgment” denotes its reception with man.
[3] Again:
In that day shall Jehovah be for a diadem of ornament to the remains of the people; and for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth upon judgment (Isa. 28:5, 6)
“A diadem of ornament,” when said of Jehovah, that is, the Lord, denotes Divine intelligence (see above, n. 9828); and “the spirit of judgment” denotes wisdom from Divine truth (n. 9818); “he that sitteth upon judgment” denotes one who instructs about Divine truth, that is, teaches it. Again:
Jehovah hath filled Zion with judgment and righteousness (Isa. 33:5);
“Zion” denotes the celestial church; “being filled with judgment” denotes intelligence from Divine truth, and “being filled with righteousness” denotes wisdom from Divine good.
[4] Again:
Who hath directed the Spirit of Jehovah? With whom took He counsel, that he might make Him intelligent, and instruct Him in the way of judgment, and teach Him knowledge, and show Him the way of intelligence? (Isa. 40:13, 14);
“the Spirit of Jehovah” denotes the Divine truth (n. 9818); that “instructing Him in the way of judgment” denotes to render Him knowing, intelligent, and wise, is plain. In Jeremiah:
The stork in heaven knoweth her appointed times, but the people of Jehovah know not the judgment of Jehovah. How say ye, We are wise, and the law of Jehovah is with us? (Jer. 8:7, 8).
Here “not to know the judgment of Jehovah” denotes not to know Divine truth, from which is wisdom; therefore it is said, “how say ye, We are wise?”
[5] Again:
Woe to him that buildeth his house without righteousness, and his chambers without judgment (Jer. 22:13);
“to build chambers without judgment” denotes to be imbued with things not true. In Hosea:
I will betroth thee to Me forever in righteousness and in judgment, and I will betroth thee to Me in truth (Hos. 2:19-20).
“To betroth in judgment” denotes to conjoin by means of Divine truth, thus by means of faith and a life of faith.
In Amos:
Let judgment flow like water, and righteousness as a mighty torrent (Amos 5:24).
Ye turn judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood (Amos 6:12);
where also “judgment” denotes intelligence from Divine truth, and the consequent life.
[6] In Zephaniah:
In the morning will Jehovah give His judgment for light (Zeph. 3:5);
“to give judgment for light” denotes to reveal Divine truth. Again:
All the ways of Jehovah are judgment (Deut. 32:4).
Thy truth, O Jehovah, reacheth unto the skies; Thy righteousness is like the mountains of God; Thy judgments are a great deep (Ps. 36:5, 6).
Jehovah shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday (Ps. 37:6).
Hear my voice according to Thy mercy; O Jehovah, quicken me according to Thy judgments (Ps. 119:149).
In these passages “judgment,” and “judgments,” denote Divine truth.
[7] In Luke:
Woe unto you Pharisees, ye pass by judgment and the love of God; these ought ye to do (Luke 11:42).
“To pass by the judgment of God” denotes to pass by Divine truth; and “to pass by the love of God” denotes to pass by Divine good, and the life from both. As life also is meant, it is said “these things ought ye to do.” In Isaiah:
Jehovah Zebaoth shall be exalted in judgment, and God shall be sanctified in righteousness (Isa. 5:16).
Upon the throne of David, to establish the kingdom in judgment and in righteousness, from henceforth and even forever (Isa. 9:7).
Bring forth counsel, do ye judgment; make thy shadow like the night in the midst of the noonday (Isa. 16:3);
“to do judgment” denotes to act according to Divine truth.
[8] Again:
I will raise unto David a righteous branch, and He shall do judgment and righteousness in the earth (Jer. 23:5; 33:15).
If a man be righteous, and do judgment and righteousness, and walk in My statutes, and keep My judgments, to do the truth; he is righteous, he shall surely live (Ezek. 18:5, 9).
Seek ye Jehovah, all ye meek of the earth, who have done His judgment (Zeph. 2:3).
“To do the judgment of God” denotes to do the Divine truth, that is, to do according to it. In Isaiah:
I have put My Spirit upon Him, He shall bring forth judgment to the nations. He shall not extinguish, nor break, till He have set Judgment in the earth (Isa. 42:1, 4);
speaking of the Lord; “to bring forth judgment to the nations,” and “to set judgment in the earth” denotes to teach Divine truth, and set it up in the church.
[9] Again:
A law shall go forth from Me, and I will raise up My judgment for a light of the peoples (Isa. 51:4);
where “judgment” denotes Divine truth, “for a light of the peoples” denotes for enlightenment. In John:
For judgment I am come into this world, that those who see not may see; and that those who see may become blind (John 9:39).
“To come into the world for judgment” denotes to reveal Divine truth, which causes those to see who are wise from the Lord, and those to be blind who are wise from themselves, thus who pass for being learned.
[10] Again:
Swear by the living Jehovah in truth, in judgment, and righteousness (Jer. 4:2).
There is none that judgeth judgment for health; thou hast no medicines for recovery (Jer. 30:13).
Righteousness and judgment are the support of Thy throne; mercy and truth are before Thy faces (Ps. 89:14);
where “righteousness” denotes the good which is of mercy; and “judgment” the truth which is of faith; wherefore it is said, “mercy and truth.” In Ezekiel:
Jerusalem hath changed My judgments into wickedness more than the nations, and My statutes more than the lands; therefore I will do judgments on thee in the eyes of the nations, and I will scatter all thy remains (Ezek. 5:6-8, 10, 15).
“To change judgments” denotes the truths which are of the civil state (that these are signified by “judgments,” when “statutes” also are mentioned, see n. 8972); but “doing judgments” denotes to judge either to death, which is damnation; or to life, which is salvation. Salvation or damnation is also signified by “judgment,” where “the day of judgment,” or “hour of judgment,” is mentioned (Matt. 11:22, 24; 12:36, 41, 42; Luke 10:14; 11:31, 32; John 5:28-29; Rev. 14:7; 18:10); the same is also signified by “judgment,” where the office of a judge is treated of (Matt. 5:21, 22; 7:1, 2; 23:14, 33; John 5:24, 26, 27; 7:24; 8:15, 16; 12:31, 47, 48; Luke 6:37; 12:13, 14, 56, 57; 19:21, 22, 27; 20:47; 22:30; Mark 12:40; Isa. 41:1; 3:14; Jer. 25:31; 48:21; Joel 3:12; Ps. 7:8, 9; 9:4, 7, 8; Lev. 19:15; Deut. 1:16, 17; 25:1; Rev. 17:1; 18:10; 20:12, 13).
* skilled craftsman
[2] That the precious stones which were in the breastplate signified Divine truths from Divine good, is evident from the passages in the Word where precious stones are mentioned; as with John in Revelation:
The foundations of the wall of the city New Jerusalem were adorned with every precious stone. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst (Rev. 21:19, 20).
That these precious stones signify the truths of the church, which are truths Divine, is evident from the signification of “the city New Jerusalem,” of its “wall,” and “the foundations of the wall.” “The New Jerusalem” signifies the New Church which will succeed our present church; for the book of Revelation treats of the state of the church as it is now, even to its end; and then of the New Church, which is the holy Jerusalem coming down out of heaven; its “walls” denote the truths of faith which defend; and its “foundations” denote truths from good; these truths themselves in their order are designated by the precious stones there named. Everyone can see that Jerusalem is not to come down out of heaven, and that the rest of what is said about it will not happen as described; but that in each particular of the description such things are signified as pertain to the church. That the truths of faith are meant by “the foundations of its wall,” is evident from the fact that these truths are what protect the church from every attack, even as walls protect a city. (That “Jerusalem” denotes the church, see n. 2117, 9166; and that “walls” denote the truths of faith that protect the church, n. 6419; and that “foundations” denote truths from good, n. 9643.)
[3] In Ezekiel:
Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus said the Lord Jehovih, Thou art full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the ruby, the topaz, and the diamond, the tarshish [beryl], the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the chrysoprase, and the carbuncle, and gold. Thou hast been in the mountain of holiness of God; thou hast walked in the midst of the stones of fire (Ezek. 28:12-14).
Here also by “the precious stones” are signified truths from good; for in the internal representative sense “Tyre” denotes one who is in intelligence and wisdom from the knowledges of good and truth (n. 1201) therefore it is said of its king that he is “full of wisdom and perfect in beauty,” “wisdom” being predicated of good, and “beauty” of truth; for all the wisdom in the heavens is from good, and all the beauty there is from the truths thence derived. “Eden the garden” signifies intelligence from good (n. 100); “the garden,” intelligence itself (n. 100, 108, 2702). From this it is evident that by the “stones” there mentioned are signified truths from good.
[4] But what truths from good are signified by each of the stones in the breastplate, will be seen from what follows. That all truths and goods in the complex are signified, is evident from the fact that there were twelve stones, and that on them were inscribed the names of the sons of Israel, that is, of the tribes; for by “the twelve tribes” are signified the goods and truths of heaven and of the church in the whole complex (n. 3858, 3926, 3939, 4060, 6335, 6337, 6397); and that from this they signified heaven with all the societies there (n. 7836, 7891, 7996, 7997); also that they signified various things according to the order in which they are mentioned in the Word (n. 3862, 3926, 3939, 4603, 6337, 6640); and that “twelve” denotes all things (n. 3272, 3858, 7973).
[2] That it is so may be illustrated by what exists in the heavens. All in the heavens without exception turn their faces to the Lord, and wonderful to say, this is the case to whatsoever quarter they may turn. It is from this that all who are in the heavens are conjoined as a one. But those who are outside heaven turn their faces backward from the Lord, and the more so the more remote from heaven they are; consequently with them there is disjunction, because with them there is no love toward God and toward the neighbor; but love toward self and the world. But this secret is incredible to those who think according to the fallacies of the senses; for these cannot comprehend how in every change of position the direction of all faces in heaven can possibly be constantly to the Lord, who is the Sun there. (See what was adduced above on this subject, n. 9828.).
[2] In the heavens appear colors of unspeakable beauty, because they are modifications of heavenly light, and heavenly light is the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord. From this it is evident that colors are presented to view there according to the variations of good and truth; thus they are modifications of the light that proceeds from the Lord through the angels. The light that proceeds from the Lord appears in the inmost heaven like flame; and therefore the colors which come from it are red and flashing. But the same light appears in the middle heaven like a bright white light; and therefore the colors which come from it are of a bright white color, and insofar as they have good in them they sparkle. It is from this that there are two fundamental colors, to which all the rest bear relation; namely, the color red, and the color white; and that a red color is representative of good, and a white one of truth (n. 9467).
[3] This shows why stones of so many colors were set in rows in the breastplate; namely, in order that they might represent in their order all the goods and truths which are in the heavens; consequently the universal heaven. The stones of the first row, which were a ruby, a topaz, and a carbuncle, represented the celestial love of good, because they partake of red. Moreover, the ruby, which is in the first place, derives its name in the original tongue from a word which signifies redness; and the carbuncle, which is in the third place, in the same tongue is derived from a term which signifies a flashing as from fire. But from what word the topaz, which is in the middle place, is derived, is not known; that it was from flaming red color is probable. Accordingly in Job the like is said of it as of gold:
The topaz of Ethiopia shall not vie with wisdom, neither shall it be valued with pure gold (Job 28:19).
“Gold” also denotes the good of love (n. 113, 1551, 1552, 5658, 6914, 6917, 8932, 9490, 9510).
[2] As regards the stones of this row, these, like the preceding stones, and also all the rest, derive their signification from their colors. (That precious stones have a signification according to their colors, see n. 9865; and that in the heavens colors are modifications of the light and shade there, thus that they are variegations of the intelligence and wisdom with the angels, n. 3993, 4530, 4677, 4742, 4922, 9466; for the light of heaven is the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord, whence come all intelligence and wisdom.) The stones of the first row signified the celestial love of good, from their redness; but the stones of this row partake of a blue which is from red. For there is a blue from red, and a blue from white; the blue from red inwardly glows from flame; and it is this blue which signifies the celestial love of truth; while the blue from white, such as is in the stones of the next row, which signifies the spiritual love of good, does not inwardly glow from flame, but from light.
[3] Whether the chrysoprase, which is the first stone of this row, was of a blue color, cannot be known from its derivation in the original tongue; but that it signifies the celestial love of truth is plain in Ezekiel:
Syria was thy trader by reason of the multitude of thy works; with chrysoprase, crimson, and broidered work (Ezek. 27:16);
speaking of Tyre, by which is signified wisdom and intelligence from the knowledges of good and truth (n. 1201). The chrysoprase is here joined with crimson, and as “crimson” signifies the celestial love of good (n. 9467), it follows that “the chrysoprase” signifies the celestial love of truth; for in the prophetic Word wherever good is treated of, truth of the same kind is also treated of, on account of the heavenly marriage in everything therein (n. 9263, 9314). Moreover, “Syria,” which is “the trader,” signifies the knowledges of good (n. 1232, 1234, 3249, 4112); and the knowledges of good are the truths of celestial love.
[4] That the sapphire, which is the second stone of this row, is of a blue color, such as is that of the sky, is known; wherefore it is said in the book of Exodus:
Seventy of the elders saw the God of Israel; and there was under His feet as a work of sapphire, and as the substance of heaven in respect to cleanness (Exod. 24:10).
(That this stone signifies what is translucent from interior truths, which are the truths of celestial love, may be seen above, n. 9407.)
[5] But that “the diamond,” which is the third stone of this row, denotes the truth of celestial love, is from its transparency, which verges toward an inward blueness; for in this way the colors of the stones of this row, and also those of the former one, shine through this stone, because it is the last one, and communicate with those which are in the following row. The case is the same with the good and truths in the inmost heaven, in regard to the good and truths in the following heavens; for these derive their life of charity and of faith from the former by communication, as it were by a shining through.
Behold four wheels beside the cherubs; and the appearance of the wheels was like a tarshish [beryl] stone (Ezek. 1:16; 10:9);
“the wheels of the cherubs” signify the like as the arms and the feet with man; namely, the power of acting and of advancing, which belongs to truth from good (see n. 8215); it is from this that their appearance was like the tarshish [beryl] stone, for “the tarshish [beryl]” denotes truth from spiritual good, to which belongs power.
[2] In Daniel:
I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and behold a man clothed in linen, and his loins were girded with gold of Uphaz; his body also was like the tarshish [beryl], his face as of lightning, and his eyes as torches of fire (Dan. 10:5, 6);
“the man clothed in linen” was an angel from heaven; “linen” signifies truth which clothes good (see n. 7601); “the loins” signify conjugial love, which belongs to good and truth (n. 3021, 4280, 5050-5062); hence the loins are said “to be girded with the gold of Uphaz,” for “gold” denotes the good of love (n. 113, 1551, 1552, 5658, 9490, 9510). But from its correspondence “the body” signifies the good of celestial love, and also the good of spiritual love (see n. 6135); and its external signifies truth from this good; for which reason the angel’s body appeared like a tarshish [beryl]; thus it is evident that a “tarshish [beryl]” denotes the truth of spiritual love.
[3] (That “the onyx,” which is the second stone in this row, signifies the truths of faith from love, was shown above, n. 9476, 9841.) That “the jasper,” which is the third and last stone of this row, signifies the truth of faith, is evident from John in Revelation:
The light of the holy city Jerusalem was like unto a stone most precious, like a jasper stone, like unto a shining crystal (Rev. 21:11);
by “the holy Jerusalem” is signified the church which is to succeed this one of ours; by its “light” is signified the truth of faith and the intelligence thence derived (see n. 9548, 9551, 9555, 9558, 9561, 9684); and therefore it is likened to “a jasper stone like unto a shining crystal;” moreover, a “crystal” denotes the truth of faith from good. Again:
The building of the wall of the holy Jerusalem was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like unto pure glass (Rev. 21:18);
the wall of the city is called “jasper,” because by “the wall” is signified the truth of faith protecting the church (n. 6419); and as this is signified by “the wall,” therefore the first stone of its foundations is said to be jasper (verse 19); for “the foundation” denotes the truth of faith from good (n. 9643).
[2] From this it is now evident what was represented by the twelve stones, which were called “the Urim and Thummim.” But in what manner Divine truths, which were answers, were shown by them, will be told below (n. 9905). That the good of love was in the first place among them, and the truth of faith in the last place, is evident from the first stone, which was a ruby, and the last, which was a jasper; thus from the color of the first stone which was red, and of the last stone which was white, both of them being translucent. (That “red” signifies the good of love, see n. 3300, 9467; and that “white” signifies the truth of faith, n. 3301, 3993, 4007, 5319.)
[3] The like that was signified by the stones in the breastplate was also signified by the materials interwoven in the ephod. The ephod was woven of blue, of crimson, of scarlet double-dyed, and of fine linen, as appears from the sixth verse of the present chapter; and by “the blue” was signified the truth of celestial love, by “the crimson,” the good of celestial love, by “the scarlet double-dyed,” the good of spiritual love, and by “the fine linen,” the truth of spiritual love (n. 9833). The reason was that “the ephod” signified heaven in ultimates, in like manner as “the breastplate” (n. 9824); but the goods and truths are there enumerated in a different order, because “the ephod” signified the spiritual heaven, while “the breastplate” signified the whole heaven from first to last. And as the Habitation with the Tent also represented heaven (n. 9457, 9481, 9485, 9615), therefore the materials of which the curtains and the veils were interwoven consisted in like manner of blue, of crimson, of scarlet double-dyed, and of fine linen (see Exod. 26:1, 31, 36, and 27:16; also n. 9466-9469).
[4] Be it known further that in a general sense “the SAPPHIRE” signifies the external of the celestial kingdom, and “the ONYX” the external of the spiritual kingdom; and as these two stones had this signification, they were the middle stones of the last rows; namely, the sapphire was the middle stone of the second row, and the onyx the middle stone of the fourth row. The stones of the second row signified the external good of the celestial kingdom, which is called “the celestial love of truth,” and the stones of the fourth row signified the external good of the spiritual kingdom, which is called “the spiritual love of truth;” as may be seen from what has been said about them in this article above.
[5] That “the sapphire” signifies the external of the celestial kingdom is evident from the passages in the Word where it is mentioned, as in the book of Exodus:
Seventy of the elders saw the God of Israel; and there was under His feet as it were a work of sapphire, and as the substance of heaven in respect to cleanness (Exod. 24:10).
Thus is described the external of the celestial kingdom, for it is said “under His feet,” by which is meant what is external; and where “the God of Israel” is, that is, the Lord, there is heaven. In Isaiah:
O thou afflicted, and tossed with tempests, and not comforted, behold I set thy stones with antimony, and lay thy foundations in sapphires (Isa. 54:11).
In this chapter the subject treated of is the celestial kingdom; “the foundations which are laid in sapphires” denote the external things of this kingdom, for the foundations are laid underneath.
[6] In Jeremiah:
Her Nazirites were whiter than snow; they were brighter than milk, their bones were more ruddy than pearls, a sapphire was their polishing (Lam. 4:7).
The Nazirites represented the celestial man; therefore it is said that “a sapphire was their polishing;” the “polishing” denotes what is external. In Ezekiel:
Above the expanse that was over the head of the cherubs was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and upon the likeness of the throne was as it were the appearance of a man sitting upon it (Ezek. 1:26; 10:1).
Here also the external of the celestial kingdom is described by “a sapphire;” for that which is above the expanse, or round about it, denotes what is without; the inmost being denoted by “him that sitteth upon the throne.”
[7] As “the sapphire stone” signifies the external of the celestial kingdom, so “the onyx stone” signifies the external of the spiritual kingdom. Therefore this was the stone that was put on the two shoulderpieces of the ephod with the names of the sons of Israel engraved upon it (see verses 9 to 14 of this chapter); for by the ephod was represented the external of the spiritual kingdom (n. 9824). As in a general sense “the onyx” and “the sapphire” signified the external things of the two heavens, they were placed, as before said, in the middle of the three stones of the second and fourth rows; for the middle involves the whole (as was shown above in connection with the robe, by which in a general sense was represented the spiritual kingdom, because it was in the middle, n. 9825). As these two stones involve all that is signified by the rest in these rows, therefore it is said in Job:
Wisdom cannot be compared to the gold of Ophir, to the precious onyx, and the sapphire (Job 28:16).
[2] The case herein in this. As before shown, the breastplate with the twelve stones represented all the good and truth in the heavens, thus the whole heaven; and not only the heavens, but also all the societies which are in the heavens, and likewise every angel in a society, are encompassed by the Divine sphere, which is the Divine good and truth that proceeds from the Lord (see n. 9490-9492, 9498, 9499, 9534). As the good and truth of this sphere are received by the angels, so also do each and all things with them proceed thence; for every angel is a heaven in the least form. This good itself proceeding from the Lord is what is represented by the gold around the stones, and enclosing them.
[3] That this good is the good of love from the Lord to the Lord, can be seen from the fact that all good is of love; for that which a man loves he calls good, and also feels to be good. From this it is evident that celestial good is the good of love to the Lord, for an angel and a man are conjoined with the Lord by means of this love, and thus are brought to Him, and enjoy all the good of heaven. That this good is from the Lord is known in the church, for its doctrine teaches that all good is from the Divine, and nothing from self. From this it is evident that the good of love to the Lord must be from the Lord, and that good from any other source is not good.
[2] All goods and truths are represented by the twelve stones of the breastplate, and the names of the twelve tribes upon them. The conjunction of these with the ultimates of heaven is represented by the binding of it to the ephod in six places; in two places at the shoulderpieces above; in two at the middle part; and in two at the shoulderpieces underneath above the girdle. By this is representatively exhibited the preservation of the whole of heaven and of all things there.
[3] The conjunction of the breastplate at the shoulderpieces above, represents the preservation there of celestial goods and truths; the conjunction at the edge toward the side of the ephod inward (that is, at the middle part), represents the preservation of spiritual goods and truths; and the conjunction at the shoulderpieces underneath over against the joining above the girdle, represents the preservation of the natural goods and truths which proceed from the two former. For the goods and truths of heaven are in a threefold order; those which are in the highest parts are called “celestial;” those which are in the middle parts are called “spiritual;” and those which are in the lower parts, which proceed from the former, are called “natural” (of which below).
[2] That by the binding of the breastplate to the shoulderpieces above, inward, and underneath, is signified the conjunction of all things of heaven, has been shown above (n. 9891); also that by this last binding, which was above the girdle, is signified their preservation in the lowest part, where good and truth are presented in a natural form (n. 9893). That the things which are lowest, or ultimate, hold the higher or interior things together in their connection and form, may be seen above (n. 9828). This lowest or ultimate is represented by the girdle of the ephod (n. 9828, 9837); but that which is most nearly within or above was represented by that which was opposite to the joining above the girdle, where the breastplate was bound to the ephod underneath.
[2] (That the light of heaven is the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord’s Divine good, see n. 1053, 1521-1533, 1619-1632, 2776, 3094, 3138, 3167, 3190, 3195, 3222, 3223, 3337, 3339, 3341, 3636, 3643, 3862, 3993, 4060, 4180, 4302, 4408, 4414, 4415, 4419, 4527, 4598, 5400, 6032, 6313, 6315, 6608, 6907, 7174, 8644, 8707, 8861, 9399, 9407, 9570, 9571; and that colors appear in the heavens, and that they are modifications of this light with the angels, thus are variegations of intelligence and wisdom with them, n. 3993, 4530, 4677, 4742, 4922, 9466, 9467, 9865.)
[3] That this is the case, is also evident from the signification of “the Urim and Thummim;” for “Urim” means a shining fire; and “Thummim,” the shining forth therefrom; the “shining fire” denotes the Divine truth from the Divine good of the Lord’s Divine love, and the “shining forth” denotes this same truth in ultimates, thus in the effect. But be it known that in the Hebrew tongue “Thummim” means “integrity;” but in the angelic tongue a “shining forth.” It is said “in the angelic tongue” because the angels converse with one another from the very essence of the subject perceived inwardly within themselves, thus according to its quality. From this the speech flows forth into a conformable sound that is audible to the angels only. The shining forth of the Divine truth is, in sound, “Thummim,” whence comes its name. The like is perceived by the angels when thum is read in the Hebrew tongue, by which is signified what is entire, or integrity. It is from this that by “integrity,”* in the internal sense of the Word, is signified Divine truth in the effect, which is a life according to the Divine commandments (as can be seen from many passages in the Word; as Josh. 24:14; Judges 9:16, 19; Ps. 25:21; 37:37; 84:11; 101:2; 119:1).
[4] From this also it is that the Urim and Thummim are called “the judgment of the sons of Israel,” also “the breastplate of judgment,” and likewise “the judgment of Urim;” for “judgment” signifies Divine truth in doctrine and in life, as may be seen above (n. 9857). From all this it can now be seen that through the Urim and Thummim, that is to say, through the shining forth of the light of heaven, the breastplate revealed Divine truths in the natural sphere, thus in ultimates. There is also a similar shining forth inwardly with those who are in truths from good, which dictates, and as it were gives answers, when truth is sought from the affection of the heart, and when it is loved as good. That there is such a shining forth, whereby Divine truth is revealed from heaven in the natural man, with those who are enlightened from the Word, is not perceived in the world, for the reason that it is not known that any light from heaven enlightens man’s understanding. But that such is the case has been given me to perceive, and also to see. Be it known further that this shining forth appears in ultimates, because all things that belong to light from the Divine descend even to the ultimate bounds; and because they descend to these, they also shine forth there, and from thence. This then is the reason why the breastplate was put upon the ephod, and above its girdle; for the ephod represented Divine truth in ultimates (n. 9824); and its girdle represented a general bond, that all things might be held in connection (n. 9828, 9837). Therefore it is said, “and they shall bind the breastplate by the rings thereof unto the rings of the ephod, that it may be upon the girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate withdraw not from upon the ephod” (verse 28 of this chapter). The reason why the names of the sons of Israel were also engraved on it, was that the twelve tribes likewise represented all things of Divine good and truth in the heavens, consequently heaven together with all the societies there; and that they represented various things according to the order in which they are mentioned in the Word (see n. 3858, 3862, 3926, 3939, 4060, 4603, 6335, 6337, 6397, 6640, 7836, 7891, 7973, 7996, 7997).
* Rendered “sincerity,” “integrity,” “perfection,” and “uprightness,” in the English Bible. [REVISER.]
That “the mouth of the head of the robe in the midst thereof” has this signification, is because by “the robe” is signified the spiritual kingdom, and specifically its internal (n. 9825); and by “the neck,” where was the mouth of the head of the robe, is signified the influx, communication, and conjunction of celestial with spiritual things (n. 3542, 5320, 5328); for the head with man corresponds to the Lord’s celestial kingdom, and the body to His spiritual kingdom; consequently the intervening neck, which is encompassed and clothed by the mouth of the head of the robe, corresponds to the intermediation or influx of the celestial kingdom into the spiritual kingdom.
[2] That such things are signified by “the mouth of the head of the robe in the midst thereof,” may seem like an absurdity, especially to those who know nothing of heaven, and of the spirits and angels there, consequently nothing of correspondence. That there is a correspondence of all things in man with all things in the heavens has been shown at the end of many chapters (see the places cited in n. 9280); and also that in general the head corresponds to celestial things, the body to spiritual things, and the feet to natural things (n. 4938, 4939). From this it is plain that by virtue of its correspondence, the neck signifies the influx, communication, and conjunction of celestial with spiritual things. Consequently “the mouth of the head of the robe,” which was made to encompass the neck, signifies the method of this influx; for by Aaron’s garments were represented in general the things that belong to the Lord’s spiritual kingdom (n. 9814). From this it is evident that by the description of its mouth or circuit is described the influx itself. Be it known moreover, that angels and spirits appear clothed in garments; and that each of their garments is representative; as is well known to all who are in the heavens. It is from this that each of Aaron’s garments also was representative of such things as are in the heavens; for the Word that is from the Lord has been so written that there is conjunction by its means. That the man of the church does not know this, in spite of his having such a Word, is because he turns his interiors toward the world, insomuch that he cannot be raised toward heaven, and be instructed (n. 9706, 9707, 9709).
[2] What the nature of this influx is, shall also be briefly told. All the first things, that belong to the head, that is, to the cerebrum and cerebellum, are gathered together there into little bundles of fibers, and into little nerves, and after being gathered together they are passed down through the neck into the body, and are there diffused in all directions, and move the organs in complete compliance with the will, which begins in the brains. Similar also is the downflow and inflow of powers and forces from the celestial kingdom (which is the head in the Grand Man, that is, in heaven) into the spiritual kingdom (which is like the body there). This influx is also what is meant and described by “the mouth of the head of the robe in the midst,” and its bounding termination by “the lip round about.” It is for this reason that by “the lip of its mouth” is signified what is bounded and closed on every side. The bounding itself is now described.
[2] There are three things in the heavens which follow on in order; namely, the celestial, the spiritual, and the natural; the celestial makes the inmost heaven, the spiritual the middle heaven, and the natural which proceeds from the spiritual makes the ultimate heaven. These same three things are in man, and in him they follow on in the same order as in the heavens; for a regenerated man is a heaven in the least form, corresponding to the Grand Man (n. 9279). But the faculties which receive these three things are called the will, the understanding, and the memory-knowledge by virtue of which is the thought or imagination of the external or natural man. The will receives the celestial, or good; the intellectual receives the spiritual, or truth from this good; and the memory-knowledge which makes the understanding of the natural man, brings the two former to a close. These three are signified in the Word by “the embroiderer,” “the thinker,”* and “the weaver.” (That “the embroiderer,” or “the embroidered work” denotes memory-knowledge, see n. 9688; also that “the thinker,”* or that which is thought, denotes the understanding, n. 9598, 9688.) Thus “the weaver” denotes the will. The reason why “the weaver” denotes the will is that the will flows into the understanding, and weaves it, insomuch that the things which are in the understanding are woven fabrics from the will; for that which the will wills, it forms so as to appear to the sight in the understanding. This sight is thought, consequently by “the thinker”* is signified the understanding.
[3] As by Aaron’s garments was represented the spiritual kingdom joined to the celestial kingdom (n. 9814); and as the celestial kingdom corresponds to the will in man, and the spiritual kingdom to the understanding in him (n. 9835), therefore in application to garments mention is made of “the work of the embroiderer,” of “the thinker,”* and of “the weaver,” and by these are signified things which are from the faculty of memory-knowledge, from the understanding, and from the will; or what is the same, from the natural, the spiritual, and the celestial.
[4] That such things are signified, can be seen by all who believe that the Word is Divine, and that it therefore contains within it things that belong to the Lord, to heaven, and to the church; for these things are Divine. Apart from these, what purpose would be served by Jehovah Himself declaring of what, and by what work, the garments of Aaron should be made? and which of them should be the work of the embroiderer, which the work of the thinker,* and which the work of the weaver? All these particulars are distinctly mentioned in what follows in the book of Exodus in these words:
Them hath He filled with wisdom of heart, to do all the work of the workman, and of the thinker,* and of the embroiderer; in blue, and in crimson, and in scarlet double-dyed; and of the weaver, even of them that do all work, and of those who think thoughts (Exod. 35:35).
“The workman” here denotes Divine celestial good, from which is the will of the regenerated man (n. 9846); his “work” is mentioned in the first place, because it is immediately from the Divine; and from celestial good all things are mediately born and proceed.
* skilled craftsman
[2] That “the skirts of the robe” denote the extremes where is what is natural, is evident from the passages of the Word where “skirts” are mentioned, as in Isaiah:
I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His skirts filled the temple (Isa. 6:1).
By “the throne upon which the Lord was sitting” is signified heaven, and specifically the spiritual heaven (n. 5313, 8625); by “skirts” here are signified Divine truths in the ultimates or extremes, such as are the truths of the Word in the sense of the letter; which are said to “fill the temple” when they fill the church. The like is signified by “the skirts filling the temple” as by “the smoke and cloud filling the tabernacle,” and also the temple, as repeatedly mentioned in the Word. (That by “smoke” is there signified Divine truth in ultimates, such as is the sense of the letter of the Word, see n. 8916, 8918; as also by a “cloud,” n. 4060, 4391, 5922, 6343.)
[3] That a woman laboring with an issue of blood was made whole when she touched the skirt of the Lord’s garment (Matt. 9:20, 22), and in general that as many as touched the skirt of His garment were made whole (Matt. 14:36; Mark 6:56), signified that health went forth from the Divine extremes or ultimates; for that there are strength and power in the ultimates of good and truth which are from the Divine may be seen above (n. 9836); and also that answers are given there (n. 9905). In Matthew:
Jesus said of the Scribes and Pharisees that they do all their works to be seen of men, that they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the skirts of their robes (Matt. 23:5).
It is here very evident that “the skirts of the robe” denote the external things which stand forth to view, and that “enlarging” them denotes to do works outwardly, so that they may appear, or be seen.
[4] In Jeremiah:
Jerusalem hath sinned a sin, her uncleanness was in her skirts (Lam. 1:8, 9).
“Uncleanness in the skirts” denotes in the deeds and words, thus in the extremes; for the extremes or outermost things derive their essence from the interior ones; and therefore when the interiors are unclean, the extremes also are unclean, although the uncleannesses may not appear before men; for the reason that men look at the outward form, and therefore do not see the interiors. Nevertheless these uncleannesses that are in the interiors appear before the angels, and in the other life are also uncovered with everyone, because external things are there taken away; consequently it becomes manifest what has been the quality of the works in their essence.
[5] In Nahum:
I will uncover thy skirts upon thy faces, and I will show the nations thy nakedness (Nah. 3:5).
“To uncover the skirts upon the faces” denotes to remove external things so that internal ones may appear; for in various ways the external things of the natural man hide the internal things, which are hypocrisies, deceits, lies, hatreds, revenges, adulteries, and other like things; and therefore when the external things are taken away, the internal ones appear in their uncleanness and filthiness.
[6] In Jeremiah:
If thou say in thine heart, Wherefore have these things covered me up? For the multitude of thine iniquity have thy skirts been unveiled, thy heels have suffered violence. I will lay bare thy skirts upon thy faces, that thy disgraces may be seen, even thine adulteries (Jer. 13:22, 26, 27);
speaking of the abominations of Jerusalem; “to unveil the skirts, and lay them bare” denotes to take away the external things which cover, so that the interiors may be seen; for a man learns to counterfeit what is good, honorable, and sincere, for the sake of reputation, honor, and gain, when yet he has evils and falsities of various kinds hidden within. As by “skirts” are signified external things, therefore mention is also made of “heels,” because “the heels” denote the lowest things of the natural (n. 259, 4938, 4940-4951). From all this it can now be seen that by “the skirts of the robe” are signified goods and truths in the ultimates or extremes, which are in the natural world.
And they shall be upon Aaron to minister; and the voice thereof shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holiness before Jehovah, and when be cometh out (Exod. 28:35);
from which it is plain what is signified by “the bells.” The reason why these bells were put in the skirts, was that the holy things of doctrine are in the extremes, and the hearing and perception are there, and are from thence (see n. 9824, 9905).
[2] But as few can apprehend how the case herein is, it shall be unfolded to the apprehension insofar as this can be done. All things of the external or natural memory are called “memory-knowledges;” for there is an external memory, which is the memory of things in the natural world; and there is an internal memory, which is the memory of things in the spiritual world (n. 2469-2494, 2831, 5212, 9394, 9723, 9841). The things which have been inscribed on the internal memory are not called memory-knowledges, because they are things of the man’s life; but they are called truths of faith and goods of love. These are the things which must be within memory-knowledges. For there is in man an external, which is called the external man; and an internal, which is called the internal man. The internal must be in the external, as the soul is in its body; thus the things which are in the internal man must be in those which are in the external man, for then there is a soul or life in the latter. Wherefore if there are no internal things, that is, things of the internal man, in the external things, there is no soul, and consequently no life, in them. And as the good of love and of faith is internal, it follows that this good must be in the external things, thus in the memory-knowledges; for as before said, the memory-knowledges are recipients and as it were vessels of internal things. Consequently the doctrine and the worship must be from what is within the recipients or vessels, and they are not in recipients and vessels which are empty or void of what is internal. From all this it is evident how it is to be understood that all things of doctrine and of worship must be from the interior things of the memory-knowledges of good, which is signified by the bells of gold being in the midst of the pomegranates.
[3] Be it known further that there are memory-knowledges of good, and memory-knowledges of truth; and that the truths in them are again vessels recipient of good, for the truths of faith are vessels of the good of love. For the illustration of this subject see what has been already said and shown about memory-knowledges, namely: That memory-knowledges are things of the memory in the natural man (n. 3293, 3309, 3310, 4967, 5212, 5774, 5874, 5886, 5889, 5934): That the internal man is opened by means of memory-knowledges (n. 1495, 1548, 1563, 1895, 1940, 3085, 3086, 5276, 5871, 5874, 5901): That memory-knowledges are means for growing wise, and also means for becoming insane (n. 4156, 4760, 8628, 8629): That memory-knowledges are vessels of truth, and truths are vessels of good (n. 1469, 1496, 3068, 3079, 3318, 5489, 5881, 6023, 6071, 6077, 6750, 7770, 8005, 9394, 9724): That memory-knowledges are of service to the internal man (n. 1486, 1616, 2576, 3019, 3020, 3665, 5201, 5213, 6052, 6068, 6084, 9394): That when memory-knowledges, which are things of the external memory, become of the life, they vanish out of the external memory; but remain inscribed on the internal memory (n. 9394, 9723, 9841): That the man who is in the truths of faith from the good of charity, can be raised above memory-knowledges (n. 6383, 6384): That this is called being raised above the things of the senses (n. 5089, 5094, 6183, 6313, 6315, 9730): That when a man dies he carries with him into the other life the memory-knowledges, that is, the things of the external memory; but that they are then quiescent; and in what manner (n. 2475-2486, 6931).
[2] That evangelization is also signified is because by evangelization are meant all things in the Word which treat of the Lord, and all things in worship which represented Him. For evangelization is annunciation about the Lord, His coming, and the things that are from Him which belong to salvation and eternal life. And as all things of the Word in its inmost sense treat solely of the Lord, and all things of worship represented Him, therefore the whole Word is the Evangel, in like manner all worship that was done according to the things commanded in the Word. And because the priests presided over the worship, and likewise taught, therefore by their “ministry” were signified worship and evangelization.
[2] That in the Word a “voice” signifies the Divine truth which is heard and perceived in the heavens and on earth, is evident from the following passages. In David:
The voice of Jehovah is upon the waters; the voice of Jehovah is in power; the voice of Jehovah is with honor; the voice of Jehovah breaketh the cedars; the voice of Jehovah cleaveth as a flame of fire; the voice of Jehovah maketh the wilderness to tremble; the voice of Jehovah maketh the hinds to calve; but in His temple everyone saith, Glory (Ps. 29:3-9).
In this psalm Divine truth is treated of, in that it destroys falsities and evils; this Divine truth is “the voice of Jehovah;” but the “glory” which is spoken of denotes the Divine truth in heaven and in the church. (That “glory” denotes the Divine truth, see n. 9429; and that the “temple” denotes heaven and the church, n. 3720.)
[3] In John:
To Him who is the Shepherd of the sheep the doorkeeper openeth; and the sheep hear His voice. The sheep follow Him, because they know His voice. A stranger they follow not, because they know not the voice of strangers. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice. But ye are not of My sheep, for My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me (John 10:2-5, 16, 26, 27).
That the “voice” here denotes the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, thus the Word, is very evident; “the voice of strangers” denotes falsity.
[4] In Isaiah:
The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of Jehovah, for the glory of Jehovah shall be revealed. The voice saith, Cry. O Zion, that tellest good tidings, get thee up upon the high mountain! O Jerusalem, that tellest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength! lift it up. Behold the Lord Jehovih cometh in strength (Isa. 40:3, 5, 6, 9, 10; also John 1:23).
“The voice” here denotes annunciation from the Word about the coming of the Lord, thus it also denotes the Divine truth which the Word announces; “the wilderness” denotes the state of the church at that time, which was as it were in the wilderness because the Word was no longer understood; “the glory which shall be revealed” denotes the Word as to its interiors. (That this is meant by “glory,” may be seen above, n. 9429.) That “Jehovah, for whom a way was to be prepared,” and “the Lord Jehovih, who should come in strength,” denote the Lord, is plain, for this is clearly stated.
[5] In Isaiah:
The voice of thy watchmen; they shall lift up the voice when they shall see eye to eye that Jehovah will return to Zion (Isa. 52:8);
“the watchmen” denote those who search the Scriptures concerning the coming of the Lord, their “voice” denotes the Word, which is the Divine truth that is the source. In Jeremiah:
The Maker of the earth by His understanding hath stretched out the heavens. At the voice which He uttereth there is a multitude of waters in the heavens (Jer. 5:12, 13; 51:6).
“The voice” here denotes Divine truth; “waters” denote truths which are in the heavens and from the heavens. (That “waters” in the Word denote truths, see n. 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668, 9323.)
[6] So also in the following passages:
The voice of the Son of man was like the sound of many waters (Rev.1:15).
I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters (Rev. 14:2).
The voice of Jehovah is upon the waters, Jehovah is upon great waters (Ps. 29:3).
Jehovah hath uttered His voice before His army, for without number is he that doeth His word (Joel 2:11).
In this passage also “voice” denotes Divine truth, and likewise the Word which they do. Again:
Jehovah shall utter His voice from Jerusalem, so that the heavens and the earth shall shake (Joel 3:16).
Sing psalms unto the Lord, ye kingdoms of the earth, to Him that rideth upon the heaven of heaven of old; lo, He shall utter in a voice a voice of strength (Ps. 68:32, 33).
I say unto you, The hour cometh when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live (John 5:25).
That “the voice” in this passage denotes Divine truth, consequently the Word of the Lord, is manifest.
[7] In Ezekiel:
The spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice of a great earthquake, saying, Blessed be the glory of Jehovah. And I heard the voice of the wings of the living creatures, and the voice of the wheels, even the voice of a great earthquake (Ezek. 3:12-13).
The voice of the wings of the cherubs was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of God Shaddai when He speaketh (Ezek. 10:5).
Here also “the voice” denotes Divine truth; for “the cherubs” signify the providence and guard of the Lord that there be no approach to Himself and to heaven except through the good of love (n. 9277, 9509); “the voice of the wings,” and “the voice of the wheels,” denote spiritual truths.
[8] In the present verse, in which Aaron is treated of, it is the sound or ringing from the bells which is called a “voice.” In other passages of the Word also sounds and blarings from trumpets, and sounds and peals from thunders, are called “voices;” and thereby in like manner are signified Divine truths (see n. 7573). Moreover, the sounds of musical instruments of various kinds have also a like signification; but those which give out a stridulous and a discrete sound signify Divine spiritual truths; while those which give out a continuous sound signify Divine celestial truths (n. 418-420, 4138, 8337). From this it is evident that by the sounds or “voices” of the bells are signified Divine spiritual truths; for the garments of Aaron, and specifically the robe, in the skirts of which were the bells, round about, represented the Lord’s spiritual kingdom or heaven (n. 9814, 9825).
[2] This signification of “going in and going out” is from the representatives in the other life; for there they go, walk, advance, go in and out, just as in the world; but all these acts are done according to the state of the life of their thoughts and affections (as may be seen in the places above cited). That these acts also originate from their thoughts and affections, and are correspondences, and thus real appearances, they do not notice. From this it is evident that all things of motion signify those which belong to the state of life; consequently that “going in and going out” signify every state of life, thus the state of the thing that is being treated of, from beginning to end. It is from this that among the ancients it was a customary form of speaking to say that they knew a person’s coming in and his going out, or his entrance and his departure, when they meant that they knew every state of his life. And as this form of speaking originates from the correspondences in the other life, as has been already said, therefore in the Word also a like expression is made use of, and where this is done the like is signified; as in the following passages. In the first book of Samuel:
Achish called David, and said unto him, Thou art upright, and good in mine eyes is thy going out and thy coming in with me in the camp; for I have not found evil in thee (1 Sam. 29:6).
“Good in the eyes is thy going out and thy coming in” denotes that every state of his life was well-pleasing to him.
[3] In the second book of Samuel:
Thou knowest Abner, that he came to persuade thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest (2 Sam. 3:25).
“To know the going out and the coming in” denotes to know all the thoughts and all the acts of the life; and therefore it is also said, “and to know all that thou doest.” In the second book of Kings:
I know thy sitting down, and thy going out and thy coming in, and that thou hast set thyself in motion against Me (2 Kings 19:27; Isa. 37:28);
where Sennacherib the king of Assyria is spoken of; “knowing his going out and his coming in” denotes all things of his counsel. In David:
Jehovah shall keep thee from all evil, He shall keep thy soul. Jehovah shall keep thy going out and thy coming in, from this time forth and even for evermore (Ps. 121:7, 8).
“To keep the going out and the coming in” denotes everything of the life according to the state of good and truth.
[4] In Moses:
Let Jehovah, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the assembly, who may go out before them, and who may come in before them, that the assembly of Jehovah be not as a flock that hath no shepherd (Num. 27:16, 17).
“Who may go out before them, and who may come in before them,” denotes one who may lead them; thus one whom they may look to and follow in every state of life. In John:
He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. I am the shepherd of the sheep; by Me if anyone enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and shall find pasture (John 10:1, 2, 9).
“To enter in” (that is, into heaven), denotes into the good of love and faith, for this good makes heaven; and therefore “to go in and to go out,” denotes to be led by the Lord in respect to every state of life; consequently it denotes to think and will what is good from freedom, that is, from love and faith which are from the Lord, for these make freedom.
[5] In Luke:
Jesus sent the twelve disciples to preach the kingdom of God. And He said unto them, Into whatsoever house ye enter, there abide, and thence go out (Luke 9:2-4).
“To enter into a house,” “to abide there,” and “to go out thence,” denote to enjoy heavenly consociation with those who receive the Lord in faith and love; for in heaven those who are together in one society are also in one “house,” and they come in and go out there, because they are in a like good; but those who are in an unlike good cannot do so; and if they do enter in, they do not enter by the doors, but by some other way. He who does not know that such things are signified, cannot know what is involved in the words, that “into whatsoever house they should enter, they should there abide, and thence go out.”
[6] In Ezekiel:
When the prince shall go in, he shall go in by the way of the porch of the gate, and he shall go out by the way thereof. When the people of the land shall go in before Jehovah in the appointed feasts, he that goeth in by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he that goeth in by the way of the south gate shall go out by the way of the north gate; he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he had gone in, but shall go straight before him. But when the prince goeth in in the midst of them, they shall go in; and when they shall go out, they shall go out (Ezek. 46:8-10).
In the internal sense a new heaven and a new church are here treated of; and by “the prince” is signified the truth of faith from the good of love. In what manner this truth enters in with angels in the heavens and with men of the church on earth, and how it afterward progresses toward the interiors when it has entered in by an external way, and toward the exteriors when it has entered by an internal way, is described by the going in and going out of the prince and of the people of the land. “The south” denotes the state of the truth of faith in the internal man; and “the north,” its state in the external man; “the going in and going out” denote the state of life as to good and truth, thus as to worship.
[7] From all this it can be known clearly enough that “to go in and go out” denote such things as belong to the state of life from good and truth; for otherwise what could it matter that the prince should go in by one way, or by another way? and also the people of the land? For by “the house” or temple there mentioned, into which there was entrance, and out of which there was going out, is signified heaven and the church (see n. 3720); by “the prince” is signified the truth of faith (n. 5044); by “the people of the land,” those who are in heaven, or who are of the church (n. 2928); by “the way,” that which leads to truth (n. 627, 2333); by a “gate,” doctrine (n. 2851, 3187); by “the south,” where truth is in light (n. 9642), thus truth in the internal man; and by “the north,” where truth is in obscurity (n. 3708), thus truth in the external man.
[2] As by “the plate” was signified enlightenment from the Lord’s Divine good, it was also called “the plate of the crown of holiness,” and likewise “the crown of holiness;” for a crown is a representative of Divine good, and “holiness” denotes the Divine truth thence proceeding, as was said above. That it was called “the plate of the crown of holiness,” is plain in what follows in this book of Exodus:
Lastly they made the plate of the crown of holiness of pure gold, and wrote upon it with the writing of the engravings of a signet, Holiness to Jehovah (Exod. 39:30).
That it was also called “the crown of holiness,” is evident from another passage in Exodus:
Thou shalt set the miter upon his head, and put the crown of holiness upon the miter (Exod. 29:6).
He set the miter upon his head; and upon the miter, opposite the faces of it, did he set the plate of gold, the crown of holiness (Lev. 8:9).
[3] That a crown represented Divine good from which is Divine truth, is evident from the crowns of kings; for kings represented the Lord in respect to Divine truth (see n. 2015, 2069, 3009, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068, 6148); wherefore they had a crown on the head, and a scepter in the hand; for government from Divine good was represented by a crown, and government from Divine truth by a scepter.
[4] That a “crown” has this signification is evident from the following passages. In David:
I will make a horn to bud unto David; I will set in order a lamp for Mine anointed. His enemies will I clothe with shame; but upon Himself shall His crown flourish (Ps. 132:17, 18);
“David” here denotes the Lord (n. 1888), like the “anointed” (n. 3008, 3009); his “horn” denotes power (n. 2832, 9081); “a lamp” denotes the Divine truth from which is intelligence (n. 9548, 9783); the “crown” denotes the Divine good from which is wisdom, and from which is also His government; the crown, which denotes wisdom, is said “to flourish” because in respect to the Human He acquired wisdom in the world by means of combats against and victories over the hells (n. 9548, 9783), which are the “enemies that shall be clothed with shame.”
[5] Again:
Thou art angry with Thine anointed, Thou hast condemned His crown even to the earth (Ps. 89:38, 39);
where also “the anointed” denotes the Lord; “anger” denotes a state of temptations which existed when He was in combats with the hells; the lamentation at that time is described by “anger” and “condemnation;” as for instance the last lamentations of the Lord on the cross, that He was “forsaken;” for the cross was the last of the temptations, that is, of the combats with the hells; and after this last temptation He put on Divine good, and in this way united His Divine Human to the Divine Itself that was in Him.
[6] In Isaiah:
In that day shall Jehovah Zebaoth be for a crown of adornment, and for a diadem of comeliness, to the remains of His people (Isa. 28:5);
where “a crown of adornment” denotes the wisdom which is of good from the Divine; “a diadem of comeliness,” the intelligence of truth from this good; this is predicated of Divine things with the people; the “people” here denote the church, because it was there.
[7] In the same:
For Zion’s sake I will not be silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her righteousness go forth as brightness, and her salvation burn as a lamp; and thou shalt be a crown of comeliness in the hand of Jehovah, and a miter of the kingdom in the hand of thy God (Isa. 62:1, 3).
By “Zion” and “Jerusalem” is meant the church, by “Zion” the celestial church, and by “Jerusalem” the spiritual church thence derived; “a crown of comeliness” denotes the wisdom which is of good, and “a miter of the kingdom,” the intelligence which is of truth; and as by “a crown” is signified the wisdom which is of good, therefore it is said to be “in the hand of Jehovah;” and as by “a miter” is signified the intelligence which is of truth, therefore it is said to be “in the hand of God;” for where good is treated of, the name “Jehovah” is used, and where truth is treated of, the name “God” (n. 2586, 2769, 6905).
[8] In Jeremiah:
Say thou to the king and to the mistress, Renounce yourselves, sit down; for the adornment of your head is come down, even the crown of your comeliness (Jer. 13:18);
where “the crown of comeliness” denotes the wisdom which is of good from Divine truth, for “comeliness” denotes the Divine truth of the church (n. 9815). In the same:
The joy of our heart hath ceased; our dance is turned into mourning; the crown of our head is fallen (Lam. 5:15, 16).
“The crown of the head” denotes the wisdom which those who are of the church have from Divine truth, by virtue of which they are more excellent than the rest of the peoples, and hence have a kind of government.
[9] In Ezekiel:
He put a jewel upon thy nose, and earrings in thine ears, and a crown of adornment upon thine head (Ezek. 16:12).
The subject here treated of is the setting up of the church; “a jewel upon the nose” denotes the perception of good; “earrings in the ears” denote the perception of truth, and obedience; “a crown upon the head” denotes the wisdom thence derived. In Job:
He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken away the crown of my head (Job 19:9);
where “glory” denotes the intelligence which is of Divine truth (n. 9429); “the crown of the head” denotes the wisdom thence derived.
[10] In Revelation:
Upon the thrones I saw four and twenty elders, clothed in white garments; who had upon their heads golden crowns. They fell down before Him that was sitting upon the throne, and worshiped Him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne (Rev. 4:4, 10).
The “four and twenty elders” signify all those who are in good from truths, and in the abstract sense all goods from truths (n. 6524, 9404); the “thrones” denote truths from the Divine (n. 5313, 6397, 8625, 9039); the “golden crowns on their heads” are representatives of wisdom from the Divine, and because this is from the Divine, therefore they cast them before Him that was sitting upon the throne.
[11] As the good of wisdom is acquired by means of temptation combats, which are carried on by means of the truths of faith, therefore crowns were assigned to those who fought against evils and falsities and overcame; and for this reason also the crowns of martyrdom were badges of command from the Lord over evils. That “crowns” denote the rewards of victory over evils, and that for this reason they denote the goods of wisdom, because these are the rewards, is also evident from Revelation:
I saw, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon it had a bow; and there was given unto him a crown; and he went forth conquering, and to conquer (Rev. 6:2).
The “white horse and he that sat upon it” signify the Lord as to the Word (n. 2760-2762); “a bow” denotes the doctrine of truth, by means of which the combat is waged (n. 2686, 2709); from this it is evident that the “crown,” because said of the Lord, denotes the Divine good, which is the reward of victory.
[12] And in another passage:
Afterward I saw, and behold a white cloud; and upon the cloud one sitting like unto the Son of man, having upon his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle (Rev. 14:14).
“A white cloud” denotes the literal sense of the Word (n. 4060, 4391, 5922, 6343, 6752, 8781); “the Son of man” denotes the Divine truth which is from the Lord (n. 9807); “a golden crown,” the Divine good from which is the Divine truth; “a sharp sickle” denotes the dispersing of evil and falsity. And again:
Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life (Rev. 2:10).
Behold I come quickly; hold fast that which thou hast, that no one take thy crown (Rev. 3:11).
The “crown” denotes good from truths, thus wisdom; for this belongs to the good of love from the truths of faith. From all this it can now be seen what is signified by a “crown,” and what by “the crown of holiness,” which was the plate of gold on which was engraved “Holiness to Jehovah.”
[2] For the case herein is as follows. There are three heavens, which have been distinguished from one another by means of the degrees of good. In the inmost heaven is the good of celestial love, which is the good of love to the Lord; in the second or middle heaven is the good of spiritual love, which is the good of charity toward the neighbor; in the first or ultimate heaven is the good of natural love, from spiritual and from celestial love, which is the good of faith and obedience. In each heaven there is an internal and an external. As just said, the internal in the inmost heaven is the good of love to the Lord, and the external there is the good of mutual love, which belongs to the love of good for the sake of good. This good is what is meant by the truth of celestial love, which is signified by “the thread of blue.” In the sphere where is this truth, the Lord’s Human is perceived as being the Divine Itself in the heavens, and therefore as soon as an angel is raised into this sphere, he comes into this light also. This perception flows in from the Lord, because the Divine Human of the Lord makes heaven. This is the influx which is here signified. (That “blue” denotes the celestial love of truth, or what is the same thing, the truth of celestial love, see n. 9466, 9687, 9833.)
[2] As the forehead with man corresponds to his love, therefore they who are in celestial love (that is, in love to the Lord from the Lord) are said to have “a mark on their foreheads,” by which is signified that they are under the Lord’s protection, because they are in His love, as in the following passages:
Jehovah said, Go through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that groan and sigh for all the abominations that are done in the midst thereof; and smite; let not your eye spare; but come not near against any man upon whom is the mark (Ezek. 9:4-6).
Behold the Lamb standing on the Mount Zion, and with Him a hundred and forty and four thousand, having the name of His Father written on their foreheads (Rev. 14:1).
They shall see the faces of God and of the Lamb, and His name shall be on their foreheads (Rev. 22:4).
It was said that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, nor any tree; but only the men that have not the mark of God on their foreheads (Rev. 9:4).
[3] “Having the mark,” or seal, “of God,” and “the name of God,” “on their foreheads,” denotes to be in safety from the infestation of evils which are from hell, because they are in the Lord through love; “the grass and the green thing,” which were not to be hurt, denote the memory-truth through which is the truth of faith (n. 7571, 7691); “the tree,” which also was not to be hurt, denotes the perception of truth from good (n. 103, 2163, 2722, 2972, 4552, 7692).
[4] In Moses:
Thou shalt love Jehovah thy God from all thine heart, and from all thy soul, and from all thy strengths. Thou shalt bind these words for a sign upon thy hand, and they shall be for frontlets between thine eyes (Deut. 6:5, 8).
“To be for frontlets” denotes for a sign of love to Jehovah God; it is said “between the eyes,” because “the eyes” signify the intelligence and wisdom which are from this love, and wisdom from this love is to have God continually before the eyes. That this is the meaning is evident, because love to Jehovah God is treated of. It is said that they should “love Him from all the heart, from all the soul, and from all the strengths,” by which is signified with all that is in man. “From the heart” denotes from the will in which is the good of love (n. 7542, 9050, 9300, 9495); “from the soul” denotes from the understanding in which is the truth of faith, thus from faith (n. 9050), which two are of the internal man; “from all the strengths” denotes from the things that belong to the understanding and the will in the external man. The strengths and power of the love of both the external and the internal man are signified by “the hands” (n. 4931-4937, 7518); and therefore it is said that “these words shall be bound for a sign upon the hand.”
[5] As by virtue of its correspondence “the forehead” signifies heavenly love with the good; so with the evil it signifies infernal love, which is opposite to heavenly love. The forehead of the latter is called a “brazen forehead” in Isaiah 48:4; and a “hardened forehead” in Ezekiel 3:7, 8; and of those who are in infernal love it is said that “they had the mark of the beast upon their foreheads” (Rev. 13:16; 14:9; 20:4); and also “the name of Babylon upon their foreheads” (Rev. 17:5).
[2] But these things are not meant by “bearing iniquity,” because every man’s deeds remain with him after death, and according to the quality of these he is then judged either to life or to death. Their quality is from his love and his faith, for love and faith make the life of a deed; and therefore they cannot be taken away by transfer to another who would bear them. From this it is evident that something else is meant by “bearing iniquities;” but what is meant can be seen from the bearing itself of iniquities or sins by the Lord. For the Lord bears them when He fights for man against the hells, because man cannot fight against these from himself; but the Lord alone does this, and indeed continually for every man, but with a difference according to his reception of the Divine good and Divine truth.
[3] When the Lord was in the world, He fought against all the hells, and completely subjugated them. From this He also became righteousness. Thus He redeemed from damnation those who receive the Divine good and truth from Him. Unless this had been done by the Lord, no man could have been saved; for insofar as the Lord does not remove them, the hells are constantly with man, and have dominion over him; and He removes them in proportion as the man desists from evils. He who once conquers the hells, conquers them to eternity; and in order that this might be done by the Lord, He made His Human Divine. He, therefore, who alone fights for man against the hells (or what is the same thing, against evils and falsities, for these are from the hells) is said “to bear sins,” for He alone supports this burden. That by “bearing sins” is also signified the removal of evils and falsities from those who are in good, is because this is the consequence; for insofar as the hells are removed from man, so far evils and falsities are removed, because as before said both of these are from the hells. Evils and falsities are “sins” and “iniquities.” How the case herein is can be seen from what was shown above (n. 9715, 9809), where the Lord’s merit and righteousness, and also the subjugation of the hells by Him are treated of.
[4] The reason why it is said of Aaron that he should “bear iniquities,” was that he represented the Lord, and his priesthood represented the Lord’s whole work of salvation (n. 9806, 9809); and the main work of salvation is to redeem and deliver man from the hells, and thus to remove evils and falsities. It is said to remove evils and falsities, because deliverance from sins (that is, the forgiveness of them) is nothing else than their removal; for they remain with the man; but insofar as the good of love and the truth of faith are implanted, so far the evil and falsity are removed. The case herein is like that with heaven and hell. Heaven does not abolish hell; but removes from itself those who are there. For it is the good and truth from the Lord which make heaven; and these are what effect this removal. The case is similar with man, who of himself is a hell; but when he is being regenerated, he becomes a heaven, and insofar as he becomes a heaven, so far hell is removed. It is a common opinion that evils, that is, sins, are not removed in this way; but are absolutely separated. But such persons are not aware that from himself the whole man is nothing but evil, and that insofar as he is kept in good by the Lord, the evils which belong to him appear as if they were rooted out; for when a man is kept in good, he is withheld from evil. Nevertheless no one can be withheld from evil and kept in good unless he is in the good of faith and of charity from the Lord; that is, only insofar as he suffers himself to be regenerated by the Lord. For as before said, heaven is implanted in man by regeneration, and thereby the hell which is with him is removed.
[5] From all this it can be seen again that “bearing iniquities,” when said of the Lord, denotes to continually fight for man against the hells, thus continually to remove them; for there is a perpetual removing, not only while man is in the world, but also in the other life to eternity. It is impossible for any man to remove evils in this way; for from himself man cannot remove the least of evil, still less the hells, and least of all to eternity. (But see what has been shown on this subject before, namely, that the evils with man are not absolutely separated; but are removed insofar as he is in this good from the Lord, n. 8393, 9014, 9333-9336, 9444-9454.) (That while He was in the World the Lord conquered the hells by means of the combats of temptations, and thereby disposed all things into order; and also that He did this from Divine love, in order to save the human race; and that thus He also made His Human Divine, may be seen in the places cited in n. 9528e; and also that in temptations, which are spiritual combats against the evils which are from hell, the Lord fights for man, n. 1692, 6574, 8159, 8172, 8175, 8176, 8273, 8969.) How the Lord while in the world bore the iniquities of the human race, that is, fought with the hells and subjugated them, and thus acquired for Himself the Divine power of removing these things with all who are in good, and thus became merit and righteousness, is described in Isaiah 59:16-20; 63:1-9, as has been already explained (n. 9715, 9809).
[6] When these things are understood, it can be known what is signified by all that is said in the fifty-third chapter of the same prophet concerning the Lord, in which from beginning to end the state of His temptations is treated of; thus the state in which He was while He fought with the hells, for temptations are nothing else than combats with these. This state is thus described:
He bore our sicknesses, and carried our griefs; He was pierced for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities; Jehovah made to fall on Him the iniquity of us all; and thus He gave the wicked to their sepulcher; the will of Jehovah shall prosper by His hand; He shall see from the labor of His soul and be sated; and by His wisdom shall justify many, because He hath borne their iniquities, and thus hath carried the sin of many (Isa. 53:4-5).
He is also called there “the Arm of Jehovah,” by which is signified Divine power (n. 4932, 7205). That by “bearing sicknesses,” “sorrows,” and “iniquities,” and by “being pierced and bruised by them,” is signified a state of temptations, is evident; for in such a state there are griefs of soul, distresses, and despairs, which in this way cause anguish. Such things are induced by the hells, for in temptations they assault the very love of him against whom they fight; the love of everyone being the inmost of his life. The Lord’s love was the love of saving the human race, which love was the Esse of His life, for this love was the Divine in Him. In Isaiah also, where the subject treated of is the combats of the Lord, this is described in these words:
He said, Surely they are My people, therefore He became their Savior. In all their distress He was distressed; in His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He took them up, and carried them all the days of eternity (Isa. 63:8, 9).
[7] That while He was in the world the Lord endured such temptations, is only briefly described in the Gospels, but at great length in the prophets, and especially in the Psalms of David. In the Gospels it is only said that He was led into the wilderness, and was afterward tempted by the devil, and that He was there forty days, and was with the beasts (Mark 1:12, 13; Matt. 4:1). But that from His earliest childhood even to the end of His life in the world He was in temptations, that is, in combats with the hells, He did not reveal, in accordance with these words in Isaiah:
He was oppressed, and was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He is led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, He opened not His mouth (Isa. 53:7).
His last temptation was in Gethsemane (Matt. 26; Mark 14), and then came the passion of the cross; that He thereby fully subjugated the hells, He Himself teaches in John:
Father, rescue Me from this hour. But for this sake came I into this hour. Father, glorify Thy name. Then came there a voice out of heaven, saying, I have glorified it and will glorify it. Then said Jesus, Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the prince of this world be cast out (John 12:27, 28, 31).
“The prince of the world” is the devil, thus all hell; “to glorify” denotes to make the human Divine. The reason why mention is made only of the temptation after forty days in the wilderness, is that “forty days” signify and involve temptations to the full, thus the temptations of many years (n. 8098, 9437); “the wilderness” signifies hell, and “the beasts with which He fought there” signify the diabolical crew.
[8] The removal of sins with those who are in good, that is, those who have practiced repentance, was represented in the Jewish Church by the he-goat called “Asasel,” upon the head of which Aaron was to lay his hands, and to confess the iniquities of the sons of Israel, and all their transgressions in respect to all their sins, and was then to send it into the wilderness, and that in this way the he-goat should bear upon him all their iniquities into a land of separation (Lev. 16:21, 22). By Aaron is here represented the Lord; by “the he-goat” is signified faith; by “the wilderness,” and “the land of separation,” hell; and by “bearing thither the iniquities of the sons of Israel” is signified to remove them, and cast them into hell. No one can know that such things were represented, except from the internal sense; for everyone can see that the iniquities of a whole congregation could not be borne into the wilderness by any he-goat; for what had the he-goat in common with iniquities? But as at that time all representatives signified such things as belong to the Lord, to heaven and to the church, so also did these. The internal sense therefore teaches what these things involve, namely, that it is the truth of faith by means of which man is regenerated, consequently by means of which sins are removed; and because the faith of truth is from the Lord, it is the Lord Himself who effects this; according to what was said and shown in the preface to Genesis 22, and also in n. 3332, 3876, 3877, 4738. (That Aaron represents the Lord, see n. 9806, 9810; also that a “he-goat of the goats” denotes the truth of faith, n. 4169, 4769.) That “the wilderness” denotes hell, is because the camp in which were the sons of Israel signified heaven (n. 4236); and therefore the wilderness is called a “land of separation,” or of “cutting off.” Thus by “bearing iniquities into that land,” that is into the wilderness, is signified to cast evils and falsities into hell, from which they are; and they are cast thither when they are removed so as not to appear, which is effected when a man is withheld from them by being kept in good by the Lord, according to what was said above.
[9] The like that was signified by the casting out of sins into the wilderness is signified by “casting them forth into the depths of the sea,” as in Micah:
He will have compassion upon us; He will suppress our iniquities; and He will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19).
“The depth of the sea” also denotes hell.
[10] From all this it is now evident that by “Aaron bearing the iniquities of the holy things,” is signified the removal of sins by the Lord from those who are in good; and that their removal is continually being effected by the Lord; and that this is meant by “bearing iniquities.” So also in another passage in Moses:
Jehovah said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons with thee shall hear the iniquity of the sanctuary; and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood. The sons of Israel shall no more come nigh the Tent of meeting, to bear sin, by dying. But the Levite shall do the work of the Tent, and they shall bear their iniquity (Num. 18:1, 22, 23).
The like is meant by “bearing,” in Isaiah:
Attend unto Me O house of Israel that have been carried from the womb. Even to old age I am the same, and even to hoar hairs will I carry; I have made, and I will carry; yea, I will bear, and will rescue (Isa. 46:3, 4).
[11] That “bearing iniquity” denotes to expiate, thus to remove sins, is evident in Moses:
Moses was indignant with Eleazar and with Ithamar because the he-goat of the sacrifice of sin had been burnt, saying, Wherefore did ye not eat it in the place of holiness, seeing that Jehovah hath given it you to bear the iniquities of the congregation, to expiate them before Jehovah (Lev. 10:16, 17)?
(That “expiation” means a cleansing from evils, thus removal from sins, see n. 9506; and that Aaron was enjoined to expiate the people, and to pardon their sins, Leviticus 4:26, 31, 35; 5:6, 10, 13, 16, 18; 9:7; 15:15, 30.) That “to bear sins,” when not said of the priesthood, denotes to be damned, thus to die, see Leviticus 5:1, 17; 7:18; 17:16; 19:8; 20:17, 19, 20; 22:9; 24:15; Numbers 9:13; 18:22; Ezekiel 18:19, 20; 23:49.
[2] They were called “gifts and offerings made to Jehovah,” although Jehovah, that is, the Lord, does not accept any gifts or offerings, but gives to everyone freely. Nevertheless He wills that these things should come from man as from himself, provided he acknowledges that they are not from himself, but from the Lord. For the Lord imparts the affection of doing good from love, and the affection of speaking truth from faith; but the affection itself flows in from the Lord, and it appears as if it were in the man, thus from the man; for whatever a man does from the affection which is of love, he does from his life, because love is the life of everyone. From this it is evident that what are called “gifts and offerings made to the Lord” by man are in their essence gifts and offerings made to man by the Lord; and their being called “gifts and offerings” is from the appearance. All who are wise in heart see this appearance; but not so the simple; and yet the gifts and offerings of the latter are grateful, insofar as they are offered from ignorance in which is innocence. Innocence is the good of love to God, and dwells in ignorance, especially with the wise in heart; for they who are wise in heart know and perceive that there is nothing of wisdom in themselves from themselves; but that everything of wisdom is from the Lord, that is, everything of the good of love, and everything of the truth of faith; thus that even with the wise innocence dwells in ignorance. From this it is evident that the acknowledgment of this fact, and especially the perception of it, is the innocence of wisdom.
[3] The gifts that were offered in the Jewish Church, and which were chiefly burnt-offerings, sacrifices, and meat-offerings, were also called “expiations from sins,” because they were offered for the sake of the forgivenesses of them, that is, removals from them. Those who belonged to that church also believed that their sins were accordingly forgiven; nay, that they were entirely taken away; for it is said that after they had offered these things they would be “forgiven” (see Lev. 4:26, 31, 35; 5:6, 10, 13, 16, 18; 9:7, 15, 30). But they did not know that these offerings represented interior things, thus such things as are done by man from the love and faith that are from the Lord; and that these are the things which expiate, that is, remove sins, and that after they have been removed they appear as if they were quite removed or taken away, as has been shown above in this and in the preceding articles. For that nation was in representative worship, thus in external worship without internal, by means of which there was at that time a conjunction of heaven with man. (See the places cited in n. 9320e, 9380.)