Arcana Coelestia, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1749-56], tr. by John F. Potts [1905-10], at sacred-texts.com

Arcana Coelestia

The principal reason was for the sake of the Word, in that it could be written on our earth, and when written could then be published throughout the whole earth; and once published could be preserved for all posterity; and that thus it might be made manifest even to all in the other life that God had become a Man.

That the principal reason was for the sake of the Word, is because the Word is truth Divine itself, which teaches man that there is a God, that there is a heaven and a hell, and that there is a life after death; and which teaches besides how a man must live and believe in order that he may come into heaven, and thus be eternally happy. Without revelation, thus on this earth without the Word, all these things would have been utterly unknown; and yet man has been so created that in respect to his internal man he cannot die.

That the Word could be written on our earth, is because the art of writing has existed here from the most ancient time, first on wooden tablets, later on parchment, afterward on paper, and finally it could be published in print. This has been provided by the Lord for the sake of the Word.

That the Word could afterward be published throughout this whole earth, is because there is here an interaction of all nations, both by overland travel and by navigation, to all places on the globe. Therefore the Word once written could be carried from one nation to another, and could be everywhere taught. That there should be such an interaction has also been provided by the Lord for the sake of the Word.

That the Word once written could be preserved for all posterity, consequently for thousands and thousands of years, and that it has been so preserved, is known.

That thus it could be made manifest that God has become a Man, is because this is the first and most essential thing for the sake of which the Word was given; for no one can believe in and love a God whom he cannot comprehend under some form; and therefore those who acknowledge the incomprehensible, in their thought fall into nature, and thus believe in no God (see n. 7211, 9303, 9315). Wherefore it pleased the Lord to be born here, and to make this manifest by the Word, not only in order that it might become known on this globe, but that by this means it might also be made manifest to all in the universe who come into heaven from any earth whatever; for in heaven there is a communication of all.

Be it known that the Word on our earth, given through heaven by the Lord, is the union of heaven and the world (see n. 9212); to which end there is a correspondence of all things in the letter of the Word with Divine things in heaven; and that in its supreme and inmost sense the Word treats of the Lord, of His kingdom in the heavens and on earth, and of love and faith from Him and to Him, consequently of life from Him and in Him. Such things are presented to the angels in heaven, from whatever earth they come, when the Word of our earth is read and preached.

On every other earth truth Divine is made manifest orally through spirits and angels, as has been shown in the preceding chapters, where the inhabitants of the earths in this solar system have been treated of; but this takes place within families; for on most of the earths mankind live separate according to their families. Wherefore Divine truth thus revealed through spirits and angels is not conveyed far beyond the families; and unless a new revelation is constantly following, what has been revealed is either perverted or perishes. It is otherwise on our earth, where truth Divine, which is the Word, remains in its integrity forever.

Be it known that the Lord acknowledges and receives all, from whatever earth they may be, who acknowledge and worship God under a human form, for God under a human form is the Lord. And because the Lord appears to the inhabitants of the earths in an angelic form, which is the human form, therefore when spirits and angels from these earths hear from the spirits and angels of our earth that God is a Man in actuality, they receive this Word, acknowledge it, and rejoice that it is so (see n. 7173).

To the reasons already adduced may be added that the inhabitants, spirits, and angels of our earth bear relation in the Grand Man to the external and bodily sense (see n. 9107), and the external and bodily sense is the ultimate, into which the interior things of life come to a close, and in which they rest as in their common receptacle (n. 5077, 9212, 9216). The case is similar with truth Divine in the letter, which is called "the Word," and which for this reason also has been given on this earth and not on another. And because the Lord is the Word, and is its first and its last, therefore in order that all things might come forth according to order, He also willed to be born on this earth, and to become the Word; according to these words in John: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. The same was in the beginning with God. All thing were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, the glory as of the Only-begotten of the Father. 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 1:1-3, 14, 18); "the Word" denotes the Divine truth. But this is a secret which will fall into the understanding of only a few.

That the inhabitants of other earths rejoice when they hear that God took on Himself the Human, and made it Divine, and that thus God is Man in actuality, will be seen at the end of the last chapters of Exodus.

In what now follows, up to the end of the book of Exodus, of the Lord's Divine mercy an account will be given of the inhabitants, spirits, and angels of earths in the starry heaven.

CHAPTER THE TWENTY-FOURTH. THE DOCTRINE OF CHARITY AND FAITH To believe those things which the Word teaches, or which the doctrine of the church teaches, and not to live according to them, appears as if it were faith, and some also suppose that they are saved by this faith; but no one is saved by this alone, for it is Persuasive Faith, the quality of which shall now be told.

There is Persuasive Faith when the Word and the doctrine of the church are believed and loved, not for the sake of serving the neighbor, that is, one's fellow citizen, our country, the church, heaven, and the Lord Himself; consequently not for the sake of life, for serving these is life; but for the sake of gain, honors, and the reputation of learning, as ends. Wherefore they who are in this faith do not have in view the Lord and heaven, but themselves and the world.

They who aspire after great things in the world, and covet many things, are in a stronger persuasion that what the doctrine of the church teaches is true, than are those who do not aspire after great things and covet many things. The reason is that to the former the doctrine of the church is merely a means to their ends; and the means are loved and also believed in proportion as the ends are desired.

In itself, however, the fact is that insofar as such men are in the fire of the loves of self and of the world, and speak, preach, and act from this fire, so far they are in that persuasion, and they then know no otherwise than that what they say is so. But when they are not in the fire of these loves, they believe nothing, and many of them deny everything; from which it is evident that a Persuasive Faith is a faith of the lips, and not of the heart; thus that in itself it is no faith.

They who are in Persuasive Faith do not know from any internal enlightenment whether what they teach is true or false; nay, they do not care, provided they are believed by the common people; for they are in no affection of truth for the sake of truth. Moreover, above all others they defend faith alone; and the good of faith, which is charity, they make of importance only insofar as they can profit by its means.

They who are in Persuasive Faith abandon faith, if they are deprived of honors and gains, provided their reputation is not endangered; for Persuasive Faith is not within the man, but stands outside, in the memory only, out of which it is drawn while it is being taught. And therefore after death this faith vanishes, together with its truths; for then only that much of faith remains which is within the man; that is, which has been rooted in good; thus has been made of the life.

They who are in Persuasive Faith are meant by those of whom we read in these passages: Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied by Thy name, and by Thy name have cast out demons, and in Thy name done many mighty deeds? But then will I confess unto them, I know you not, ye workers of iniquity (Matt. 7:22, 23). Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in Thy presence, and Thou hast taught in our streets. But He shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity (Luke 13:26, 27). They are also meant in Matthew by the five foolish virgins, who had no oil in their lamps: Afterward came the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But He answering said, Verily, I say unto you, I know you not (Matt. 25:11, 12); "oil in the lamps" denotes good in the faith (n. 886, 4638). EXODUS 24 1. And He said unto Moses, Come up unto Jehovah, thou and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and bow yourselves afar off. 2. And Moses, he alone, shall come near unto Jehovah; and they shall not come near; and the people shall not come up with him. 3. And Moses came and reported to the people all the words of Jehovah, and all the judgments; and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words that Jehovah hath spoken we will do. 4. And Moses wrote all the words of Jehovah, and rose up early in the morning, and built an altar under the mountain, and twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. 5. And he sent youths of the sons of Israel, and they offered burnt-offerings, and sacrificed peace sacrifices of bullocks to Jehovah. 6. And Moses took half of the blood, and put it into basins; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. 7. And he took the book of the covenant, and read it in the ears of the people; and they said, All things that Jehovah hath spoken we will do and hear. 8. And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant that Jehovah hath made with you upon all these words. 9. And there went up Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel. 10. And they saw the God of Israel; and there was under His feet as a work of sapphire stone, and as the substance of heaven in respect to cleanness. 11. And unto the sons of Israel who were set apart He sent not His hand: and they saw God, and did eat and drink. 12. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Come up to Me into the mountain, and be thou there; and I will give thee the tables of stone, and the law, and the commandment, which I will write to teach them. 13. And Moses rose up, and Joshua his minister; and Moses went up unto the mountain of God. 14. And he said unto the elders, Sit ye here for us, until we return unto you; and behold Aaron and Hur are with you; whosoever hath words, let him come near unto them. 15. And Moses went up unto the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16. And the glory of Jehovah tarried upon Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days; and on the seventh day He called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. 17. And the aspect of the glory of Jehovah was like devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the sons of Israel. 18. And Moses entered into the midst of the cloud, and went up unto the mountain; and Moses was in the mountain forty days and forty nights.

THE CONTENTS. The subject treated of in the internal sense is the Word given by the Lord through heaven; what is the nature of it; that it is Divine in both senses, the internal and the external; and that through it there is conjunction of the Lord with man.

THE INTERNAL SENSE. Verses 1, 2. And He said unto Moses, Come up unto Jehovah, thou and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and bow yourselves afar off; and Moses, he alone, shall come near unto Jehovah; and they shall not come near; and the people shall not come up with him. "And He said unto Moses," signifies that which concerns the Word in general; "come up unto Jehovah," signifies conjunction with the Lord; "thou and Aaron," signifies the Word in the internal sense and the external sense; "Nadab and Abihu," signifies doctrine from both senses; "and seventy of the elders of Israel," signifies the chief truths of the church which are of the Word, or of doctrine, and which agree with good; "and bow yourselves afar off," signifies humiliation and adoration from the heart, and then the influx of the Lord; "and Moses, he alone, shall come near unto Jehovah," signifies the conjunction and presence of the Lord through the Word in general; "and they shall not come near," signifies no separate conjunction and presence; "and the people shall not come up with him," signifies no conjunction whatever with the external apart from the internal.

And He said unto Moses. That this signifies that which concerns the Word in general, is evident from the representation of Moses, as being the Word (of which below); and from the signification of "He said," as involving those things which follow in this chapter, thus those which concern the Word (see n. 9370). (That Moses represents the Word, can be seen from what has been often shown before about Moses, as from the preface to Genesis 18; and n. 4859, 5922, 6723, 6752, 6771, 6827, 7010, 7014, 7089, 7382, 8601, 8760, 8787, 8805.) Here Moses represents the Word in general, because it is said of him in what follows, that he alone should come near unto Jehovah (verse 2); and also that, being called unto out of the midst of the cloud, he entered into it, and went up the mount (verses 16, 18). [2] In the Word there are many who represent the Lord in respect to truth Divine, or in respect to the Word; but chief among them are Moses, Elijah, Elisha, and John the Baptist. That Moses does so, can be seen in the explications just cited above; that so do Elijah and Elisha, can be seen in the preface to Genesis 18; and n. 2762, 5247; and that John the Baptist does so is evident from the fact that he was "Elias who was to come." He who does not know that John the Baptist represented the Lord as to the Word, cannot know what all those things infold and signify which are said about him in the New Testament; and therefore in order that this secret may stand open, and that at the same time it may appear that Elias, and also Moses, who were seen when the Lord was transfigured, signified the Word, some things may here be quoted which are spoken about John the Baptist; as in Matthew: After the messengers of John had departed, Jesus began to speak concerning John, saying, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? a reed shaken by the wind? But what went ye out to see? a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that wear soft things are in kings' houses. But what went ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, even more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, Behold I send Mine angel before Thy face, who shall prepare Thy way before Thee. Verily I say unto you, Among those who are born of women there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist; nevertheless he that is less in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he. All the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye are willing to believe, he is Elias who was to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear (Matt. 11:7-15; and also Luke 7:24-28). No one can know how these things are to be understood, unless he knows that this John represented the Lord as to the Word, and unless he also knows from the internal sense what is signified by "the wilderness" in which he was, also what by "a reed shaken by the wind," and likewise by "soft raiment in kings' houses;" and further what is signified by his being "more than a prophet," and by "none among those who are born of women being greater than he, and nevertheless he that is less in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he," and lastly by his being "Elias." For without a deeper sense, all these words are uttered merely from some comparison, and not from anything of weight. [3] But it is very different when by John is understood the Lord as to the Word, or the Word representatively. Then by "the wilderness of Judea in which John was" is signified the state in which the Word was at the time when the Lord came into the world, namely, that it was "in the wilderness," that is, it was in obscurity so great that the Lord was not at all acknowledged, neither was anything known about His heavenly kingdom; when yet all the prophets prophesied about Him, and about His kingdom, that it was to endure forever. (That "a wilderness" denotes such obscurity, see n. 2708, 4736, 7313.) For this reason the Word is compared to "a reed shaken by the wind" when it is explained at pleasure; for in the internal sense "a reed" denotes truth in the ultimate, such as is the Word in the letter. [4] That the Word in the ultimate, or in the letter, is crude and obscure in the sight of men; but that in the internal sense it is soft and shining, is signified by their "not seeing a man clothed in soft raiment, for behold those who wear soft things are in kings' houses." That such things are signified by these words, is plain from the signification of "raiment," or "garments," as being truths (n. 2132, 2576, 4545, 4763, 5248, 6914, 6918, 9093); and for this reason the angels appear clothed in garments soft and shining according to the truths from good with them (n. 5248, 5319, 5954, 9212, 9216). The same is evident from the signification of "kings' houses," as being the abodes of the angels, and in the universal sense, the heavens; for "houses" are so called from good (n. 2233, 2234, 3128, 3652, 3720, 4622, 4982, 7836, 7891, 7996, 7997); and "kings," from truth (n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 6148). Therefore by virtue of their reception of truth from the Lord, the angels are called "sons of the kingdom," "sons of the king," and also "kings." [5] That the Word is more than any doctrine in the world, and more than any truth in the world, is signified by "what went ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet;" and by, "there hath not arisen among those who are born of women a greater than John the Baptist;" for in the internal sense "a prophet" denotes doctrine (n. 2534, 7269); and "those who are born," or are the sons, "of women" denote truths (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 2803, 2813, 3704, 4257). [6] That in the internal sense, or such as it is in heaven, the Word is in a degree above the Word in the external sense, or such as it is in the world, and such as John the Baptist taught, is signified by, "he that is less in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he;" for as perceived in heaven the Word is of wisdom so great that it transcends all human apprehension. That the prophecies about the Lord and His coming, and that the representatives of the Lord and of His kingdom, ceased when the Lord came into the world, is signified by, "all the prophets and the law prophesied until John." That the Word was represented by John, as by Elijah, is signified by his being "Elias who is to come." [7] The same is signified by these words in Matthew: The disciples asked Jesus, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come? He answered and said, Elias must needs first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, that Elias hath come already, and they knew him not, but did unto him whatsoever they wished. Even so shall the Son of man also suffer of them. And they understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist (Matt. 17:10-13); that "Elias hath come, and they knew him not, but did unto him whatsoever they wished" signifies that the Word has indeed taught them that the Lord is to come, but that still they did not wish to comprehend, interpreting it in favor of the rule of self, and thus extinguishing what is Divine in it. That they would do the same with the truth Divine itself, is signified by "even so shall the Son of man also suffer of them." (That "the Son of man" denotes the Lord as to truth Divine, see n. 2803, 2813, 3704.) [8] From all this it is now evident what is meant by the prophecy about John in Malachi: Behold I send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Jehovah cometh (Mal. 4:5). Moreover, the Word in the ultimate, or such as it is in the external form in which it appears before man in the world, is described by the "clothing" and "food" of John the Baptist, in Matthew: John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, had His clothing of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey (Matt. 3:1, 4). In like manner it is described by Elijah in the second book of Kings: He was a hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins (2 Kings 1:8). By "clothing," or a "garment," when said of the Word, is signified truth Divine there in the ultimate form; by "camel's hair" are signified memory-truths such as appear there before a man in the world; by the "leathern girdle" is signified the external bond connecting and keeping in order all the interior things; by "food" is signified spiritual nourishment from the knowledges of truth and of good out of the Word; by "locusts" are signified ultimate or most general truths; and by "wild honey" their pleasantness. [9] That such things are signified by "clothing" and "food" has its origin in the representatives of the other life, where all appear clothed according to truths from good, and where food also is represented according to the desires of acquiring knowledge and growing wise. From this it is that "clothing," or a "garment," denotes truth (as may be seen from the citations above; and that "food" or "meat" denotes spiritual nourishment, n. 3114, 4459, 4792, 5147, 5293, 5340, 5342, 5576, 5579, 5915, 8562, 9003; that "a girdle" denotes a bond which gathers up and holds together interior things, n. 9341; that "leather" denotes what is external, n. 3540; and thus "a leathern girdle" denotes an external bond; that "hairs" denote ultimate or most general truths, n. 3301, 5569-5573; that "a camel" denotes memory-knowledge in general, n. 3048, 3071, 3143, 3145, 4156; that "a locust" denotes nourishing truth in the extremes, n. 7643; and that "honey" denotes the pleasantness thereof, n. 5620, 6857, 8056). It is called "wild honey," or "honey of the field," because by "a field" is signified the church (n. 2971, 3317, 3766, 7502, 7571, 9139, 9295). He who does not know that such things are signified, cannot possibly know why Elijah and John were so clothed. And yet that these things signified something peculiar to these prophets, can be thought by everyone who thinks well about the Word. [10] Because John the Baptist represented the Lord as to the Word, therefore also when he spoke of the Lord, who was the Word itself, he said of himself that he was "not Elias, nor the prophet," and that he was "not worthy to loose the latchet of the Lord's shoe," as in John: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory. The Jews from Jerusalem, priests and Levites, asked John who he was. And he confessed, and denied not, I am not the Christ. Therefore they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? But he said, I am not. Art thou the prophet? He answered, No. They said therefore unto him, Who art thou? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet. They said therefore, Why then baptizest thou, if thou art not the Christ, nor Elias, nor the prophet? He answered, I baptize with water; in the midst of you standeth one whom ye know not; He it is who is to come after me, who was before me, the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to unloose. When he saw Jesus, he said, Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, After me cometh a man who was before me; for he was before me (John 1:1, 14, 19-30). From these words it is plain that when John spoke about the Lord Himself, who was Truth Divine itself, or the Word, he said that he himself was not anything, because the shadow disappears when the light itself appears, that is, the representative disappears when the original itself makes its appearance. (That the representatives had in view holy things, and the Lord Himself, and not at all the person that represented, see n. 665, 1097, 1361, 3147, 3881, 4208, 4281, 4288, 4292, 4307, 4444, 4500, 6304, 7048, 7439, 8588, 8788, 8806.) One who does not know that representatives vanish like shadows at the presence of light, cannot know why John denied that he was Elias and the prophet. [11] From all this it can now be seen what is signified by Moses and Elias, who were seen in glory, and who spoke with the Lord when transfigured, of His departure which He should accomplish at Jerusalem (Luke 9:29-31); namely, that they signified the Word ("Moses" the historic Word, and "Elias" the prophetic Word), which in the internal sense throughout treats of the Lord, of His coming into the world, and of His departure out of the world; and therefore it is said that "Moses and Elias were seen in glory," for "glory" denotes the internal sense of the Word, and the "cloud" its external sense (see the preface to Genesis 18, and n. 5922, 8427).

Come up unto Jehovah. That this signifies conjunction with the Lord, is evident from the signification of "coming up," as being to be raised toward interior things (see n. 3084, 4539, 4969, 5406, 5817, 6007), consequently also to be conjoined (n. 8760). That it denotes conjunction with the Lord, is because by "Jehovah" in the Word is meant the Lord (n. 1343, 1736, 1793, 2004, 2005, 2018, 2025, 2921, 3023, 3035, 5663, 6280, 6303, 6905, 8274, 8864, 9315). A secret which also lies hidden in the internal sense of these words, is that the sons of Jacob, over whom Moses was the head, were not called and chosen; but they themselves insisted that Divine worship should be instituted among them (according to what has been said in n. 4290, 4293); and therefore it is here said, "and He said unto Moses, Come up unto Jehovah," as if not Jehovah, but another, had said that he should come up. For the same reason in what follows it is said that "the people should not go up" (verse 2); and that "Jehovah sent not His hand unto the sons of Israel who were set apart" (verse 11); and that "the appearance of the glory of Jehovah was like devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the sons of Israel" (verse 17); and lastly that Moses, being called the seventh day, "entered into the midst of the cloud." For by "the cloud" is meant the Word in the letter (n. 5922, 6343, 6752, 6832, 8106, 8443, 8781); and with the sons of Jacob the Word was separated from its internal sense, because they were in external worship without internal, as can be clearly seen from the fact that now, as before, they said, "all the words which Jehovah hath spoken we will do" (verse 3); and yet scarcely forty days afterward they worshiped a golden calf instead of Jehovah; which shows that this was hidden in their hearts while they were saying with their lips that they would serve Jehovah alone. But nevertheless those who are meant by "the called and the chosen" are those who are in internal worship, and who from internal worship are in external; that is, those who are in love to and faith in the Lord, and from this in love toward the neighbor.

Thou and Aaron. That this signifies the Word in the internal sense and the external sense, is evident from the representation of Moses, as being the Word (of which above, n. 9372). But when Aaron, who was his brother, is joined to him, then Moses represents the Word in the internal sense, and Aaron the Word in the external sense (as also above, n. 7089, 7382).

Nadab and Abihu. That hereby is signified doctrine drawn from both senses, is evident from the fact that they were sons of Aaron; and therefore when by "Aaron" is signified the Word, by his "sons" is signified doctrine; by the elder son, doctrine drawn from the internal sense of the Word; and by the younger son, doctrine drawn from the external sense of the Word. Doctrine drawn from the internal sense of the Word, and doctrine drawn from the external sense of the Word, are one doctrine, because those who are in the internal are also in the external. For the Lord's church is everywhere internal and external. The internal church is of the heart, and the external is of the mouth; that is, the internal church is of the will, and the external is of the action. When in a man the internal makes one with the external, then that which is of the heart is also of the mouth; or that which is of the will is also of the action; or what is the same thing, then the heart is speaking in the mouth, and the will is acting in the action, without any disagreement; thus also faith is speaking, and love or charity is acting; that is, the Lord, from whom are faith and charity. [2] As Nadab and Abihu, sons of Aaron, represented doctrine from the Word, they were slain when they instituted worship from some other doctrine than that which is from the Word. This was represented by what is written of them in Moses: Nadab and Abihu, sons of Aaron, took each of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and thus offered strange fire unto Jehovah, which He had not commanded them. Therefore there went forth fire from before Jehovah, and devoured them, that they died before Jehovah. And Moses said unto Aaron, This is that which Jehovah spoke, saying, I will be sanctified in them that are nigh Me (Lev. 10:1-3). By "strange fire in the censer" is signified doctrine from some other source than the Word; for "fire" denotes the good of love, and "incense" the truth of faith thence derived; and the good of love and the truth of faith are what enter into the doctrine which is from the Word, and make it. From this it is evident why they were devoured by fire from before Jehovah. "To be sanctified in them that are nigh," denotes with those who have been conjoined with the Lord through the good of love and the truth of faith from the Word. (That "fire" denotes the good of heavenly love, see n. 934, 4906, 5071, 5215, 6314, 6832, 6834, 6849, 7324, 7852, 9055; and that "incense" denotes faith from the good of love, will be shown elsewhere.)

And seventy of the elders of Israel. That this signifies the chief truths of the church, or of doctrine, which agree with good, is evident from the signification of "seventy," as being what is full, thus all (see n. 6508); and from the signification of "the elders of Israel," as being the chief truths of the church which agree with good, thus which are of the Word or of doctrine from the Word, because all these truths agree with good (that "the elders of Israel" denote these truths, see n. 6524, 8578, 8585). That those truths which are from the Word agree with good, is because they are from the Lord, and consequently have heaven within them; and if you will believe it, in every detail of the Word there is heaven in which is the Lord.

And bow yourselves afar off. That this signifies humiliation and adoration from the heart, and then the influx of the Lord, is evident from the signification of "bowing oneself" as being humiliation (see n. 2153, 5682, 6266, 7068). That it also denotes adoration, is because humiliation is the essential of all adoration and of all worship, for without humiliation the Lord cannot be worshiped and adored, for the reason that the Divine of the Lord cannot flow into a proud heart, that is, into a heart full of the love of self, for such a heart is hard; and is called in the Word a "heart of stone." But the Divine of the Lord can flow into a humble heart, because this is soft, and is called in the Word a "heart of flesh." Such a heart is receptive of the influx of good from the Lord, that is, of the Lord. From this it is that by "bowing oneself afar off" is not only signified humiliation and adoration from the heart, but also the influx of the Lord then. It is said the influx of the Lord, because the good of love and of faith, which flows in from the Lord, is the Lord. That "afar off" denotes from the heart, is because those who are in humiliation remove themselves from the Lord, for the reason that they regard themselves as unworthy to approach the most holy Divine, because while they are in humiliation they are in the self-acknowledgment that of themselves they are nothing but evil, nay, profane. When they acknowledge this from the heart, they are in true humiliation. From this it is evident that by "bow yourselves afar off" is signified humiliation and adoration from the heart, and the influx of the Lord then. [2] But the people of Israel were not in such humiliation and adoration, and only represented it by external gestures; for they were in external things apart from internal. Nevertheless when they humbled themselves they prostrated themselves to the earth, and also rolled in the dust, and cried out with a loud voice, and this for whole days. One who does not know what true humiliation is, could believe that this was humiliation of heart; but it was not the humiliation of a heart that looks to God from God, but of one that looks to God from self; and a heart that looks from self, looks from evil, for whatever proceeds from man as from himself is evil. The people of Israel were in the love of self and of the world more than all other peoples in the whole world, and believed themselves holy, provided they merely offered sacrifice, or washed themselves with water, not acknowledging that such things represented internal holiness, which belongs to charity and faith from the Lord. For all that is holy is not of man, but is of the Lord with man (n. 9229). They who humble themselves from belief in a holiness which is from themselves, and who adore from a love of God which is from themselves, humble themselves and adore from the love of self, thus from a heart that is hard and "of stone;" and not from a heart that is soft, and "of flesh;" and they are in external things and not at the same time in internal; for the love of self dwells in the external man, and cannot enter into the internal man, because the internal man is opened solely through love to and faith in the Lord, thus by the Lord, who therein forms man's heaven in which He dwells.

And Moses, he alone, shall come near unto Jehovah. That this signifies the conjunction and presence of the Lord through the Word in general, is evident from the signification of "coming near," as being the conjunction and presence of the Lord (of which in what follows); and from the representation of Moses, as being the Word in general (see n. 9372). That by "Moses shall come near," is signified the conjunction and presence of the Lord through the Word, is because in the spiritual sense "to come near" signifies to be conjoined through love; for they who love each other are conjoined, because love is spiritual conjunction. It is a universal thing in the other life that all are conjoined according to the love of good and truth from the Lord; consequently the whole heaven is such conjunction. The case is similar with coming near to, or being conjoined with, the Lord. They who love Him are conjoined with Him, insomuch that they may be said to be in Him when they are in heaven; and all those love the Lord, consequently are conjoined with Him through love, who are in the good of life from the truths of faith; because the good from these truths is from the Lord; nay, is the Lord (John 14:20, 21). [2] But be it known that of himself a man cannot come near to the Lord and be conjoined with Him; but the Lord will come near to the man and be conjoined with him. And because the Lord draws man to Himself (John 6:44; 12:32), it appears as if man of himself comes near and conjoins himself. This takes place when the man desists from evils, for to desist from evils has been left to man's will; that is, to his freedom. There then flows in good from the Lord, which is never wanting, for it is in the very life which man has from the Lord; but good together with life is received only insofar as evils have been removed. That the conjunction and presence of the Lord is through the Word, is because the Word is the union of man with heaven, and through heaven with the Lord; for the Word is Divine truth proceeding from the Lord. Wherefore they who are in this truth in respect to doctrine and life (that is, in respect to faith and love) are in the Divine proceeding from the Lord, thus are conjoined with Him. From this it is plain that by "Moses, he alone, shall come near unto Jehovah," is signified the conjunction and presence of the Lord through the Word. [3] That "coming near" denotes conjunction and presence, is because in the other life the distances of one from another are altogether according to the dissimilitudes and diversities of the interior things that belong to the thought and affection (n. 1273-1277, 1376-1381, 9104). Moreover, withdrawals from the Lord, and approaches to Him, are precisely according to the good of love and the derivative faith from Him and to Him. For this reason the heavens are near to the Lord according to goods; and on the other hand the hells are remote from the Lord according to evils. From this it is evident why in the spiritual sense "to be near" and "to approach" denote to be conjoined; as also in the following passages: Jehovah is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, that call upon Him in truth (Ps. 145:18); "to be nigh" denotes to be present and conjoined. Again: Blessed is he whom Thou choosest, and causest to approach; he shall dwell in Thy courts (Ps. 65:4); "to approach" denotes to be conjoined. [4] Again: O Jehovah, draw nigh unto my soul; deliver me (Ps. 69:18). Jehovah is nigh to the broken in heart (Ps. 34:18). Let them cause My people to hear My words, and turn them from their evil way, and from the wickedness of their works. Am I a God nearby, and not a God afar off? (Jer. 23:22, 23). That God is said to be "nearby" those who desist from evils, and to be "afar off" from those who are in evils, is manifest. In Moses: Moses said unto Aaron, This Is that which Jehovah spoke, saying, I will be sanctified in those who are near Me (Lev. 10:3); "to be sanctified in those who are near" denotes among those who are conjoined with the Lord through the good of love and truth of faith from the Word. In Jeremiah: Then his Magnificent One shall be from him, and his Ruler shall go forth from the midst of him, and I will cause him to approach, and he shall approach unto Me; for who Is he that hath pledged his heart to approach unto Me? (Jer. 30:21); speaking of the Lord, who is the "Magnificent One," and the "Ruler;" "to approach unto Jehovah" denotes to be united, for the approach of the Divine to the Divine is nothing else than union.

And they shall not come near. That this signifies no separate conjunction and presence, is evident from the representation of Aaron, his sons Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders, who here are those who were "not to come near," as being the Word in the external sense, doctrine, and the chief truths of the church (of which above, n. 9374-9376); and from the signification of "coming near," as being the conjunction and presence of the Lord (of which just above, n. 9378); here no conjunction and presence, because it is said "Moses alone shall come near, and they shall not." That it denotes no separate conjunction and presence is because by Moses is here represented the Word in general, or the Word in the whole complex (n. 9372), and also the Word in the internal sense (n. 9374); but by Aaron and his sons and the seventy elders is represented the Word in the external sense, and what is therefrom. As these cannot be separately conjoined with the Lord, seeing that the Lord is the Word in the whole complex, therefore it is said that there is no separate conjunction and presence.

And the people shall not come up with him. That this signifies no conjunction whatever with the external apart from the internal, is evident from the signification of "coming up," as being conjunction (as above, n. 9373); here no conjunction, because it is said they "shall not come up." That it denotes no conjunction with the external sense of the Word apart from the internal, is because the sons of Jacob, who are here meant by "the people," were in what is external without what is internal (see n. 3479, 4281, 4293, 4307, 4429, 4433, 4680, 4844, 4847, 4865, 4868, 4874, 4899, 4903, 4911, 4913, 6304, 8588, 8788, 8806, 8871). That they were in what is external without what is internal, is very manifest from the worship of the golden calf forty days after this time. They would have acted differently if they had been at the same time in what is internal, that is, in the good of love to and of faith in Jehovah; for this is what is internal. Those who have been conjoined by this cannot go away to the worship of an idol, because their heart is far from it and because that people was conjoined with the Lord merely by external things, by which they represented internal things, therefore it is said "the people shall not come up," by which is signified that there is no conjunction whatever with an external that is devoid of an internal. The representations that are devoid of the knowledge, faith, and affection of the interior things that are represented, conjoin the thing, but not the person. [2] The case is the same with those who remain in the mere literal sense of the Word, and gather from it nothing of doctrine; for they are separated from the internal sense, because the internal sense is doctrine itself. The conjunction of the Lord with the external things of the Word is through its interior things; and therefore if the interior things have been separated, there is possible no other conjunction of the Lord with the external things than as with a gesture of the body without any agreement of the heart. It is the very same with those who are perfectly acquainted with all the particulars of the doctrine of their church, and yet do not apply them to life. These also are in external things devoid of what is internal, for with them the truths of doctrine are outside so long as they have not been inscribed on their life. The reason why there is no conjunction of the Lord with their truths, is that the Lord enters into a man's truths of faith through his life; thus through the soul which is in the truths.

Verses 3-5. And Moses came and reported to the people all the words of Jehovah, and all the judgments; and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words that Jehovah hath spoken we will do. And Moses wrote all the words of Jehovah, and rose up early in the morning, and built an altar under the mountain, and twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. And he sent youths of the sons of Israel, and they offered burnt-offerings, and sacrificed peace sacrifices of bullocks to Jehovah. "And Moses came and reported to the people," signifies the enlightenment and instruction of the Lord through the Divine truth which is from Him; "all the words of Jehovah, and all the judgments," signifies the things in the Word that belong to life in the spiritual and in the natural state; "and all the people answered with one voice," signifies reception with the understanding by those who are truly of the church; "and they said, All the words that Jehovah hath spoken we will do," signifies reception then in the heart; "and Moses wrote all the words of Jehovah," signifies thereafter an impressing on the life; "and rose up early in the morning," signifies joy from the Lord; "and built an altar under the mountain," signifies a representative of the Divine Human of the Lord in respect to the Divine good from Him; "and twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel," signifies a representative of the Divine Human of the Lord in respect to the truth Divine which is from Him, in its whole complex; "and he sent youths of the sons of Israel," signifies the things of innocence and charity; "and they offered burnt-offerings, and sacrificed peace sacrifices of bullocks to Jehovah," signifies a representative of the worship of the Lord from good and from the truth which is from good.

And Moses came and reported to the people. That this signifies the enlightenment and instruction of the Lord through the Divine truth which is from Himself, is evident from the representation of Moses, as being the Lord in respect to the Word, thus in respect to the Divine truth, for this is the Word (see above n. 9372); from the signification of "coming," when said of the Lord in respect to the Word or the Divine truth, which is represented by Moses, as being enlightenment, for when the Lord comes, that is, is present in the Word, there is enlightenment; and from the signification of "reporting," as being instruction. From this it is plain that by "Moses came and reported to the people" is signified the enlightenment and instruction of the Lord through the Divine truth. [2] How the case is with enlightenment and instruction from the Word, shall also be briefly told. Everyone is enlightened and instructed from the Word according to his affection of truth, and longing for it, and according to his capacity of receiving it. They who are in enlightenment are in the light of heaven as to their internal man; for it is the light of heaven which enlightens man in the truths and goods of faith (see n. 8707, 8861). They who are thus illumined apprehend the Word in accordance with its interior things, and therefore make for themselves doctrine from the Word, to which they apply the sense of the letter. But they who are not in the affection of truth from good, and from this in the desire to be wise, are blinded rather than enlightened when they read the Word, for they are not in the light of heaven; and from the light of the world, which is called the light of nature, they see only what agrees with worldly things; and thus from the fallacies in which the external senses are, they embrace falsities which appear to them as truths. Most of these make for themselves no doctrine from the Word, but remain in the sense of the letter, which they apply so as to favor falsities, especially such as agree with the loves of self and of the world. But those who are not of this character merely confirm the doctrinal things of their church, and neither care nor know whether these are true or false (see n. 4741, 5033, 6865, 7012, 7680, 7950, 8521, 8780). From this it is evident who are enlightened from the Word, and who are blinded; namely, that those are enlightened who are in heavenly loves, for heavenly loves receive and like sponges imbibe the truths of heaven; and these are conjoined together of themselves, like soul and body. But on the other hand those are blinded who are in worldly loves, because these loves receive and like sponges imbibe falsities; with which also they are conjoined of themselves. For good and truth agree together, and so on the other hand do evil and falsity; and therefore the conjunction of evil and falsity is called the infernal marriage, which is hell itself; and the conjunction of good and truth is called the heavenly marriage, which is heaven itself. [3] That the Word is the source of enlightenment and instruction, is because in its first origin it is truth Divine itself that proceeds from the Lord, and in its descent into the world is accommodated to all the heavens. Hence it is that when a man who has heavenly love reads the Word, he is through it conjoined with heaven, and through heaven with the Lord, whereby he has enlightenment and instruction. It is otherwise when a man who has worldly love reads the Word. With him there is no conjunction of heaven; and therefore he has no enlightenment and instruction. (That through the Word there is a union of heaven and the world, thus of the Lord with the human race, see n. 9212, 9216, 9357.)

All the words of Jehovah and all the judgments. That this signifies those things in the Word that belong to life in the spiritual and in the natural state, is evident from the signification of "the words of Jehovah," as being those things in the Word that belong to life in the spiritual state (of which in what follows); and from the signification of "the judgments," as being those things in the Word that belong to life in the natural state. It is said "in the spiritual state," and "in the natural state," because with every man there are in general two states; one peculiar and proper to the internal man, which is called the spiritual state; and the other peculiar and proper to the external man, which is called the natural state. The reason why the state of the internal man is called spiritual, is that it is affected by the truths which are of the light of heaven, and by the good which is of the heat of this light, which heat is love. This light is called spiritual light because it illumines the understanding; and this heat is called spiritual heat, which is love and enkindles the will. Hence it is that the state of the internal man is called a spiritual state. But the reason why the state of the external man is called a natural state, is that it is affected by the truths which are of the light of the world, and by the good which is of the heat of this light; which heat also is love, but the love of such things as are in the world; for all the heat of life is love. Hence it is that the state of the external man is called natural. Those things which are of life in the natural state are meant by "judgments;" but those which are of life in the spiritual state are meant by "the words of Jehovah." [2] That both are from the Word is because in the Word are all things that are of life, for they have in them life itself; because in the Word is the Divine truth which has proceeded and still proceeds from the Lord, who is life itself. It is from this that all things in the Word are matters of life; and also that all things therein have relation to the life; as can be seen from the two commandments on which all things of the Word are based, of which we read in Matthew: Jesus said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God from all thy heart, and in all thy soul, and in all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. The second Is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang the law and the prophets (Matt. 22:37-40; also Mark 12:29-31); "to love God and the neighbor" is of the life, because everything of life is of love, insomuch that without love there is no life; and such as the love is, such is the life. "The law and the prophets" denote the whole Word.

And all the people answered with one voice. That this signifies reception with the understanding by those who are truly of the church, is evident from the signification of "answering with one voice," as being reception with the understanding, for "to answer" denotes reception (see n. 2941, 2957); and the "voice" denotes the confession which comes forth from the understanding, because the things of the mouth, and from this of the speech or voice, correspond to the intellectual part, from which part also the voice or speech proceeds. But the affection itself of the speech, which is from the end that is intended, that is, from the love that vivifies, proceeds from the will part. And from the signification of the sons of Israel, who here are "the people," as being the church (n. 9340), thus those who are truly of the church. From this it is evident that by "the people answered with one voice" is signified reception with the understanding by those who are truly of the church.

And they said, All the words that Jehovah hath spoken we will do. That this signifies reception then in the heart, is evident from the signification of "the words that Jehovah hath spoken," as being truths from the Word that belong to the life (see n. 9383); and from the signification of "doing," as being reception by the will part (n. 9282), thus reception in the heart (for "the heart" in the Word denotes the will, n. 7542, 8910, 9050, 9113, 9300). The reason why by these words is signified reception in the will, and by the words which immediately precede, reception in the understanding, is that in each and all things of the Word there is a marriage of truth and good (n. 9263), thus the heavenly marriage, which is heaven, and in the supreme sense is the Lord Himself. Truth bears relation to the understanding, and good to the will.

And Moses wrote all the words of Jehovah. That this signifies an impressing thereafter on the life, is evident from the signification of "writing," as being to impress on the life (of which in what follows); from the representation of Moses, as being the Lord in respect to the Word (see n. 9372, 9382); and from the signification of "all the words of Jehovah," as being truths from the Word (n. 9383). From this it is evident that by "Moses wrote all the words of Jehovah," are signified truths Divine impressed on the life by the Lord. Truths are said to be impressed on the life, when they become of the will and from this of the act. So long as they stay merely in the memory, and so long as they are looked at only intellectually, they have not been impressed on the life; but as soon as they are received in the will, they become of the life, because the very being of man's life is to will, and from this to act; and before this they have not been appropriated to the man. [2] That "to write" denotes to impress on the life, is because the purpose of writings is remembrance to all posterity. So is it with the things impressed on a man's life. Man has as it were two books, in which have been written all his thoughts and acts. These books are his two memories, the exterior and the interior. The things written on his interior memory remain to all eternity, and are never blotted out, and are chiefly those which have become of the will, that is, of the love; for the things of the love are of the will. It is this memory which is meant by every man's book of life (see n. 2474).

And he rose up early in the morning. That this signifies joy from the Lord, is evident from the signification of "rising up," as denoting elevation toward higher things (see n. 2401, 2785, 2912, 2927, 3171, 4103); and from the signification of "morning," and "early," as being the Lord, and the things which are from Him, such as peace, innocence, love, and joy (n. 2405, 2780, 7681, 8426, 8812). The reason why "morning," and "early" have this signification, is that the seasons of the year, which are spring, summer, autumn, and winter, and also the times of the day, which are morning, noon, evening, and night, correspond to so many states in heaven. Thus the morning corresponds to the coming and presence of the Lord, which exists when an angel is in a state of peace, innocence, and heavenly love, and thereby in joy. (Concerning these correspondences see n. 5672, 5962, 6110, 8426, 9213.)

And he built an altar under the mountain. That this signifies a representative of the Divine Human of the Lord in respect to the Divine good from Him, is evident from the signification of "an altar," as being a representative of the Divine Human of the Lord (see n. 921, 2777, 2811, 4489), and from this the main representative of the worship of the Lord (n. 4541, 8935, 8940); and from the signification of "the mountain," as being the good of love (n. 4210, 6435, 8327, 8658, 8758), here the Divine good of love proceeding from the Lord, because it was Mount Sinai, where the Lord then was. (That "Mount Sinai" denotes the Divine good united to the Divine truth from the Lord, see n. 8805.)

And twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. That this signifies a representative of the Divine Human of the Lord in respect to the truth Divine which is from Him, in its whole complex, is evident from the signification of "a pillar," as being a representative of the Divine Human of the Lord in respect to truth. That this is signified by "a pillar" is because by "an altar" is signified a representative of the Divine Human of the Lord in respect to good, and in the representative sense "a pillar" denotes the holiness of the truth which is from the Lord (see n. 4580, 4582); and from the signification of "twelve," and of the "twelve tribes," as being all truths and goods in the complex (n. 577, 2089, 3858, 3913, 3926, 3939, 4060, 6335, 6337, 6397, 6640, 7973), thus all that are from the Lord. That the Divine Human of the Lord is signified by "an altar," and by "pillars," is because in the supreme sense all the representatives of the church that are treated of in the Word, have regard to the Lord Himself. Wherefore also in its inmost and supreme sense the Word treats of the Lord alone, and especially of the glorification of His Human. From this comes all the holiness of the Word. But this supreme sense is especially presented in the inmost or third heaven, where are those who are in love to the Lord, and from this in wisdom above all others.

And he sent youths of the sons of Israel. That this signifies the things of innocence and charity, is evident from the signification of "youths of the sons of Israel," as being the things of innocence and charity with those who are of the church; for by "sucklings," "little children," and "youths," are signified those who are in innocence and charity, or abstractedly from persons, the things of innocence and charity (see n. 430, 5236); and by "the sons of Israel" are signified those who are of the church, or abstractedly from persons, the things of the church (n. 9340).

And they offered burnt-offerings, and sacrificed peace sacrifices of bullocks to Jehovah. That hereby is signified a representative of the worship of the Lord from good and from the truth which is from good, is evident from the representation of burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as being worship of the Lord in general (see n. 922, 6905, 8936); specifically by burnt-offerings is meant the worship of the Lord from the good of love, and by sacrifices is meant the worship of the Lord from the truth of faith which is from good (n. 8680); and from the signification of "bullocks," as being the good of innocence and of charity in the external or natural man (of which below). (That beasts that were sacrificed signified the quality of the good and truth from which was the worship, see n. 922, 1823, 2180, 3519.) (That gentle and useful beasts signify the celestial things of the good of love, and the spiritual things of the truth of faith, and that on this account they were employed in the sacrifices, see n. 9280.) That "a bullock" signifies the good of innocence and of charity in the external or natural man, is because animals of the herd signified affections of good and truth in the external or natural man, and those of the flock, affections of good and truth in the internal or spiritual man (n. 2566, 5913, 6048, 8937, 9135). The animals of the flock were lambs, she-goats, sheep, rams, he-goats; and those of the herd were oxen, bullocks, and calves. "Lambs" and "sheep" signified the good of innocence and of charity in the internal or spiritual man; consequently "calves" and "bullocks," being of a more tender age than oxen, signified the like in the external or natural man. [2] That "bullocks" and "calves" signify this good, is evident from the passages in the Word where they are mentioned; as in Ezekiel: The feet of the four living creatures, a straight foot; and the sole of their feet as the sole of a calf's foot; and they glittered like the appearance of burnished brass (Ezek. 1:7); speaking of the cherubs, which are described by the four living creatures. (That the "cherubs" denote the guard or providence of the Lord to prevent any approach to Himself except through good, see n. 9277.) External or natural good was represented by the straight foot, and by the sole of the foot being like the sole of a calf's foot; for the "feet" signify the things of the natural man; the "straight foot" those which are of good, and the "sole of the feet" those which are ultimate, in the natural man. (That the "feet" have this signification, see n. 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952, 5327, 5328; also that the "heels," "soles," and "hoofs" denote the ultimate things in the natural man, n. 4938, 7729.) The reason why the soles of the feet glittered like the appearance of burnished brass, was that "brass" signifies natural good (n. 425, 1551), and "brass glittering as though burnished," signifies good resplendent from the light of heaven, which is truth Divine proceeding from the Lord. From what has been said it is evident that by "a calf" is signified the good of the external or natural man. [3] In like manner in John: Round about the throne were four animals full of eyes before and behind. And the first animal was like a lion, and the second animal like a calf, and the third animal had a face like a man, and the fourth animal was like a flying eagle (Rev. 4:6, 7); here also by the "four animals" which are cherubs, is signified the guard and providence of the Lord to prevent His being approached except through the good of love; the guard itself is effected by means of truth and its derivative good, and by means of good and its derivative truth. Truth and its derivative good, in the external form, are signified by the "lion" and the "calf;" and good and its derivative truth, in the internal form, are signified by the "face of a man" and by the "flying eagle." (That "a lion" denotes truth from good in its power, see n. 6367, consequently the "calf" denotes the good itself thence derived.) [4] In Hosea: Return ye unto Jehovah; say unto Him, Take away all iniquity, and accept good, and we will repay the bullocks of our lips (Hos. 14:2); no one can know what is meant by "repaying the bullocks of the lips" unless he knows what is signified by "bullocks" and by "lips." That it denotes confession and thanksgiving from a good heart, is evident; for it is said, "return ye unto Jehovah, say unto Him accept good," and then, "we will repay the bullocks of our lips," denoting to confess Jehovah from the goods of doctrine, and to give thanks to Him; for the "lips" denote the things of doctrine (see n. 1286, 1288). [5] In Amos: Ye draw the dwelling of violence; they lie upon beds of ivory, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall (Amos 6:3, 4); here are described those who are in abundance of the knowledges of good and truth, and yet live an evil life; "eating the lambs out of the flock" denotes to learn and appropriate to oneself the goods of innocence that belong to the internal or spiritual man; "eating the calves out of the midst of the stall" denotes to learn and appropriate to oneself the goods of innocence that belong to the external or natural man. (That "eating" denotes to appropriate see n. 3168, 3513, 3596, 3832, 4745; and that "lambs" denote the goods of innocence, n. 3519, 3994, 7840.) And as "lambs" denote the interior goods of innocence, it follows that "calves out of the midst of the stall" denote the exterior goods of innocence; for in the Word, especially in the prophetic Word, it is usual to treat of truth wherever good is treated of, on account of the heavenly marriage (n. 9263, 9314); and also to speak of external things where internal things are spoken of. Moreover, the "stall" [used for fattening] and "fat" signify the good of interior love (n. 5943). [6] In like manner in these passages: Unto you that fear My name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; that ye may go forth, and grow like calves of the stall (Mal. 4:2). The father said of the prodigal son who had returned repentant in heart, Bring forth the chief robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be glad (Luke 15:22, 23). One who apprehends only the sense of the letter, will believe that nothing deeper is hidden here; when yet each particular infolds heavenly things; as that they should put on him the chief robe; that they should put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and should bring the fatted calf, and kill it, so that they might eat and be glad. By the "prodigal son" are meant those who have been prodigal of heavenly riches, which are the knowledges of good and truth; by his "return to his father," and his confession that he was "not worthy to be called his son," is signified repentance of heart and humiliation; by the "chief robe" which was to be put upon him are signified general truths (n. 4545, 5248, 5319, 5954, 6914, 6917, 9093, 9212, 9216); and by the "fatted calf" general goods corresponding to these truths. The like is signified by "calves" and "bullocks" in other passages (as Isa. 11:6; Ezek. 39:18; Ps. 29:6; 69:31), also in the burnt-offerings and sacrifices (Exod. 29:11-14; Lev. 4:3-12 and 13-21; 8:14-17; 9:2; 16:3; 23:18; Num. 8:8-12; 15:24-26; 28:19, 20; Judges 6:25-28; 1 Sam. 1:25; 16:2; 1 Kings 18:23-26, 33). [7] The reason why the sons of Israel made for themselves a golden calf, and worshiped it instead of Jehovah (Exod. 32), was that the Egyptian idolatry remained in their hearts, although they confessed Jehovah with their mouths. Chief among the idols of Egypt were heifers and bull-calves of gold, for the reason that a female calf signified memory-truth, which is the truth of the natural man; and a bull-calf the good of this truth, which is the good of the natural man; and also because gold signified good. This good and this truth were effigied there by male and female calves of gold. But when the representatives of heavenly things there had been turned into idolatries, and at last into magic, then in Egypt, as in other places, the very effigies which had been representative became idols, and began to be worshiped. Hence came the idolatries of the ancients, and the magical arts of Egypt. [8] For the Ancient Church, which succeeded the Most Ancient Church, was a representative church, all the worship of which consisted in rites, statutes, judgments, and commandments that represented Divine and heavenly things, which are the interior things of the church. After the flood this Ancient Church was spread through much of the Asiatic world, and was also in Egypt. But in Egypt the memory-knowledges of this church were cultivated, whereby the Egyptians excelled all others in the knowledge of correspondences and representations, as can be seen from the hieroglyphics, and from the magical arts and idols there; and also from the various things related about Egypt in the Word. Hence it is that by "Egypt" in the Word is signified memory-knowledge in general, both as to truth and as to good; also the natural, for memory-knowledge belongs to the natural man. The same was signified also by a female and a male calf. [9] (That the Ancient Church, which was a representative church, was spread through many kingdoms, and was also in Egypt, see n. 1238, 2385, 7097; that the memory-knowledges of the church were especially cultivated in Egypt, and that therefore by "Egypt" in the Word is signified memory-knowledge in both senses, n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 4749, 4964, 4966, 5700, 5702, 6004, 6015, 6125, 6651, 6679, 6683, 6692, 6693, 6750, 7779, 7926; and as memory-truth and its good are the truth and good of the natural man, therefore by "Egypt" in the Word is also signified the natural, n. 4967, 5079, 5080, 5095, 5160, 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301, 6004, 6015, 6147, 6252.) [10] From all this it is now evident that female and male calves were among the chief idols of Egypt, for the reason that female and male calves signified memory-truth and its good, which belong to the natural man, in like manner as does Egypt itself; so that "Egypt" and "a calf" had the same signification, wherefore it is said of Egypt in Jeremiah: Egypt is a very beautiful she-calf; destruction is come out of the north. Also her hired men in the midst of her are like he-calves of the stall (Jer. 46:20, 21); a "she-calf" denotes the memory-truth of the natural man; the "hired men" who are "he-calves" denote those who do what is good for the sake of profit (n. 8002); thus "he-calves" denote such good as in itself is not good, but is the delight of the natural man separate from the spiritual. This is the delight in which were the sons of Jacob, being in itself idolatrous; and therefore they were permitted to make this known and testify it by the adoration of a calf (Exod. 32). [11] This is also described in David: They made a calf in Horeb, and bowed themselves to a molten image; and they changed their glory into the effigy of an ox that eateth the herb (Ps. 106:19, 20); by "making a calf in Horeb and bowing themselves to a molten image" is signified idolatrous worship, which is that of rites, statutes, judgments, and commandments, in the external form only; and not at the same time in the internal. (That that nation was in external things without anything internal, see n. 9320, 9373, 9377, 9380, 9382; and that therefore they were idolatrous in their hearts, n. 3732, 4208, 4281, 4825, 5998, 7401, 8301, 8871, 8882.) By their "changing their glory into the effigy of an ox that eateth the herb" is signified that they estranged themselves from the internal things of the Word and of the church, and worshiped what is external, which is mere memory-knowledge devoid of life; for "glory" denotes what is internal of the Word and of the church (see the preface to Genesis 18; and n. 5922, 8267, 8427); "the effigy of an ox" denotes a semblance of good in the external form, for "an effigy" denotes a semblance, thus that which is devoid of life; and "an ox" denotes good in the natural, thus good in the external form (n. 2566, 2781, 9134); "to eat the herb" denotes to appropriate this to oneself as a mere matter of memory; for "to eat" denotes to appropriate (n. 3168, 3513, 3596, 4745); and "the herb" denotes memory-knowledge (n. 7571). [12] As such things were signified by the "golden calf," that was worshiped by the sons of Israel instead of Jehovah, therefore Moses proceeded with it in the following manner: Your sin, the calf which ye made, I took, and burnt it with fire, and crushed it, grinding it well, until it was as fine as dust; and I cast the dust thereof into the brook that came down from the mountain (Deut. 9:21). No one knows why the golden calf was so dealt with, unless he knows what is signified by being "burned with fire," "crushed," "ground," and "made as fine as dust;" and what by "the brook that came down from the mountain," into which the dust was cast. There is here described the state of those who worship external things without anything internal; namely, that they are in the evils of the loves of self and of the world, and in the falsities thence derived, in respect to what is from the Divine, thus in respect to the Word. For the "fire" by which the calf was burned denotes the evil of the love of self and of the world (n. 1297, 1861, 2446, 5071, 5215, 6314, 6832, 7324, 7575); the "dust" into which it was crushed, denotes the consequent falsity confirmed from the sense of the letter of the Word; and the "brook from Mount Sinai" denotes truth Divine, thus the Word in the letter, for this comes down from it. For those who are in external things without anything internal explain the Word in favor of their own loves, and see therein earthly things, and nothing of heavenly things, like the Israelites and Jews of old, and also of this day. [13] Similar things were also represented by the calves of Jeroboam in Bethel and in Dan (1 Kings 12:26, to the end; 2 Kings 17:16), of which we read in Hosea: They have made a king, but not by Me; they have made princes, and I knew it not; their silver and their gold have they made into idols, that they may be cut off. Thy calf, O Samaria, hath deserted, for this also is from Israel, the workman made it, and it is no God, for the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces (Hos. 8:4-6). The subject here treated of is the perverted understanding and distorted unfolding of the Word by those who are in external things without anything internal; for they remain in the sense of the letter of the Word, which they wrest so as to favor their own loves and the principles taken from them. [14] "Making a king, but not by Me; and making princes, and I knew it not" denotes to hatch truth and primary truths from their own light, and not from the Divine, for in the internal sense "a king" denotes truth (n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068, 6148); and "princes" denote primary truths (n. 1482, 2089, 5044); "making their silver and their gold into idols" denotes to pervert the memory-knowledges of truth and good from the literal sense of the Word, in favor of their own cupidities, and still to worship them as holy, although, being from their own intelligence, they are devoid of life; for "silver" denotes the truth, and "gold" the good, that are from the Divine, thus that belong to the Word (n. 1551, 2954, 5658, 6914, 6917, 8932); and "idols" denote doctrinal things from man's own intelligence which are worshiped as holy, and yet have no life in them (n. 8941) from which it is evident that by a "king" and "princes," and also by "silver" and "gold," are signified falsities from evil; for those things which are from man's own are from evil, and consequently are falsities, although outwardly they appear like truths, because taken from the literal sense of the Word. From this it is evident what is signified by the "calf of Samaria which the workman made," namely, good in the natural man and not at the same time in the spiritual man; thus that which is not good, because applied to evil. "The workman made it, and it is no God," denotes that it is from man's own, and not from the Divine; to be "broken in pieces" denotes to be dispersed. [15] Similar things are meant by "calves" in Hosea: They sin more and more, and make them a molten image of their silver, even idols in their own intelligence, wholly the work of the craftsmen; talking to them, sacrificing men, kissing calves (Hos. 13:2). From all this it is now evident what is signified by a "calf," and a "bullock," in the following passages: The unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with strong ones, and their land shall be drunken with blood, and their dust shall be made fat with fatness (Isa. 34:7). The defensed city is solitary, the habitation is abandoned and forsaken like a wilderness; there shall the calf feed, and there shall he lie down, and consume the branches thereof; the harvest thereof shall wither (Isa. 27:10). From the cry of Heshbon even unto Elealeh, even unto Jahaz, have they uttered their voice, from Zoar even unto Horonaim, a she-calf of three years old; for the waters of Nimrim also shall become desolations (Jer. 48:34). My heart crieth out for Moab; her fugitives are even unto Zoar, a she-calf of three years old; for in the ascent of Luhith with weeping he shall go up (Isa. 15:5). Ephraim is a she-calf that is taught, that loveth to thresh (Hos. 10:11). Rebuke the wild beast of the reed, the congregation of the strong ones, among the calves of the peoples, trampling under foot the fragments of silver; He hath scattered the peoples, they desire wars (Ps. 68:30). [16] The subject here treated of is the arrogance of those who wish to enter from memory-knowledges into the mysteries of faith, and who are not willing to acknowledge anything but that which they themselves hatch therefrom. As they do not see anything from the light of heaven which is from the Lord, but only from the light of nature which is from man's own, they seize on shadows instead of light, on fallacies instead of realities, and in general on falsity instead of truth. As they think insanely, because from the lowest things, they are called "the wild beast of the reed;" and as they reason with vehemence, they are called "the congregation of the strong ones;" and as they disperse the truths that are still remaining and scattered among the goods of those who are in the truths of the church, it is said of them that "they trample under foot the fragments of silver among the calves of the peoples," and further that "they scatter the peoples," that is, the church itself with its truths; the lust of attacking and destroying these truths is meant by "desiring wars." From all this it is again evident that "calves" denote goods. [17] In Zechariah 12:4 it is said, "I will smite every horse of the peoples with blindness;" and by the "horse of the peoples" are signified the intellectual things of truth with those who are of the church, because a "horse" denotes the understanding of truth (see n. 2761). But it is here said, "trampling under foot the fragments of silver, and "scattering the peoples among the calves of the peoples;" and by "trampling under foot" and "scattering" is signified to cast down and disperse (see n. 258). (By "silver" is signified truth, n. 1551, 2954, 5658, 6112, 6914, 6917, 7999, 8932; and by "peoples" those of the church who are in truths, n. 2928, 7207, therefore the truths of the church, n. 1259, 1260, 3295, 3581.) Thus by "the calves of the peoples" are signified the goods of the will with those who are of the church. [18] Moreover, that "calves" signify goods, is evident in Jeremiah: I will give the men that have transgressed My covenant, who have not established the words of the covenant which they have made before Me, of the calf which they cut in twain, that they might pass between the parts thereof; the princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the royal ministers and the priests, and all the people of the land, who have passed between the parts of the calf; I will even give them into the hand of their enemies, that their carcass may be for food to the bird of the heavens, and to the beast of the earth (Jer. 34:18-20). No one can know what is meant by "the covenant of the calf," and what by "passing between the parts thereof," unless he knows what is signified by a "covenant," by a "calf," by its being "divided into two parts;" also what is signified by "the princes of Judah and of Jerusalem," by "the eunuchs," "the priests," and "the people of the land." It is evident that some heavenly secret is infolded. Nevertheless this secret can appear to the understanding when it is known that a "covenant" denotes conjunction, a "calf" good, a "calf cut in twain" good proceeding from the Lord on the one side, and good received by man on the other; and that "the princes of Judah and of Jerusalem, with the royal ministers and the priests, and the peoples of the land," denote the truths and goods of the church from the Word; and that "to pass between the parts" denotes to conjoin. From all these things, when they are known, it is evident that the internal sense of these words is, that there was no conjunction of the good proceeding from the Lord with the good received by man through the Word, consequently through the truths and goods of the church with that nation; but that there was disjunction, for the reason that they were in external things without anything internal. [19] The like was involved in the covenant of the calf with Abram, of which we read in the book of Genesis: Jehovah said unto Abram, Take thee a she-calf of three years, and a she-goat of three years, and a ram of three years, and a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon. And he took him all these and divided them in the midst, and laid each part of it over against the other; and the birds he did not divide. And the fowls came down upon the bodies, and Abram drove them away. And it was when the sun was setting, that a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and behold a terror of great darkness falling upon him. And in that day Jehovah made a covenant with Abram (Gen. 15:9-12, 18). "A terror of great darkness falling upon Abram" signified the state of the Jewish nation, in that they were in the greatest darkness in respect to the truths and goods of the church from the Word, because they were in external things without anything internal, and consequently were in idolatrous worship. For one who is in external things without anything internal is in idolatrous worship, because when he is in worship, his heart and soul are not in heaven, but in the world; and he does not worship the holy things of the Word from heavenly love, but from earthly love. This state of that nation is what is described in the prophet by "the covenant of a calf which they had cut into two parts," and "between which they passed."

Verses 6-8. And Moses took half of the blood, and put it into basins; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. And he took the book of the covenant, and read it in the ears of the people; and they said, All that Jehovah hath spoken we will do and hear. And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant that Jehovah hath made with you upon all these words. "And Moses took half of the blood," signifies Divine truth that has been made of the life and of worship; "and put it into basins," signifies with man in the things of his memory; "and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar," signifies Divine truth from the Divine Human of the Lord; "and he took the book of the covenant," signifies the Word in the letter with which the Word in heaven has been conjoined; "and read it in the ears of the people," signifies for hearkening and obedience; "and they said, All things that Jehovah hath spoken we will do and hear," signifies the reception of the truth that proceeds from the Divine Human of the Lord, and obedience from the heart and soul; "and Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people," signifies adaptation to the reception of man; "and said, Behold the blood of the covenant," signifies thereby the conjunction of the Lord in respect to the Divine Human with heaven and with earth; "that Jehovah hath made with you upon all these words," signifies that there is conjunction with the Lord through each and all things of the Word.

And Moses took half of the blood. That this signifies Divine truth that has been made of the life and of worship, is evident from the signification of "blood," as being the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord (see n. 4735, 6978, 7317, 7326, 7850, 9127). That the Divine truth which has been made of the life and of worship is signified, is because it was the blood that Moses sprinkled on the people (verse 8), by which "blood" is signified Divine truth received by man, thus which has been made of the life and of worship. For that truth is said to be received by man which has been made of the life and thus of worship; and it has become of the life and of worship when the man is affected by it, that is, loves it, or what is the same thing, wills it, and from willing does it from love and affection. Until this is the case, truth is indeed with man in his memory, and is sometimes called forth thence to the internal sight or understanding, from which it again falls back into the memory. But so long as truth Divine has not entered more interiorly, it is indeed with man, but still it is not implanted in the life and will; for the life of man is his will. And therefore when truth is called forth from the memory into the understanding, and from the understanding enters the will, and from the will goes forth into act, then the truth becomes of the man's life, and is called good. From all this it is evident what is meant by Divine truth being made of the life. It is the same with the truth that is made of the worship. Worship from truth that cleaves to the mere memory, and from this appears in the understanding, is not worship. But worship from truth that goes forth from the will, thus from affection and love, is worship. This worship is called in the Word worship "from the heart," but the former is worship "of the mouth" only. [2] It has indeed already been shown, in passages cited above, that "blood" denotes the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord. But as many of the church at this day have no other conception of the blood in the Holy Supper than of the blood of the Lord shed on the cross; and in a more general sense, the passion itself of the cross; it may here be shown in a few words that it is not blood which is there meant, but the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord. The reason why this is unknown within the church, is that at the present day nothing whatever is known about correspondences, consequently nothing about the internal sense of the Word, which is the sense in which the angels are when the Word is read by man. [3] That "blood" does not denote blood, but truth Divine, can be seen from many passages in the Word, and plainly from this in Ezekiel: Say to the bird of every wing, and to every wild animal of the field, Be ye assembled, and come; assemble yourselves from around upon My sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, that ye may eat flesh and drink blood. Ye shall eat the flesh of the strong ones, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth. Ye shall eat fat to satiety, and drink blood unto drunkenness, of My sacrifice that I will sacrifice for you. Ye shall be sated upon My table with horse and chariot, and with every man of war. Thus do I set My glory among the nations (Ezek. 39:17-21). That by "blood" is not here meant blood, is very evident, for it is said that they "shall drink the blood of the princes of the earth, and the blood of the sacrifice, even unto drunkenness," when yet to drink blood, and especially the blood of princes, is an abominable thing, and was forbidden the sons of Israel under the penalty of death (Lev. 3:17; 7:26; 17; Deut. 12:17-26; 15:23). It is also said that they "shall be sated with horse, chariot, and every man of war." He therefore who does not know that "blood" signifies Divine truth; "princes," primary truths; a "sacrifice," the things of worship; a "horse," the understanding of truth; a "chariot," doctrine; and a "man of war," truth fighting against falsity; must be amazed at the details of this passage. [4] In like manner at the Lord's words in John: Jesus said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye will have no life in you. He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, abideth in Me, and I in him (John 6:53-56). But see what has been already said about these words in n. 4735, 6978, 7317, 7326, 7850, 9127. That flesh corresponds to good, in like manner bread; and that blood corresponds to truth, in like manner wine; has very often been told me from heaven; as also that the angels perceive the Word no otherwise than according to correspondences; and that in this way man has conjunction with heaven through the Word, and through heaven with the Lord. [5] In like manner I have been told that the Holy supper was instituted by the Lord in order that by it there might be a conjunction of all things of heaven, that is, of all things of the Lord, with the man of the church; because in this supper the flesh and the bread denote the Divine good of the Lord's Divine love toward the whole human race, and man's reciprocal love to the Lord; and the blood and the wine denote the Divine truth proceeding from the Divine good of the Lord's Divine love, and this received in turn by man; and in heaven to eat and drink these things denotes appropriation and conjunction. (But see what has been already shown on this subject in n. 2165, 2177, 3464, 4211, 4217, 4581, 4735, 5915, 6789, 7850, 9323.)

And put it into basins. That this signifies with man in the things of his memory, is evident from the signification of "basins," as being the things of the memory. The reason why "basins" denote the things of the memory, is that vessels in general signify memory-knowledges (see n. 1469, 1496, 3068, 3079); and these are nothing else than things of the memory. Therefore "basins" here denote such things of the memory as contain the truths Divine which in general are signified by "blood." What memory-knowledges are relatively to the truths and goods of life with man, shall be briefly told. All things learned and stored up in the memory, and that can be called forth from it to the intellectual sight, are called memory-knowledges, and in themselves are the things that constitute the understanding of the natural or external man. Being knowledges, these memory-knowledges are of service to the sight of the internal or rational man as a kind of mirror in which to see such things as are of service to itself. For these fall under the view of the internal man just as fields full of grass, flowers, various kinds of crops, and of trees; or as gardens adorned with various useful and delightful objects, fall under the view of the external man in the material world. Yet the internal sight, which is the understanding, sees nothing else in the fields or gardens of the things of its memory than such as agree with the loves in which the man is, and also favor the principles he loves. [2] Wherefore they who are in the loves of self and of the world see only such things as favor these loves, and they call them truths, and by means of fallacies and appearances they also make them appear like truths; and afterward they see such things as agree with the principles they have adopted, which they love because they are from themselves. From this it is plain that the knowledges which are things of memory, are of service to those who are in the aforesaid loves as means of confirming falsities against truths, and evils against goods, and thus of destroying the truths and goods of the church. Hence it is that the learned who are of this character are more insane than the simple, and when by themselves deny the Divine, Providence, heaven, hell, the life after death, and the truths of faith. This is well seen from the learned of the European world at this day in the other life, where a vast number of them are atheists at heart; for in the other life hearts speak, and not lips. From all this it is now evident of what use knowledges are to those who think from the delights of the loves of self and of the world. [3] But it is very different with those who think from the delights of heavenly loves, which are love to the Lord and love toward the neighbor. As the thought of these persons is led by the Lord through heaven, they see and choose nothing else in the fields and gardens of the things of their memory than those which agree with the delights of their loves and with the doctrinal things of their church, and which they love. To them the things of the memory are like heavenly paradises, and in the Word they are also represented and signified by paradises (n. 3220). [4] Be it known further that when memory-knowledges-that is, the things of the memory-become of the man's life, they vanish from the exterior memory, just as the gestures, actions, speech, reflections, intentions, and in general the thoughts and affections of man are wont to do, when by continual use or habit they become as it were spontaneous and natural; but no other things become of man's life than those which enter into the delights of his loves and form them; thus those which enter into his will. (On this subject see what has been said and shown above, n. 8853-8858; and also concerning the exterior memory which is of man's body, and the interior memory which is of his spirit, n. 2469-2494.) [5] That memory-knowledges are vessels, and in the Word are signified by vessels of every kind, as by "basins," "cups," "waterpots," and the like, is because every memory-knowledge is a general thing that contains in it particular and singular things that agree with the general; and such generals are disposed into series, and as it were into bundles; and these bundles and series are in turn so arranged in order as to bear relation to the heavenly form; and thus everything is set in order from things the most singular to those the most general. An idea of such series can be formed from the series and bundles of muscular fibers in the human body, every bundle therein consisting of many motor fibers, and every motor fiber of blood-vessels and sinewy fibers; every muscular bundle also, which in a general term is called a muscle, is encompassed by its coat or sheath, whereby it is kept distinct from other muscles; and the same is the case with the interior little bundles or fascicles which are called motor fibers. Nevertheless all the muscles, and the motor fibers contained in them, in the whole body, have been so set in order as to concur in every action according to the pleasure of the will, and this in a manner incomprehensible. So it is with the knowledges of the memory, which also are in like manner excited by the delight of the man's love, which is of his will, yet by means of his intellectual part. That which has been made of the man's life-which is that which has been made of his will or love-excites them; for the interior man has them constantly in view, and is delighted with them insofar as they agree with his loves; and those things which enter fully into the loves, and become spontaneous, and as it were natural, vanish out of the external memory; but remain inscribed on the internal memory, from which they are never erased. In this manner memory-knowledges become of the life. [6] From this it is also evident that memory-knowledges are as it were the vessels of the interior life of man, and that this is the reason why memory-knowledges are signified by vessels of various kinds, and here by "basins." Similar things are signified by "vessels" and "basins" in Isaiah: I will fasten him as a nail in a trusty place, that he may be for a throne of glory to the house of his father, upon whom they may hang all the glory of his father's house, of sons and grandsons, every vessel of small capacity, from the vessels of basins even to all the vessels of psalteries (Isa. 22:23, 24). The subject here treated of in the internal and representative sense is the Divine Human of the Lord, and that through Him and from Him are all truths and goods from first to last; memory-truths from a celestial stock are meant by "vessels of basins," and memory-truths from a spiritual stock by "vessels of psalteries." And in Zechariah: In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, Holiness to Jehovah; and the pots in the house of Jehovah shall be like the basins before the altar (Zech. 14:20); "the bells of the horses" denote memory-truths from an enlightened understanding (n. 2761, 2762, 5321); and "the basins before the altar" denote memory-goods. Similar things are signified by "the basins of the altar" in Exodus 27:3; 38:3.

And half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. That this signifies Divine truth from the Divine Human of the Lord, is evident from the signification of "blood," as being Divine truth (of which just above, n. 9393); and from the signification of "the altar," as being a representative of the Divine Human of the Lord (n. 921, 2777, 2811, 4489); consequently the chief representative of the worship of the Lord (n. 4541, 8935, 8940). That by this half of the blood, which was sprinkled on the altar, is signified the Divine truth proceeding from the Divine Human of the Lord; and by the other half of the blood, which was sprinkled on the people (verse 8), is signified this same Divine truth received by the man of the church, is because a covenant was being entered into, and by a "covenant" is signified conjunction (n. 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021, 6804, 8767, 8778); and the conjunction of the Lord with the man of the church takes place when the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord is received by man. From this it is evident why blood was employed; and why when sprinkled on the altar and on the people, it was called "the blood of the covenant" (verse 8).

And he took the book of the covenant. That this signifies the Word in the letter with which the Word in heaven has been conjoined, is evident from the signification of "the book," as being the Word in the whole complex (of which in what follows); and from the signification of a "covenant," as being conjunction (n. 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021, 6804, 8767, 8778). By "the book of the covenant" is here meant everything the Lord spoke from Mount Sinai, for it is said just above (verse 4) "and Moses wrote all the words of Jehovah." Consequently by "the book of the covenant" in a narrow sense is meant the Word revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai, and in a wide sense the Word in the whole complex, because this is the Divine truth revealed by the Lord. And as the Lord thereby conjoins Himself with the man of the church, it is "the book of the covenant," because "covenant" denotes conjunction. [2] But at the present day it is not known what is the conjunction of the Lord with the man of the church through the Word, because heaven is now closed. For at the present day scarcely anyone speaks with angels and spirits, and thereby knows how they perceive the Word; when yet this was known to the ancient, and especially to the most ancient people, for it was a common thing with them to speak with spirits and angels. The reason was that in ancient times, and especially in the most ancient times, men were interior men, for they thought in the spirit almost abstractedly from the body; whereas modern men are exterior men, and think in the body almost abstractedly from the spirit. Hence it is that heaven has as it were gone away from man; for the communication of heaven is with the internal man when this can be abstracted from the body, but not with the external man immediately. Consequently the nature of the conjunction of the Lord with man through the Word is not now known. [3] Those who think from the sensuous of the body, and not from the sensuous of the spirit, must needs conceive that the sense of the Word in heaven is such as it is in the world, that is, such as it is in the letter. If it be said that the sense of the Word in heaven is such as is the thought of the internal man, which is devoid of material ideas, that is, of worldly, bodily, and earthly ideas, this would now be a paradox; and especially if it should be said that the sense of the Word in heaven differs as much from its sense in the world (that is, in the letter), as a heavenly paradise differs from an earthly one, and as heavenly food and drink differ from earthly. How great the difference is, appears from the fact that the heavenly paradise is intelligence and wisdom; that heavenly food is all the good of love and charity; and heavenly drink all the truth of faith from this good. At the present day who would not marvel if he should hear that when mention is made in the Word of a "paradise," a "garden," a "vineyard," in heaven there are perceived no paradise, garden, or vineyard; but instead of these such things as belong to intelligence and wisdom from the Lord; and that when mention is made of meat and drink, such as "bread," "flesh," "wine," "water," instead of these there are perceived in heaven such things as belong to the good of love and truth of faith from the Lord; and this not by unfoldings nor in a comparative manner, but in actuality from correspondences; because the heavenly things that pertain to wisdom, intelligence, the good of love, and the truth of faith, correspond in actuality to these earthly things. And into this correspondence was the internal man created relatively to the external man; thus heaven which is in the internal man relatively to the world which is in the external man. And such is the case in general. That in heaven the Word is understood and perceived according to correspondences, and that this sense is the internal sense, has been shown throughout in the preceding pages. [4] He who apprehends what has just been said, can know, and in some measure perceive, that through the Word there is a conjunction of man with heaven, and through heaven with the Lord; and that without the Word there would be no conjunction. (See what has been shown on this subject in n. 2143, 7153, 7381, 8920, 9094, 9212, 9216, 9357, and in many other places.) From this it is now evident why Moses took the book of the covenant and read it before the people; and why he then sprinkled the blood on the people and said, "Behold the blood of the covenant." This was done for the reason that in heaven the blood of the sacrifice denotes the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, thus on our earth the Word (n. 9393). As by a "covenant" is signified conjunction, and as conjunction is effected through the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord, that is, the Word, therefore all things that belong to the Divine truth from the Lord, or to the Word, are called a "covenant," such as the tables on which the ten commandments were written, and also the judgments, statutes, and all other things contained in the books of Moses, and in general all things contained in the Word of both Old and New Testaments. [5] That the tables on which the ten commandments were written were called a "covenant," is evident from the following passages: Jehovah wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten words (Exod. 34:28). I went up into the mountain to receive the tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant which Jehovah made with you; Jehovah gave me the two tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant. I came down from the mountain, when the mountain was burning with fire; and the two tables of the covenant were on my two hands (Deut. 9:9, 11, 15). Jehovah declared unto you His covenant, which He commanded you to do, even the ten words, which He wrote upon the tables of stone. Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of Jehovah your God, which He made with you (Deut. 4:13, 23). As the two tables were deposited in the ark, which was in the middle, that is, in the inmost, of the tabernacle, therefore the ark was called "the ark of the covenant" (Num. 10:33; 14:44; Deut. 10:8; 31:9, 25, 26; Josh. 3:3, 6, 8, 11, 14, 17; 4:7, 9, 18; 6:6, 8; 8:33; Judges 20:27; 1 Sam. 4:3-5; 2 Sam. 15:24; 1 Kings 3:15; 6:19; 8:1, 6; Jer. 3:16.) [6] That the books of Moses were called "the book of the covenant," is evident from the finding of them by Hilkiah the priest in the temple, of which we read in the second book of the Kings: Hilkiah the high priest found the book of the law in the house of Jehovah; and they read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant found in the house of Jehovah (2 Kings 22:7; 23:2). [7] That the Word of the Old Testament was called a "covenant," is evident from the following passages: To them that hold fast My covenant will I give in My house, and within My walls, a place and a name better than sons and daughters (Isa. 56:4, 5). Hear ye the words of this covenant, which I commanded your fathers. Obey My voice, and do them, according to all which I command you (Jer. 11:2, 4). All the ways of Jehovah are mercy and truth unto such as keep His covenant and His testimonies (Ps. 25:10). The mercy of Jehovah is from eternity to eternity upon them that fear Him, and His righteousness to the sons of sons; to such as keep His covenant, and to those that remember His commandments (Ps. 103:17, 18). They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in His law (Ps. 78:10); where the covenant of God is called "the law" of God. (That by "the law" in a wide sense is meant the whole Word; in a less wide sense the historic Word; in a narrow sense the Word written by Moses; and in the narrowest sense the ten commandments of the Decalogue, see n. 6752.) [8] That the Word of the New Testament also is a "covenant," is evident in Jeremiah: Behold the days come that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah. This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, I will put My law in the midst of them, and I will write it on their heart (Jer. 31:31, 33). "The house of Israel" denotes the spiritual church; and "the house of Judah," the celestial church. And in David: I also will make him the firstborn, high among the kings of the earth, and My covenant shall stand fast with him. My covenant will I not make vile, nor change the declaration of My lips (Ps. 89:27, 28, 34); speaking of the Lord; "My covenant shall stand fast with him" denotes the union of the Divine Itself and the Divine Human; thus also the Word, for the Lord as to the Divine Human was the Word that was made flesh, that is, man (John 1:1-3, 14). [9] That the Divine truth or the Word is a covenant or conjunction, is because it is the Divine from the Lord, thus the Lord Himself. And therefore when the Word is received by man, the Lord Himself is received. From this it is evident that through the Word there is conjunction of the Lord with man; and because there is conjunction of the Lord with man, there is also conjunction of heaven with man, for heaven is called heaven from the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord, consequently from what is Divine; and therefore those who are in heaven are said to be "in the Lord." That the Divine conjoins Itself with those who love the Lord, and keep His Word, may be seen in John 14:23. [10] From all this it can be seen that by "the blood of the covenant" is meant the conjunction of the Lord through heaven with man by means of the Word. Also in Zechariah: I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the war bow shall be cut off; and He shall speak peace unto the nations; His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth. As for thee also, through the blood of thy covenant, I will send forth thy bound ones out of the pit wherein is no water (Zech. 9:10, 11). [11] He who knows nothing of the internal sense cannot conceive here anything but what is contained in the sense of the letter; namely, that the chariot shall be cut off from Ephraim, the horse from Jerusalem, and the war bow, and finally that by "the blood of the covenant" is meant the blood of the Lord, by which those who are in sins should be set free; explaining in various ways who are meant by "the bound ones in the pit wherein is no water." But he who is acquainted with the internal sense of the Word conceives that Divine truth is here treated of, and that after this has been laid waste, or vastated, that is, after it is no longer received in faith and heart by man, it will be restored through the truth Divine that proceeds from the Lord's Divine Human; and thus that those who believe and do it will be conjoined with the Lord Himself. This can be more clearly seen from the internal sense of the several words of the passage; as from the signification of a "chariot" as being the doctrine of the church (n. 2760, 5321, 5945, 8215); of "Ephraim" as being the enlightened understanding of the church (n. 5354, 6222, 6238); from the signification of a "horse" as being the understanding of the Word (n. 2760-2762, 3217, 5321, 6125, 6534, 8029, 8146, 8148); and of "Jerusalem" as being the spiritual church (n. 2117, 3654, 9166); from the signification of a "bow" as being the doctrine of truth (n. 2686, 2709); and of "war" as being a combat about truths (n. 1664, 2686, 8295). [12] From this it is evident that by "cutting off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the war bow," is signified the vastation of truth Divine in the church in respect to all the understanding of it; and that by "the bound ones in the pit wherein was no water being sent forth through the blood of the covenant," is signified restoration through the Divine truth that proceeds from the Divine Human of the Lord. (That "blood" denotes Divine truth, and that a "covenant" denotes conjunction, has been shown above; also that "the bound ones in the pit" denote those of the spiritual church who were saved by the Lord's coming into the world, n. 6854.) It is said "a pit wherein is no water," because by "water" is signified truth (n. 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668, 7307, 8137, 8138, 8568, 9323).

And read it in the ears of the people. That this signifies for hearkening and obedience, is evident from the signification of "reading," as being for hearkening; for when anything is read, it is that it may be heard, perceived, and obeyed; that is, that it may be hearkened unto; and from the signification of "in the ears," as being for obedience; for "the ears," and "hearing," signify obeying (see n. 2542, 3869, 4551, 4652-4660, 5471, 5475, 7216, 8361, 8990, 9311). [2] As "the ears" signify not only hearing and notice, but also obedience, therefore in the Word frequent mention is made of speaking "in the ears," and reading "in the ears," of people; and not of speaking and reading "before them;" as in the following passages: Hear thou these words that I speak in thine ears, and in the ears of all the people (Jer. 28:7). They spoke these words in the ears of the people (1 Sam. 11:4). Let thine handmaid speak in thine ears (1 Sam. 25:24). Proclaim in the ears of the people, saying (Judg. 7:3). Speak in the ears of the people (Exod. 11:2). Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the judgments which I speak in your ears this day (Deut. 5:1). I speak these words in their ears (Deut. 31:28). Moses spoke all the words of the song in the ears of the people (Deut. 32:44). He read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant (2 Kings 23:2). They said unto him, Sit down and read it in our ears; and Baruch read it in their ears (Jer. 36:15). When Jesus had ended all the words in the ears of the people (Luke 7:1). [3] As "the ear," and "hearing," signify the reception of truth, notice, and obedience, thus the first and the last of faith, therefore it was so often said by the Lord, "He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear" (Matt. 11:15; 13:9, 43; Mark 4:9, 23; 7:16; Luke 14:35). And because by "the deaf," that is, those who do not hear, are signified in the spiritual sense those who are not in the faith of truth, because they are not in the knowledge and consequent perception of it (n. 6989, 9209), therefore when the Lord healed one that was deaf, "He put His finger into his ears, and said, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. And straightway his ears were opened" (Mark 7:32-35). (That all the miracles of the Lord infolded and signified states of the church, see n. 8364, 9086.)

And they said, All things that Jehovah hath spoken we will do and hear. That this signifies the reception of the truth that proceeds from the Divine Human of the Lord, and obedience from the heart and soul, is evident from the signification of "all things that Jehovah hath spoken," as being the truth that proceeds from the Divine Human of the Lord (of which in what follows); from the signification of "doing," as being obedience in the will, thus in the heart (see n. 9311, 9385); and from the signification of "hearing," as being obedience in the understanding, thus in the soul (n. 7216, 8361, 9311). Obedience from the heart is obedience from the will, thus from the affection of love; and obedience from the soul is obedience from the understanding, thus from faith; for "the heart" signifies the will and the love (n. 3883-3896, 7542, 8910, 9050, 9300); and "the soul" signifies the understanding and faith (n. 2930, 9050, 9281). Therefore it is said, "we will do and hear." The reason why "all things that Jehovah hath spoken," denotes the truth that proceeds from the Divine Human of the Lord, is that all truth proceeds therefrom. That Divine truth does not proceed from the Divine Itself, but from the Divine Human, is clearly evident in John: 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). And therefore in the same chapter the Lord is called "the Word" (John 1:1-3), which denotes the Divine truth; and it is said that "the Word was made flesh," that is, man (John 1:14), in order that the Divine Itself under a human form might teach truth Divine in actuality. (That the Lord is the Divine Itself under a human form, see n. 9315.) From all this it is evident that by "all things that Jehovah hath spoken," is signified the truth that proceeds from the Divine Human of the Lord.

And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people. That this signifies adaptation to the reception of man, is evident from the signification of "the blood of the sacrifice," as being the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord (of which above, n. 9393); and from the signification of "sprinkling on the people," as being adaptation to the reception of man; for by "sprinkling" is signified flowing in, thus adapting. For the Divine truth which is from the Lord is continually flowing in with man, and forms his understanding; and if you will believe it, without this continual influx of the truth Divine that proceeds from the Lord a man can perceive and understand nothing whatever. For the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord is the light which lights up the mind of man, and makes the internal sight, which is the understanding; and as this light continually flows in, it adapts everyone to receive. But they who receive are they who are in the good of life; and they who do not receive are they who are in evil of life. Nevertheless the latter, like the former, have the capacity of perceiving and understanding, and also the capacity of receiving, insofar as they desist from evils. These things were signified by the half of the blood which Moses sprinkled on the people. [2] (That the Divine truth which proceeds from the Lord is the light which lights up the mind of man, and makes his internal sight, which is the understanding, see n. 2776, 3167, 3195, 3636, 3643, 3993, 4405, 5400, 8644, 8707.) This also is meant in John: That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, but the world knew Him not (John 1:9, 10); the subject here treated of is the Word, which is the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord. [3] That every man in the world who is of sound reason has the capacity of understanding truth Divine, and consequently the capacity of receiving it, insofar as he desists from evils, has been given me to know by much experience. For all in the other life, without exception, both the evil and the good, can understand what is true and what is false, and also what is good and what is evil; but although the evil understand what is true and good, they nevertheless do not desire to understand, because their will and the evil therein make resistance. And therefore when they are left to themselves, they nevertheless sink back into the falsities of their evil, and hold in aversion the truth and good which they had understood. The case had been the same with such persons in the world, where they had rejected truths, although they could understand them. From this experience it has become evident that the Divine truth which proceeds from the Lord is continually flowing into human minds and adapting them to receive it, and that it is received in the proportion that the evils of the loves of self and of the world are desisted from.

And said, Behold the blood of the covenant. That this signifies the conjunction of the Lord in respect to the Divine Human with heaven and with earth, is evident from the signification of "blood," as being the Divine truth that proceeds from the Divine Human of the Lord (of which above, n. 9393, 9399); and from the signification of "the covenant," as being conjunction (of which also above, n. 9396). That the conjunction with heaven and with earth is signified, is because the Divine truth that proceeds from the Divine Human of the Lord passes through the heavens down to man, and on the way is accommodated to each heaven, and lastly to man himself. Divine truth on our earth is the Word (n. 9350-9362), which is of such a character that in respect to each and all things it has an internal sense which is for the heavens; and finally an external sense, which is the sense of the letter, and which is for man. From this it is evident that through the Word there is conjunction of the Lord with the heavens and with the world (n. 2143, 7153, 7381, 8920, 9094, 9212, 9216, 9357, 9396). [2] A sure conclusion from this is that without the Word on this earth there would be no conjunction of heaven, thus no conjunction of the Lord, with man; and if there were no conjunction, the human race on this earth would utterly perish. For that which makes the interior life of man is the influx of truth Divine from the Lord, because this truth Divine is the very light that lights up the sight of the internal man; that is, his understanding; and it is the heavenly heat within this light, which is love, that enkindles and vivifies the will of the internal man. And therefore without this light and heat the internal of man would become blind and cold, and would die, just as the external of man would die if deprived of the heat and light of the sun of the world. But this will appear as a paradox to those who do not believe that the Word is of such a nature; and also to those who believe that life is in man as his own, and does not continually flow in through heaven from the Lord. (That the life of man is not in himself, but flows in from the Lord, see n. 4249, 4882, 5147, 5150, 5986, 6053-6058, 6189-6215, 6307-6327, 6466-6495, 6598-6626, 6982, 6985, 6996, 7055, 7056, 7058, 7147, 7270, 7343, 8685, 8701, 8717, 8728, 9110, 9111, 9223, 9276; and that the Lord's church scattered through the whole world is before the Lord as one man, n. 9276, in like manner as is heaven, which is for this reason called the Grand Man; and that the church where is the Word is as the heart and lungs of this man; and that all outside the church live therefrom, as the members, viscera, and all the other organs of the body, live from the heart and lungs, n. 2054, 2853, 7396.)