Spiritual Meaning of EXODUS 25:17-22
[2] That it also denotes the reception of all things of worship, is because those only are heard who have been propitiated or expiated, that is, cleansed from evils; and their worship alone is received by the Lord; but those are not heard who are in evils, that is, who have not been expiated or propitiated. On this account also Aaron was not allowed to approach the propitiatory until he had cleansed and expiated himself and the people. That for this reason "the propitiatory" denotes the hearing and reception of all things of worship, is also evident from the fact that Jehovah spoke with Moses over the propitiatory between the two cherubs. That it is worship from the good of love that is received, is because no one is admitted into heaven, thus to the Lord, except one who is in good, namely, in the good of love to the Lord and in the good of charity toward the neighbor (n. 8516, 8539, 8722, 8772, 9139, 9227, 9230, 9274); consequently no one else is heard, and his worship received. For this reason also cherubs were over the propitiatory; for by "the cherubs" is signified guard and providence lest the Lord be approached except through the good of love, thus lest any enter into heaven except those who are in good, and also lest those who are in heaven be approached and injured by those who are in hell. From all this it can be seen what was signified by the propitiatory being upon the ark, and by the cherubs being over the propitiatory; and further by the propitiatory and the cherubs being of pure gold; for "gold" signifies the good of love, and "the ark" signifies heaven where the Lord is.
[3] That "the propitiatory" signifies cleansing from evils, thus the forgiveness of sins, is evident from the passages in the Word where "propitiation" or "expiation" is mentioned; as in the following passages:--
O Jehovah, expiate our sins for Thy name‘s sake (Ps. 79:9).
He, being merciful, expiated their iniquity (Ps. 78:38).
Thou shalt expiate me with hyssop, and I shall be made clean; Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow (Ps. 51:7).
Evil shall come upon thee, which thou shalt not know how to avert by prayer; calamity shall fall upon thee, which thou shall not be able to expiate (Isa. 47:11).
Sing, ye nations, His people; who will avenge the blood of His servants, and will make expiation for His land, for His people (Deut. 32:43).
[4] Expiations were made by means of sacrifices, and after they had been made, we read, "The priest shall expiate him from sin, and he shall be forgiven" (Lev. 4:26, 31, 35; 5:6, 10, 13, 16, 18; 9:7; 15:15, 30). Expiation was also made by means of silver (Exod. 30:16; Ps. 49:8). Therefore there was a day of expiations before the feast of tabernacles (Lev. 22:27-32). But be it known that these expiations were not real cleansings from evils, nor forgivenesses of sins, but represented them; for every ritual with the Israelitish and Jewish nation was merely representative of the Lord, of His kingdom and church, and of such things as belong to heaven and the church. In what manner the representations presented such things before the angels in heaven, (n. 9229).
[5] As cleansing from evils and forgiveness of sins were signified by " the propitiatory," there were also signified by it the hearing and reception of all things that belong to worship; for he who has been cleansed from evils is heard, and his worship is received. This was represented by Jehovah speaking above the propitiatory with Moses, and commanding what the sons of Israel should do, as is evident from (verse 22) of the present chapter, where it is said, "There I will meet with thee, and I will speak with thee from above the propitiatory, from between the two cherubs that are over the ark of the testimony, all that I shall command thee for the sons of Israel." In like manner in another place: "When Moses spake with Jehovah, he heard the voice speaking from above the propitiatory that was upon the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubs" (Num. 7:89). That a man would be heard and his worship received after he had been cleansed from evils, was represented by Aaron’s not entering into the holy of holies within the veil before the propitiatory until he had first expiated himself and the people, which was effected by means of washing, sacrifices, incense, and blood; and it is said, "So shall he expiate the holy place from the uncleannesses of the sons of Israel, and from their transgressions as to all their sins" (Lev. 16:16); "and that Jehovah would appear there in a cloud" (Lev. 16:2). "In a cloud" denotes in Divine truth accommodated to the reception and apprehension of men, such as is the Word in the sense of the letter (n. 4060, 4391, 5922, 6343, 6752, 8106, 8443, 8781).
. Two cubits and a half the length thereof. That this signifies all in respect to good, is evident from what was shown above (n. 9487). . And a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, signifies full in respect to truth, as may also be seen above (n. 9488). . And thou shalt make two cherubs. That this signifies no admission and approach to the Lord except through the good of love, is evident from the signification of "cherubs," as being guard and providence lest the Lord should be approached except through the good of love. As this was signified by the "cherubs," they were placed over the propitiatory that was upon the ark, and therefore they were made of solid gold; for by the "ark" is signified heaven where the Lord is (n. 9485), and by "gold," the good of love (n. 9490). That there is no approach to the Lord except through the good of love, is because love is spiritual conjunction, and all good is of love. Therefore those who are in the good of love to the Lord are brought in to Him in heaven, because they are conjoined with Him; and so are those who are in the good of love toward the neighbor, for the neighbor is the good of one‘s fellow citizen, the good of our country, the good of the church, the good of the whole kingdom of the Lord, and in the supreme sense, the Lord Himself, because from Him is this good with man.[2] During regeneration man has two states, one after the other. The first one is when the man is led by means of the truths of faith to the good of love. The second is when he is in the good of love; and when he is in this, he is in heaven with the Lord. From this it is evident that this good is heaven itself with man, because this good is the Lord with him, for it is from the Lord. Concerning these two successive states with the man who is being regenerated, (n. 7923, 7992, 8505, 8506, 8516, 8512, 8516, 8643, 8648, 8658, 8685, 8690, 8701, 9224, 9227, 9230, 9274); and that a man comes into heaven when he is in good, that is, when he is led by the Lord by means of good, (n. 8516, 8539, 8722, 8772, 9139).
[3] That the "cherubs" signify guard and providence lest the Lord and also heaven be approached except through the good of love, that is, except by those who are in the good of love; and also lest the good which is from the Lord in heaven and with man be injured; is evident from the passages in the Word where "cherubs" are mentioned; as in Genesis:--
And He cast out the man; and He caused to dwell at the east of the garden of Eden cherubs, and the flame of a sword that turned itself, to guard the way of the tree of lives (Genesis 3:24);
that "the cherubs" here are guards is evident, for it is said "to guard the way of the tree of lives." "The tree of lives" denotes the good of love which is from the Lord, thus the Lord; and it is guarded by its not being approached except through the good of love.
[4] It is believed that the Lord can be approached through the truths of faith; but He cannot be approached through these truths when they are separated from the good of love; nor indeed can heaven; but as soon as truths separated wish to enter, heaven is closed against them, thus the way to the Lord; and as truth cannot enter by virtue of itself, unless good is in it, and it thereby becomes the truth of good, so neither can the understanding, and still less can memory-knowledges separated from the good of the will.
[5] As guard and providence lest the Lord be approached, and also heaven, except through the good of love, is signified by "the cherubs," therefore in the Word Jehovah is said "to sit on the cherubs," and also "to ride" and "to dwell upon the cherubs," as in the following passages:
Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, Thou that sittest upon the cherubs, shine forth (Ps. 80:1).
Jehovah shall reign; the peoples shall shake. He sitteth on the cherubs (Ps. 99:1).
Jehovah rode upon a cherub, and did fly (Ps. 18:10).
Jehovah Zebaoth, that dwellest on the cherubs (Isa. 37:16).
And for this reason there were cherubs on the curtains of the Habitation, and on the veil (Exod. 26:1, 31; 36:35); and also upon the walls of the temple round about, and upon the doors thereof (1 Kings 6:23-29, 31-35); and in like manner in the new temple described in (Ezekiel 41:18-20). That there were cherubs upon the curtains of the Habitation, upon the veil, upon the walls of the temple, and upon the doors of it, signified the guard of the Lord lest the holy Divine should be approached except through the good of love; and that there were cherubs upon the ark signified that the Lord Himself was not to be approached except through this good. Therefore also the cherubs were made of solid gold, and in the temple at Jerusalem were made of wood of oil, for by "gold" and by "oil" is signified the good of love.
[6] This guard and providence of the Lord is described by the four animals, each of which had four faces, under the throne on which the Lord was, in Ezekiel chapters 1 and 10; and also by the four animals round about the throne on which the Lord was, in the (Rev. 4:6-10; 5:6, 8, 9, 14). By "the four animals" is signified under various aspects the good that proceeds from the Lord, and guarding and protecting lest there be admitted anything else except the good of love to the Lord, and the good of love toward the neighbor; by the "throne" upon which the Lord was, is signified heaven.
. Of solid gold shalt thou make them. That this signifies a representative of this good, is evident from the signification of "gold," as being the good of love (n. 113, 1551, 1552, 5658, 6917); that gold is not the good of love, but the representative of it, is manifest; in like manner the olive-wood of which the cherubs in the temple at Jerusalem were made (1 Kings 6:23). That "olive-wood" denotes the good of love, (n. 886); and also the "oil" itself, (n. 3728, 4582, 4638). . At the two ends of the propitiatory. That this signifies celestial good and spiritual good, is evident from the signification of the "cherub" at one end, as being the approach through celestial good; and from the signification of the "cherub" at the other end, as being the approach through spiritual good. The same is here signified by "the two ends" as by the Lord’s right and left hands; by His "right hand" is signified the good of celestial love, which is the good of love to the Lord; and by His "left hand" the good of spiritual love, which is the good of love toward the neighbor. From this also all things on man‘s right side correspond to celestial good; and those on his left side to spiritual good; for all things with man correspond to heaven. Those who are in these goods are meant by "sitting on the Lord’s right and left hands" in Mark:--To sit on My right hand, and on My left hand, is not Mine to give; except to those for whom it hath been prepared (Mark 10:40);
"to give to those for whom it hath been prepared" signifies to bestow from mercy upon those who are in the good of life and of faith (n. 9305), thus on those who are in celestial good and in spiritual good.
. And make one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end. That this signifies the approach for celestial good and for spiritual good, is evident from the signification of a "cherub," as being admission and approach to the Lord through the good of love (n. 9509); and from the signification of "at the one end and at the other end," as being celestial good and spiritual good (n. 9511). . Out of the propitiatory shall ye make the cherubs upon the two ends thereof. That this signifies the reception of all things of worship from these goods, is evident from the signification of "the propitiatory," as being the hearing and reception of all things of worship from the good of love (n. 9506); from the signification of "the cherubs," as being admission and approach to the Lord through this good (n. 9509); and from the signification of "the two heads," as being celestial good and spiritual good (n. 9511). From this it is plain that by, "out of" the propitiatory shall ye make the cherubs on the two ends thereof" is signified the reception of all things of worship from these goods. What celestial good is, and what spiritual good, and what the difference between them, (n. 9277). . And the cherubs shall spread out their wings upward. That this signifies the elevation effected by the truth of faith, is evident from the signification of "wings," as being the truths of faith and from the signification of "spreading out the kings upward," as being to be elevated; for in the spreading out of the wings upward there is the endeavor to elevate one‘s self, the act of which is elevation. From this it is plain that by "the wings of the cherubs being spread out upward" is signified the elevation of good to the Lord by means of the truths of faith; for by "the cherubs" is signified approach to Him through good. It shall here be briefly stated how the case is with the elevation of good by means of the truths of faith. There are two things to which all things in heaven, and also all things in the world, bear relation, namely, good and truth. Good without truth is not good, and truth without good is not truth; for good without truth has no quality, and truth without good has no being; for truth is the very form of good, and there must be form in order that there may be quality; and good is that very being the manifestation (existere) of which is truth.[2] Good is to truth exactly as the will is to the understanding, for the will has been allotted to the reception of good, and the understanding to the reception of truth. The will receives its quality from the understanding, and the understanding its being from the will; for the will is formed in the understanding, and thus puts on quality. Good also is to truth as the body is to the arms and feet, and in the case of flying creatures, as the body is to the Wings. A body without arms and feet, or without wings, cannot move itself, but with their aid it moves itself. Moreover in the Word the body corresponds to good, and the arms and wings to truths, and also to the powers of good through truths. From these comparisons, which are also correspondences, it may be known how the case is with the elevation of good by means of the truths of faith, which in general are called "spiritual" things. That "wings" denote the truths of faith, (n. 8764).
. Covering with their wings over the propitiatory. That this signifies the spiritual things that cover (or protect), is evident from the signification of "covering over the propitiatory," as being to cover the good through which there is an approach to the Lord; and from the signification of "wings," as being the truths of faith, or things spiritual (n. 9514, 8764). Spiritual things are said to "cover," because the celestial, which is the good of love, is presented in heaven as naked; but as clothed, by means of spiritual things, which are the truths of faith. . And their faces a man’s to his brother. That this signifies the conjunction of truth and good, is evident from the signification of the "face," as being the interiors, here looking to, and conjunction, for when two look at each other they conjoin themselves as to their interiors, and by the "face" are signified the interiors, (n. 1999, 2434, 3527, 3573, 4066, 4796-4805, 5102, 5165, 5168, 5695, 9306); and from the signification of "a man to his brother," as being mutually (n. 4725), thus the conjunction of truth with good, for "man" signifies truth (n. 3134, 3309, 3459, 4725, 7716, 9007), and "brother" signifies good (n. 367, 2360, 3303, 3803, 3815, 4121, 4191, 5409, 5686, 5692, 6756). . Toward the propitiatory shall be the faces of the cherubs. That this signifies the interiors continually looking to good, and thus to the Lord, is evident from the signification of "the propitiatory," as being the good of love, from which is the hearing and reception of all things of worship (n. 9506), and thus also the Lord, because all the good of love is from the Lord, and is the Lord Himself with angel and man; from the signification of "faces," as being the interiors (n. 9516); and from the signification of "the cherubs," as being a guard from providence lest the Lord be approached except through the good of love (n. 9509).[2] The case herein is this. Heaven and the church, or the angels of heaven and the men of the church, are guarded by the Lord by means of the elevation of their interiors to Himself; and when they are elevated, they are in the good of love to Him and in the good of love toward the neighbor. Elevation to the Lord is attended with this; and in this way, as before said, the angels of heaven and the men of the church are guarded They who are elevated by the Lord, continually turn their faces to Him, because, by means of the good of love, the Lord keeps them conjoined with Himself; whereas those who are not elevated turn their faces away from the Lord. From all this it can be seen what is signified by "the faces of the cherubs being toward the propitiatory." But concerning this turning to the Lord, of the Lord‘s Divine mercy more shall be told from experience elsewhere.
. And thou shalt put the propitiatory upon the ark from above. That this signifies thus the hearing and reception of all things of worship that are from the good of love, is evident from the signification of "the propitiatory," as being the hearing and reception of all things of worship that are from the good of love (n. 9506); and from the signification of the ark," as being heaven where the Lord is. From this it is plain that by the joining together of the propitiatory with the ark is signified the hearing and reception of all things of worship from the good of love by the lord in heaven. . And unto the ark thou shalt put the Testimony. That this signifies by the lord in heaven, namely, the hearing and reception of all things that belong to worship from the good of love, is evident from the signification of "the ark," as being heaven; and from the signification of "the Testimony," as being the Lord (n. 9503). . That I shall give unto thee. That this signifies the representative, may be seen above (n. 9504). . And there I will meet with thee. That this signifies hearing and reception, is evident from the signification of "meeting with," when said by Jehovah, as being hearing and reception. . And I will speak with thee from above the propitiatory. That this signifies conjunction, is evident from signification of "speaking," when by Jehovah, as being influx (n. 2951, 5481, 5743, 5797, 7270), thus also conjunction; for where there is influx, there is conjunction. . From between the two cherubs. That this signifies where celestial good and spiritual good have been conjoined, is evident from the signification of "the two cherubs," as being celestial good and spiritual good, by means of which there is approach to the Lord (n. 9511). That there is approach where celestial good and spiritual good have been conjoined, is because celestial good flows into spiritual good, and in this way is communicated. . Which are over the ark of the Testimony. That this signifies with the Lord in heaven, is evident from the representation of the ark, as being heaven; and from the signification of "the Testimony," as being the Divine truth, thus the Lord in heaven see (n. 9503). . All that I shall command thee for the sons of Israel. That this signifies the worship of the representative church, is evident from the signification of "commanding," when by Jehovah unto Moses, as being the things that belong to worship, for all the things Jehovah commanded Moses for the sons of Israel were such as concerned worship; and from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being the spiritual church (n. 9340), here the spiritual church represented; for all things instituted among the sons of Israel were external things that represented the internal things of the church; but they were not the internal things themselves in their essence (n. 9320). EXODUS 25:17-22 previous - next - text - summary - Exodus - Full Page
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