Spiritual Meaning of EXODUS 29:10-14
[2] As these are the things now treated of in the internal sense, it must be told how the case herein is. When a man is being regenerated, which takes place when he comes to mature age, he is then first led into a state of innocence; but into a state of external innocence, almost like that of little children, whose innocence is external innocence that dwells in ignorance. During the man‘s regeneration, this state is the plane of the new life, and more over the man is then like an infant; for when he is being regenerated, he is conceived anew, is born, becomes an infant, and grows up to maturity, which is effected by means of truth implanted in good; and in so far as he then comes into genuine good, so far he comes into the good of internal innocence, which innocence dwells in wisdom. And as the regeneration of man is an image of the glorification of the Lord, it is clear that the Lord glorified Himself, that is, made His Human Divine, in this way; for in the internal sense in this chapter the subject treated of is the Lord’s glorification (n. 9985). But as the glorification of the Lord in respect to His Human transcends the understanding, therefore in order that it may in some measure be apprehended, it is unfolded by means of its image or likeness. These things have been premised in order that it may be known what is meant by purification, and by the reception of good and truth, and by their conjunction, which are signified by sacrifices in general, and here in particular by the sacrifices of the inauguration of Aaron and his sons into the priesthood. That the regeneration of man is an image of the glorification of the Lord, see (n. 3138, 3212, 3296, 3490, 4402, 5688): That the innocence of infants is external innocence, and dwells in ignorance, (n. 2305, 2306, 3494, 3504, 4563, 4797, 5608, 9301): That the man who is being regenerated is conceived anew, is born, becomes an infant and a child, and grows up to maturity, (n. 3203): That the innocence of infancy is a plane, (n. 2780, 3183, 3994, 4797, 5608, 7840): That the knowledges of truth and good are implanted in the innocence of infancy as their plane, (n. 1616, 2299, 3504, 4797): That the innocence of the regenerate is internal innocence, and dwells in wisdom, (n. 1616, 3495, 3994, 4797, 5608, 9301, 9939): The difference between the external innocence of little children, and the internal innocence of the wise, (n. 2280, 4563, 9301): That such is the case can be seen from the education and regeneration of little children in the other life, (n. 2289-2309): That all the good of the church and of heaven has innocence in it, and that without innocence good is not good, (n. 2736, 2780, 6013, 7840, 7887, 9262): What innocence is, (n. 3994, 4001, 4797, 5236, 6107, 6765, 7902, 9262, 9936).
. Before the Tent of meeting. That this signifies for purification, the reception of truth from heaven, and its conjunction with good, is evident from the representation of "the Tent of meeting," as being heaven where the Lord is (n. 9457, 9481, 9485). That purification, the implanting of truth, and its conjunction with good are also signified here, is because the bullock was brought thither to be sacrificed, and by sacrifices are signified both purification and the implanting of truth and of good, and their conjunction. That by sacrifices were represented purifications from evils and falsities, and also expiations, (n. 9990, 9991); and that by the place before the Tent, which is called the door thereof, is represented the conjunction of truth and good, which is called the heavenly marriage, (n. 10001). From this then it is that by "bringing the bullock near before the Tent of meeting" is signified the application of the external or natural man, such as he is in his infancy, to his purification from evils and falsities, and thus to the reception of truth from heaven, and its conjunction with good.[2] As what now follows in this chapter concerns sacrifices and burnt-offerings, it must be told what was in general represented by them. By burn-offerings and sacrifices in general was represented purification from evils and falsities; and because purification was represented, there was also represented the implanting of good and truth from the Lord, and likewise their conjunction. For when a man has been purified from evils and falsities, which is effected by their removal, then good and truth from the Lord flow in, and in so far as good and truth flow in, in this state, so far they are implanted, and so far they are conjoined; for the Lord is continually present with good and truth with every man, but He is not received except in so far as evils and falsities are removed, thus in so far as the man is purified from them. The conjunction of truth and good is regeneration. From this it can be seen what was in general represented by burnt-offerings and by sacrifices; but what was specifically represented is evident from the animals of different kinds that were sacrificed.
[3] As these three things, namely, purification from evils and falsities, the implanting of truth and good, and the conjunction of these, were represented by the sacrifices and burnt-offerings, therefore by them is also signified all worship from the truth of faith and the good of love (n. 6905, 8680, 8936); for all worship has as its end that the man may be purified from evils and falsities, consequently that goods and truths from the Lord may be implanted in him, and that thus he may be regenerated, which is effected by their conjunction. Their conjunction is heaven or the Lord‘s kingdom with the man.
. And Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands upon the had of the bullock. That this signifies a representative of the reception of good and truth in the natural or external man, is evident from the signification of "laying on hands," as being to communicate that which is one’s own to another; that it also denotes reception is because that which is communicated is received by the other; from the signification of "the head," as being the whole (n. 10011); and from the signification of "the bullock," as being the good of innocence and of charity in the external or natural man (n. 9391, 10021). That by "laying on the hand" is signified communication and reception, is because by "the hand" is signified power, and as this is the activity of life, by "the hand" is also signified whatever pertains to man, thus the whole man in so far as he is acting (n. 10019); and by the "laying on" is signified communication in respect to him who lays on, and reception in respect to him, or to that, on which it is laid. From this is plain what was signified by the laying on of the hand among the ancients, namely, the communication and transfer of that which was being dealt with, and also its reception by another, whether it was power, or obedience, or blessing, or testification.[2] That by the "laying on of the hand" was signified power, is evident from the following passages in Moses:--
Jehovah said unto Moses, that he should lay his hand upon Joshua, and should set him in the presence of Eleazar the priest before the whole assembly, and thus should give of his glory upon him, and all the assembly should obey him (Num. 27:18-20);
that by "to lay on the hand" is here signified the communication and transfer of the power which Moses had, and its reception by Joshua, is plain; and hence it is said that "thus he should give of his glory upon him."
[3] In the same:--
When the Levites were purified, and the ministry of the priesthood under Aaron was committed to them, it was commanded that two bullocks should be brought with a meat-offering, and that Aaron should bring the Levites before Jehovah, and the sons of Israel should lay their hands upon the Levites, and the Levites should lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks, one of which was to be offered for a sacrifice, the other for a burn-offering; and in this way they were to separate the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel, and they should be Jehovah‘s (Num. 8:7-14);
that the sons of Israel were "to lay their hands upon the Levites" signified the transfer of the power of ministering for them, and its reception by the Levites, thus separation; and by the Levites "laying hands upon the head of the bullocks" was signified the transfer of this power to Jehovah, that is, to the Lord. Therefore it is said that in this way they should be "separated from the midst of the sons of Israel, and should be Jehovah’s."
[4] In the same:--
After the sons of Israel had confessed their sins, then Aaron was to lay both his hands upon the head of the living goat Asasel, and was to confess over him all the iniquities of the sons of Israel, and all their sins, and was to put them upon the head of the goat, and send him Into the wilderness (Lev. 16:21);
that "the laying on of the hands upon the goat" signified the communication and transfer of all the iniquities and sins of the sons of Israel, and their reception by the goat, is plain; "the wilderness whither the goat was to be sent" denotes hell. That the witnesses and all who heard were "to lay their hands upon him who was to be stoned" (Lev. 24:14), signified testification so communicated and transferred, which being received, the man was adjudged to death.
[5] In the same:--The man who bringeth from the herd or from the flock a burnt-offering for a gift to Jehovah shall lay the hand on the head of the burnt-offering; then it shall be received from him with good pleasure, to expiate him (Lev. 1:2-4). In like manner "upon the head of the gift that was for sacrifice" (Lev. 3:1, 2, 8, 13). In like manner was "the priest to do if he sinned" In like manner the elders In like manner the whole congregation. Also the chief if he sinned. And in like manner every soul that sinned. (Lev. 4:4, 15, 24, 29). By the laying on of their hand upon the burnt-offering and upon the sacrifice was signified all the worship of him who offered, namely, the acknowledgment of sins, confession, the consequent purification, the implantation of good and truth, thus conjunction with the Lord, all of which were effected by communication, transfer, and reception. By transfer and reception is meant that which is signified by "bearing iniquities" (n. 9937, 9938).
[6] As communications, transfers, and receptions were signified by the laying on of hands, it may be known what is signified by the "laying on of hands" in the following passages:--
The chief came to Jesus and said, My daughter is even now dead, but come and lay Thy hand upon her, then she shall live. Jesus entered in, and took her hand, and the damsel arose (Matt. 9:18, 19, 25).
Jesus laid His hand upon the eyes of the blind man, and he was restored (Mark 8:25).
They bring unto Jesus one that was deaf, that He should lay His hand on him; and He taking him from the people put His finger into his ears, and touched his tongue, and his hearings were opened (Mark 7:32, 33, 35).
A woman was bowed down with a spirit of Infirmity, and Jesus laid hands on her, and healed her (Luke 13:11, 13).
Jesus laid hands on the sick, and healed them (Mark 6:6).
[7] By the "laying on of the hand" by the Lord, and also by His "touching," is here signified the communication and reception of Divine power, as is clearly manifest in these passages:--
A certain woman came behind, and touched the garment of Jesus, saying, If I touch but His garment, I shall be healed; and immediately she was healed of the plague and Jesus knew in Himself that power was gone forth from Him (Mark 5:27-30).
A woman touching the garment of Jesus was healed; and Jesus said, Some one hath touched Me; for I knew that power had gone forth from Me (Luke 8:44, 46).
The whole crowd sought to touch Jesus, because power went forth from Him, and healed all (Luke 6:19).
[8] From this is plain what is signified by "touching with the hand" or "finger;" and also what in the same:--
Jesus came nigh and touched the bier in which the dead man was, and the bearers stood still. Then He said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak (Luke 7:14, 15).
And what by the "laying on of the hand upon children" and "upon babes" - "upon children," in Matthew:--
There were brought unto Jesus children, that He should lay His hands upon them. Jesus said, Suffer the children, and forbid them not, to come unto Me; for of such is the kingdom of the heavens. And He laid His hands on them (Matt. 19:13-15);
and "upon babes," in Mark:--
Jesus took babes upon His arms, and put His hands upon them, and blessed them (Mark 10:16).
By the "laying on of the hand upon children" and "upon babes" is here also signified the communication and reception of Divine power, through which is the healing of the interiors, which is salvation.
[9] That such things are signified by "touching," which is done with the hands, has its origin from the representatives in the other life, where they who are in an unlike state of life appear removed to a distance, but they who are in a like state appear consociated; and in that life those who touch each other communicate the state of their life to each other. If this is done by the hands, everything of the life is communicated, because by the hands, as above said, from the correspondence, is signified power, which is the active of life; thus whatever pertains to anyone. Such representatives come forth in the world of spirits, but they are effected by influx from heaven, where there are perceived nothing but consociations in respect to the affections of good and truth.
. And thou shalt slay the bullock before Jehovah. That this signifies preparation for the purification of good and truth from the Lord in the external or natural man, is evident from the signification of "slaying," when said of the animals that were offered for burnt-offering or for sacrifice, as being preparation for those things which are represented by burnt-offerings and sacrifices - that these were purification from evils and falsities, the implantation of good and truth, and their conjunction, may be seen above (n. 10022); and because these are from the Divine, therefore it is said, "before Jehovah;" and from the signification of "the bullock," as being the purification of the external or natural man (n. 9990); hence it is that by "slaying" when said in the Word of burnt-offerings and sacrifices, is signified all that which is meant by the burnt-offering and sacrifice itself, because all this is then meant. . At the door of the Tent of meeting. That this signifies that there may be conjunction of these, is evident from the signification of" the door of the Tent of meeting," as being the conjunction of truth and good, which is called the heavenly marriage (n. 10001). As this is signified by "the door of the Tent of meeting," therefore it was decreed that if the animal offered was slain elsewhere, blood should be imputed, and that soul should be cut off from his peoples (Lev. 17:3, 4, 8, 9); the reason was that then the conjunction of good and truth, thus the heavenly marriage, was not represented; but the conjunction of evil and falsity, which is the infernal marriage. . And thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock. That this signifies Divine truth accommodated in the natural or external man, is evident from the signification of "blood," as being the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord‘s Divine good; and from the signification of "the bullock," as being the natural of man, which is to be purified, and in which truth and good are to be implanted (n. 9990). That mention is here first made of "blood," and that it was to be put on the horns of the altar, and the rest of it poured out at its base, is because by "blood" in the Word is signified the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord’s Divine good, and all purification is effected thereby, for truth teaches man what is good and how he should live, and when a man knows this, then for the first time can the affection or love of good be implanted, and thus the man be regenerated. For knowledge must come first, before man can have faith, and live the life of faith, which is the life of good. That all purification from evils and falsities is effected through the truths of faith, consequently all regeneration, (n. 9959).[2] They who have no knowledge of the internal sense of the Word, thus who do not know that by "blood" is signified Divine truth, and that by this from the Lord is effected purification, believe that man is purified by the blood of the Lord, by which they understand His passion of the cross. But be it known to them that no one is purified by the Lord‘s passion of the cross, thus by His blood; but by a life according to His precepts, as He Himself teaches in many places. The passion of the cross was the last of the Lord’s temptation, by which He fully glorified His Human, as He Himself also says in Luke:--
Ought not Christ to suffer this, and to enter into His glory? (Luke 24:26).
For the Lord came into the world that He might subjugate the hells and bring back all things into order, even in the heavens, which was effected through temptations admitted into Himself; and the passion of the cross was the last of His temptation, by which He fully conquered the hells, and set the heavens in order, and at the same time glorified His Human; and unless He had done this, no man could have been saved (n. 9528, 9715, 9937, 10019); and that by "the blood of the Lord" is signified the Divine truth that proceeds from His Divine good (n. 4735, 6378, 6978, 7317, 7326, 7850, 9127, 9393).
. And shalt put it upon the horns of the altar with thy finger. That this signifies the Divine power of the Lord from His own, is evident from the signification of "the horns of the altar," as being the power of truth from good (that "horns" denote power, (n. 9081, 9719-9721); and that the "altar" denotes a representative of the Lord as to Divine good, or a representative of Divine good in the Lord, (n. 9388, 9389, 9714, 9964); and from the signification of "finger," as being power (n. 7430). That it denotes from His own power, or from His own, is because this was done by Moses, and by Moses is represented the Lord as to Divine truth (n. 9372, 9806), wherefore it is said, "with thy finger." That the blood was first to be put upon the horns of the altar, was in order that there might be represented the very power of Divine truth from Divine good; for all things are done by the power of Divine truth from Divine good, and nothing is done without it (n. 10019). . And all the blood thou shalt pour out at the base of the altar. That this signifies Divine truth wholly in the sensuous, which is the ultimate of man‘s life, is evident from the signification of "the blood," as being the Divine truth from the Lord’s Divine good (n. 10026); and from the signification of "the base of the altar," as being the sensuous which is the ultimate of man‘s life. That the base of the altar has this signification is because the altar was a representative of the Lord’s Divine Human, wherefore its base signifies that which is the ultimate of life in the human, and the ultimate of life in the human is that which is called the external sensuous, which is here meant. That the altar was the chief representative of the Lord‘s Divine Human, may be seen above (n. 9388, 9389, 9714, 9964); that its base is its ultimate is evident; that this with man is the external sensuous, and what this is, see also above (n. 9212, 9216, 9996).[2] How the case herein is shall be briefly told. When a man is being purified, then first of all are learned such truths as can be apprehended by the sensuous man, such as are the truths in the sense of the letter of the Word; afterward are learned more interior truths, such as are collected from the Word by those who are in enlightenment, for these collect its interior sense from various passages where the sense of the letter is unfolded From these, when known, truths still more interior are afterward drawn forth by those who are enlightened, which truths together with the former serve the church for doctrine, the more interior truths for doctrine to those who are men of the internal church, the less interior for doctrine to those who are men of the external church. Both the former and the latter men, provided they have lived according to these truths, are taken up into heaven among the angels, and are there imbued with angelic wisdom, which is from truths still more interior, and finally is from inmost truths in the third heaven. These truths, together with the former in their order, close in the ultimate truths of the external sensuous, and are all together there. From this it is plain that all interior truths are together in the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word, for these truths, as above said, are the ultimate ones. That all interior things are stored up in order, and are together in ultimates, (n. 9828, 9836). From all this it is evident what is meant by Divine truth being wholly in the sensuous, which is signified by "all the blood being poured out at the base of the altar."
. And thou shall take all the fat. That this signifies good accommodated, is evident from the signification of "fat" or "fatness," as being good (n. 5943). It is called "good accommodated," because the subject here treated of is the purification of the external or natural man, and the implantation of truth and good, and thus the conjunction of both there, for these are the things signified by the sacrifices and the burnt-offerings. Therefore by "the fat of the bullock" is here meant good accommodated to the natural or external man, and which can be conjoined with the truth there; for truth must be accommodated to its good, and good to its truth, because they must be a one. Be it also known that the truth and good in the natural or external man differ from the truth and good in the internal man, as do what is exterior and what is interior, or what is lower and what is higher, or what is the same, what is posterior and what is prior. The truth in the natural is memory-knowledge, and the good there is the delight of this, both of which are perceptible to man while he is in the world, for when they are thought of they are seen. But the truth in the internal man is not memory-knowledge that is seen, but is truth implanted in its intellectual part; and the good there also is not perceptible, because it is implanted in the will part--both in the man’s interior life, in which truth is of faith, and good is of love. Such is the difference between the truth and good in the internal or spiritual man, and the truth and good in the external or natural man. The implantation and conjunction of the latter is signified by the sacrifice from the bullock, but the implantation and conjunction of the former, by the burnt-offering from the ram. From all this it is evident what is meant by "accommodated good," which is signified by "the fat from the bullock." . That covereth the intestines. That this signifies which pertains to ultimate or lowest things, is evident from the signification of "the intestines," as being ultimate or lowest things. "The intestines" denote ultimate or lowest things because they are the ultimate and lowest of man‘s interior viscera, not only in respect to situation, but also in respect to use. In respect to situation they are below the stomach, to which they are appended; and in respect to use, they receive last the things digested in man. Above them, as is known, are the stomach, liver, pancreas, and spleen; and still further above are the heart and lungs; and above all is the head. It is also known that the superior organs cast their filth and refuse into the intestines, and thereby remove it, partly by means of the stomach, partly by means of the ducts from the liver, called the hepatic ducts, and also the cystic or biliary, partly by means of the ducts from the pancreas, which with the rest have their outlets into the intestine called the duodenum; from which it is now evident why ultimate or lowest things are signified by "the intestines." That by the viscera in man are signified such things as are of the spiritual world, can be seen from what has been abundantly shown at the end of many chapters, where the correspondence of the Grand Man, which is heaven, with all things in man, has been treated of. What in particular corresponds to the intestines, (n. 5392); and that the hells correspond to the faeces and excrements thence ejected, (n. 5393-5396).[2] As in what now follows mention is made of some parts of the body, as the caul, liver, and kidneys, also the legs, breast, shoulders, and head; and as the ordering of them in the sacrifices is treated of, it shall first be shown that by man’s members in general are signified such things as are in the Grand Man, that is, in heaven; here only those by which the statue of Nebuchadnezzar is described in Daniel:--
Its head was of pure gold, its breast and arms of silver, its belly and sides of brass, its legs of iron, and its feet part of iron and part of clay (Daniel 2:32, 33);
one who does not know that the Word of the Lord is spiritual, believes that this was said of the kingdoms of the earth; but in the Word the kingdoms of the earth are not treated of, but the kingdom of God, thus heaven and the church. These are described by such things as are on earth and in the kingdoms of earth, because worldly and earthly things correspond to such as are in heaven; for all nature and the whole world is a theater representative of the Lord‘s kingdom (n. 9280), and earthly and worldly things are what man first apprehends.
[3] From this it can be seen that by the statue seen by Nebuchadnezzar in a dream are not signified earthly, but heavenly things; but what is specifically signified by the head, breast, belly, and sides, and by the legs and feet, can be known from their correspondence, thus from the internal sense of the Word. From correspondence it is known that by the "head" is signified the first state of the church, by the "breast and arms" the second, by the "belly and side" the third, by the "legs" the fourth, and by the "feet" the last. As the first state of the church was a state of good of love to the Lord, it is said that "the head was of gold;" and as the second state was a state of truth from this good, it is said that "the breast and arms were of silver;" and as the third state was the good of love and its truth in the external or natural man, it is said that "the belly and sides were of brass;" and as the fourth state was the truth of faith, it is said that "the legs were of iron;" and as the last state was truth, which is called of faith, without good, it is said that "the feet were part of iron and part of clay." And as such a state of the church was the last, it is said that "out of the rock was cut a stone, which brake in pieces and scattered all things, so that the wind carried them away, and no place was found for them" (Daniel 2:34, 35). By this is signified that the good of love to the Lord, the good of charity toward the neighbor, and the good of faith, had completely disappeared, insomuch that it was not known what they are; but only something about the truths of faith without good, or with good which is not good, thus which does not cohere with the truths of faith.
[4] This good is external good without internal, such as is the good of merit, good for the sake of self and for the sake of the world; thus for the sake of profit, honor, and reputation; for the sake of friendship on account of these, or for the sake of favor; and also merely on account of the fear of the law; and not for the sake of the good of charity, which is the good of one’s fellow-citizen the good of human society, the good of our country, and the good of the church.
[5] Such goods as are mentioned above are signified by "clay," or "mire," and the truth with which this good does not cohere is "iron." Therefore it is said:--
The iron, which thou sawest mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of man, but they shall not cleave one to an other, even as iron doth not mingle with clay (Daniel 2:43);
"the seed of man" denotes the truth of faith from man‘s own, thus truth falsified and adulterated by application to evils from regard to self and the world. From all this it is evident that by the members of man, from his head down to the sole of the foot, are signified such things as belong to the church.
[6] That in general the "head" signifies celestial good, which is the good of love to the Lord; the "breast," spiritual good, which is the good of charity toward the neighbor; and the "feet," natural good, which is the good and truth of faith, (n. 9913, 9914); also that similar things are signified by "gold," "silver," "brass," and "iron," (n. 5658); what is specifically signified by the "head," (n. 4938, 4939, 5328, 9913, 9914); what by "gold," (n. 113, 1551, 1552, 5658, 9510, 9881); what by the "breast," (n. 4938, 4939, 5328, 6436, 9913, 9914); what by "silver," (n. 1551, 5658, 6914, 6917). From this it is evident what is signified by the "belly" and the "sides," which are below the breast; but what is signified by "brass," (n. 425, 1551); what by the "feet," (n. 2162, 3147, 3761, 4938-4952); what by "iron," (n. 425, 426); and what by "clay," or "mire," (n. 1300, 6669).
[7] From all this it can now be known that by the members and viscera of man are signified such things as correspond to those in the Grand Man, or in heaven, all of which bear relation to the good of love and the truth of faith; and the things that correspond to these correspond also to the same things in the church, for the Lord’s heaven on earth is the church. That there is a correspondence of man and of all things pertaining to man with the Grand Man, which is heaven, see what has been shown from experience itself at the end of many chapters, at these places, (n. 3624-3649, 3741-3751, 3883-3896, 4039-4051, 4218-4228, 4318-4331, 4403-4421, 4527-4533, 4622-4633, 4652-4660, 4791-4805, 4931-4953, 5050-5061, 5171-5189, 5377-5396, 5552-5573, 5711-5727, 5846-5866, 5976-5993, 6053-6058, 6189-6215, 6307-6326, 6466-6495). Also what correspondence is, (n. 2987-3003, 3213-3227, 3337-3352, 3472-3485).
. And the caul upon the liver. That this signifies the interior good of the external or natural man, is evident from the signification of "the caul which is upon the liver," as being the interior good of the external or natural man. That "the caul" denotes this good is because it is all fat, and by "fat" is signified good (n. 10029). That it denotes interior good is because this fat is higher or more inward in the body than the fat which covers the intestines. By "the liver" also is signified interior purification, for the liver purifies the blood, but the intestines purify those things from which the blood is derived. That it denotes the good of the external or natural man, is because by the "bullock," in which is this caul, is signified the good of innocence and of charity in the external or natural man (n. 9990). Elsewhere by "the liver" is signified the external good of innocence such as belongs to infants, because before the rest of the viscera have been fully formed for their use, which is the case when the infants are embryos, these are nourished through the liver, for all the nutritious juice is brought there through the placenta and the umbilical cord from the womb of the mother. This juice corresponds to the good of innocence.[2] That this good is signified by "the liver" is evident in Jeremiah:--
Mine eyes have been consumed by tears, my inwards have been troubled, my liver hath been poured forth on the earth, for the breach of the daughter of my people; the infant and the suckling faint in the streets, they say to their mothers, Where is grain and vine? (Lam. 2:11, 12);
in this passage is described the grief of the vastated church; grief for destroyed truth is signified by "the eyes being consumed by tears;" grief for the destroyed truth of innocence, by "the inwards being troubled;" and grief for the destroyed good of innocence, by "the liver being poured forth on the earth." Wherefore the infant and the suckling are said to "faint in the streets," and "they say to their mothers, Where is grain and wine?" "The daughter of the people for whose breach is this grief," denotes the church (n. 2362, 3963, 6729); "eyes" denote the things of the internal sight, thus the truths of faith (n. 4526, 4528, 9051); "the inwards" denote the truths of innocence (n. 3294); "the liver" denotes the good of innocence; for "the infants and sucklings who faint in the streets," denote those who are in the good of innocence (n. 430, 3183, 4563, 5608); "the grain and wine" concerning which "they say to their mothers, Where are they?" denote the good of truth and the truth of good; "grain," the good of truth (n. 5959); "wine," the truth of good (n. 1071, 1798).
. And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them. That this signifies the interior truth of the external or natural man, and its good, is evident from the signification of "the kidneys," as being interior truths; and from the signification of "fat," as being good (n. 10029); that it denotes the good of this truth is because it was the fat upon the kidneys. It is said "the good of this truth," because every good has its own truth, and every truth its own good. There are innumerable kinds of good, and every kind of good has a truth which is of the same kind; for in the universal heaven there are goods and truths which make the life there, and they are everywhere various. The quality of the good which is signified by "the fat upon the kidneys," is evident from the truths which are signified by "the kidneys." By "the kidneys" are signified truths which explore, purify, and correct, taking this signification from their function. This shows what is signified by "kidneys," or "reins," in the following passages:--Jehovah trieth the rein and the heart (Jer. 11:20).
Thou that triest the hearts and the reins, O just God (Ps. 7:9).
O Jehovah, explore my reins and my heart (Ps. 26:2).
O Jehovah, Thou possessest my reins (Ps. 139:13).
I am He who searcheth the reins and the heart (Rev. 2:23).
"To search," and "to try, the kidneys," or "reins," denotes to explore the truths of faith; and "to search," and "try, the heart" denotes to explore the goods of love, for "the heart" denotes the good of love (n. 3883-3896, 7542, 9050). That the truths of faith are signified by "the kidneys" is very evident in David: "O Jehovah, Thou desirest truth in the reins" (Ps. 51:6). That by "the kidneys" is signified interior truth and its exploration, is because by the ureters and the bladder, which go forth from the kidneys, is signified exterior truth and its exploration, as also its correction (n. 5381-5384).
. As the subject treated of in this chapter is the sacrifice and the burnt-offering by which Aaron and his sons were to be inaugurated into the priesthood, a few more words shall be said about the blood and the fat. That all the blood of the sacrifice and of the burnt-offering was to be poured forth at the altar, and that all the fat was to be burned on the altar, is evident from the statutes and the laws concerning the burnt-offerings and the sacrifices in Leviticus. That it was so done was because the "blood" signified Divine truth, and the "fat" Divine good. That "blood" had this signification is evident from what was shown concerning blood in (n. 4735, 6378, 6978, 7317, 7326, 7850, 9127, 9393); and that "fat" signified Divine good, (n. 5943).[2] That by "blood" is signified Divine truth is evident in Ezekiel:--
Gather yourselves from every side upon My sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh and drink blood. Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth; ye shall eat fat to satiety, and drink blood even to drunkenness, of My sacrifice which I will sacrifice for you; ye shall be sated upon My table with horse, with chariot, with the mighty man, and every man of war. Thus will I put My glory among the nations (Ezek. 39:17-22);
everyone can see that by "blood" is not here meant blood, for it is said that they should "drink the blood of the princes of the earth, and this even to drunkenness;" and also that they should "eat fat even to satiety;" and then that they should be "sated with horse and with chariot." From this it is plain that something else than blood is meant by "blood," and something else than the princes of the earth by these "princes;" also something else than fat, and than horse and chariot, by "fat" and "horse" and "chariot;" but what is signified cannot be known except by means of the internal sense, which teaches that "blood" denotes Divine truth; "the princes of the earth," the primary truths of the church; "fat," Divine good; a "horse," the internal sense of the Word; and a "chariot," the very doctrine therefrom. That "blood" denotes Divine truth is evident from the passages above cited; also that "the princes of the earth" denote primary truths (n. 5044); "the earth," the church (n. 9325); a "horse," the internal sense of the Word (n. 2760-2762); and a "chariot," doctrine (n. 5321, 8215).
[3] From all this it is now evident what is signified by the words of the Lord in John:--
Jesus said, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye shall 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. For My flesh is food 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).
That "flesh" denotes Divine good, (n. 3813, 7850, 9127); and that "the Son of man whose flesh they were to eat and whose blood they were to drink" denotes the Lord as to Divine truth from Divine good, (n. 9807).
[4] But that "fat," or "fatness," denotes Divine good, is evident in these passages:--
In this mountain Jehovah shall make for all peoples a feast of fat things (Isa. 25:6).
Attend unto Me, and eat ye good, and your soul shall be delighted in fatness (Isa. 55:2).
I will fill the soul of the priests with fatness, and My people shall be sated with My good (Jer. 31:14).
From all this it can be seen why all the fat of the sacrifice was to be burnt upon the altar, and why all the blood was to be poured forth at its side.
[5] As "blood" and "fat" signified these Divine things, therefore the Israelitish people were wholly forbidden to eat fat and blood, as is evident in Moses:--
It shall be a statute of eternity in your generations, that ye shall eat no fat and no blood (Lev. 3:17).
Ye shall eat no fat, whether of ox, or sheep, or goat; everyone who shall eat the fat of the beast of which an offering is made by fire unto Jehovah, the soul that eateth it shall be cut off from his peoples (Lev. 7:23, 25).
Whosoever shall eat any blood, I will set My faces against the soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from the midst of his people (Lev. 17:10-14; Deut. 12:23-25).
[6] The reason why to eat fat and blood was so severely forbidden, was because by it was represented the profanation of Divine truth and Divine good; for the Israelitish and Jewish nation was in external things separate from internal, thus in no Divine truth and in no Divine good in respect to faith and love; but was in external worship without these; for they were in the love of self and of the world more than other nations, consequently in the evils that spring from this love, which are contempt for others, enmity, hatred, revenge, ferocity, and cruelty. Hence also it was that internal truths were not revealed to them, for if they had been revealed, they could not but have profaned them. That such was the character of that nation, (n. 9320, 9380). Therefore they would have represented profanation if they had eaten blood and fat, for whatever was instituted among them was representative of the interior things of the church and of heaven.
[7] From this again it is plain what is signified by "eating fat to satiety," and by "drinking blood, the blood of the princes of the earth, even to drunkenness," in (Ezekiel 39:17-22); namely, that when interior things were opened, then to those who were in them, that is, in faith and in love to the Lord, would be appropriated Divine truth and Divine good, which was done among the nations when the Lord came into the world; wherefore also it is there said, "Thus will I put My glory among the nations." By "glory" is signified Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, such as it is in heaven (n. 9429); and by "nations" are signified all who are in good (n. 1259, 1260, 1416, 1849, 4574, 6005, 8771, 9256).
[8] This the Lord Himself confirms when He says that "His flesh is food indeed, and His blood is drink indeed," and that "whoso eateth His flesh, and drinketh His blood, abideth in Him, and He in him" (John 6:55, 56); and also in His instituting the Holy Supper, in which they were to "eat His flesh and drink His blood" (Matt. 26:27, 28); by which is signified the appropriation of Divine good and Divine truth from Him; and the appropriation of Divine good and Divine truth from the Lord is possible with those only who acknowledge the Lord‘s Divine, for this is the first and essential thing itself of all things of faith in the church. For heaven cannot be unclosed to others, because the whole heaven is in this faith; thus the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord’s Divine good, which is there meant by "blood," cannot be communicated to others. Therefore let everyone within the church take heed to himself lest he deny the Lord, and also lest he deny His Divine, for heaven is closed to this denial, and hell is opened to it, all such being separated from heaven, where the Divine of the Lord is all in all, because it makes heaven. And when heaven has been closed, a memory-knowledge of the truths of faith from the Word and the doctrine of the church is indeed possible; but not any faith which is faith, for faith which is faith comes from above; that is, through heaven from the Lord.
[9] That the Lord so spake, namely, that He called the Divine good that proceeds from Him His "flesh," and the Divine truth that proceeds from His Divine good His "blood," was because the Word, which is from Him, was the Divine that fills the universal heaven. Such a Word must exist by means of correspondences, consequently must be representative and significative in each and all things, for thus and no otherwise it conjoins the men of the church with the angels in the heavens. For when men perceive the Word according to the letter, the angels perceive it according to the internal sense; thus instead of the Lord‘s "flesh" they perceive Divine good, and instead of His "blood," Divine truth, both from the Lord. From this what is holy flows in through the Word.
. And shalt burn them on the altar. That this signifies from the Lord’s Divine love, is evident from the signification of "burning," as being the kindling of the Divine love; and from the representation of the altar, as being a representative of the Lord in respect to the Divine good of love (n. 9388, 9389, 9714). That "to burn" denotes the kindling of the Divine love, is because the Divine love was signified by the fire upon the altar (n. 6832). . And the flesh of the bullock. That this signifies the evil of the former loves there, is evident from the signification of "flesh," as being the good of love, and in the opposite sense the evil of love; and from the signification of "the bullock," as being the external or natural. For by a "bullock" and a "calf" in a good sense is signified the external or natural of man in respect to the good of innocence and of charity; but in the opposite sense, the external or natural of man in respect to the evil which is contrary to the good of innocence and of charity; for in the Word most things have also an opposite sense. That "the flesh of the bullock" here signifies the evil of the former loves in the external or natural man, is because by "flesh" is signified man‘s will, thus his own, for that which is of the will is his own; and as by "flesh" is signified the will or own, therefore by it is also signified the good of love, or the evil of love. For in man there are two faculties called understanding and will. To the understanding pertain truths or falsities; but to the will, goods or evils. Thus to the understanding pertain the things of faith, and to the will the things of love, because the things of love are perceived as goods, and the things of faith are perceived as truths. Moreover with those who are in falsities and evils, falsities are of faith, and evils are of love.[2] From this it can be seen what is meant by the own of the will, which is signified by "flesh" in both senses. Be it known further that all the own of the will of man is evil, because from himself man loves nothing but himself and the world, and if he loves his neighbor it is for the sake of himself. Therefore he must be regenerated, and through regeneration receive a new will; but the will which he receives through regeneration is not of the man, but of the Lord with the man. When this will or will part is meant by "flesh," then "flesh" signifies the good of love. But see what has already been shown concerning "flesh," and concerning own, namely, that "flesh" signifies the Lord’s own which is Divine good, and from this it signifies all the good of love with the regenerate man, (n. 3813, 7850, 9127); and that in the opposite sense it signifies the own of the will of man, which is the evil of love, (n. 999, 3813, 8409). That the Lord‘s own denotes the Divine good, and from this the good of love to Him and toward the neighbor, because the Lord’s own is that which gives the life of heaven to man when he is being regenerated, (n. 1023, 1044, 1937, 1947, 3812, 5660, 5786, 8480); and that man‘s own is nothing but evil, (n. 210, 215, 694, 874-876, 987, 1047, 3812, 4328, 5660, 5786, 8480, 8497). That by "the flesh of this bullock" is signified the evil of love, is evident from what follows in this verse, namely, that the flesh, the skin, and the dung were to be burned without the camp, because they were sin. But what was represented by the command that the flesh of the sacrifice was to be eaten by the priest and by the people in the holy place, will be seen below (n. 10040).
. And its skin. That this signifies falsity in ultimates, is evident from the signification of the "skin," or "hide," as being truth in ultimates, and in the opposite sense falsity there. This signification of the "skin" or "hide" is from correspondence, for those who in the Grand Man or heaven bear relation to the skin, are those who are in the truths of faith, and not so much in the corresponding good, and who are on the threshold of heaven (n. 5552-5559); hence by "skin" or "hide" in the abstract sense is signified truth in ultimates (n. 3540, 8980). That here by the "skin" is signified falsity in ultimates, is because by the "flesh" is signified the evil of love (n. 10035); and when "flesh" signifies the evil of love, its "skin" signifies the falsity of faith thence derived. . And its dung. That this signifies all the other unclean things, is evident from the signification of "dung," as being what is unclean. That "dung" signifies what is unclean, consequently evil and falsity, for in the spiritual sense these are unclean, is because all that is useless and worn out of the food goes into dung and into ordure, and in the spiritual sense "food" denotes the truth and good of faith and of love (n. 4792, 5147, 5293, 5340, 5342, 5576, 5915, 8562, 9003). Hence also it is that dung, ordure, and excrement correspond to evils which are in hell, which also in the Word is called "the draught", in regard to which correspondence (n. 954, 2755, 4948, 5394, 5395, 7161).[2] Hence then it is that such things in the Word signify things infernal, as can be seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:--
He that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, everyone that is written unto life in Jerusalem, when the Lord shall have washed away the excrement of the daughters of Zion, and shall have washed away the bloods of Jerusalem (Isa. 4:3, 4);
by "Zion" and "Jerusalem" is signified the church, by "Zion" the church with those who are in the good of love, and by "Jerusalem" with those who are in truths from this good; "to wash away the excrement of the daughters of Zion" denotes to purify from evils those in the church who are in the good of love, and "to wash away the bloods of Jerusalem" denotes to purify from falsities of evil those in the church who are in truths.
[3] In Jeremiah:--
They shall draw out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and shall spread them before the sun and the moon, and all the army of the heavens, which they had loved, and which they had served; they shall not be gathered, nor buried; they shall be for dung upon the faces of the earth (Jer. 8:1, 2);
by these words is described the state of those who have profaned the goods and truths of the church, which state at that time was also represented by the drawing out of bones from the sepulchres; "the bones of kings and of princes drawn out from sepulchres" signify truths profaned; "the bones of priests and of prophets" signify goods profaned; "to be spread before the sun, the moon, and all the army of the heavens," signifies removal from all good and truth; "not to be gathered, nor buried," signifies no resurrection to life; "to be dung on the faces of the earth" signifies to be nothing but infernal. Again:--
They shall die by deaths of malignant diseases, so that they shall not be bewailed, neither shall they be buried; they shall be for dung on the faces of the earth (Jer. 16:4; 25:33);
by "dung on the faces of the earth" is signified the like as above.
[4] In Lamentations:--
They who did eat dainties were devastated in the streets; they that were brought up on crimson have embraced dunghills (Lamentations 4:5);
"they who did eat dainties" denote those who have the Word and from it the knowledges of truth; "they that were brought up on crimson" denote those who are in the knowledges of good; "to embrace dunghills" denotes to learn and choose falsities in place of these. In Malachi:--
If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay to heart, I will send a curse upon you, and will scatter dung upon your faces, the dung of your feasts (Mal. 2:2, 3);
"to scatter dung upon the faces" denotes to defile the interiors of life with the falsities of evil; "the dung of feasts" denotes to defile the holy things of worship.
[5] In Ezekiel:--
The prophet was commanded to make a cake of barley with the dung of human excrement, because thus do the sons of Israel eat their unclean bread. But he said, Ah, Lord Jehovah, my soul hath not been polluted; there hath not come into my mouth the flesh of abomination. Then He answered, I give thee the excrement of an ox instead of the dung of man, that thou mayest make thy bread with it; for I will cause them to lack bread and water, and a man and his brother shall be desolated, and shall pine away because of their iniquity (Ezek. 4:9, 12-17);
by these things was represented the quality of the good and truth of the church of the Jewish nation; "a cake of barley with the dung of human excrement" signifies the interior good of the church defiled with the evils of the love of self; "a cake with the excrements of an ox" signifies the external good of the church defiled with the evils of this love.
[6] Because these things are signified by the "cake," it is said that they "should lack bread and water," and "should be desolated;" "bread and water" denote good and truth; "to lack them," and "to be desolated," denote to be deprived of them. Because such things were signified by "dung," "ordure," and "excrement," it is plain what is signified by these words in Moses:--
There shall be a space without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad; and thou shalt have a paddle, with which thou shalt cover thine excrement; for Jehovah God walketh in the midst of thy camp; that thy camp may be holy, and He see not in thee the nakedness of anything, and turn back from behind thee (Deut. 23:12-15);
this was commanded because what is unclean was represented by the ordure; for by the camp where the sons of Israel were, was represented heaven and the church, where the Lord is present through faith and love; and therefore by the "space without the camp" was represented where heaven and the church are not, thus where the Lord is not present through faith and love. Therefore it is said that "the camp should be holy, lest Jehovah walking in the midst of the camp should see the nakedness of anything and should turn back." "Nakedness" denotes what is unclean by reason of evils and falsities. "The camp" there signified heaven and the church, where the Lord is.
. Shalt thou burn with fire without the camp. That this signifies that those things were to be committed to hell, and to be defiled with the evils of the love of self, is evident from the signification of "burning with fire," as being to consume with the evils of the love of self; for by "burning" is signified consuming, and by "fire" the evil of the love of self (n. 1297, 5071, 5215, 6314, 6832, 7324, 7575, 9141, 9434); and from the signification of "the camp," as being heaven and the church, and in the opposite sense where heaven and the church are not, thus hell. That "to be burned with fire" denotes to be consumed by the evils of the love of self, is because this love consumes all the goods and truths of faith. That the love of self does this is known to scarcely anyone at this day, and consequently neither is it known that this love is hell with man, and that it is meant by "hell fire."[2] For there are two fires of life with man; one is the love of self, the other is love to God. They who are in the love of self cannot be in love to God, because these loves are opposite. They are opposite because the love of self produces all evils, which are contempt for others in comparison with self, enmity against those who do not favor, and finally hatreds, revenges, ferocities, cruelties; which evils wholly resist the Divine influx, and consequently extinguish the truths and goods of faith and of charity, for these are what flow in from the Lord. Anyone who reflects is able to know that everyone’s love is the fire of his life; for without love there is no life, and such as the love is such is the life; and from this it can be known that the love of self produces evils of every kind, and that it so far produces them as it is regarded as the end, that is, so far as it reigns. The worst kind of the love of self is the love of ruling for the sake of self, that is, solely for the sake of honor and self-advantage. They who are in this love are indeed able to make a profession of faith and charity; but they do this with the mouth, and not with the heart; nay, the worst of them regard the things of faith and charity, thus the holy things of the church, as means to attain their ends. But of the Lord‘s Divine mercy I will speak specifically of the love of self, and its various kinds, and the evils that spring from it, and of the state of such in the other life. These things have been said that it may be known what is denoted by being "burnt with fire without the camp."
[3] That the camp where the sons of Israel encamped represented heaven and the church, and hence that "without the camp" denotes where heaven and the church are not, thus hell, can be seen from what is related in the Word about the camp and the encamping of the sons of Israel in the wilderness, as from these words in Moses:--
The sons of Israel shall encamp, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, according to their armies; and the Levites shall encamp around the Habitation of the testimony, that there be no hath upon the congregation of the sons of Israel (Num. 1:52, 53; 2:2).
And further:--The tribes of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun encamped to the east; the tribes of Reuben, Simeon, and Gad to the south; the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin to the west; and the tribes of Dan, Asher, and Naphtali to the north; but the Levites in the midst of the camp (Num. 2, 10). Their encampments were so ordered that they might represent heaven and the church (n. 9320); by the tribes also, according to which they encamped, were represented all the goods and truths of heaven and the church in the complex (n. 3858, 3926, 3939, 4060, 6335, 6337, 6397, 6640, 7836, 7891, 7996, 7997); hence it is said that "Jehovah dwelt in the midst of the camp" (Num. 5:3), and that "He walketh in the midst of them, and therefore they shall be holy" (Deut. 23:14); and in the prophetic utterance of Balaam it is said, "when he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes, he said, How good are thy tabernacles O Jacob, and thy habitations O Israel" (Num. 24:2, 3, 5).
[4] As by the camp was represented heaven and the church, it follows that by "without the camp" was signified where heaven and the church are not, thus hell; and therefore everyone that was unclean and also that was guilty was sent forth thither, as can be seen from the following passages:--
Ye shall send forth out of the camp every leper, and everyone that suffereth with an issue, everyone unclean on account of a soul, from a male even to a female, ye shall send them abroad out of the camp, that they pollute not the camp, in the midst of which Jehovah dwelleth (Num. 5:2, 3; Lev. 13:45, 46).
A man that is not clean by chance of the night shall go abroad out of the camp, and shall not come into the midst of the camp; when he shall wash himself in waters, and the sun hath set, he shall enter into the camp. Thou shalt have a space without the camp, whither thou mayest go forth abroad, and thou shall cover thine excrement with a paddle, because Jehovah walketh in the midst of the camp; therefore the camp shall be holy (Deut. 23:10-15).
It was also commanded that persons should be stoned "without the camp" (Lev. 24:14; Num. 15:35, 36). From all this it is now evident that by "burning with fire the flesh, skin, and dung of the bullock without the camp," is signified that the evils which are signified by these things were to be committed to hell.
[5] The like that was represented by the camp, and without the camp, was also represented by the land of Canaan and the lands round about it, after that land had been distributed for inheritances among the sons of Israel. From this it is that by the "land of Canaan," and simply by "land," in the Word, are signified heaven and the church, and by the "sons of Israel" those who are in heaven and the church. That by "land" or "earth" is signified heaven and the church, (n. 9325); and that by the "sons of Israel" are signified those who are there, (n. 9340).
. It is sin. That this signifies thus purified from evils and falsities, is evident from the signification of "sin," when by it is meant sacrifice, as being purification from evils and falsities; for in the original tongue by "sin," where sacrifices are treated of, is meant sacrifice for sin, and by "sacrifice" is signified purification from evils and falsities (n. 9990, 9991). That in the Word sacrifice for sin is called "sin," (Leviticus 4:3, 8, 14, 20, 21, 24, 25, 29, 33, 34; 5:6, 8, 9; 16:9, 25). . As the flesh of the bullock with its skin and dung was to be burnt with fire without the camp, it can be seen that by its "flesh" was not signified the good of love, but the evil of love, according to what was said of its flesh above (n. 10035), and of the camp just above (n. 10038). But that the eating of the flesh of the sacrifice was allowed, as can be seen from the passages which follow, was because that nation, while in worship, was in the external without the internal (n. 9320, 9380); and the external without the internal is not at all holy, because then there is only gesture of the body and speech of the mouth, and the heart and soul are absent. Nevertheless the external without the internal was called holy, because it represented holy internal things. Holy internal things are all things that belong to love and faith from the Lord to the Lord. As that nation was of this character, they were not allowed to eat blood and fat, because by "blood" was signified the Divine truth which is of faith, and by "fat" the Divine good which is of love, both from the Lord (n. 10033); but they were allowed to eat the flesh of the sacrifice, because it signified what is man’s own (n. 10035), and the own of that nation was to worship external things as holy, and to make no account whatever of internal things; which worship, except as a representative that was holy, was idolatrous (n. 4281, 4311). Moreover representatively, "flesh" is nothing else, seeing that its blood represented Divine truth and its fat Divine good (n. 10033), for in this case the flesh represented something without life and soul, which is called dead, as is the external without the internal, according to these words in Moses:--Thou shalt not eat the blood, for the blood is the soul; than shalt not eat the soul with the flesh (Deut. 12:23).
[2] Worship is nearly similar with the Gentile people of the Catholic religion, as it is called, namely, external without internal; for it is not granted to the common people to know the internal things of the Word, seeing that they are not allowed to read the Word. For this reason also it has of the Lord‘s Divine Providence come to pass that in the Holy Supper the bread is given, which is "the flesh;" and not the wine, which is "the blood;" and yet the blood is what gives life to the flesh, as the wine does to the bread. For as bread without wine does not give nourishment to the body, so neither does the good of love, which is signified by "bread" and by "flesh," without the truth of faith, which is signified by "wine" and by "blood," give nourishment to the soul. By the Divine Providence of the Lord it has also come to pass that the priest should drink up the wine, because by this is signified the nourishment of the soul by Divine truth without the good of love, which is a holy external without a holy internal. That this has come to pass by the Divine Providence of the Lord they do not know, because they idolatrously adore external things, and thus do not apprehend internal ones; and therefore if they had acted differently they would have profaned holy things just like the Jews. By drinking wine alone, is also signified alone to know Divine truth, and not the common people, except in so far and in such a way as the priests wish, as also is the case there. That in the Holy Supper the flesh and the bread denote the Divine good of the Lord’s Divine love toward the human race, and the reciprocal love of man to the Lord; and that the blood and the wine denote the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord‘s Divine good, thus the truth of faith from the Lord to the Lord, (n. 3464, 3813, 4211, 4217, 4735, 4976, 6135, 6377, 6789, 7850, 9127). As regards the flesh of the sacrifices, when it was to be brought forth out of the camp, and burned with fire, see (Leviticus 4:11, 12, 21); and when and by whom it was to be eaten, (Leviticus 6:19-30; 7:6, 15-19; 19:5, 6; Deuteronomy 12:7, 17, 18, 27; 26:6, 7).
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| Author: E. Swedenborg (1688-1772). | Design: I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002. | www.BibleMeanings.info |