Spiritual Meaning of EXODUS 32:15-20
[2] As the conjunction of the Lord with the human race by means of the Word is here spoken of, or that of heaven with the world, it must be told how the case is with regard to this. They who do not know the nature of the Word, cannot possibly believe that by means of it there is a conjunction of the Lord with the human race, and of heaven with the world; and still less they who despise the Word, or make no account of it. But let them know that the heavens subsist by means of Divine truth, and that without it there would be no heavens, and that the human race subsists by means of heaven; for unless heaven flowed in with man, man would not be able to think at all, thus not to will anything rationally. In order therefore that heaven may subsist, and the human race by conjunction with it, the Word has been provided by the Lord, wherein is Divine truth for angels and for men, the Word in its spiritual and celestial sense being of such a nature as to contain within it angelic wisdom itself in so surpassing a degree that it is scarcely possible for a man to form any conception of its excellence, although in the letter it appears very simple and unpolished.
[3] From this it is evident that heaven is in its wisdom from the Word when it is being read by man, and then at the same time the man is in conjunction with heaven. To this end has such a Word been given to man. From this it follows that if this medium of conjunction were not in the world, conjunction with heaven would perish, and with this conjunction all good of the will and all truth of the understanding in man, and with these that very humanity which consociates man with man; consequently evil and falsity would be in full possession, whereby one society would perish after another. For it would be as when a man walks in thick darkness and stumbles wherever he goes; and it would be as when the head is in a delirium, in consequence of which the body is carried madly and insanely even to its destruction; and it would be as when the heart fails, causing the organs and members to cease to perform their uses, until the whole body dies.
[4] Such would be the state of man unless heaven were conjoined with him, and heaven would not be conjoined with him unless there were the Word; or unless Divine truth were communicated immediately through angels, as in ancient times. When heaven is mentioned, the Divine also is meant, for the Divine of the Lord makes heaven; so that to be conjoined with heaven is to be conjoined with the Lord; and to be disjoined from heaven is to be disjoined from the Lord; and to be disjoined from the Lord is to perish; for the whole disposal of things for good, which is called Providence, is from this source; and were such disposal removed, all things would rush into evil, and so into devastation. From all this it can be seen what is the use of the Word; but few will believe that the Word is of such a nature and of so great a use.
. And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables. That this signifies that the external and the internal sense of the Word were from the Divine, and are Divine truth, is evident from the signification of "the tables," as being the Word in the whole complex (n. 10452), but here the external of the Word; from the signification of "the work of God," as being that it was from the Divine; from the signification of "the writing," as being the internal of the Word, consequently "the writing of God," denotes the internal of the Word from the Divine; and from the signification of "graven upon the tables," as being the internal above the external, thus within it.[2] That "the tables" here signify the external of the Word, is because they are here distinguished from the writing, which denotes its internal. But when they are not distinguished from the writing, then by "the tables" is signified the internal and the external of the Word together, thus the Word in the whole complex (n. 10452). The reason why they are here distinguished, is that the tables were broken, and yet the same words were afterward written by Jehovah upon other tables which were hewn out by Moses. The external of the Word is the sense of its letter. This sense of the letter is signified by "the tables" because this sense is like a table, or a plane, upon which the internal sense has been written.
[3] That the tables which were the work of God were broken by Moses when he saw the calf and the dances, and that by command of Jehovah other tables were hewn out by Moses, and on these were afterward written the same words, and thus that the tables were no longer the work of God, but the work of Moses, whereas the writing was still the writing of God, involves a secret as yet unknown. The secret is that the sense of the letter of the Word would have been different if the Word had been written among a different people, or if that people had not been such as it was. For the sense of the letter of the Word treats of that people, because the Word was written among them, as is plain from both the historic and the prophetic parts of the Word, and that people was in evil, because at heart it was idolatrous; and yet in order that the internal and the external sense might agree together, that people had to be lauded, and to be called the people of God, a holy nation, a peculiar possession; consequently the simple, who were to be instructed by the external sense of the Word, had to believe that that nation was such as it is called; as also that nation itself believes, and as also believe very many of the Christian world at this day. Moreover also many things are present in the external sense of the Word, and make it, that were permitted them on account of the hardness of their hearts, such as those mentioned in (Matthew 19:8), and other things also which are here passed by.
[4] As therefore the sense of the letter of the Word was made such for the sake of that people, therefore those tables which were the work of God were broken, and at the command of Jehovah others were hewn out by Moses. But whereas the same Divine holiness was still within, therefore the same words which had been written upon the former tables were written by Jehovah on the latter, as is plain from these words in Moses:--
Jehovah said unto Moses, New thee two tables of stone like unto the first, that I may write upon the tables the words that were on the first tables, which thou brakest. And Jehovah wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten words (Exod. 34:1, 4, 28).
At that time Jehovah said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first, and I will write on the tables the words that were on the first tables which thou brakest. And Jehovah wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten words, and Jehovah gave them unto me (Deut. 10:1-4).
[5] That Jehovah did not acknowledge that people as His own people (although it was so said for the sake of the agreement of the internal sense with the external), but as the people of Moses, is evident in these passages:--
Thy people have corrupted themselves, which thou madest to come up out of the land of Egypt. Go, lead the people unto the place I told thee (Exod. 32:7, 34).
Jehovah spake unto Moses, Go up, thou and the people which thou hast made to come up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land of which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And I will send an angel before thee; for I will not go up in the midst of thee, for thou art a stiffnecked people (Exod. 33:1-3).
[6] The like is signified by Moses being put in a cleft of the rock, and not being allowed to see the faces of Jehovah, but only the back parts (Exod. 33:22, 23); and in like manner by Moses, when the skin of his face shone, putting a veil over his face when he spake to the sons of Israel (Exod. 34:30-35). What the quality of that people was to be, is foretold by Jehovah to Abraham, when it was His will that his seed should inherit the land of Canaan, and it is said:--
After Abraham had divided a heifer of three years old, and a she-goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, in the midst, which were for entering into a covenant, a deep sleep fell upon Abraham, and behold a terror of great darkness falling upon him. And when the sun was set, there was thick darkness; and behold a furnace of smoke, and a torch of fire that passed between those pieces (Gen. 15:9, 10, 12, 17).
[2] That these things are signified by "a voice of war in the camp," is because the subject now treated of in the internal sense is the interiors of the Israelitish nation, which were so opposed to the truths and goods of the church and of heaven as utterly to reject them. For the interiors of that nation were possessed by the loves of self and of the world, and where these loves reign, there the truths and goods of the church are continually being assaulted, however much in worship the externals appear to be holy. With such persons the holiness of worship is a means, and eminence and wealth are the ends. Thus those things which are of heaven and the church are means, and those things which are of the world and of self are ends; and the end regarded has command in a man, and the means serve; from which it follows that with such persons heaven serves and the world rules; consequently that the world is in the highest place, thus in the place of the head; and heaven is in a lower place, thus in the place of the foot. Wherefore if heaven does not favor their loves, it is then cast down beneath the feet, and is trodden and trampled upon. Such is the inversion with those among whom the loves of self and of the world reign. From this also it is that when such persons are viewed by the angels, they appear upside down, with the head downward and the feet upward.
[3] The reason why "war" denotes the combat with truth and falsity, and in the opposite sense the combat of falsity against truth, is that in the spiritual sense "war" is nothing else. Such combats are also signified in the internal sense by "wars" in the historicals of the Word; also by "wars" in the propheticals, as can be seen from passages above adduced from the Word (n. 1664, 8273). He who does not know that by "wars" in the Word are signified wars in a spiritual sense, cannot know what is involved in the things related concerning wars in Daniel 7, 8, 9; and the Apocalypse throughout; and in the Gospels, where the last times of the church are foretold (Matt. 24:5-7; Mark 13:7, 8). Hence also it is that all instruments of war, such as swords, spears, shields, bows, arrows, and many others, signify such things as belong to spiritual combat (of which throughout in these explications).
. And he said, It is not the voice of a cry for victory, neither is it the voice of a cry for being overcome. That this signifies heaven acting on the one side and hell on the other, thus falsity against truth and truth against falsity, is evident from the signification of "the voice of a cry," or of "the voice in shouting," as being the quality of the interiors of that nation (n. 10454); and from the signification of "not for victory, and not for being overcome," as being the hanging of the combat between falsity and truth, and no decision. And whereas all falsity is from hell, and all truth is from heaven, by the same words is signified that heaven acts on one side and hell on the other. That a "cry" denotes falsity, (n. 2240); that it denotes thought with the full intention of acting, (n. 7119); and that it denotes interior lamentation, (n. 7782). By these words is described the state of the interiors of that nation, in which they are when hell acts with them against heaven, and heaven against hell, thus when they are held between the two, which was the case when they were in external worship while their internal was closed. The latter was closed to the intent that nevertheless there might be a communication with heaven by means of external things, which were representative of interior ones, which subject has been treated of above. . But the voice of a miserable cry do I hear. That this signifies the lamentable state of their interiors, is evident from the signification of "the voice of a miserable cry," as being what is lamentable; for in the original tongue this is expressed by a term which means "a cry," and "affection," and also "misery," thus which means "a miserable cry;" and when "voice" signifies the quality of the interiors (n. 10454), then "the voice of a miserable cry" signifies the lamentable state of the interiors. . And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp. That this signifies hell, in which that nation then was, is evident from the signification of "the camp of the sons of Israel," as being heaven and the church (n. 4236, 10038) consequently when they were in idolatrous worship, adoring a calf instead of Jehovah, by their "camp" is signified hell; for what is representative of heaven and of the church is turned into what is representative of hell when the people turn themselves from Divine worship to diabolical worship, such as was the worship of the calf. The like is signified by "camp" in Amos:--I have sent among you the pestilence in the way of Egypt; your young men have I slain with the sword, with the captivity of your horses; so that I have made the stink of your camp to come up even into your nose (Amos 4:10);
the vastation of truth is here treated of, and when this is vastated, the "camp" signifies hell. That the vastation of truth is treated of is evident from the details of the passage as viewed in the internal sense; for "pestilence" denotes vastation (n. 7102, 7505); "way" denotes truth, and in the opposite sense falsity (n. 10422); "Egypt" denotes what is external, and also hell (n. 10437); "a sword" denotes falsity fighting against truth (n. 2799, 4499, 6353, 7102, 8294); "young men" denote the truths of the church (n. 7668); "to be slain" denotes to perish spiritually (n. 6767, 8902); "captivity" denotes the privation of truth (n. 7990); "horses" denote an understanding which is enlightened (n. 2760-2762, 3217, 5321, 6125, 6534); and "a stink" denotes what is abominable exhaling from hell (n. 7161). From this it is evident that in this sense a "camp" denotes hell. Hell is also signified by the "camp" of the enemies who were against Jerusalem, and in general against the sons of Israel, in the historicals of the Word.
. That he saw the calf and the dances. That this signifies infernal worship, which was according to the delight of the external loves of that nation, and its consequent interior festivity, is evident from the signification of "the calf," as being the delight of the external loves of that nation (n. 10407); that it here denotes worship according to this delight, is because when Moses came nigh unto the camp, that nation was in such worship; and that such worship is from hell, is evident from what was shown above; and from the signification of "the dances," as being interior festivity (n. 10416). . And Moses waxed hot with anger. That this signifies the turning away of that nation from the internal of the Word, of the church, and of worship, is evident from "to wax hot with anger," when said concerning the Lord, as being the turning away of man from things internal, thus from things Divine (n. 10431). The like is signified by "waxing hot with anger" when predicated of Moses, because by Moses is represented the Word, or the Divine truth which is from the Lord; or what is the same, the Lord in respect to Divine truth. Concerning which representation see (n. 9372). It is said "from the internal of the Word, of the church, and of worship," for he who turns himself away from the internal of the Word, also turns himself away from the internal of the church, and likewise from the internal of worship, because the internal of the church and the internal of worship are from the internal of the Word. For the Word teaches what must be the quality of the man of the church, or what must be the quality of the church with man, and likewise what must be the quality of worship with the man of the church; because it is the goods and truths of love and of faith that make the internal church, and also internal worship. The Word teaches these goods and truths, and these are the internal things of the Word. . And he cast the tables out of his hand, and brake them beneath the mountain. That this signifies the external sense of the Word changed and different on account of that nation, is evident from the signification of the "tables" upon which the law was written, as being the external sense of the Word, or the sense of its letter (n. 10453); from the signification of "casting them out of the hand and breaking them," as being to destroy the genuine external sense, thus also to change and make it different (that the external sense of the Word was changed and made different on account of the Israelitish nation, (n. 10453); and from the signification of "Mount Sinai," as being heaven from which is Divine truth (n. 9420). It is said "beneath the mountain," because the external sense of the Word is beneath heaven, whereas the internal sense is in heaven. . And he took the calf which they had made. That this signifies the delight of the idolatrous worship of that nation, is evident from the signification of "the calf," as being the delight of the external loves of the Israelitish nation, from which and according to which was their worship, which was idolatrous (n. 10407, 10459). . And burnt it with fire. That this signifies derived altogether from the loves of self and of the world, which are condemned to hell, is evident from the signification of "fire," as being heavenly love, which is love to the Lord and love toward the neighbor; and in the opposite sense infernal love, which is the love of self and the love of the world (n. 4906, 5071, 5215, 6314, 6832, 6834, 6849, 7324, 7575, 10055); consequently to be "burned with fire" denotes to be completely filled with the loves of self and of the world, thus to be condemned to hell; for when these loves reign they are hell in man. From all this it is evident what is signified by the "hell fire" spoken of in the Word throughout. . And ground it to powder. That this signifies the infernal falsity thence derived, is evident from the signification of "to grind to powder," or into what is most minute, as being to form falsity from infernal delight, thus as being infernal falsity. That this is signified by "grinding," when said of evil, (n. 4335, 9995, 10303). . And strewed it upon the faces of the waters. That this signifies commixture with truths, is evident from the signification of " waters," as being truths (n. 10238); and as it is said that the powder into which the calf was ground was "strewed upon the waters," therefore it is signified that falsity from infernal delight was mixed with the truths which are from heaven. The reason why by these "waters" are signified truths which are from heaven, is that these waters descended from Mount Sinai, and by "Mount Sinai" is signified heaven from which is Divine truth (n. 9420) That these waters were from thence is evident elsewhere in Moses:--I took your sin, the call which ye had made, and burnt it with fire, and pounded it, grinding it well, until it was as fine as dust; and I cast the dust thereof into the brook that descended out of the mountain (Deut. 9:21).
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