LEVITICUS 14
Other translations  -  previous  -  next  -  notes  -  discussion  -  Leviticus  -  BM Home  -  Full Page

Leviticus Chapter 14

Summary of the Spiritual Sense

1. The laws of Divine Order for the purification of him who has profaned the truth, and first, as to the purification of the affections of good and truth through the Word internally, vers. 1-7.
2. Then externally, and as from himself, vers. 8-9.
3. And thirdly, as to the worship of the Lord from celestial and spiritual good and truth, for the removal of guilt and sin, and for the consecration of the heart to the Lord, vers. 10-20.
4. Also there is to be a similar state of worship with the man of the external church, vers. 21-32.
5. Instruction concerning the tendency to profanation in the ultimate receptacle of good with the regenerated man, and also concerning the means of purification, vers. 33-53.
6. A general summary of the Divine laws relating to profanation in various ways, vers. 54-57.

1.  This is evident, because by Jehovah is denoted the Divine Being as to His love, 2001; by speaking is denoted influx, 295,1; by Moses is represented Divine Truth, or the Word, 7010; and by saying is denoted perception, 1791, 1822.

   [Back to 1]

2.  The law of the leper in the day of his cleansing denotes the laws of order with regard to the purification of the church, or of the individual, from a state of the profanation of truth, 6963, 487, 2634, 4545; and his being brought to the priest denotes that the profaner must be brought directly under the influence of Divine Good, 9946.

   [Back to 2]

3.  The priest going forth out of the camp denotes that Divine Good must operate through the heavens by means of Divine Truth, 9946, 10038, 2245, 2246; and the plague of leprosy being healed denotes the removal of profanation by regeneration, 10219, 6963,.8365.

   [Back to 3]

4.  The priest commanding denotes influx from the Lord into the soul of the regenerated man, 9946, 5486; two living clean birds denote the affections of truth conjoined with good, 776, 9182⁶, 3938⁸, 4545, 5194; cedar wood denotes interior truth conjoined with good, 7918; scarlet denotes exterior truth conjoined with good, 9468⁹; and hyssop denotes external truth for purification, 7918. And it is said "as from himself," because this is implied in the words "to take for him that is to be cleansed," 6744.

   [Back to 4]

5.  The priest commanding denotes that from good flowing in it is perceived, 9946, 5486, 5732; running or living water denotes the truth of the Word active from good, 3424; killing one of the birds denotes preparation by the acknowledgement that the affection of truth apart from the affection of good is without spiritual life, 10024, 6767; and an earthen vessel denotes a receptacle in the natural mind, 5948, 10105, 3079.

   [Back to 5]

6.  The living bird denotes the affection of good, 9182⁶; the cedar wood, the scarlet and the hyssop denote the interior truth of good, the exterior truth of good, and external truth for purification from the Word, 7918, 9468⁹; taking these together with the living bird evidently denotes the conjunction of good from the Lord with the truths of the Word; and the whole being dipped in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water denotes the vivification of the life of the natural man (signified by the blood, 7846) by regeneration from the Lord, 9229⁴, and thus the reciprocal conjunction of truth with good there when there has been self-denial through the influence of the truth, 10024, 6767, ver. 5.

   [Back to 6]

7.  Sprinkling upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times denotes that this conjunction is confirmed in him who is purified from profanation by Divine Good, 10047, 716, 4545, 6963, 9946; pronouncing him clean denotes perfect purity, 4545; and letting go the living bird into the open field denotes perfect freedom in the enjoyment of the heavenly life of the love of good, 7439, 3310, 99, 1869.

   [Back to 7]

8.  Washing the clothes denotes the purification of the external man as to the ultimate, 3147; shaving off all his hair denotes the same as to the interior, 3301⁵; bathing himself in water denotes the same as to the internal, 3147; being clean denotes a state of purity, 4545; coming into the camp denotes becoming receptive of the heavenly life, 10038; and dwelling outside his tent seven days denotes a holy state of regeneration by abstaining from selfish love completely, 1293, 1566, 2044.

   [Back to 8]

9.  The seventh day denotes the completion of that first state, 2044; shaving off all the hair of his head and his beard and his eyebrows denotes the removal of falsities of every degree, 3301⁸; even all the hair off his head denotes emphatically complete removal of falsities as to the will as well as the understanding, 683; and washing his clothes, bathing his flesh in water, and being clean, denote that purification is full as to every degree, externally and internally, 3147, 4545.

   [Back to 9]

10.  The eighth day denotes the new state of the heavenly life, 9227; the two periods of cleansing are called a double guarantee because of the repetition, 683; two he-lambs without blemish, and one ewe-lamb of the first year without blemish, denote worship from the truth of innocence conjoined with its good, in all fullness, and free from falsity in the celestial degree, 2906, 7837-9, 5194; and three tenth parts of an ephah of fine flour, for a meal offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil, denote in all fullness from the truth of good conjoined with celestial good, and thus from celestial good itself, as adapted, in the spiritual degree, 2177, 10136-7, 2788. Observe here that as the offering of the lambs denotes celestial worship, the meal offering denotes spiritual worship, 21772, 4581⁴.

    [Back to 10]

11.  The priest denotes Divine Good, 9946; to be cleansed denotes to be purified spiritually, 4545; the offerings denote the genuine worship of the Lord, 922; and before the Lord at the door of the tent of meeting denotes the acknowledgement of the Lord, and that He operates through the heavens for man's regeneration and salvation, 2356, 3540³.

    [Back to 11]

12.  The priest taking one of the he-lambs and offering him for a guilt offering, and the log of oil, and waving them before the Lord, denotes that consequently the Lord is worshiped from the truth of innocence in the internal man, whereby is the remission of evil, and from celestial love when it is acknowledged that all the activity of these affections is from Him, 7837, 7838, 3400, 2177, 10083.

    [Back to 12]

13.  Killing the he-lamb denotes preparation for this worship from the truth of innocence, 10024, 7837, 7838; in the place where they kill the sin offering and the burnt offering denotes a state of worship for the removal of evil, and the reception of celestial good internally, 2625, 3400, 10053; in the place of the sanctuary denotes even in the inmost degree of the mind, 3652³, 3210; the guilt offering being the priest's, like the sin offering, denotes that as the removal of actual evil is from the Lord, even so it is with evil committed in a state of the innocence of ignorance, 10042; and its being most holy denotes that worship for the removal of such evil is essentially holy, 3210, 10129.

    [Back to 13]

14.  The priest taking of the blood of the guilt offering denotes that the holy truth involved in such worship proceeds from the Lord through the good of innocence, ver. 12, 10060, 9946; putting it upon the tip of the right ear denotes communicating power to shun evil by obedience from a principle of truth internally, 10061; upon the thumb of his right hand denotes the same interiorly, 10062; and upon the great toe of his right foot denotes the same in every action externally, 10063.

    [Back to 14]

15.  The priest taking of the log of oil and pouring it into the palm of his own left hand denotes that, indeed, Divine Good operating through the will flows into the understanding with power, 9946, 2177, 10062.

    [Back to 15]

16.  The priest dipping his right finger into the oil that is in his left hand denotes power communicated, not only in general, but also in particular, each part of the hand denoting power like the whole hand, 7430; using the right hand and the left hand denotes good operating by truth, 10062; the oil denotes good, 2177; and sprinkling of the oil with his finger seven times before the Lord denotes the acknowledgement in all fullness and holiness that the conjunction of truth with good in him is entirely from the Lord, 10047, 2044, 716.

    [Back to 16]

17.  The oil denotes good, 2177, while the blood denotes truth, 10060; putting the oil upon the blood of the guilt offering denotes, that power is from good by truth; putting it upon him that is cleansed from leprosy denotes with those who are purified from the profanation of truth, 6963, 4545; upon the tip of the right ear denotes in the will by obedience from good, 10061; upon the thumb of the right hand denotes in the understanding by the conjunction of truth with good interiorly, 10062; and upon the great toe of the right foot denotes in the life by the conjunction of truth with good in every action, even in worship from the innocence of ignorance, 10063, 3400, 2542.

    [Back to 17]

18.  The rest of the oil put upon the head of him that is to be cleansed denotes good established in the inmost, 257, 7859; the head also signifies the whole man, 10011; and the priest making atonement before the Lord denotes the reconciliation of the external man with the internal, and complete deliverance from evil by the Lord, chap 1:3, 10042 II.

    [Back to 18]

19.  The priest offering the sin offering, and making atonement for him that is to be cleansed from his uncleanness, denotes that all this is humbly acknowledged by him who is reconciled to the Lord, 9939, 10042; and killing the burnt offering afterwards denotes preparation in consequence to worship the Lord from pure love, 10024, 10053.

    [Back to 19]

20.  The priest offering the burnt offering upon the altar, making atonement, and the leper being clean, denotes the acknowledgement that all celestial good and all spiritual good are from the Lord, and are devoted to His service, when evil is remitted and there is complete purification, 10042, 2177, 4545.

    [Back to 20]

21.  The man being too poor denotes one not of the internal church, but of the external, 9209; not getting so much evidently denotes not being receptive of good and truth in so great a degree, 4372; taking one he-lamb for a guilt offering denotes the worship of the Lord from the good of innocence in ignorance on a lower plane, 7837-9, 3400; waving denotes vivification from the Lord, 10083; making atonement denotes reconciliation with the Lord by the removal of evil, chap 1:3, 10042 II.; and taking one tenth part of an ephah of fine flour mingled with oil for a meal offering, and one log of oil, denotes the worship of the Lord, in his degree, from truth conjoined with good, which is from celestial good in the inmost, 2177, 10136-7.

    [Back to 21]

22.  Taking two turtledoves or two young pigeons such as he is able to get denotes the worship of the Lord from the good and truth of faith, according to his state both in regard to the removal of evil and the reception of good, 1826, 1827, 3400, 10053.

    [Back to 22]

23.  The eighth day denotes a new state, 9227; and bringing the offerings to the priest to the door of the tent of meeting before the Lord, for his cleansing, denotes ascribing his life, after purification, to the Lord by acknowledging that it is from Him through the heavens, 10042, 2356, 3540³.

    [Back to 23]

24.  The priest taking the lamb of the guilt offering and the log of oil and waving them for a wave offering before the Lord denotes the acknowledgement that all the good of the innocence of ignorance, and all the good of inmost celestial love, are vivified with him during his worship from the Lord, 7837, 7838, 3400, 2177, 10083.

    [Back to 24]

25.  Killing the lamb of the guilt offering denotes preparation to worship the Lord from the good of innocence in ignorance, 10024; the priest taking the blood denotes the acknowledgement that the holy truth involved in such worship proceeds from the Lord, ver. 12, 10060, 9946; and putting it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, denotes the communication of power to shun evils by obedience from the principle of truth internally, interiorly and externally in every action, 10061-3.

    [Back to 25]

26.  The priest pouring of the oil into the palm of his own left hand denotes that again, indeed, Divine Good operating from the Lord will flow into the understanding with power, 9946, 2177, 10062.

    [Back to 26]

27.  The priest sprinkling with his right finger some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before the Lord denotes that this is done not only in general, but also in particular; and hence that there is, with the man of the church, the reception of good with power by means of truth, and the acknowledgement, in all fullness and holiness, that the conjunction of good with truth in him is entirely from the Lord, ver. 16.

    [Back to 27]

28.  The priest putting of the oil that is in his hand upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, in the place of the blood of the guilt offering, denotes that not only is truth received from the Lord communicating power, but good also when man is purified from profanation, being the essential of power in the will by obedience from a principle of good; in the understanding by the conjunction of truth with good interior, and in the life by the conjunction of truth with good in every action, ver. 17.

    [Back to 28]

29.  The rest of the oil that is in the priest's hand being put upon the head of him that is to be cleansed, to make atonement for him before the Lord, denotes that, in consequence of such worship, good is also established in the inmost, and thus in the whole man, when he is purified from profanation; and that thus is effected the reconciliation of the external with the internal man, and complete deliverance from evil by the Lord, ver. 18.

    [Back to 29]

30.  Offering one of the turtledoves or of the young pigeons such as he is able to get denotes that the Lord is truly worshiped from the good of faith or from the truth of faith, according to the state of the man, 1826-7.

    [Back to 30]

31.  The one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering denotes even according to his state in the worship of the Lord for the removal of evil and for the reception of good, 3400, 10053; with the meal offering denotes externally as well as internally, ver. 10; and the priest making atonement for him before the Lord denotes that thus the reconciliation between the external and the internal man is effected by the Lord with him who is to be purified, 10042, 4545.

    [Back to 31]

32.  This is the law of him in whom is the plague of leprosy who is not able to get that which pertains to his cleansing, denotes the law of Divine Order for him who is to be purified from profanation who is not of the internal church, but of the external, and therefore is not so fully receptive of the heavenly life, 2634.

    [Back to 32]

33.  This is evident because by Jehovah is denoted the Divine Being as to His love, 2001; by speaking is denoted influx, 2951; by Moses is represented Divine Truth, 7010; by Aaron is represented Divine Good, 9946; and by saying is denoted perception, 1791, 1822.

    [Back to 33]

34.  By coming into the land of Canaan, which the Lord gives for a possession, is denoted here "when men have realized the heavenly state by the reception of life in the internal man, and also in the external, which it is the will of the Lord to impart," 1413, 2658; and by putting the plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your possession is denoted "when there is in the ultimate receptacle of their souls some slight degree of profanation," 10219, 6963, 1488, because the Lord is said to put leprosy in a house only according to the appearance, 696.

    [Back to 34]

35.  This is clear from the signification of the owner of the house as denoting the man who is in the reception of spiritual life thus, 6690; of coming to tell the priest, saying, as denoting perception from his prevailing state of good, 3209, 9946; and of "there seems to me to be as it were a plague in the house," as denoting the perception of the tendency in himself to the destruction of that life, 10219, 6963, 1488.

    [Back to 35]

36.  The priest commanding denotes influx from good giving perception, and thus being led by the Lord, 2951; emptying the house denotes the confession that he is void of any good and truth as his own, 17; the priest going in to see the plague denotes enlightenment concerning his state from good by truth, 9946, 2150, 10219; and all that is in the house not being made unclean denotes good and truth which he has from the Lord being preserved in him from the impurity of profanation, 10219, 6963, 10130.

    [Back to 36]

37.  The priest looking on the plague denotes that from Divine Good examination shall be made, 9946, 2245, 2246; the plague being in the walls of the house with hollow strakes greenish or reddish denotes a tendency to profanation in the external receptacle as to good, even the profanation of ultimate truths there by falsities appearing as truths, but void of good, because there is in them thought from the impulse of self-exaltation, 10219, 6963, 6419, 2233, 996, 3300, 17; and the appearance being lower than the wall denotes even when there is full enjoyment of faith in the Lord, the wall here representing the same as the skin, 9215, 780.

    [Back to 37]

38.  The priest going out of the house to the door denotes that Divine Good is, as it were, withdrawn from that receptacle, 2356; and shutting up the house seven days denotes a state of restraint in order that a holy state of regeneration may be induced by purification, 784, 6854⁵, 716.

    [Back to 38]

39.  The priest coming again the seventh day and looking denotes that after this state further examination takes place, 2044, 2245, 2246; and the plague being spread in the walls of the house denotes an extension of the tendency to profanation in that receptacle, 10219, 4035-

    [Back to 39]

40.  The priest commanding denotes influx from Divine Good revealing through Divine Truth, 2951; taking out the stones in which the plague is denotes that impure falsities are to be rejected from that receptacle, 643, 10219; and casting them into an unclean place without the city denotes that these falsities are acknowledged to be from the hells whence is all impurity, 10130, 4744³, 402.

    [Back to 40]

41.  The house being scraped within round about denotes that the receptacle, by the influence of good, is to be purified from all admixture of falsity from the proprium or from selfish love completely, 9946, 1488, 6669; and pouring out the mortar that is scraped off without the city into an unclean place denotes that the evil affection itself which causes these falsities to cohere is to be rejected to the hells Whence is all impurity, 6669, 4744³, 402.

    [Back to 41]

42.  Taking other stones and putting them in the place of those stones, and other mortar, and plastering the house, denotes that into the receptacle pure truths are to be inserted from the Word, and that these are to be caused to cohere by the genuine affection for truth, good thus appearing as formed in truths, 643, 6669.

    [Back to 42]

43.  By the plague coming again is denoted the recurrence of the evil of profanation, 10219, 6963; and after the stones have been taken out, after the house has been scraped, and after it has been plastered, denotes "even though falsity has been so far removed by discipline for the purpose, and truths have been made to cohere with good," 643, 6669. Observe here that scraping the walls of the house within, and thus removing the old plaster, has the same correspondential value as removing the skin, and at the same time what causes the adherence of the skin to the flesh, of a sacrificed animal, 10036; and that this, of course, implies the rejection of ultimate falsity and its evil, and thus the discipline involved in such rejection.

    [Back to 43]

44.  The priest coming to look denotes the influx of Divine Good into its receptacle more strongly, and consequent examination, 9946, 2245, 2246; the plague being spread in the house denotes the extension of the tendency to profanation, or actual profanation in the slightest degree, 10219, 6963, 4035; a fretting leprosy denotes, in this case, irritation where good rules, 6963; and unclean denotes spiritual impurity, 10130.

    [Back to 44]

45.  Breaking down the house as to the stones thereof and as to the timber thereof denotes the rejection of that receptacle as to its falsities and evils, 10643, 1488, 643; all the mortar thereof denotes as to any coherence by their conjunction, 6669; and carrying them forth out of the city to an unclean place denotes rejection to the hells and separation from true doctrine, 4744³, 402.

    [Back to 45]

46.  He that goes into the house all the while it is shut up, being unclean until the evening, denotes that all who allow their life to be manifested in such an impure receptacle are impure until a change of state is brought about, 1488, 6854⁵, 10130, 7844.

    [Back to 46]

47.  He that lies in the house washing his clothes denotes that every one who takes his ease and rests among such impurity must be purified by the truth of the Word, 3696, 3147, 1073; and he that eats in the house washing his clothes denotes that every one who essays to appropriate good in that state must be purified in the same way, 2187, 3147, 1073, 1488.

    [Back to 47]

48.  The priest again coming in and looking denotes influx from Divine Good, and thence examination by Divine Truth, 9946, 2245, 2246; the plague not spreading in the house denotes no extension of profanation, 4035, 10219, 6963; after he has plastered the house denotes after truths were made to cohere from good, 643, 6669; and the priest pronouncing the house clean because the plague is healed denotes that good reveals by truths that the receptacle is pure, because purification has been effected by discipline, 9946, 1488, 4545, 10219, 8365.

    [Back to 48]

49.  Taking to cleanse the house two birds and cedar wood and scarlet and hyssop denotes that the means of purification, namely, the affection of good, and truths active from good, and interior truth and exterior truth, are to be applied, 4545, 1488, 776, 9182⁶, 3938⁸, 5194.

    [Back to 49]

50.  Killing one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water denotes that from good it is perceived by means of the Word, or by means of truth active from good, that the affection of truth apart from the affection of good is without spiritual life, and must be prepared, in its receptacle in the natural mind, to receive good, 3424, 10024, 6767, 5948, 10105, 3079, ver. 5.

    [Back to 50]

51.  Taking the cedar wood and the scarlet and the hyssop and the living bird, and dipping them in the blood of the slain bird and in the running water, and sprinkling the house seven times, denotes that consequently there must be the conjunction of good with truth through the affection of good flowing in from the Lord being conjoined with the interior truth of good, and with the exterior truth and good from the Word; and that this conjunction in him that is to be purified is to be confirmed from Divine Good in the holy state of regeneration, 9182⁶, 7918, 9468⁹, 7846, 3424, 9229⁴, 10024, 6767, ver. 6, 10047, 716, 4545, 6963, 9946, ver. 7.

    [Back to 51]

52.  Cleansing the house with the blood of the bird and with the funning water denotes that the receptacle of good is to be purified by the holy affection of external truth, and by the holy truth from the Word, 7846, 3424; and with the living bird, and the cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet, denotes with the affection of good, and by interior and exterior truth specifically from the word and conjoined with good, 9182⁶, ver. 51.

    [Back to 52]

53.  Letting go the living bird out of the city into the field denotes that the affection of good is left perfectly free in the full enjoyment of heavenly life and happiness internal and external, 7439, 3310, 99, 1869, 9182⁶; and making atonement for the house and its being clean denotes that external good is reconciled with internal, and that complete purity prevails, 10042 II., 1488, 4545.

    [Back to 53]

54.  This is the law for all manner of plague of leprosy and for a itch denotes that these are the laws of Divine Order with regard to the profanation of truth, and to the evil affections which are active in the course of regeneration and tend to such profanation, 2634, 10219, 6963, 7524.

    [Back to 54]

55.  For the leprosy of a garment, and for a house, denotes also with regard to those evil affections by which true doctrine is profaned, and by which receptacles of good in the external man are profaned, 5006, 6963, 1488.

    [Back to 55]

56.  For a rising and for a scab, and for a bright spot, denotes with regard to the removal of evil affections tending to profanation from sensual love, from the love of the world, and from selfish love successively, 7524, 2240, ver. 2.

    [Back to 56]

57.  To teach when it is unclean and when it is clean, this being the law of leprosy, denotes that the man of the church may thence know how to discriminate between impurity and purity, both with respect to the will and understanding, 7007, 10130, 4545, 683, 2634, 6963.

    [Back to 57]

It is very evident from the whole contents of this chapter in the literal sense that it must contain some hidden meaning, for otherwise the particular ceremonials mentioned throughout it would not be capable of any reasonable explanation. Let us, therefore, reverently consider it in the light of the law of correspondences, according to which we now know that the Word of the Lord is written.

It is remarkable, to begin with, that the priest, on going out of the camp, finds the leper healed. But surely to be healed means that the leprosy has been removed, and, therefore, that the man is already pure before the ceremony of cleansing commences. How is this? It is to show that the Lord alone delivers man from the sin of profaning the truth, and that no outward ceremonials nor any external worship can effect this. But still, in order to be purified the profaner must do those things which are represented by the ceremonials and the sacrifices, and he must do them as from himself. We are not to infer, therefore, that the man does his part after being healed by the Lord, but while he is being healed.

Now what are the means of deliverance from profanation internally? They are the affections of truth exterior and interior, or, in other words, the affections of truth and good given to man by the Lord; and they are represented by birds, because the new life of the spiritual man is formed in his understanding, and he is not regenerated through the corrupt will, 40; these birds are to be living and clean, because all life is from the Lord, and because nothing but what is pure comes from Him; and one of them is to be killed in an earthen vessel over running, or living, water, to denote preparation by self-denial in the receptacle of the natural man, for being made pure, by means of the truth of the Word conjoined with good, or of faith conjoined with charity, which is denoted by the living water.

But not only so. For it is the duty of him who would be spiritually clean not to be satisfied with truth from the Word in general merely. He must also discriminate, and learn by experience that certain particular truths only are adapted for the purification of different degrees of the life of his affections, and these varying truths, as we have seen, are respectively signified by cedar wood, scarlet and hyssop. And then observe carefully how man's efforts for his own purification are assisted by the unseen operations of the Lord. For dipping the living bird and the other things named in the blood of the dead bird is an expressive symbol of the Divine operation. When we die as to the flesh, we live as to the spirit, but not otherwise. And, of course, this leads to conjunction with the Lord by love, and lastly to the state of freedom so aptly denoted by letting the living bird go away into the open field. This, therefore, is the first part of the process of our purification, which is going on even during our whole life, and which is denoted by the sprinkling of him who is to be cleansed from leprosy seven times. Let us now consider the second.

Purification as to the natural or external man is here specifically considered; and the symbol of it, namely, washing, and shaving, and bathing, are so well known that they scarcely need to be illustrated; and they are threefold, because each degree of man's life itself consists of distinct degrees, for we are taught that these degrees exist in the greatest and in the least of all created things. But the garments, and the hair, and the flesh are so named as to show that this part of the process proceeds from without inwards, corresponding to the Divine operation from within outwards. This, therefore, is in agreement with the law of regeneration, which requires that man must be born not only of water, but of the spirit. And now we are required to notice that the result of purification in the external man is his introduction into the heavenly state in general, although not as yet specifically. For the leper, being clean, was allowed to come into the camp, but not to enter his own house. The camp denotes the heavenly state as to the order by arrangement of truths under good; but the house, in the best sense, denotes the specific state as to good, and no one can realize this unless, by regeneration, which is signified by the period of seven days, he totally rejects his own selfish life, and thus is purified as to good as well as with regard to truth. Hence, then, the second washing, and shaving, and bathing, with a more particular rejection of falsities, as the expressions with respect to the shaving clearly show. Thus ends the second part of the ceremony; but we have yet to reflect on the third.

And it is evident that here the eighth day denotes the new and full state of the heavenly life, in which the Lord is truly worshiped from good in every degree, as denoted by the particular offerings, and especially by the application of the blood and the oil, as exactly as the text describes, which is a most expressive way of showing how fully and completely Divine Truth and Good now permeate the man or the angel. But it is not necessary to repeat what has been already sufficiently explained when giving the references to these sacrifices. Only let it be remembered that even in heaven there are still the guilt offering and the sin offering, or, in other words, the acknowledgement that man of himself is liable to error, is nothing but evil, and is continually kept in good by the Lord. For by the two he-lambs respectively are denoted the truth of innocence, by which acknowledgement is made, while by the ewe-lamb is signified the good of innocence which, spiritually, constitutes the burnt offering, or entire consecration to the Lord. And thus we see, as we have formerly seen, but now in a more striking manner, how it is really good, or love, that makes the atonement, and yet how at the same time it is effected by truth. While, therefore, in our daily lives, we give the preference to love as a principle, let us not forget the necessity of truth as a means, and that truth from good must come into our actions in order that our reconciliation with the Lord may be thorough. For observe it is the right ear, the right hand and the right foot that are to be sprinkled with the blood and anointed with the oil; and not only so, but that it is the tip of the ear, the thumb of the hand and the great toe of the foot that are to be so dealt with, in order to show that goodness must be conjoined with our truth, and that these must both together appear in our actions, and so in the ultimates. This is the proper way of trusting in the Lord and doing good. But note the preliminary to this in vers. 15-16 before proceeding. There is an interior operation of the will upon the understanding. The will receives good from the Lord, just as the priest takes the log of oil and pours it into the palm of his own left hand. Now pouring denotes influx (2 Kings 4:4, and 3728), the left hand denotes the understanding, and the oil in the palm of the left hand, therefore, good manifested in truth. And then the dipping of the finger of the right hand in the oil in the left hand show's how power comes to man, by the conjoined and reciprocal operation of the will and the understanding, before he can bring the good and the true into ultimates, as described by what immediately follows. For by an external way man receives the truth into his understanding, that is, by reading the Word and being taught; but by an internal way the good into his will, that is, by influx; and thus he is enabled, before he practises them, to have conjunction with the Lord by acknowledgement.

Let the man of the church, therefore, be greatly stimulated by these reflections in endeavouring to lead the heavenly life. But something more yet remains to be said on the rest of this chapter which may be useful in this way also.

A person may be, spiritually, too poor, even in the heavens, to be able to worship the Lord from the internal good of innocence, signified by a lamb, when he is delivered from profanation. But, nevertheless, he can do this on a lower plane, for there are three heavens. It is not possible, therefore, for one who is only fitted by regeneration for the ultimate heaven to ascend and to become either spiritual or celestial. And, indeed, neither do such desire to do so. Every one is content, at last, to remain in his own heaven to eternity; and there also is scope for eternal progress. Now the worship of such is signified by the substitution of two turtledoves or two young pigeons for the second he-lamb and the ewe-lamb, and by a proportionately less expensive meal offering, which in this chapter represents worship in a less degree than the sacrifices. But this matter of the meal offering has been previously explained, and need not detain us. Also, since the rest of this description is the same as before, it is only necessary to add that herein we learn in what respects the regeneration of all men is similar. This happens because all human beings are images and likenesses of the Lord by creation, and are on that account capable of becoming so by regeneration. Now the practical value of the knowledge thus drawn from the internal sense of the Word is that each of us should seek, by co-operation with the Lord, to develop his own capabilities, and not to be deluded with the fancy that he ought to become what he sees so many superior to himself become. Let each of us, in fact, rather learn to receive the kingdom of God as little children than to aspire beyond our possibilities, or to seek for greatness rather than for goodness.

But what shall we say, finally, about leprosy in our houses? It is quite easy to conceive of a disease affecting our bodies or our minds, but a disease in a house it is difficult to think of, especially as writers on this subject are of the opinion that leprosy was not infectious. Spiritually, however, the case is different. The house denotes the ultimate receptacle of good in the mind; and, therefore, this may be liable to be affected by any interior impurity. For the law is that the Internal shall form the External; and we are all required to build our own spiritual houses, a good thing for us being that we shall establish them upon the rock, and not build upon the sand. Hence then is the importance of being cleansed spiritually even as to sensual and corporeal affections, which are not unlike garments and houses.

Even just here, therefore, we have a great work before us; and it is interesting to observe that the process of cleansing is outwardly the same as that for deliverance from profanation generally. But, indeed, how many of the kind words we speak, and of the good actions we do, with the best motives and from enlightened judgement, are yet tainted with the thought of self! And what can possibly purify us but genuine affections, living truths, close conjunction with the Lord, a death to sin, and the glorious liberty of the heavenly life? It is a fact that we must live for ever in the continual exercise of our bodily functions and powers; and therefore in heaven, as upon earth, we shall need continual purification, lest we profane the truth we love and the good we love through the quite unavoidable and proper use of our heads, our hands and our feet, and also of the clothing we wear. This, then, justifies the description in the latter part of our chapter. Let us heed it well.

LEVITICUS 14    Other translations  -  previous  -  next  -  notes  -  discussion  -  Leviticus  -  BM Home  -  Full Page