LEVITICUS 6
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Leviticus Chapter 6

Summary of the Spiritual Sense

  1. Offences against the truth of faith are described, repentance on account of them, the worship of the Lord, nevertheless, from the good of innocence in the internal man, and reconciliation with Him in consequence, vers. 1-7.
  2. The Divine Laws in relation to the worship of the Lord from pure love to Him, or in relation to the worship of the celestial man, vers. 8-13.
  3. The same in relation to worship from love to the neighbour, or to the worship of the spiritual man, vers. 14-18.
  4. Laws concerning the worship of the Lord in the fully regenerated state, or when truths are fully conjoined with good, vers. 19-23.
  5. And also laws concerning the worship of the Lord in order to the removal of actual evils, vers. 24-30.

The Contents of each Verse

  1. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
  1. There is revelation from the Lord by Divine Truth to the man of the Spiritual Church giving the perception, [more]
  1. If any one sin, and commit a trespass against the Lord, and deal falsely with his neighbour in a matter of deposit, or of bargain, or of robbery, or have oppressed his neighbour;
  1. That whenever he infringes the laws of order by any offence against the truth of faith, falsifying it by separating it from charity either in the memory, or in the understanding, or in the will by ascribing it to himself, or by violating the good of charity; [more]
  1. Or have found that which was lost, and deal falsely therein, and swear to a lie; in any of all these that a man does, sinning therein:
  1. Or having discovered or perceived true doctrine, which had been lost, falsifies it, and confirms himself in such falsification, especially if such errors are expressed in the discourse or in the actions; [more]
  1. Then it shall be, if he has sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took by robbery, or the thing which he has gotten by oppression, or the deposit which was committed to him, or the lost thing which he found,
  1. Then, when he confesses that he has sinned internally and externally, he shall cease to ascribe to himself what is from the Lord, or to do violence to the principle of good, to hold the truth in his memory without application to life, or to corrupt true doctrine restored to the church, [more]
  1. Or any thing about which he has sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in full, and shall add the fifth part more thereto: to him to whom it belongs shall he give it, in the day of his being found guilty.
  1. Or to confirm himself in false doctrines. And therein he shall fully do the work of repentance, not only by shunning the evil, but by practising the truth, in order that some remains may be implanted with him; yea, he shall humbly ascribe all the good and truth with him to the Lord, as soon as he fully realizes his evil state. [more]
  1. And he shall bring his guilt offering to the Lord, a ram without blemish out of the flock, according to your estimation, for a guilt offering, to the priest:
  1. And herein he shall sincerely worship the Lord from the good of innocence in the internal man free from falsity; and according to the quality of his good as manifested in truths in the external man, on account of his offence against the truth of faith, by acknowledging that it is from the Lord. [more]
  1. And the priest shall make atonement for him before the Lord, and he shall be forgiven; concerning whatever he does so as to be guilty thereby.
  1. And his state of good shall cause the removal of evil and reconciliation with the Lord, evil being remitted, whatever may be its nature and quality. [more]
  1. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
  1. Also there is revelation from the Lord by Divine Truth giving the perception, [more]
  1. Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the burnt offering: the burnt offering shall "be on the hearth upon the altar all night to the morning; and the fire of the altar shall be kept burning thereon.
  1. Through influx to those who are in good, and in truths thence derived, concerning the worship of the Lord from pure love, that in every state of obscurity, this love shall be predominant, and also in every state of brightness, by the determination of man as from himself; for love must be constant, and must never be extinguished. [more]
  1. And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches shall he put upon his flesh; and he shall take up the ashes whereto the fire has consumed the burnt offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar.
  1. And celestial good shall be manifested in the truths of faith; also the conjunction of truth with good shall be maintained externally as well as internally; and whatever in previous states of worship, has served its use, shall be thereby elevated, but yet is respectively subordinate. [more]
  1. And he shall put off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry forth the ashes without the camp to a clean place.
  1. But changes of state as to truths will always accompany or follow changes of state as to good; and such knowledges as are no longer required for use are separated from the heavenly life, abiding in the external memory which is quiescent, where they are not contaminated with evil. [more]
  1. And the fire upon the altar shall be kept burning thereon, it shall not go out; and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning: and he shall lay the burnt offering in order upon it, and shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings.
  1. But the inmost of worship, which is pure love, must be ever active, and must not be extinguished; and this must be effected by him who is in good as from himself in every new state; perfect arrangement as to affections and thoughts must be maintained; and especially must celestial good from a principle of freedom and peace be ascribed to the Lord. [more]
  1. Fire shall be kept burning upon the altar continually; it shall not go out.
  1. For the Divine Love and Mercy are constant with man, when from the heart he worships the Lord; and, indeed, they never cease. [more]
  1. And this is the law of the meal offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before the Lord, before the altar.
  1. Also these are the laws of order as to the worship of the Lord from celestial love in the spiritual degree, or as to worship from charity: it proceeds from Divine Truths derived from Divine Good; and it is spiritual worship. [more]
  1. And he shall take up therefrom his handful, of the fine flour of the meal offering, and of the oil thereof, and all the frankincense which is upon the meal offering, and shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour, as the memorial thereof, to the Lord.
  1. Also it shall be in full power with the spiritual man in pure truth derived from good; and in addition, has celestial and spiritual good and truth therein in true worship; for all shall be acknowledged to be from the Lord in a state of holy peace and rest inscribed on the interior memory. [more]
  1. And that which is left thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat: it shall be eaten without leaven in a holy place; in the court of the tent of meeting they shall eat it.
  1. And thus and thence shall those who are in good, and those who are in truth thence derived, namely the celestial and spiritual, appropriate good from the Lord; good shall be appropriated in a state of separation from falsity; in a state of holiness; and in the natural degree of the mind, and hence fully in every degree. [more]
  1. It shall not be baked with leaven. I have given it as their portion of my offerings made by fire; it is most holy, as the sin offering, and as the guilt offering.
  1. And even in preparing for such a state of appropriation shall there be no admixture of falsity. It is a gift from the Lord to the celestial and spiritual man, according to the Divine Love and Mercy; it is inmost good adapted to each degree of the mind; and it is inmostly in previous states of deliverance from evil and error. [more]
  1. Every male among the children of Aaron shall eat of it, as a due for ever throughout your generations, from the offerings of the Lord made by fire: whoever touches them shall be holy.
  1. And this celestial and spiritual good shall be appropriated by all who are in truths in the understanding from good in the will; it shall be as if it were their own in every change of state to eternity; and it is from the Divine Love, as received by man, and acknowledged by him; yea, all contact with such good, however slight, produces a state of holiness. [more]
  1. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
  1. Further, there is revelation from Divine Good by Divine Truth giving the perception, [more]
  1. This is the oblation of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer to the Lord in the day when he is anointed; the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meal offering perpetually, half of it in the morning, and half thereof in the evening.
  1. That those who are in celestial good and in the truth thence derived, shall then acknowledge the Lord in worship, when truth is intimately conjoined with good; there shall be with them fullness as to remains of Divine Truth from Divine Good perpetually; and this shall be the case in all states both of brightness and of obscurity. [more]
  1. On a baking pan it shall be made with oil; when it is soaked, you shall bring it in: in baked pieces shall you offer the meal offering for a sweet savour to the Lord.
  1. And the preparation for such a state shall be by means of exterior truths operated upon by celestial good; in the process an orderly arrangement of truths under good shall take place; and it shall be acknowledged to be from the Lord, bringing joy and peace in worship. [more]
  1. And the anointed priest that shall be in his stead from among his sons shall offer it: by a statute for ever it shall be wholly burnt to the Lord.
  1. And external good conjoined to truth shall minister to essential good in effecting full conjunction: and such external worship from internal shall be perpetual. [more]
  1. And every meal offering of the priest shall be wholly burnt: it shall not be eaten.
  1. For indeed all inmost worship from good shall be fully ascribed to the Lord, because man cannot appropriate good from himself. [more]
  1. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
  1. Further, there is revelation from Divine Good by Divine Truth, giving the perception, [more]
  1. Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, This is the law of the sin offering: in the place where the burnt offering is killed shall the sin offering be killed before the Lord: it is most holy.
  1. By influx to those who are in good and thence in truths, concerning worship during deliverance from evil; that inmostly such worship is identical with the worship of the Lord from pure love, and that the preparation for such worship is the same, being from the Divine Love. In short, it is the effect of inmost; worship. [more]
  1. The priest that offers it for sin shall eat it: in a holy place shall it be eaten, in the court of the tent of meeting.
  1. And he who is thus inmostly in good shall then appropriate good externally, it shall be a holy state of worship; and. it shall be appropriated in the natural man, which is derived from the spiritual and celestial man. [more]
  1. Whatsoever shall touch the flesh thereof shall be holy: and when there is sprinkled of the blood thereof upon any garment, you shall wash that whereon it was sprinkled in a holy place.
  1. And thus external worship shall be holy from what is internal; and when the holy state of charity is conjoined with truth in such worship, purification from sin shall take place in that holy state. [more]
  1. But the earthen vessel wherein it is sodden shall be broken: and if it be sodden in a brazen vessel, it shall be scoured, and rinsed in water.
  1. But the merely natural affection which was instrumental in such worship shall be separated; and if such natural affection was good from the Lord, it shall be purified from; all falsity and from: all evil. [more]
  1. Every male among the priests shall eat thereof: it is most holy.
  1. And indeed every truth from good shall thus appropriate its own good. It is external worship conjoined with internal. [more]
  1. And no sin offering, whereof any of the blood is brought into the tent of  meeting to make atonement in the holy place, shall be eaten: it shall be burnt with fire.
  1. And the worship of the Lord in order to interior purification, which is from the essential principle of charity proceeding from the Lord through the heavens, and which purifies from sin, thereby reconciling the external man with the internal, must not be appropriated by man as his own. It is to be acknowledged as being wholly from the Lord, and is to be wholly devoted to Him. [more]

References and Notes

  1.  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, or the Word, 7010, 6752; and by saying is denoted perception, 1791, 1822, chap 4:1.

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  2.  The proofs are that to sin is to infringe the laws of Divine Order, 5076; to commit a trespass denotes an offence against the truth of faith, 9156; to deal falsely with the neighbour denotes to falsify the truth by separating it from charity, because a neighbour denotes one who is in good, or in charity, 6711, 6712; and therefore to deal falsely with him is to separate truth from charity, 8087; a deposit denotes "what is laid up for every use," and thus what is in the memory, 5299; what is put into the hand, or, in other words, a second deposit (Heb. Lex.), fellowship (A.V.), bargain, or pledge (R.V.), denotes what is in the understanding, 10062; robbery, or what is taken away by violence, denotes an act of the will by man when, from selfish love, he ascribes the truth to himself, 8906; and oppressing the neighbour denotes to violate the good of charity, 6711, 6712.

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  3.  To find that which was lost denotes to discover true doctrine, 9150; to deal falsely therein evidently denotes to falsify true doctrine, 8087; to swear to a lie denotes to confirm what is false, 2842; and sinning on account of any of these things denotes expressing evil and falsity in discourse or in actions, 5076, 9156.

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  4.  This is true, since the words "if he has sinned and is guilty" imply confession internally and externally, 5076, 3400; restoring that which was taken by robbery denotes ceasing to ascribe to self what is from the Lord, 8906; restoring the thing gotten by oppression denotes no longer doing violence to the principle of good or to charity, 6711, 6712; to restore the deposit which was committed to him denotes no longer to hold the truth in his memory without application to life, 5299; and restoring the lost thing which is found denotes no longer to corrupt true doctrine restored to the church, 9150.

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  5.  Moreover, restoring anything about which there has been false swearing denotes ceasing to be confirmed in false doctrine, 8087, 2842; to restore fully is to do the work of repentance not only by shunning evil, but by practising the truth, 9087, 9097, 9130; adding the fifth part denotes the implantation of remains, 649, 5291; restoring it to him to whom it appertains denotes the ascribing of good and truth to the Lord, 8906; and the day of being found guilty denotes the state in which evil in oneself is realized as evil, 487, 3400, 9133.

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  6.  This is seen from the signification of a guilt offering of a ram, as denoting the worship of the Lord from the good of innocence in the internal man, 3400, 2001, 10042; of without blemish, as denoting free from evil, 7837; of out of the flock, as denoting what is spiritual, 5913, 6126; of according to estimation, as denoting according to the quality of good as manifested in truths in the external man, 2959; and of a guilt offering to the priest, as denoting on account of his offence against the truth of faith, 9156, while by bringing the offering to the priest is denoted the acknowledgement that the truth of faith is from the Lord, 3670.

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  7.  By the priest making atonement for him is denoted that good from the Lord shall cause the removal of evil, and reconciliation with the Lord, 9946, 10042; by his being forgiven is denoted remission, 8393, 9506; and by whatever he does so as to be guilty thereby is denoted whatever may be the nature and quality of evil, 3400.

    As this verse closes the subject of sins committed in error, in the internal sense, it may be as well to review the last few verses. Observe that the first verse again indicates a new subject, although it is clear that the general subject is continued and here concluded, for a ram is again the appointed offering. Why is this? The reason is that there are three subdivisions of the general subject, the first describing what has relation to the will of the internal man, the second, what has relation to the understanding, and the third, what has relation to the conduct. And in verses 2 and 3 there is a series of six different errors for consideration, according to man's reception and embodiment, in the actions, of truths received into the memory, into the understanding, into the will externally, into the will internally, by profaning externally and by profaning internally, the last, of course, being the confirmation of evil and falsity, notwithstanding successive warnings against them. Now it is well known in the church that, in the order of regeneration, as far as the outward appearance goes, man advances successively from a state of instruction through states of intelligence and obedience to a state of love or good, and consequently it is evident that numerous errors are liable to arise in his progress, these receiving their quality from his prevailing state as he proceeds, and hence we see the reason of the order in which the terms occur in the first place. But when these terms are repeated in verses 4 and 5, which describe the work of repentance, we notice that the order is changed, the cause of which is, that the arrangement of truths with every one is according to his prevailing state as to the reception of good from the Lord. When man, therefore, comes into a state of repentance, interior things begin to take the first place, and exterior things are regarded as of secondary importance; and thus we find that things taken by robbery and by oppression are first named, while the things relating, spiritually, to the memory are next mentioned. And this involves important teaching. True repentance is a change of motives, rather than of opinions, or of actions merely. But still it is certain that the deepest evils may lurk within, and so the tendency to confirm evil states is last spoken of. The state of repentance, therefore, is only a transition state; but it will have to be carried out in all completeness in order to realize good.

    This brings us to another matter which is worthy of serious consideration. It is the implantation of remains, represented by adding the fifth part. There is a difference between the storing up of remains and their implantation. By remains are meant good affections and true thoughts from the Lord; and these are said to be stored up with man, when he is not conscious of them, and yet they are preserved by the Lord in his internal man ready for manifestation and use when the right time comes. And when it does come, then they are implanted and take root, as it were, in his External, where they bud and blossom and bring forth fruit. This is the implantation of remains, and by it is accomplished the regeneration of man, his conjunction with the Lord, and the conjunction of the external with the internal man. And, of course, this work proceeds just in proportion as evils and errors are repented of, and are forgiven or remitted, the result being that all good and truth are perceived inwardly and acknowledged outwardly to be from the Lord. Thus we see the rational and practical value of the spiritual teaching in ver. 5, and how it is connected with the verses which precede and which follow. It is unnecessary, however, to explain more at length the contents of verses 6 and 7, as all the points therein have been before considered. But an interesting reference in regard to the implantation of remains is 6156, which deserves careful study; and others are 1616, 589711, 1737, 2284.

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  8.  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, or the Word, 7010, 6752; and by saying is denoted perception, 1791, 1822, chap 4:1.

    [Back to 8]

  9.  Commanding Aaron and his sons, and saying, denote influx with those who are in good and in truths thence derived, 5486, 9946; saying denotes perception, 1791, 1822; the law of the burnt offering denotes concerning the worship of the Lord from pure love, 8680; its being on the hearth, or on the firewood, denotes that love shall be predominant, because the burning of the fire signifies the activity of love, 9723, 68323; all night denotes in every state of obscurity, 6000; the morning denotes a state of brightness, 9787; and the fire being kept burning on the wood denotes the determination of man as from himself that love shall be constant, and shall never be extinguished, 2784.

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  10.  By the priest putting on his linen garment is denoted that celestial good shall be manifested in the truths of faith, 9946, 9814; by the linen breeches being put upon his flesh is denoted that the conjunction of truth with good shall be maintained externally as well as internally, 9959, 160, 161; by his taking up the ashes is denoted that whatever, in previous states, has served its use is thereby elevated, 9723; and by putting them beside the altar is denoted that it is respectively subordinate, 9736, 10185.

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  11.  Putting off his garments and putting on other garments denotes that changes of state as to truths will always accompany changes of state as to good, for garments signify truths, 9814, and the priest signifies good, 9946, while putting off and putting on evidently signify changes of state, 3405; and carrying forth the ashes without the camp to a clean place denotes that such knowledges as are no longer required for use are separated from the heavenly life abiding in the external memory, which is quiescent where they are not contaminated with evil, since by without the camp is signified separation from the heavenly life, 4236; by a clean place is denoted that the act of separation is pure, 4545, 2625; and by it also the external memory, which is quiescent, 9723.

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  12.  This appears from the signification of fire, as denoting the inmost of worship which is pure love, 9723; of burning, as denoting the activity of such worship, 9723, 68323; of the fire not going out, as clearly denoting that love must not be extinguished; of the priest burning wood on the altar every morning, as denoting that this must be effected by him who is in good, as from himself in every new state, 9946, 2784, 7844; of laying the burnt offering in order, as denoting perfect arrangement as to affections and thoughts, 5288; and of burning on the wood the fat of the peace offering, as denoting that especially must celestial good from a principle of freedom be ascribed to the Lord, because the fat denotes celestial good, 10033, 353; peace offerings denote worship from freedom, 10097; and burning on the altar as an offering or oblation denotes to ascribe to the Lord, 2776.

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  13.  Here fire denotes the Divine Love and Mercy, 1528; its being kept burning continually denotes that these are constant with man, 10133; and its not going out denotes that they never cease, as is evident. And it is evident also that the repetition of this statement which was made in the last verse is not merely for the sake of emphasis, as appears from the literal sense, but for the sake of conveying, according to the series of the internal sense, the truth that the Divine Love and Mercy are unchangeable.

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  14.  This is true, because by the law is denoted the truths which relate to love to the Lord, signified by the burnt offering, and love to the neighbour, signified by the meal offering, 1121, 2177; by the meal offering in this series, therefore, is denoted celestial love in the spiritual degree, or worship from charity, chap 2:1-2; by the sons of Aaron offering it is denoted that spiritual worship proceeds from Divine Truths derived from Divine Good, 9946; and by "before the Lord before the altar" is denoted spiritual worship conjoined with celestial, and derived from the Lord, because "before the Lord" denotes that such worship is from the Lord, 10024, and the altar denotes the Lord and the worship of the Lord, 9714.

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  15.  This is seen from considering that taking the handful denotes the exercise of full power, 7518; that fine flour denotes pure truth derived from good, 9995; that oil and frankincense denote celestial and spiritual good and truth, 2177, 10177; that "upon the meal offering " denotes in true worship, ver. 14; that burning the handful upon the altar denotes consecration to the Lord, 10052, and the acknowledgement that all good and all truth are from Him, 10055; that a sweet savour, or an odour of rest, denotes a state of holy peace and rest, 10054; and that a memorial denotes what is inscribed on the interior memory, 6888.

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  16.  That which was left of the meal offering being for Aaron and his sons to eat denotes the appropriation of good from the Lord by the celestial and spiritual, 9946, 2177, 2187; it being without leaven denotes separation from a state of falsity, 2177, 2342; it being eaten in a holy place denotes appropriation in a state of holiness, that is, a state of love and faith, 3652; and in the court of the tent of meeting denotes in the natural degree of the mind, and hence fully in every degree, because by the court is denoted the ultimate heaven, and thus the natural degree, 9741, 9825; and in the ultimate degree "all interior things are held together in their order, and in their form and connection," and thus there is fullness in every degree, 9824.

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  17.  Not being baked with leaven denotes that even in preparing for such a state of appropriation there shall be no admixture of falsity, 8496, 7906; it being given as the portion of Aaron and his sons of the offerings made by fire denotes that the good represented by the meal offering is a gift from the Lord to the celestial and spiritual man, 4397, 9946, 10055; and it being most holy denotes that it is inmost good adapted to each degree of the mind, 10129, 10042, 9156.

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  18.  This is demonstrated thus: the meal offering denotes celestial and spiritual good, 4581, 2177; the male among the children of Aaron denotes truth from good, 725, 9946; eating denotes appropriation, 2187; a law, or statute, for ever throughout your generations denotes the reception of good as if it were man's own, in every change of state to eternity, because this is according to heavenly order, 7884, 7931, 9845, 1712; from the offerings of the Lord made by fire denotes from the Divine Love as received by man, 10055; and every one touching them being holy denotes that all contact with such good, however slight, produces a state of holiness, 10023.

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  19.  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, or the Word, 7010, 6752; and by saying is denoted perception, 1791, 1822, chap 4:1.

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  20.  Aaron and his sons denote those who are in good and in truth thence derived, 9946; to bring an oblation is to acknowledge the Lord in worship, 349, 922; the day when he is anointed denotes the state when truth is intimately conjoined with good, 99547; the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meal offering perpetually denotes fullness as to remains of Divine truth from Divine good perpetually, 576, 10136, 10133; and half being offered in the morning and the other half in the evening denotes in all states both of brightness and obscurity, 10255, 6000, 9787.

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  21.  The meal offering being baked in the baking pan and mixed with oil denotes that preparation for such a state shall be by means of exterior truth operated upon by celestial good, 8496, 7356, 2177; it being brought in when soaked or saturated denotes in the process, or when truths are conjoined with good, the fine flour denoting truths and the oil good, 9993; it being in baked pieces denotes an orderly arrangement of truths under good, 10048, 3110; and a sweet savour to the Lord denotes the acknowledgement of the Lord which brings joy and peace, 10054.

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  22.  This appears thus: the anointed priest that shall be instead of Aaron signifies external good conjoined to truth and ministering to essential good, 99547, 10017; the meal offering denotes what effects conjunction, ver. 20; and its being wholly burnt to the Lord by a statute for ever denotes that such external worship from internal shall be perpetual, ver. 18.

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  23.  Every meal offering of the priest being wholly burnt denotes that all inmost worship from good shall be fully ascribed to the Lord, 9946, 10055; and its not being eaten denotes that man cannot appropriate good from himself, 2187.

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  24.  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, or the Word, 7010, 6752; and by saying is denoted perception, 1791, 1822.

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  25.  Speaking to Aaron and to his sons and saying denotes influx to those who are in good and to those in truths giving perception, 9946, 2951, 1791, 1822; the law of the sin offering denotes concerning worship during deliverance from evil, 3400; the sin offering being killed in the place where the burnt offering is killed denotes that such worship is identical with the worship of the Lord from pure love, and that the preparation for such worship is the same, 3400, 10053, 2625, 10024; before the Lord denotes from Divine Love, 2001; and most holy denotes that it is the effect of inmost worship, 10129.

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  26.  The priest that offers it for sin eating it denotes that he who is thus inmostly in good shall then appropriate good externally, 9946, 2187; the sin offering being eaten in a holy place denotes a holy state of worship, 2625; and in the court of the tent of meeting denotes appropriation in the natural man, 9741, 9825.

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  27.  Whatsoever touches the flesh thereof being holy denotes that external worship shall be holy from what is internal, as it appears from the signification of touching as denoting contact spiritually, 4404, 10199; of the flesh of the sin offering, as denoting external worship, 8682, 10040; and of being holy, as denoting holiness in consequence of connection with internal worship, vers. 25, 26; the blood of the sin offering being sprinkled upon a garment denotes the holy state of charity conjoined with truth in such worship, because blood in this case signifies charity, 1001, and a garment denotes truth, 1073, while sprinkling denotes conjunction, 10047; and washing that whereon the blood was sprinkled denotes purification, 3147; a holy place denoting a holy state, 2625.

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  28.  This is evident, because an earthen vessel denotes a merely natural affection, 10105, in this case an affection of truth which is instrumental, 5948; being broken denotes to be separated or removed, 9163; sodden in a brazen vessel denotes preparation by means of truths derived from good, 10105; and being scoured and rinsed in water denotes purification from all falsity and all evil, 10105.

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  29.  Every male among the priests eating thereof denotes that every truth from good shall thus appropriate its own good, 725, 9946, 2187; and it being most holy denotes that it is external worship conjoined with internal, since the sin offering denotes worship involving purification from sin, 3400, and most holy denotes what is internal or inmost, 10129.

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  30.  This is true, because the sin offering of which the blood is brought into the tent of meeting denotes sincere worship involving interior purification, 3400; the blood denotes charity, 1001; brought into the tent of meeting denotes acknowledgement that it is from the Lord through the heavens, 2356, 35403; to make atonement in the holy place denotes the reconciliation of the external man with the internal in that holy state, 10042, 2625; not being eaten denotes not to be appropriated by man as his own, 2187; and being burnt with fire denotes full devotion to the Lord, 10052.

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Discussion

Continuing now our comments on this chapter from where we left off. we have to reflect carefully on the various particulars of the Divine Law concerning the burnt offerings and sacrifices by which are Represented the worship of the Lord in various states and under various circumstances. And first, with regard to worship from celestial love which is of the highest degree, namely, the purest love of the Lord, or of goodness and truth from Him for their own sakes. What are the laws? We read in the description given that above all things there can be no such worship apart from the Divine influx of life into man on the one. hand, and man's co-operation on the other. The burnt offering was commanded to be on the hearth or on the firewood all night until the morning. Throughout the whole process of regeneration the Divine Love never ceases to flow in with man, producing in him the disposition to worship; and this must be manifested in the peculiar individuality of the worshiper. Every one must worship the Lord as from himself. There can be no true worship which is not voluntary and deliberate on the part of man. The burnt offering must be upon the firewood. Notice particularly that heat, in the natural world, is always to be obtained from the sun by its proper medium, the atmosphere; and so, spiritually, the Divine Love is always present with man by the medium of its recipient, namely, that Divine Truth which is called the Holy Spirit and the Comforter. " Lo, I am with you always, even to the consummation of the age" (Matt 28:20). "All night to the morning." The Divine Love never sleeps. But also you do not get the heat consciously apparent unless you have the wood, or some ultimate substance and form equivalent. This is the law of creation, and spiritually it is the law of regeneration as well. Now the will and the understanding of the man, just as he exercises them as his own from the Lord, are, taken together, that ultimate; and the heavenly marriage which constitutes regeneration—the conjunction of the Church with the Lord—must be effected in the proprium, or in man's own realization of life, as it were, properly belonging to him, 155, 253. And this may be called, indeed, the grand law of human life, because it lies at the foundation thereof, just as the Lord Himself is at the summit.

Another law in relation to this supreme love of the Lord, which is called celestial par excellence, is that it is displayed in truths which are like beautiful garments that at once adorn it and present it in accommodated forms according to the state. They are truths derived from good, expressive of good, and conjoined with good. That they are derived from good is meant by the garments being the garments of the priest; that they are expressive of good is denoted by their being changed according to the state, and also by their being different for different parts of the body; and that they are conjoined with good is signified by their being upon the flesh, for flesh, as we have seen, denotes good.

A third law in relation to celestial worship is expressed in the action of the removal of the ashes. It is that man cannot advance to the realization of his highest good unless the states leading to it are first regarded as subordinate, and afterwards set aside as things done with, and yet abiding in the memory as precious relics, so to speak. Who that has made some advance in the regenerate life cannot look back and call to mind those holy states of his early religious life when certain forms of thought and feeling which, although they were in reality but as dust and ashes compared with the genuine experiences of the present, yet, at the time, were of great importance on account of their use in fostering the life of good? And surety none of these are absolutely lost. True, they are "out of the camp," they cannot form a part of heavenly order, but nevertheless they are "in a clean place," that is, they cannot be reckoned as a part of things evil and false. Sweet is the memory of those early states, although, as a rule, it is quiescent in our state of perfection.

Further, a fourth law of celestial worship is that it must be constantly maintained from the inmost; that this also must be done by man as from himself; that it produces an orderly arrangement of the lower affections; that it causes the inmost love to be manifested in a state of peace and rest; and that this can be accomplished by man because the love and mercy of the Lord never fail, nor can they be extinguished. And this, let us add, is applicable to the wicked as well as the good, since it is of the Lord's continual loving kindness and mercy that they never lose their life, and that all their experiences tend to the amelioration of their condition, and their more and more orderly arrangement among those with whom they must be, on their own plane of existence, eternally associated.

And thus we see that the laws of celestial worship proceed immediately from the Divine Love; that their operation fills the heavens with joy and peace, and affects eternally for the very best the state and condition of every human being according to his acquired character.

The laws of celestial worship having special reference to love to the Lord, it now follows that the laws of spiritual worship have particular relation to charity or love to the neighbour, which is celestial love in an image. Or, what is the same thing, celestial love has reference to Divine Good, while spiritual worship has relation to Divine Truth; for the good of charity is acquired by truth as a medium. Hence we observe that it was the duty of the sons of Aaron to offer the meal offering; but that, since both love to the Lord and love to the neighbour are involved, therefore this is indicated by its being said "before the Lord" and "before the altar" This shows us that there can be no genuine love to the neighbour without the reception of truths from the Word on the one hand, and the acknowledgement of the Lord on the other. Then we see, in the fifteenth verse, how spiritual worship is connected with celestial worship. It is by both together being embodied with power in the act of worship. Thus, to do good to the neighbour from a principle of truth which has charity as a motive is really to love the Lord (Matt 25:40). This is to take the handful of fine flour with the oil thereof and all the frankincense thereof and burn it upon the altar. Herein is the conjunction all together of a good act; of truth from good; of love to the Lord; of the grateful hearing and perception, interiorly, of Divine Truth; and of the powerful influence of Divine Love. But the spiritual man, in his simple acts of obedience to law, does not see and feel all these things that are involved therein, and hence he does not realize the full force of what he does. But the next three verses show this. The law is that by doing good he appropriates good. It becomes a part of his life. And, indeed, he has no true spiritual life without this appropriation of good and truth from the Lord as if they were his own (John 6:53). Notice here the connection between the words appropriation and proprium, and then will be seen the reason of the particular directions which follow. The meal offering was to be eaten without leaven, in a holy place, in the court of the tent of meeting. In order to appropriate good there must be the rejection of falsity and evil, holiness derived from a love of the truth, and the life of religion in the natural degree. Nay, more, even in preparing for such appropriation must falsity and evil be put away, for good and truth, which nourish the soul, are the gift of the Lord; and on that account, where good operates and man co-operates, even in the work of repentance for evils committed and for inadvertent errors, there is a state of holiness. And thus this state of holiness appertains to all who are in truth from good of whatever degree in the course of regeneration, and is the means of conjoining the external man, represented in the expression a due, or a statute, with the Internal man among the spiritual, denoted by the sons of Aaron. And all this is the effect of the Divine Love, when the Lord is acknowledged in the true worship of a good life; for no one can be affected with the least consciousness of good and truth, as being distinct from the selfishness of man because they are from the Lord, without at the same time having a consciousness of their holiness.

But now we have another subdivision in the general subject, as appears from verse 19. There is a special meal offering for Aaron and his sons, that is, for all who are inwardly in good in the course of regeneration, when they are anointed, or spiritually, when good is finally conjoined with truth in the realization of the heavenly life. And this most appropriately concludes the account, in the internal sense, of the laws concerning spiritual life or worship, represented here by the meal offering. And we note, in this case, that remains are full, that is, remains of truth from the state of good, and continual in all states whether bright or obscure. Observe, however, in the next place, that this perfect celestial state is attained by a proper course of preparation, which is denoted by the baking and by the manner of the baking. In fact, it is the spiritual experiences of man which prepare him for the celestial by a secret orderly arrangement of his truths under good, which is the work of the Lord, as he proceeds. In regeneration, we may think that we do much because we act in freedom; but in reality the Lord Himself is the principal, and, indeed, in a certain and true sense, the only worker (Isaiah 44:24). Hence therefore, the account of the meal offering of the priest concludes with the statement of three important laws concerning it. Only an anointed priest could offer it; it was to be wholly burnt to the Lord; and every meal offering of the priest was to be wholly burnt, and none of it could be eaten, denoting, respectively, that external good shall minister to internal in promoting conjunction; that worship in this state ascribes good wholly to the Lord; and that this is true even in the lowest degree of worship, or in the ultimate heaven, since no angel, or no person with whom the conjunction of good with truth is complete, presumes to appropriate good as his own, but only as if it were his own.

Finally, the chapter concludes by stating the laws in relation to the sin offering, that is, spiritually, of worship for the removal of actual evils during the state of repentance. First, this worship proceeds from inmost good, although such good is not as yet realized; it is, therefore, identical with inmost worship, and so it is called "most holy"; secondly, good is appropriated in that state of worship, the state of appropriation is holy, and it is in the natural degree; thirdly, all the natural affections denoted by the touch and the thought thereto belonging signified by the garment, are thereby rendered holy, and are purified; fourthly, all merely natural affection which has been instrumental shall be separated, while good from the Lord shall be purified; and lastly, every truth shall appropriate its own good, while all the good of charity shall be ascribed to the Lord, and not to the proprium, thus effecting full reconciliation, as to the whole man, with the Lord, and full devotion to Him from pure love.

Herein, then, we now clearly see how completely the particulars of the process of regeneration are described in the Word, in different ways, by the various sacrifices of the Israelitish and Jewish Dispensation.

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