AC 9818, etc. - Aaron's Garments

AC 9819

. . . the signification of "Aaron's garments,"
as being a representative of
the spiritual kingdom of the Lord
joined to His celestial kingdom.
That the wise in heart,
filled with the spirit of wisdom,
were to make the garments,
was because by them are meant
those who are in the celestial kingdom;
and the spiritual kingdom
is that which is from the celestial,
and thus covers it,
as a garment covers the body.

AC 9823 - A Breastplate

That this signifies Divine truth
shining forth from Divine good,
is evident from the signification of "the breastplate,"
as being Divine truth shining forth from Divine good,
here in ultimates progressively from
the inmost things in the heavens.
For the ephod, on which was this breastplate,
represented the ultimates of the spiritual kingdom,
and consequently the ultimates of heaven.
"The breast plate" had this signification
because it was fastened upon the breast
where the heart is,
and was filled with precious stones,
and the heart corresponds to celestial good,
which is the good of love to the Lord from the Lord,
and the twelve precious stones
correspond to Divine truths thence derived.
Hence by "the breastplate" in the supreme sense
is signified Divine truth shining forth
from the Divine good of the Lord.

AC 9824 [2, 4] - An Ephod

As the ephod represented
the outermost of the Lord's spiritual kingdom,
it was more holy than the rest of the garments,
and on it was the breastplate,
in which were the Urim and Thummim,
through which answers were given by the Divine.
That what is most external
is more holy than the internal things,
is because the external holds
all the interior things in their order,
and in their form and connection,
insomuch that if the external were removed,
the internal things would be dispersed;
for internal things not only cease in the external,
but they are also together in it.

. . . when the Lord is in the ultimate,
He is simultaneously in all things,
and when He is in this,
the interior things are held together
in their order, connection, and form;
and under supervision and guidance
at His good pleasure.

AC 9825 - And a Robe

That this signifies Divine truth there in the internal form,
is evident from the signification of "the robe,"
as being the middle of the spiritual kingdom,
thus the truth itself which is there;
The reason of its being so
is that everywhere there must be end, cause, and effect;
the end must be the inmost,
the cause the middle,
and the effect the ultimate,
in order that the thing may be perfect.
It is from this that in the Word
"three" signifies what is complete from beginning to end.

It is said to be "of checker work,"
because it was woven, as is evident
from what follows in the book of Exodus:

They made tunics of fine linen,
the work of the weaver, for Aaron,
and for his sons
(Exodus 39:27);
that the tunics were of fine linen was in order
that truth from a celestial origin might be represented.

AC 9827 - And a Miter

That this signifies intelligence and wisdom,
is evident from the signification of "a miter,"
as being intelligence and wisdom.
A "miter" has this signification
because it is a covering for the head,
and by "the head"
are signified the interior things of man
that belong to intelligence and wisdom.

AC 9828 - The Belt

That "the belt" denotes a general bond
to the intent that all things may look to one end,
is because in the spiritual world the end reigns,
insomuch that all things there may be called "ends;"
for the Lord's kingdom, which is a spiritual world,
is a kingdom of uses,
and uses there are ends;
thus it is a kingdom of ends.
But the ends there follow one another
and are also associated together in a varied order;
the ends which follow one another
being called "intermediate ends,"
but the ends which are associated together
being called "consociate ends."
All these ends have been
so mutually conjoined and subordinated
that they look to one end,
which is the universal end of them all.
This end is the Lord;
and in heaven with those who are receptive,
it is love and faith in Him.
Love is there the end of all their wills,
and faith is the end of all their thoughts,
these being of the understanding.