AC 9857 - A Breastplate of Judgment; AC 9858 - The Work of a Thinker; AC 9863 - The Breastplate and the New Jerusalem

AC 9857

And thou shalt make a breastplate of judgment.
(Exodus 28:15)

That this signifies
that which has regard to Divine truth
shining forth from Divine good,
is evident from the signification of "the breastplate,"
as being Divine truth shining forth
from the Divine good of the Lord in ultimates.
It is called "a breastplate of judgment,"
because it gave answers,
and thereby revealed Divine truth.
Moreover, by "judgment" in the Word
is signified Divine truth,
consequently doctrine and life according to doctrine.

AC 9858 
With the work of a thinker.
(Exodus 28:15)

That this signifies from the intellectual part,
is evident from the signification of "a thinker,"
as being the understanding.
It is said from the intellectual part,
because the Lord's spiritual kingdom,
which is represented by Aaron's garments,
is the intellectual part of heaven,
even as the celestial kingdom is its will part.

AC 9863

And thou shalt fill it with a filling of stone.
(Exodus 28:17)

That this signifies
the truths themselves in their order from one good,
is evident from the signification of "the breastplate,"
which is what was to be filled,
as being Divine truth shining forth
from the Divine good of the Lord;
and from the signification of "a filling of stone,"
as being truths in their order;
for the breastplate was filled with stones
according to the names of the sons of Israel;
and by "stones" in a general sense
are signified truths in the ultimate of order;
and by "precious stones,"
such as were in the breastplate,
are signified truths shining from good.
It is said "from one good,"
because there is one good from which are all truths.
This good is the good of love within the Lord,
thus the Lord Himself;
and consequently it is the good of love from the Lord,
which is the good of love within the Lord;
for the good which flows in from the Lord
into man, spirit, or angel, appears as if it were theirs;
consequently love within the Lord
is love from the Lord.
This good is the one only good
from which are all truths,
and from which is the order among truths,
for truths are forms of good.

That the precious stones which were in the breastplate
signified Divine truths from Divine good,
is evident from the passages in the Word
where precious stones are mentioned;
as with John in Revelation:

The foundations of the wall of the city New Jerusalem
were adorned with every precious stone.
The first foundation was jasper;
the second, sapphire;
the third, chalcedony;
the fourth, emerald;
the fifth, sardonyx;
the sixth, sardius;
the seventh, chrysolite;
the eighth, beryl;
the ninth, topaz;
the tenth, chrysoprase;
the eleventh, jacinth;
the twelfth, amethyst.
(Revelation 21:19, 20)

That these precious stones
signify the truths of the church,
which are truths Divine,
is evident from the signification of
"the city New Jerusalem,"
of its "wall," and "the foundations of the wall."
"The New Jerusalem" signifies the New Church
which will succeed our present church;
for the book of Revelation treats of
the state of the church as it is now, even to its end;
and then of the New Church,
which is the holy Jerusalem coming down out of heaven;
its "walls" denote the truths of faith which defend;
and its "foundations" denote truths from good;
these truths themselves in their order
are designated by the precious stones there named.
Everyone can see that Jerusalem
is not to come down out of heaven,
and that the rest of what is said about it
will not happen as described;
but that in each particular of the description
such things are signified as pertain to the church.
That the truths of faith are meant by
"the foundations of its wall,"
is evident from the fact that these truths
are what protect the church from every attack,
even as walls protect a city.
(That "Jerusalem" denotes the church;
and that "walls" denote the truths of faith
that protect the church;
and that "foundations" denote truths from good.)