AC 10042 - Sacrifices and Burnt-offerings

AC 10042 [1, 3, 4, 5-7]

. . . it must be told what was signified
by the animals in general
that were offered in the sacrifices and burnt-offerings.
These animals were oxen, bullocks, he-goats, rams,
she-goats, and he-kids;
also he-lambs, she-lambs, and she-kids.
One who does not know what these animals signify,
cannot possibly know what is specifically signified
by the sacrifices and burnt-offerings of them.
Be it known that all animals on the earth
signify such things as are in man,
which in general bear relation to
the affections of his will
and the thoughts of his understanding,
thus to goods and truths,
for goods are of the will,
and truths are of the understanding.
And as they bear relation to goods and truths,
they also bear relation to love and faith,
for all things of love are called goods,
and all things of faith are called truths.

But as regards the sacrifices
and burnt-offerings from them, be it known:

(1) That the representative worship
with the Jewish and Israelitish nation
consisted chiefly in sacrifices and burnt-offerings,
is evident from the fact that they were employed
for every sin, and for every guilt;
also for every consecration and inauguration;
and besides on every day, on every Sabbath,
every new moon, and every festival;
and that for this reason
the altar was the most holy of all things,
and all the other things of worship with that nation
depended upon these.
Therefore where the abolition
of representative worship is treated of in Daniel,
it is said that "the sacrifice and oblation shall cease"
(Daniel 9:27),
and "the continual sacrifice shall be removed"
(Daniel 8:10-13; 11:31; 12:11).

(2) That sacrifices and burnt-offerings in general
signified the regeneration of man
through the truths of faith and the goods of love
to the Lord from the Lord,
is evident from the fact that all things of worship
relate to purification from evils and falsities,
to the implanting of truth and good,
and to their conjunction, thus to regeneration;
for by means of these three things man is regenerated;
consequently sacrifices and burnt-offerings
were offered for every sin and for every guilt;
and when they were offered,
it is said that expiation was made
and that pardon would be granted.
The pardon of sins, expiation, propitiation,
and redemption,
are also nothing else
than purification from evils and falsities,
the implantation of good and truth,
and their conjunction, thus regeneration.
Every process of regeneration
is also described by the special rituals
of the several sacrifices and burnt-offerings,
and it is opened when the representatives
are unfolded by means of the internal sense.

That in the supreme sense
the sacrifices and burnt-offerings
signify the glorification of the Lord's Human,
is because all the rituals of worship
instituted with the Israelitish and Jewish nation
regarded the Lord alone;
thus the sacrifices and burnt-offerings
especially regarded Him,
because by them in general
was represented everything of worship . . ..
Moreover, the regeneration of man
is from no other source than the Lord;
and therefore where the regeneration
of man is treated of in the Word,
in the supreme sense
the glorification of the Lord's Human is treated of;
for the regeneration of man
is an image of the glorification of the Lord.
To glorify the Human is to make it Divine,
but to regenerate man is to make him heavenly,
in order that the Divine of the Lord
may dwell in him.

(3) That everything of worship,
according to the various things of it,
was represented by the sacrifices and burnt-offerings,
thus with all variety,
and that for this reason
various kinds of animals were commanded,
is evident from the various things for which
sacrifices and burnt-offerings were made;
namely, for sins by error, and for sins not by error;
for every transgression and uncleanness,
whether with the priest,
or with the whole assembly,
or with a prince, or with any soul;
for cleansing from leprosy;
for purification after child-bearing;
for the consecration of the altar,
of the Tent of meeting and of all things therein;
for the cleansing of the same when Aaron
once every year entered into the holy of holies;
for the inauguration
of Aaron and his sons into the priesthood;
for the consecration of the Nazirites;
and in general on the three feasts,
on each of the new moons, on the Sabbaths,
and daily in the morning and between the evenings;
besides the votive and voluntary offerings.