AC 9805, 9806 - Moses & Aaron, the conjunction of good & truth

AC 9805
And thou shalt cause to draw near unto thee Aaron thy brother,
and his sons with him,
from the midst of the sons of Israel,
that he may minister in the priest's office to Me;
Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons.
And thou shalt make garments of holiness for Aaron thy brother,
for glory and for comeliness.
(Exodus 28:102)

"And thou shalt cause to draw near unto thee Aaron thy brother,"
signifies the conjunction of Divine truth with Divine good
in the Lord's Divine Human;
"and his sons with him,"
signifies the Divine truth that proceeds from the Divine good;
"from the midst of the sons of Israel,"
signifies in heaven and in the church;
"that he may minister in the priest's office to Me,"
signifies a representative of the Lord;
"Aaron,"
signifies in respect to the Divine celestial;
"Nadab and Abihu,"
signifies in respect to the Divine spiritual thence derived;
"Eleazar and Ithamar,"
signifies in respect to the Divine natural;
"Aaron's sons,"
signifies which proceed from the Divine celestial;
"and thou shalt make garments of holiness for Aaron thy brother,"
signifies a representative
of the spiritual kingdom joined to the celestial kingdom;
"for glory and for comeliness,"
signifies in order to present, in the internal and the external form,
Divine truth such as it is in the spiritual kingdom
joined to the celestial kingdom.

AC 9806 [2]
All things in the universe, both in heaven and in the world,
bear relation to good and to truth in order to be anything;
for good is the being of truth,
and truth is the coming-forth of good;
and therefore good without truth does not come-forth,
and truth without good has no being;
from which it is evident that they must be conjoined.
Their conjunction is represented in the Word by two married partners,
and also by two brothers;
by two married partners,
when the subject treated of is the heavenly marriage,
which is that of good and truth,
and successive derivation from it;
and by two brothers,
when the subject treated of is the double ministry of judgment and of worship.

AC 9804 - the priesthood & their garments (Exodus 28)

AC 9804
The subject here treated of is the garments of holiness
which Aaron and his sons were to put on when they ministered.
By the priesthood
which Aaron with his sons was to administer
was represented the Lord in respect to the Divine celestial,
which is the Divine good in heaven;
and by Aaron's garments
was represented the Divine spiritual,
which is the Divine truth thence proceeding.

AC 9783 - the light that never goes out

AC 9783
To cause the lamp to go up continually.
(Exodus 27:20)
That a "lamp" denotes faith,
is because the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord
is light in the heavens;
this light, when received by the angels who are there, or by a person,
is like a lamp,
for it illuminates all things of the mind,
and imparts intelligence and wisdom.
This light when received is faith.
But be it known that faith is not a lamp,
that is, does not illuminate the mind,
unless it is from charity; thus unless it is charity.
The case with faith and charity is the same as with truth and good;
truth is the form of good,
that is, it is good so formed as to appear in light.
So faith is the form of charity, or charity formed.
Moreover, truth pertains to faith, and good to charity;
for that which is true is believed, and becomes of faith;
and that which is good is loved, and becomes of charity.
The truth and good itself
which are loved
are the neighbor,
and the love of these is charity.

AC 9780 - How can we know what good is?

AC 9780
. . . the Word is the doctrine of good,
because it is the doctrine of love to the Lord
and of love toward the neighbor;
and all good is of love, even the good of faith,
for this comes forth from the good of love, and not without it.

[2] As the Word is the doctrine of good,
therefore in order that the Word may be understood,
it must be known what good is;
and no one knows what good is
unless he lives in good according to the Word;
for when anyone lives in good according to the Word,
then the Lord instills good into his life,
from which the person perceives it and feels it,
and consequently apprehends the nature of it;
otherwise it does not appear, because it is not perceived.

AC 9776 - our natural person was created to be of service

AC 9776
Just as the world ought to serve heaven,
so a person's external or natural ought to serve his internal or spiritual.
Moreover, the natural was created for service;
for it does not live from itself,
thus can do nothing from itself;
but from the internal or spiritual,
that is, through this from the Lord.
From this it is also evident that a person's external or natural is nothing
unless it is of service to the internal or spiritual,
and that it becomes something in proportion as it is of service.
To be of service is to obey,
and the natural obeys
when it does not take for itself from the understanding
reasons which favor the evils of the loves of self and of the world;
but when it complies with the dictates of reason
and the doctrine of the church,
which declare that good and truth ought to be done,
not for the sake of self and the world as ends,
but for the sake of good and truth itself.
In this manner the Lord does these through a person's heaven,
that is, through his internal;
for all good and truth are from the Lord,
insomuch that good and truth with a person are the Lord Himself.

AC 9741 - three parts of the Tabernacle represent the three goods which make the three heavens

AC 9741
. . . there are three heavens-the inmost, the middle, and the ultimate;
the inmost heaven
was represented by the inmost part of the habitation,
where was the ark of the Testimony;
the middle heaven,
by the Habitation outside the veil;
and the ultimate heaven by the court, which is now treated of.
This heaven is called "the court"
because in it are those who are in the good of faith,
and not yet in the good of charity toward the neighbor;
those who are in the good of charity are in the middle heaven.
Those who are in the ultimate heaven,
which is called "the court," are called "angelic spirits;"
those who are in the middle heaven are called "spiritual angels;"
but those who are in the inmost heaven are called "celestial angels."

[2] Moreover, the very good of faith,
which is the good of the ultimate heaven, is a court,
for through it a person is introduced
into the good of charity toward the neighbor,
which is the good of the middle heaven.
Be it known that the good with a person makes his heaven,
and that his heaven is such as his good is.

There are three goods which follow in order:
the good of faith,
the good of charity toward the neighbor,
and the good of love to the Lord.
The good of faith, as just said,
makes the ultimate or first heaven;
the good of charity toward the neighbor
makes the middle or second heaven;
and the good of love to the Lord
makes the inmost or third heaven.

AC 9736 - the right and left sides of a person

AC 9736
And the staves shall be upon the two sides of the altar.
That this signifies the power of good from which is truth,
and of truth from good,
is evident from the signification of "the staves," as being power;
and from the signification of "the two sides,"
as being the good from which is truth, and truth from good;
thus the marriage of good with truth and of truth with good.

The reason of this is
that the things which are on the right side in a person
bear relation to the good from which is truth,
and the things which are on the left side bear
relation to truth from good;
and that by the conjunction of these
is therefore signified the marriage of good and truth.

AC 9713 - the altar (Exodus 27:1-8)

AC 9713
And you shall make the altar of shittim wood,
five cubits the length, and five cubits the breadth;
the altar shall be foursquare;
and the height thereof shall be three cubits.
And you shall make its horns upon the four corners thereof;
from it shall be its horns;
and you shall overlay it with brass.
And you shall make its pans to take away its ashes,
and its shovels, and its basins, and its fleshhooks, and its fire-tongs;
all the vessels thereof you shall make of brass.
And you shall make for it a grating, a network of brass;
and upon the net shall you make four rings of brass,
upon the four extremities of it.
And you shall bestow it under the compass of the altar beneath,
and the net shall be even unto the middle of the altar.
And you shall make staves for the altar, staves of shittim wood,
and shall overlay them with brass.
And the staves thereof shall be put into the rings,
and the staves shall be upon the two sides of the altar, in carrying it.
Hollow of boards shall you make it;
as you were made to see in the mountain, so shall they make it.
(Exodus 27:1-8)

"And you shall make the altar,"
signifies a representative of the Lord and of the worship of Him;
"of shittim wood,"
signifies righteousness;
"five cubits the length, and five cubits the breadth,"
signifies equally from good and from truth;
"the altar shall be foursquare,"
signifies thus what is righteous;
"and the height thereof shall be three cubits,"
signifies full in respect to degrees;
"and thou shall make its horns,"
signifies power;
"upon the four corners thereof,"
signifies complete power;
"from it shall be its horns,"
signifies that the power shall be from good;
"and you shall overlay it with brass,"
signifies a representative of good;
"and you shall make its pans to take away its ashes,"
signifies what is to be removed after uses;
"and its shovels, and its basins, and its fleshhooks, and its fire-tongs,"
signifies memory- knowledges
that contain and that are of service for every use;
"all the vessels thereof you shall make of brass,"
signifies all things from good;
"and you shall make for it a grating, a network,"
signifies the sensuous, which is the ultimate;
"of brass,"
signifies which also is from good;
"and upon the net shall you make four rings of brass,"
signifies the sphere of good through which there is conjunction;
"upon the four extremities of it,"
signifies everywhere;
"and you shall bestow it under the compass of the altar beneath,"
signifies this in ultimates;
"and the net shall be even unto the middle of the altar,"
signifies the extension of the sensuous;
"and you shall make staves for the altar,"
signifies the power of keeping in a state of good;
"staves of shittim wood,"
signifies the good of righteousness and the consequent power;
"and shall overlay them with brass,"
signifies a representative of good;
"and the staves thereof shall be put into the rings,"
signifies the power of the sphere of Divine good;
"and the staves shall be upon the two sides of the altar,"
signifies the power of good through truth, and of truth from good;
"in carrying it,"
signifies coming-forth and subsistence;
"hollow of boards shall you make it,"
signifies application;
"as you were made to see in the mountain, so shall they make it,"
signifies from the correspondence of Divine things in heaven.

AC 9709 - perspective

AC 9709
Those who are illumined from self,
and not from the Lord,
see falsity as truth and evil as good.

AC 9683 - immediate and mediate influx - or the workings of Providence and Order

AC 9683
That there is mediate influx from the Lord through the inmost heaven,
and immediate influx from Himself . . ..
With every good which makes heavenly life, thus eternal life,
with man and with angel, the case is this:
The inmost of good is the Lord Himself,
consequently is the good of love which is immediately from Him;
the good which next succeeds is the good of mutual love;
then the good of charity toward the neighbor;
finally the good of faith.
This is the successive order of goods from the inmost.
From this it can be seen how the case is with immediate and mediate influx.
In general it may be said that insofar as a good succeeding in order,
has in it a more interior good,
so far it is good,
for insofar it is nearer to the Lord Himself,
who, as before said, is the inmost good.
But the successive arrangement and setting in order
of interior goods in exterior,
varies in each and all subjects according to the reception,
and the reception is according to the spiritual and moral life
in the world of everyone,
for the life in the world remains with everyone to eternity.

[2] The influx of the Lord is also immediate with everyone,
for without immediate influx the mediate effects nothing.
Immediate influx is received according to the order
in which the person or angel is,
thus according to the Divine truth
which is from the Divine, because this is order;
and so it is order itself with person
that he should live in the good which is from the Lord,
that is, that he should live from the Lord.
This influx is continual,
and is adjoined to each and all things of the will of a person,
directing them as much as possible into order,
for a person's own will is continually leading him away from order.
It is the same with the voluntary and involuntary things in a person.
His voluntary things continually lead away from order,
but the involuntary ones continually bring back to order.
It is for this reason that the motion of the heart, which is involuntary,
is completely removed from man's will . . ..

AC 9681 - Exodus 26:34-37

AC 9681
And you shall bestow the propitiatory [mercy seat]
upon the ark of the Testimony in the holy of holies.
And you shall put the table outside the veil,
and the lampstand over against the table
upon the side of the Habitation toward the south;
and you shall bestow the table at the side of the north.
And you shall make a covering for the door of the Tent,
of blue, and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed, and fine twined linen,
the work of the embroiderer.
And you shall make for the covering five pillars of shittim,
and overlay them with gold;
and their hooks shall be of gold;
and you shall cast for them five bases of brass.
(Exodus 26:34-37)

"And you shall bestow the propitiatory [mercy seat]
upon the ark of the Testimony in the holy of holies,"
signifies the hearing and reception of all things in the inmost heaven
which are of worship from the good of love from the Lord;
"and you shall put the table outside the veil,"
signifies influx through the celestial things that belong to love;
"and the lampstand over against the table
on the side of the Habitation toward the south,"
signifies the illumination of the spiritual kingdom
through the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord's Divine Human
to those who are in good;
"and you shall bestow the table at the side of the north,"
signifies good in obscurity;
"and you shall make a covering for the door of the Tent,"
signifies the intermediate that unites the second or middle heaven
with the first or ultimate one;
"of blue, and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed, and fine twined linen,"
signifies from the good of charity and of faith;
"the work of the embroiderer,"
signifies things of memory-knowledge;
"and you shall make for the covering five pillars of shittim,"
signifies the support of the uniting intermediate, as far as is sufficient,
through the good of merit which belongs to the Lord's Divine Human;
"and overlay them with gold,"
signifies a representative of good;
"and their hooks shall be of gold,"
signifies the methods of conjunction through good;
"and you shall cast for them five bases of brass,"
signifies power from external good.

AC 9680 - why the Habitation is called "the holy"

AC 9680 [2]
All good is holy,
and all truth is holy insofar as it has good in it.
Good is called "holy" from the Lord,
because the Lord alone is holy,
and because from Him is all good and all truth.
From this it is evident why the Habitation is called "the holy;"
and why the ark in which was the Testimony is called "the holy of holies;"
for the Testimony denotes the Lord Himself as to Divine truth;
and "the ark" denotes the inmost heaven where the Lord is.

AC 9669 - "And you shall make a veil...." (Exodus 26:31-33)

AC 9669
And you shalt make a veil
of blue, and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed, and fine twined linen;
with the work of a thinker shall he make it,
with cherubs.
And you shalt bestow it upon four pillars of shittim
overlaid with gold,
and their hooks of gold,
upon four bases of silver.
And you shalt bestow the veil under the hooks,
and shalt bring in thither from within the veil the ark of the Testimony;
and the veil shall divide for you between the holy and the holy of holies.
(Exodus 26:31-33)

"And you shalt make a veil,"
signifies the intermediate which unites this heaven and the inmost heaven,
thus spiritual good with celestial good;
"of blue, and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed, and fine twined linen,"
signifies the goods of love and of faith conjoined;
"with the work of a thinker (a skilled craftsman) shall he make it,"
signifies the understanding;
"with cherubs,"
signifies a guard lest they should be commingled;
"and you shalt bestow it upon four pillars of shittim,"
signifies the good of merit,
which belongs to the Lord alone,
conjoining and supporting;
"overlaid with gold,"
signifies the representative there;
"and their hooks of gold,"
signifies the methods of conjunction by means of good;
"upon four bases of silver,"
signifies the power of conjunction by means of truth;
"and you shalt bestow the veil under the hooks,"
signifies the capability of conjunction and the consequent actuality;
"and shalt bring in thither from within the veil
the ark of the Testimony,"
signifies the coming-forth of the inmost heaven within this uniting medium;
"and the veil shall divide for you
between the holy and the holy of holies,"
signifies between spiritual good
which is the good of charity toward the neighbor
and the good of faith in the Lord, and celestial good
which is the good of love to the Lord and the good of mutual love.

AC 9668 - the setting up of the Habitation

AC 9668
. . . as regards its length the Habitation was placed from east to west,
and that the entrance was toward the east, and the ark toward the west;
consequently the sides were toward the south and the north.
The eastern quarter of the Habitation
represented the state of good in its rising;
the western quarter the state of good in its going down;
the southern quarter the state of truth in its light;
and the northern quarter the state of truth in its shade.
[2] The entrance was toward the eastern quarter
for the reason that the Lord enters into heaven through the good of love. . .

AC 9634 - the planks for the Habitation

AC 9634
And you shall make the planks for the Habitation.
(Exodus 26:15)

That "the planks" denote the good which supports,
is because there were of wood,
and supported the curtains of both the Habitation and the Tent,
and also the two coverings over them.
... These planks correspond to the muscular or fleshy part in a person,
by which supports the the encompassing membranes and skins. . ..

AC 9614 - the curtains - continued (Exodux 26:7-14)

AC 9614
And thou shalt make curtains of goats' [hair] for a Tent over the Habitation,
eleven curtains shalt thou make them.
The length of one curtain shall be thirty cubits,
and the breadth four cubits, for one curtain;
one measure for the eleven curtains.
And thou shalt join together five curtains by themselves,
and six curtains by themselves,
and shalt double the sixth curtain over against the faces of the Tent.
And thou shalt make fifty loops
upon the edge of the one uttermost curtain in the joining,
and fifty loops upon the edge of the curtain of the second joining.
And thou shalt make fifty hooks of brass,
and thou shalt bring the hooks into the loops,
and shalt join together the Tent, that it may be one.
And that which superabounds over and above in the curtains of the Tent,
the half of the curtain that is over and above
thou shalt make to superabound over the hinder parts of the Habitation.
And the cubit on the one side, and the cubit on the other side,
in that which is over and above in the length of the curtains of the Tent,
shall superabound over the sides of the Habitation on this side and on that,
to cover it.
And thou shalt make for the Tent a covering of skins of red rams,
and a covering of badgers' skins above.
(Exodus 26:2-6)

"And thou shalt make curtains of goats' [hair]
for a tent over the Habitation"
signifies the external of heaven,
which is from the truths that are from external celestial good;
"eleven curtains shalt thou make them"
signifies all the truths from which it is;
"the length of one curtain shall be thirty cubits"
signifies the fullness of truth from good;
"and the breadth four cubits"
signifies the marriage of truth with good;
"for one curtain"
signifies thus in each of the truths;
"one measure for the eleven curtains"
signifies a like state of the matter;
"and thou shalt join together five curtains by themselves,
and six curtains by themselves"
signifies the constant communication of truth with good,
and of good with truth;
"and shalt double the sixth curtain over against the faces of the Tent"
signifies the communication of all who are of that heaven
with the extremes there, and influx thence into the ultimate heaven;
"and thou shalt make fifty loops upon the edge
of the one uttermost curtain in the joining"
signifies the complete conjunction of one sphere with the other;
"and fifty loops upon the edge of the curtain of the second joining"
signifies in like manner reciprocally;
"and thou shalt make fifty hooks of brass"
signifies a full capability of conjunction by external good;
"and thou shalt bring the hooks into the loops"
signifies the method of the conjunction;
"and shalt join together the Tent, that it may be one"
signifies the external of heaven thus altogether one;
"and that which superabounds over and above in the curtains of the Tent"
signifies that which proceeds;
"the half of the curtain that is over and above,
thou shalt make to superabound over the hinder parts of the Habitation"
signifies to the ultimate of this heaven;
"and the cubit on the one side, and the cubit on the other side,
in that which is over and above in the length of the curtains of the Tent,
shall superabound over the sides of the habitation,
on this side and that, to cover it"
signifies the method by which this ultimate proceeds from good,
in order that heaven may be rendered safe;
"and thou shalt make a covering for the Tent"
signifies the circumference of this heaven;
"of skins of red rams"
signifies external truths from good;
"and a covering of badgers' skins above"
signifies outside of these from external good.

AC 9613 - and the conjunction of the angelic societies into one heaven

AC 9613 [3]
The conjunction of the angelic societies into one heaven
has reference to these laws:

1. Everyone in the form of the heavens comes forth in accordance
with the heavenly harmony of many associated together.
2. Love is spiritual conjunction, whence comes heavenly harmony.
3. There must be a universal bond,
in order that all the individuals may be held together in conjunction.
4. The universal bond must flow into the individual bonds,
and must make them.
5. The universal bond is the Lord,
thus love from Him, and consequently love to Him.
6. The individual bonds are derived from this,
and are those of mutual love, or of charity toward the neighbor.

These are the laws by virtue of which heaven,
consisting of innumerable angelic societies,
is nevertheless as one man.

AC 9599 - the curtains, conjunction (Exodux 26:2-6)

AC 9599
The length of one curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits,
and the breadth four cubits, for one curtain;
one measure for all the curtains.
Five curtains shall be joined together one to the other;
and five curtains shall be joined together one to the other.
And thou shalt make loops of blue
upon the edge of the one curtain at the extremity in the joining,
and so shalt thou do in the edge of the uttermost curtain
in the second joining together.
Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain,
and fifty loops shalt thou make in the extremity of the curtain
that is in the second joining together;
the loops shall be taken up one to the other.
And thou shalt make fifty hooks of gold,
and shalt join together the curtains one to another in the hooks,
and it shall be one Habitation.
(Exodus 26: 2-6)

"The length of one curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits,"
signifies the holiness of truth from good;
"and the breadth four cubits,"
signifies the marriage of truth with good;
"for one curtain,"
signifies thus for each of the truths;
"one measure for all the curtains,"
signifies a like state of the matter;
"five curtains shall be joined together one to the other,
and five curtains shall be joined together one to the other,"
signifies the constant communication of truth with good,
and of good with truth;
"and thou shalt make loops of blue,"
signifies conjunction through the celestial love of truth;
"upon the edge of the one curtain at the extremity in the joining,"
signifies of one sphere with the other;
"and so shalt thou do in the edge of the uttermost curtain
in the second joining together,"
signifies thus reciprocally;
"fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain,"
signifies complete conjunction in the ultimates of the spheres;
"and fifty loops shalt thou make in the extremity of the curtain
that is in the second joining together,"
signifies in like manner reciprocally;
"the loops shall be taken up one to the other,"
signifies conjunction in every way on both sides;
"and thou shalt make fifty hooks of gold,"
signifies a full capability of conjunction from good;
"and shalt join together the curtains one to the other in the hooks,"
signifies the method of conjunction everywhere;
"and it shall be one Habitation,"
signifies the whole heaven thus altogether one.


I apologize (a bit) for the long posts. There is much to love in reading the Lord's Word, and I have found that reading about the Tabernacle brings me a special pleasure - and amazement & wonder at the detail on all levels.

AC 9594 - three heavens, three degrees of a person's life

AC 9594
It is known that there are three heavens:
the inmost, the middle, and the ultimate;
or the third, the second, and the first.
All these heavens were represented by the tabernacle:
by the ark, where the Testimony was,
the inmost or third heaven;
by the Habitation,
where were the table for the breads of faces and the lampstand,
the middle or second heaven;
and by the court,
the ultimate or first heaven.
That there are three heavens is
because there are three degrees of life in a person . . ..
The inmost degree of the person's life is for the inmost heaven;
the middle degree of his life is for the middle heaven;
and the ultimate degree is for the ultimate heaven.
A person being such, or so formed,
and heaven being from the human race,
there are therefore three heavens.

[2] These three degrees of life in man are opened successively;
the first degree
by a life in accordance with what is equitable and just;
the second degree
by a life in accordance with the truths of faith from the Word,
and in accordance with the consequent goods of charity toward the neighbor;
and the third degree
by a life in accordance with the good of mutual love
and the good of love to the Lord.
These are the means whereby are successively opened
these three degrees of life in a person,
thus the three heavens in him.
But be it known that in proportion as a person recedes from the good of life,
and accedes to the evil of life, these degrees are closed,
that is, the heavens are closed in him;
for just as the good of life opens them,
so the evil of life closes them.

AC 9593 - "And thou shalt make the Habitation" (Exodus 26:1)

AC 9593
And thou shalt make the Habitation ten curtains of fine twined linen,
and blue, and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed, with cherubs;
the work of a thinker shalt thou make them.
(Exodus 26:1)

"And thou shalt make the Habitation,"
signifies the second or middle heaven;
"ten curtains,"
signifies all the truths from which it is;
"of fine twined linen, and blue, and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed,"
signifies the spiritual and celestial things from which are these truths;
"with cherubs,"
signifies the guard of the Lord lest it be approached and injured by the hells;
"the work of a thinker* shalt thou make them,"
signifies the understanding.

AC 9587 - the Lord leads so gently and so silently

AC 9587
The Lord keeps a person in the Freedom of thinking;
and insofar as outward bonds -
which are the fear of the law and for life,
and the fear of the loss of reputation, of honor, and of gain -
do not hinder,
He keeps him in the Freedom of doing;
but, through Freedom,
He bends him away from evil;
and, through Freedom,
He bends him to good;
leading him so gently and silently
that the person knows no otherwise
than that everything proceeds from himself.
Thus the Lord, in Freedom,
inseminates and inroots good in the very life of the person,
which good remains to eternity.

AC 9572 - "And the tongs thereof, and the basins thereof." (Exodus 25:38)

AC 9572
And the tongs thereof, and the basins thereof.
(Exodus 25:38)
That this signifies the purifiers and evacuators in the natural,
is evident from the signification of "tongs and basins,"
as being things for cleansing, thus for purifying and emptying.
That these are in the natural,
is because the natural is the emunctory,*
thus the place of purifying and evacuating;
for all things that belong to the internal or spiritual man
descend into the natural,
and are purified; for there things filthy and superfluous are discharged,
and things suitable for uses are disposed into order.
That this is done in the natural,
can be seen from the fact that while the internal or spiritual man is in the body,
it thinks in the natural,
and sets forth or utters its thoughts in the corporeal;
and that it also wills in the natural, and does what it wills in the corporeal;
and therefore the evacuators and cleansers are there.

* emunctory - * place of waste removal

AC 9571 - "And it shall give light over against the faces of it." (Exodus 25:37)

AC 9571
And it shall give light over against the faces of it.
(Exodus 25:37)
. . ."giving light," as being the Divine truth
that proceeds from the Lord's Divine good. . . .
The illumination from this is the illumination of the mind,
from which come intelligence and wisdom in the truths and goods of faith.
The mind is illuminated by means of the Word,
because the Word is Divine truth from the Lord.
And from the signification of "the faces,"
when said of the Lord,
as being all that which is from the Divine good of His Divine love.

AC 9553 - flowers and fruit

AC 9553
And its flowers.
That this signifies the memory- knowledges of truth,
is evident from the signification of "flowers,"
as being the memory-knowledges of truth.
"Flowers" have this signification,
because flowers are growths which precede,
and in their manner produce, the fruits and seeds;
for, as is known, trees and plants blossom before they bear fruit.
The case is the same with man in respect to intelligence and wisdom.
The memory-knowledges of truth precede,
and in their manner produce with man, the things of wisdom;
for they serve as objects to his rational,
and thus as means for growing wise.
It is for this reason that the memory-knowledges of truth are as flowers;
and the good of life, which is the good of wisdom, is as fruit.

AC 9548 - And you shall make a lampstand. (Exodus 25:31)

AC 9548
And you shall make a lampstand.
That this signifies the spiritual heaven,
is evident from the signification of the "lampstand,"
as being the Divine spiritual in heaven and in the church from the Lord.
That by the "lampstand" is signified the Divine spiritual
is because by "the table on which were the breads of faces"
is signified the Divine celestial, as was shown in what goes before.
The Divine celestial is the good of love,
and the Divine spiritual is the truth of faith thence derived;
both proceeding from the Lord.
That the "lampstand" denotes the Divine spiritual is from its illumination,
for the Divine truth which proceeds from the Divine good of the Lord
is what gives light in heaven,
nor have the angels light from any other source.
Hence it is that in the Word the Lord is called "the Light,"
and by "light" is signified faith,
also the intelligence of truth and the wisdom of good,
which are from the Lord alone.

AC 9535
And thou shalt make a border of gold to the closure thereof round about.
That this signifies the bounding of the sphere of Divine good,
is evident from the signification of "a border of gold,"
as being the fixing of the bounds by the Divine good;
and from the signification of "the closure thereof,"
as being conjunction with truth from the Divine.

AC 9536
And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold.
That this signifies the ultimate receptacle of the heavenly marriage,
which is that of Divine good with Divine truth,
is evident from the signification of the "four rings of gold,"
as being Divine truth conjoined with Divine good everywhere round about,
thus the ultimate receptacle of the heavenly marriage,
which is that of Divine good with Divine truth.

AC 9506 & 9507 - the mercy seat & the cherubs

AC 9506
And thou shalt make a propitiatory [mercy seat] of pure gold.
That this signifies the hearing and reception
of all things that belong to worship from the good of love
is evident from the signification of "a propitiatory [mercy seat]"
as being a cleansing from evils, or the forgiveness of sins,
consequently the hearing and reception of all things that belong to worship;
and from the signification of "gold" as being the good of love.

AC 9509
And thou shalt make two cherubs.
That this signifies no admission and approach to the Lord
except through the good of love,
is evident from the signification of "cherubs,"
as being guard and providence l
est the Lord should be approached except through the good of love.
As this was signified by the "cherubs,"
they were placed over the propitiatory [mercy seat] that was upon the ark,
and therefore they were made of solid gold;
for by the "ark" is signified heaven where the Lord is,
and by "gold," the good of love (n. 9490).

[4] It is believed that the Lord can be approached through the truths of faith;
but He cannot be approached through these truths
when they are separated from the good of love;
nor indeed can heaven . . ..
.
[5] As guard and providence lest the Lord be approached, and also heaven,
except through the good of love,
is signified by "the cherubs,"
therefore in the Word Jehovah is said "to sit on the cherubs,"
and also "to ride" and "to dwell upon the cherubs,"
as in the following passages:

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
Thou that sittest upon the cherubs, shine forth
(Psalms 80:1).
Jehovah shall reign; the peoples shall shake.
He sitteth on the cherubs
(Psalms 99:1).
Jehovah rode upon a cherub, and did fly
(Psalms 18:10).
Jehovah Zebaoth, that dwellest on the cherubs
(Isaiah 37:16).

And for this reason there were cherubs on the curtains of the Habitation,
and on the veil (Exod. 26:1, 31; 36:35);
and also upon the walls of the temple round about,
and upon the doors thereof (1 Kings 6:23-29, 31-35);
and in like manner in the new temple described in Ezekiel (41:18-20).
That there were cherubs upon the curtains of the Habitation,
upon the veil, upon the walls of the temple, and upon the doors of it,
signified the guard of the Lord lest the holy Divine should be approached
except through the good of love. . ..

AC 9496 - the ark and the human body

AC 9496
It shall now be told why it was that heaven could be represented by the ark and the Habitation; the fixing of the bounds by the border; stability by the corners; the conjunction of good with truth by the rings; and power by the staves.

It has been shown that all nature, with each and all things therein that are in order, is representative of the Lord's kingdom, that is, of heaven and the heavenly things therein. It has also been shown that the universal heaven bears relation to a man, and that for this reason heaven is called the Grand Man. From this it now follows that all the forms by which heavenly things are represented, bear relation to the human form, and have their signification in accordance with their agreement with this form.



[2] From this it is now plain why it is that when "the ark"
signifies heaven where the Lord is,
"the border of the ark"
signifies the fixing of the bounds;
"the sides," the good with which truth is to be conjoined;
"the corners," stability;
"the rings," the conjunction itself;
and "the staves," power.
For the staves bear relation to the arms in man,
and therefore they signify the same as the arms;
the rings bear relation to the joints or sockets
by which the arms are joined to the breast;
the corners, to the projections themselves,
where this joining is effected; the sides, to the chest or thorax;
the border, to the circumference in which the bounds are fixed.

From this it can be seen that by "the staves,"
as by "the arms," is signified power;

and that by "the sides" is signified the same
as by "the chest" or "thorax" of the body,
namely, good;
for in this part are the heart and lungs,
and by "the heart" is signified celestial good,
and by "the lungs" spiritual good.

From this it is plain that by "the rings" is signified the same
as by the joints or joinings of the chest to the shoulders,
and of the shoulders to the arms;
namely, the conjunction of good with truth;

and that by "the corners" is signified stability,
for there the strength of the body puts itself forth,
and its strength and power come forth through the arms.

AC 9484 - an ark of shittim wood overlaid with gold

AC 9484
And let them make an ark of shittim wood;
two cubits and a half the length thereof and a cubit
and a half the breadth thereof,
and a cubit and a half the height thereof.
And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold,
from within and from without shalt thou overlay it,
and shalt make upon it a border of gold round about.
And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it,
and put them upon the four corners thereof;
and two rings shall be on the one side of it,
and two rings on the other side of it.
And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood,
and overlay them with gold.
And thou shalt put the staves into the rings on the sides of the ark,
to carry the ark withal. The staves shall be in the rings of the ark;
they shall not be removed from it.
And thou shalt put into the ark the Testimony which I shall give thee.
(Exodus 25:10-16)

"And let them make an ark,"
signifies the inmost heaven;
"of shittim wood,"
signifies righteousness;
"two cubits and a half the length thereof,"
signifies all in respect to good;
"and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof,"
signifies full in respect to truth;
"and a cubit and a half the height thereof,"
signifies full in respect to degrees;
"and thou shalt overlay it with pure gold,"
signifies that all these things must be founded on good;
"from within and from without shalt thou overlay it,"
signifies everywhere;
"and shalt make upon it a border of gold round about,"
signifies a fixing of the bounds by good,
lest they be approached and injured by evils;
"and thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it,"
signifies the Divine truth conjoined with Divine good
that is round about on all sides;
"and put them upon the four corners thereof,"
signifies stability;
"and two rings shall be on the one side of it,
and two rings on the other side of it,"
signifies the marriage of truth with good and of good with truth;
"and thou shalt make staves of shittim wood,"
signifies the power thence derived;
"and overlay them with gold,"
signifies good everywhere;
"and thou shalt put the staves into the rings,"
signifies the power of the Divine sphere;
"on the sides of the ark,"
signifies in ultimates;
"to carry the ark withal,"
signifies thus the coming-forth and subsistence of heaven;
"the staves shall be in the rings of the ark,"
signifies that the power shall endure from the Divine sphere of good and truth;
"they shall not be removed from it,"
signifies forever, without change;
"and thou shalt put into the ark the Testimony,"
signifies the Divine truth, which is the Lord in heaven;
"which I shall give thee,"
signifies its representative.

AC 9479 - "And let them make for Me a sanctuary." (Exodus 25:8)

AC 9479
"And let them make for Me a sanctuary." (Exodus 25:8)
. . . the tabernacle is called "a sanctuary,"
from the fact that by it was represented heaven and the church,
and that by the holy things therein
were represented Divine things
that are from the Lord in heaven and in the church.

AC 9472 - shittim wood

AC 9472
And Shittim wood.
Shittim wood was the wood of the most excellent cedar;
and by the "cedar" is signified the spiritual of the church.

As the good of merit that belongs to the Lord alone
is the only good that reigns in heaven, and that makes heaven,
therefore this wood was the only wood
employed in the construction of the tabernacle
(by which heaven was represented);
as for instance for the ark itself, in which was the testimony; for its staves;
for the table upon which were the breads of faces, and its staves;
for the planks of the Habitation;
for the bars and pillars of the covering; and also for the altar and its staves.

AC 9469 & 9470 - fine linen and wool

AC 9469
And fine linen.
that "fine linen" denotes truth from a celestial origin,
is because of its whiteness and softness.

AC 9470 [4]
As by the garment of Aaron were represented such things
as belong to the Lord's spiritual kingdom,
thus the spiritual things of truth,
his garments of holiness were of linen;
and not of wool;
for "linen" denotes spiritual truth,
but "wool" celestial truth, which relatively is good.

AC 9466, 9467, 9468 - blue, crimson, and scarlet double-dyed

AC 9466
And blue.
. . ."blue" [hyacinthinum] as being the celestial love of truth.
That "blue" has this signification is because it belongs to the color of the sky,
and because by this color is signified truth from a celestial origin,
which is truth from the good of love to the Lord.
This good reigns in the inmost heaven,
and in the middle or second heaven
it is presented to view as crimson and blue;
the good itself as crimson, and the derivative truth as blue.
For in the other life, and in heaven itself, there appear most beautiful colors,
all deriving their origin from good and truth.

[2] This then is the reason why
among the things that were collected for the tabernacle,
and for the garments of Aaron,
were blue, crimson, scarlet double-dyed, and skins of red rams;
for by the tabernacle was represented the heaven of the Lord,
and by the things of which it was constructed and woven together
were represented the celestial and spiritual things
that belong to good and truth. . .

AC 9467
And crimson.
. . ."crimson," as being the celestial love of good.
The reason why this is signified by "crimson,"
is that by a red color is signified the good of celestial love.
For there are two fundamental colors from which come the rest:
the color red, and the color white.
The color "red" signifies the good which is of love;
and the color "white" signifies the truth which is of faith.

[2] From this it is evident what the remaining colors signify;
for insofar as they partake of red they signify the good of love;
and insofar as they partake of white they signify the truth of faith;
for all the colors that appear in heaven
are modifications of heavenly light and flame upon these two planes.
For heavenly light is real light,
and in itself is the Divine truth
that proceeds from the Divine good of the Lord;
wherefore the modifications of this light and flame
are variegations of truth and good, thus of intelligence and wisdom.

AC 9468
And scarlet double-dyed.
. . . "scarlet," and of "double-dyed," as being celestial truth,
which is the same as the good of mutual love.
There are two kingdoms into which the angelic heaven has been divided -
the celestial kingdom, and the spiritual kingdom;
and in each there is an internal and an external.
The internal in the celestial kingdom is the good of love to the Lord,
and the external is the good of mutual love.
It is this latter good which is signified by "scarlet double-dyed;"
by "scarlet" the good itself,
and by "double-dyed" its truth.
But in the spiritual kingdom
the internal is the good of charity toward the neighbor,
and the external is the good of obedience from faith.
That "scarlet double-dyed" signifies the good of mutual love and its truth,
is from its appearance in the other life;
for when the sphere of this good and truth
is presented to view in the lowest heaven, it appears of a scarlet color;
because that which flows down from the celestial heaven
and appears beneath, takes its color from flame,
and beneath becomes scarlet
from the shining whiteness of the light of the middle heaven,
through which it passes.

[3] As external celestial good and its truth
are signified by "scarlet double-dyed,"
therefore the Word as to the external sense,
and its derivative doctrine,
are expressed by this color,
for the reason that the Word is the Divine truth
that proceeds from the Divine good of the Lord,
and this appears as a flaming light in the inmost heaven,
and as a shining white light in the middle heaven.

AC 9462 - the collection for the tabernacle

AC 9462.
And this is the collection which you shall take from them;
gold, and silver, and brass;
and blue, and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed,
and fine linen, and goats' wool;
and skins of red rams, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood;
oil for the luminary, spices for the oil of anointing,
and for the incense of spices; onyx stones,
and stones for filling, for the ephod, and for the breastplate.
(Exodus 25:3-7)

"And this is the collection which you shall take from them,"
signifies that these things shall by all means be required;
"gold and silver,"
signifies good and truth in general;
"and brass," signifies external good;
"and blue," signifies the celestial love of truth;
"and crimson," signifies the celestial love of good;
"and scarlet double-dyed," signifies mutual love;
"and fine linen," signifies the truth thence derived;
"and goats' wool," signifies the good thence derived;
"and skins of red rams, and badgers' skins,"
signifies the external truths and goods by which they are held together;
"and shittim wood,"
signifies the goods of merit which are from the Lord, thus of the Lord alone;
"oil for the luminary,"
signifies the internal good which is in mutual love and charity;
"spices for the oil of anointing,"
signifies the internal truths that belong to the inaugurating good;
"and for the incense of spices,"
signifies for acceptable perception;
"onyx stones, and stones for filling,"
signifies spiritual truths and goods in general;
"for the ephod, and for the breastplate,"
signifies which should be for a covering for external and internal celestial things.

AC 9457 - the tabernacle (Exodus 25)

AC 9457 [4]
A church is therefore representative
when the internal holy things of love and faith from the Lord and to the Lord
are presented to view by means of forms visible in the world;
as in this chapter and the following by the ark, the propitiatory[mercy seat],
the cherubs, the tables there, the lampstand,
and all the other things of the tabernacle.

For this tabernacle was so constructed
as to represent the three heavens and all things therein;
and the ark, in which was the Testimony,
so as to represent the inmost heaven and the Lord Himself therein.
Wherefore its form was shown to Moses in the mountain,
Jehovah then saying that they should
"make for Him a sanctuary, and He would dwell in the midst of them" (verse 8).
Everyone who has some capacity of thinking interiorly
can perceive that Jehovah could not dwell in a tent,
but that He dwells in heaven;
and that this tent could not be called a sanctuary
unless it referred to heaven, and to the celestial and spiritual things therein.
Consider what it would be for Jehovah, the Creator of heaven and earth,
to dwell in a small habitation of wood,
overlaid with gold and surrounded with curtains,
unless heaven and the things of heaven had been there represented in a form.

AC 9448-9449 - the Forgiveness of Sins and the signs

AC 9448
To be able to be kept by the Lord in the good of love,
and the truths of faith,
and to be withheld from evils and falsities,
is the Forgiveness of Sins.
And to shun evil and falsity, and to feel aversion for them,
is then Repentance.

AC 9449
The signs that sins have been forgiven are the following.
Delight is felt in worshiping God for the sake of God;
in being of service to the neighbor for the sake of the neighbor;
thus in doing good for the sake of good,
and in believing truth for the sake of truth.
There is an unwillingness to merit by anything that belongs to charity and faith.
Evils, such as enmities, hatreds, revenges, unmercifulness, adulteries,
in a word, all things that are against God and against the neighbor,
are shunned and are held in aversion.

AC 9431, 9435 - six days, and then the seventh

AC 9431
. . . there are two states with the person
who is being regenerated by the Lord;
the first state is called a state of truth,
and the second state is called a state of good.
The reason why the first state is called a state of truth,
is that the person is then being brought into good by means of truth;
and the reason why the second state is called a state of good,
is that when the person is in good he has been brought in.
Moreover, when a person is in a state of truth he is outside of heaven;
but when he is in good, he is in heaven;
thus has been brought in to the Lord.
Besides, when a person is in the first state, or the state of truth,
he is then in labor and combat, for he is then undergoing temptations;
but when he is in the second state, or the state of good,
he is then at rest and in the tranquillity of peace.
The former state is what is represented in the Word by the six days
which precede the seventh;
but the latter state is what is represented by the seventh day or Sabbath.

AC 9435
The six days during which Moses remained in the extremity
of the mountain (Mount Sinai),
signified a state of truth,
and the seventh day, on which he went up into the mountain,
signified a state of good.
The reason is, that with those who are being regenerated by the Lord
there are similar degrees of ascent from the world to heaven;
for a person is elevated from external to internal things;
because from the natural person who is in external things
to the spiritual person who is in internal things.
Such an elevation or ascent was also represented by Moses
when he put on the representation of the holy external, which mediates;
for the holy external of the Word
is the entrance to a state of good, thus to heaven.

AC 9422 - the mountain of God, Mount Sinai

AC 9422
. . . by "Mount Sinai" is signified the Law,
or Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, thus the Word;
by its summit, where Jehovah or the Lord was
is signified the highest or inmost of the Law, that is, of the Word;
by all the rest of the mountain that was below the summit
is signified the internal of the Law or of the Word, such as it is in heaven;
and by what was beneath the mountain,
where were the elders and the people,
is signified the external of the Law or of the Word,
which is its external sense.

AC 9424 [2]
. . . all the doctrine of the church must be from the Word,
and that the doctrine from any other source than the Word
is not doctrine in which there is anything of the church,
still less anything of heaven.
But the doctrine must be collected from the Word,
and while it is being collected,
the person must be in enlightenment from the Lord;
and he is in enlightenment
when he is in the love of truth for the sake of truth,
and not for the sake of self and the world.
These are they who are enlightened in the Word when they read it,
and who see truth, and from it make doctrine for themselves.
The reason of this is that such communicate with heaven,
thus with the Lord; and being enlightened by the Lord in this way
they are led to see the truths of the Word such as they are in heaven;
for the Lord inflows through heaven into their understandings,
because it is the man's interior understanding that is enlightened.
And at the same time the Lord flows in with faith,
by means of the cooperation of the new will,
a feature of which is to be affected with truth for the sake of truth.
From all this it can now be seen how
the doctrine of truth and good is given a person by the Lord.
[3] That this doctrine supports the Word
in respect to its literal or external sense,
is plain to everyone who reflects;
for everyone in the church who thinks from doctrine
sees truths in the Word from his doctrine and according thereto,
and explains those which do not coincide with it;
and those which seem to be opposed to it
he passes by as though he did not see or understand them;
that all do so, even heretics, is known.
But they who are in the genuine doctrine of truth from the Word,
and in enlightenment when they read the Word,
see everywhere truths that agree, and nothing whatever that is opposed;
for they do not dwell upon what is said therein according to appearances,
and according to the common apprehension of men,
because they know that if the appearances are unfolded,
and as it were unswathed, the truth is laid bare.

AC 9410 - "the blood of the lamb"

AC 9410 [5]
They who are in the true doctrine of the church are able to know that they are not saved by blood, but by hearing truth Divine, and doing it; thus that those are saved who suffer themselves to be regenerated by the Lord through the Divine truth. This all are able to know, to apprehend, to see, and to perceive, who are in enlightenment from the Lord; thus all who are in the good of charity and of faith, for these are they who are enlightened. This I can avouch - that when I am reading "the blood of the Lamb," and am thinking of the blood of the Lord, the angels who are with me know no otherwise than that I am reading "the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord," and that I am thinking about this. But let the simple remain in their doctrine, that they are saved through the Lord's blood, provided they live in accordance with His Divine truth; for they who so live are enlightened in the other life.

AC 9402, 9407, 9408 - blue and the shining of the Word with the presence of the Lord

AC 9402
And they saw the God of Israel;
and under His feet
there was as a work of a sapphire stone,
and as the substance of heaven in respect to cleanness.
(Exodus 24:10)

"And they saw the God of Israel,"
signifies the coming and presence of the Lord in the Word;
"and under His feet,"
signifies the ultimate sense which is the sense of the letter itself;
"there was as a work of a sapphire stone,"
signifies what is translucid there from internal truths,
and all things from the Lord;
"and as the substance of heaven in respect to cleanness,"
signifies the shining through of the angelic heaven.

AC 9407 [5]
That under the Lord's feet there appeared as it were a work of sapphire,
and that this signifies the shining through of the Word
in the sense of the letter,
is because a "stone" in general signifies truth,
and a "precious stone" truth shining through from the Divine of the Lord.

AC 9408
. . . the blueness of heaven is truth transparent from good.

AC 9392, 9398, 9399 - And Moses took half of the blood

I apologize for the length of this post. There is a lot of sprinkling of blood in the Old Testament. As someone who as done an awful lot of laundry, blood sprinkled all over - especially the beautiful garments of the priests - just makes me cringe. However, as with everything in the Word, the Lord has His reasons:

AC 9392:
And Moses took half of the blood, and put it into basins;
and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
And he took the book of the covenant,
and read it in the ears of the people;
they said, All that Jehovah hath spoken we will do and hear.
And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people,
and said, Behold the blood of the covenant
that Jehovah has made with you upon all these words.
(Exodus 24:6-8)

"And Moses took half of the blood,"
signifies Divine truth that has been made of the life and of worship;
"and put it into basins,"
signifies with man in the things of his memory;
"and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar,"
signifies Divine truth from the Divine Human of the Lord;
"and he took the book of the covenant,"
signifies the Word in the letter
with which the Word in heaven has been conjoined;
"and read it in the ears of the people,"
signifies for hearkening and obedience;
"and they said,
All things that Jehovah hath spoken we will do and hear,"
signifies the reception of the truth
that proceeds from the Divine Human of the Lord,
and obedience from the heart and soul;
"and Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people,"
signifies adaptation to the reception of man;
"and said, Behold the blood of the covenant,"
signifies thereby the conjunction of the Lord
in respect to the Divine Human with heaven and with earth;
"that Jehovah hath made with you upon all these words,"
signifies that there is conjunction with the Lord
through each and all things of the Word.

AC 9398
Obedience from the heart
is obedience from the will,
thus from the affection of love;
and obedience from the soul
is obedience from the understanding, thus from faith . . ..
Therefore it is said, "we will do and hear."

The reason why "all things that Jehovah hath spoken,"
denotes the truth that proceeds from the Divine Human of the Lord,
is that all truth proceeds therefrom.

AC 9399
For the Divine truth which is from the Lord
is continually flowing in with man, and forms his understanding;
and if you will believe it,
without this continual influx of the truth Divine that proceeds from the Lord
a man can perceive and understand nothing whatever.
For the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord
is the light which lights up the mind of man,
and makes the internal sight,
which is the understanding;
and as this light continually flows in,
it adapts everyone to receive.
But they who receive are they who are in the good of life;
and they who do not receive are they who are in evil of life.
Nevertheless the latter, like the former,
have the capacity of perceiving and understanding,
and also the capacity of receiving,
insofar as they desist from evils.
These things were signified by the half of the blood
which Moses sprinkled on the people.

[3] That every person in the world who is of sound reason
has the capacity of understanding truth Divine,
and consequently the capacity of receiving it,
insofar as he desists from evils . . .

AC 9391- arrogance and darkness

AC 9391
[16] The subject here treated of is the arrogance of those
who wish to enter from memory-knowledges into the mysteries of faith,
and who are not willing to acknowledge anything
but that which they themselves hatch therefrom.
As they do not see anything from the light of heaven
which is from the Lord,
but only from the light of nature which is from man's own,
they seize on shadows instead of light,
on fallacies instead of realities,
and in general on falsity instead of truth.
As they think insanely, because from the lowest things,
they are called "the wild beast of the reed;"


[19] . . . they were in the greatest darkness
in respect to the truths and goods of the church from the Word,
because they were in external things without anything internal,
and consequently were in idolatrous worship.
For one who is in external things without anything internal
is in idolatrous worship,
because when he is in worship,
his heart and soul are not in heaven, but in the world;
and he does not worship the holy things of the Word from heavenly love,
but from earthly love.

AC 9372 - soft and shining

AC 9372 [4]
. . . the Word in the ultimate, or in the letter,
is crude and obscure in the sight of men,
but in the internal sense it is soft and shining . . .
. . .for this reason the angels appear clothed
in garments soft and shining
according to the truth from good with them.

AC 9378 [2]
. . . when a person desists from evils,
for to desist from evils has been left to a person's will;
that is, to his freedom,
there then flows in good from the Lord,
which is never wanting,
for it is in the very life which a person has from The Lord;
but good together with life is received
only in so far as evils have been removed.

AC 9348 - two sources of error

AC 9348.
That evils allure and deceive,
is because all evils spring from the loves of self and of the world,
and the loves of self and of the world are born with a person,
and from this he feels the delight of his life from the moment of his birth;
nay, from this he has life.
Wherefore these loves, like the unseen currents of a river,
continually draw the thought and the will of a person
away from the Lord to self,
and away from heaven to the world,
thus away from the truths and goods of faith to falsities and evils.
Reasonings from the fallacies of the senses are then of especial force,
and also the literal sense of the Word wrongly explained and applied.
[2] These two sources of error, and also those previously mentioned,
are what are meant in the spiritual sense of the Word by
"snares," "nooses," "pits," "nets," "ropes," "gins,"
and also by "frauds" and "deceits;"

AC 9346 - evils reject goods

AC 9346
. . . those who are in evils
not only do not receive the goods
which continually flow into every one from the Lord;
but also absolutely turn them away.
And therefore
a person cannot possibly receive the good of heaven
until he abstains from evils.

AC 9336 - the Lord slowly regenerates us and in His order

AC 9336 [2]
. . . from his own a person loves himself more than the Lord,
and the world more than heaven;
when yet the life of heaven consists in loving the Lord above all things
and the neighbor as oneself.
From this it is evident that the former life, which is of hell,
must be utterly destroyed
(that is to say, the evils and falsities must be removed),
in order that the new life, which is the life of heaven, may be implanted.
This cannot possibly be done hastily;
for every evil that is rooted in with its falsities
has a connection with all evils and their falsities;
and such evils and falsities are innumerable,
and their connection is so complex that it cannot be comprehended,
not even by the angels, but only by the Lord.
From this it is evident that the life of hell with a person
cannot be destroyed suddenly; for if it were, he would straightway expire;
and neither can the life of heaven be implanted suddenly,
for if it were, he would also expire.

[4] What is properly meant by removal from evils and falsities
by degrees according to order, shall also be briefly stated.
The Divine truth which proceeds from the Divine good of the Lord
disposes all things into order in heaven;
and therefore this Divine truth,
in which there is good from the Lord,
is order itself.

AC 9335 - truth removes falsity; good removes evil

AC 9335 [2]
. . . falsities can only be removed by truths;
and evils can only be removed by goods.
If this is not done successively and according to order,
the falsities which favor these loves will flow in;
for before he has been regenerated these loves reign in every person,
and when falsities flow in, truths are no longer acknowledged.

AC 9333 - our sins are not wiped away but are withheld

AC 9333
. . . falsities and evils are not driven out from a person, but are removed.
He who does not know how the case is
with a person's liberation from evils and falsities,
or with the forgiveness of his sins,
may believe that sins are wiped away when they are said to be forgiven.
This belief comes from the literal sense of the Word,
where such an expression is sometimes used,
giving rise in the minds of many to the error
that after they have received absolution they are righteous and pure.
But these people know nothing whatever
about the way in which sins are forgiven;
namely, that a man is not purified from them;
but is withheld from them by the Lord
when he is of such a character that he can be kept in good and truth;
and that he can be kept in good and truth when he has been regenerated;
for he has then acquired a life of the good of charity and the truth of faith.

AC 9327 - the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord

AC 9327 [2]
All power in the spiritual world is from the truths which are from good,
thus from the truths which proceed from the Lord.
This can be plainly seen from the fact
that the Lord disposes all things in heaven,
and all things in hell,
and also all things in the world,
by means of the truths which are from Himself;
for the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord
is that very thing through which all things have come into existence,
and through which all things subsist.

AC 9311 - to hear

AC 9311.
For in hearing thou shalt hear his voice.
(Exodus 23:22)

"To hear," in the Word,
signifies not merely to hear in simplicity,
but also to receive in the memory and to be instructed,
likewise to receive in the understanding and to believe,
and also to receive with obedience and to do.

AC 9300 - correspondences are as mirrors

AC 9300 [3]
. . . an idea can be formed
about truths which are of the understanding
and the good which is of the will,
is because all things that belong to faith and love
carry with them an idea from such things as the person knows,
for without an idea from what he knows and feels in himself
a person cannot think;
and a person thinks rightly
even about the things of faith and love,
when he thinks of them from correspondences,
for correspondences are natural truths,
in which as in mirrors,
spiritual truths are represented.
Wherefore, so far as the ideas of thought
concerning things spiritual are formed independently of correspondences,
so far they are formed either from the fallacies of the senses,
or from what is inconsistent with such things.
The kind of ideas a person has about what belongs to faith and love,
is very manifest in the other life, for there ideas are clearly perceived.

AC 9296 - "a feast" and the good with a person

AC 9296 [2]
. . . the signification of "a feast,"
as being the worship of the Lord and thanksgiving,
thus worship from a grateful mind. . ..

[3] . . . the good with a person is wholly in accordance with the use of life.
If the use of life is for the neighbor (that is, for the good of our fellow citizen,
of our country, of the church, of heaven), and for the Lord,
then this good is the good of charity.


More of 9296 has been posted as a comment - it talks much more about how the Lord implants good.

AC 9294 - the three feasts & the harvest (Exodus23:14-16)

AC 9294 [2]
. . by regeneration a person is
liberated from hell and introduced into heaven.
And therefore the first feast,
which was called "the feast of unleavened things,"
signifies purification from falsities;
consequently this second feast
("the feast of the harvest of the firstfruits of thy works")
signifies the implantation of truth in good;
and the third feast,
("the feast of ingathering")
the implantation of good.

For during man's regeneration he is first purified from the falsities
which spring from the evil of the loves of self and of the world,
which is effected by his receiving instruction
concerning evil, hell, and damnation,
and also concerning good, heaven, and eternal happiness;
and by his thus suffering himself to be withheld
from doing, willing, and thinking evils.
When the soil has been thus prepared, then the truths of faith are sown,
for before this they are not received.
But the truths which are sown must be implanted in good,
because they have no soil anywhere else,
nor can they strike root anywhere else.
They are implanted in good
when the man wills the truth, loves it, and does it.
This state of regeneration, or of liberation from damnation,
is signified by this feast, which is called
"the feast of the harvest of the first fruits of thy works;"
for "harvest" signifies truths producing good.
[3] When truths have been implanted in good,
the man is no longer led of the Lord by means of truths,
but by means of good,
which is effected when he wills good and does good
from the affection of love, that is, from charity.
This state of regeneration, or of liberation from damnation,
is signified by the third feast, which is called "the feast of ingathering."

AC 9286 - what endures

AC 9286
The things which continually endure
are those which are not only inscribed on the memory,
but also on the life itself,
and they are then said to reign universally with the person.

AC 9279 - we all have external things and internal things

AC 9279 [2] The external things which are of the world are opened in person successively from infancy even to adulthood; in like manner the internal things. But the external things are opened by means of those which are of the world, whereas the internal things are opened by means of those which are of heaven. The things thus opened are twofold, namely, those of the understanding, and those of the will. The things of the understanding are opened by means of those which bear relation to truth, and the things of the will by means of those which bear relation to good; for all things in the universe, both those in the world and those in heaven, bear relation to truth and to good. Those which bear relation to truth are called knowledges; and those which bear relation to good are called loves and affections. From this it is clear what, and of what nature, are the things which open the life of man.

[3] As regards the internal man, which as above said has been formed according to the image of heaven, it is the knowledges of the truth and good of faith from the Lord, and consequently of faith in the Lord, that open the things of its understanding; and it is the affections of truth and good, which are of love from the Lord, and consequently of love to the Lord, that open the things of its will, and consequently form within him heaven, thus the Lord in an image, for heaven is an image of the Lord. From this it is that heaven is called the Grand Man.

AC 9262 - "righteous" and "innocent"

AC 9262
the signification of "the righteous,"
as being one in exterior good,
and in the abstract sense, exterior good,
for "righteous" is predicated of the good of love toward the neighbor,

and "innocent" of the good of love to the Lord.
The good of love toward the neighbor is exterior good,
and the good of love to the Lord is interior good.

AC 9258 - there are falsities, and then there are falsities; and then there is the good from the Lord

AC 9258
There are falsities which agree with the good of the church,
and there are falsities which do not agree with it.
The falsities which agree are those in which good lies hidden,
and which, therefore, by means of good, can be bent toward truths.
But the falsities which do not agree with the good of the church
are those in which evil lies hidden,
and which therefore cannot be bent toward truths.

[4] . . . all good which shall bear any fruit is from the Lord,
and that unless it is from Him, it is not good.

AC 9253 - those who are in good and those who are in evil

AC 9253
But those among them who are in good, wish to be instructed in truths;
whereas those who are in evil, do not wish to be instructed.
For with those who are in good,
falsities can be bent to truths, and finally can be dissipated;
whereas with those who are in evil,
falsities cannot be bent to truths, thus cannot be dissipated.

AC 9242-9244 - Peace has in it confidence in the Lord

AC 9242
. . . the Faith which is called "confidence,"
is possible only with those
who are in charity toward the neighbor,
and in love to the Lord.

AC 9243
. . . he who does not believe the truths which are from God,
cannot believe in God;
because to believe in God
is to believe from the truths which are from God.

AC 9244
All who are in heavenly love,
have confidence that they will be saved by the Lord;
for they believe that the Lord came into the world
in order to give eternal life to those who believe and live
according to the commandments which He taught;
and that He regenerates these,
and so makes them fit for heaven;
and that He does this Himself alone, from pure mercy,
without the aid of man.
This is meant by "believing in the Lord."

AC 9230 - good of faith, truths of faith, good of charity

AC 9230 [2]
. . . "good of faith," that has to do with life
and use from what the doctrine of faith of the church teaches;
in a word everything that has to do with willing it
and doing it from obedience;
for the truths of faith of the church
become goods by willing and doing them.

But everything is called the "truth of faith,"
which as yet has not any use as its end,
or which as yet is not for the sake of life,
consequently which is merely known and kept in the memory,
and from this is laid hold of by the understanding, and is taught from it.
For so long as the truths of the church go no further,
they are merely knowledges,
and relatively to goods are outside the man himself;
for man's memory and understanding are like entries,
and his will is like an inner chamber,
because the will is the man himself.

This shows what the truth of faith is, and what the good of faith.
But the good which a man does in his first state during his regeneration
is called the "good of faith,"
whereas the good which he does in the second state,
namely, after he has been regenerated, is called the "good of charity."
And therefore when a man does good from the good of faith,
he does good from obedience;
but when he does good from the good of charity,
he does good from affection.