Arcana Coelestia #9685
9685. 'And you shall put the table on the north side' means good dwelling in obscurity. This is clear from the meaning of 'the table', on which the loaves of the Presence were laid, as a receptacle of heavenly blessings, dealt with in 9527, 'the loaves' being celestial good, which comes from the Lord, 9545; and from the meaning of 'the north' as obscurity so far as the truths of faith are concerned, dealt with in 3708, and since truth is in obscurity, so too is good. For in the Lord's spiritual kingdom good manifests itself by means of truth, and truth is perceived as good when it passes from the understanding into the will. This good is the good of charity towards the neighbour, and it is called spiritual good. It is different in the Lord's celestial kingdom. There good does not manifest itself as such by means of truth; rather those there enjoy direct insight into that good. From this it becomes clear why that table was placed on the side towards the north, and the lampstand on the side towards the south. But see what has been stated and shown immediately above in 9684 on these matters.
Zechariah 6:1-8
1
Again I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and behold, four chariots came out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass.
2
In the first chariot were red horses; in the second chariot black horses;
3
in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot dappled horses, all of them powerful.
4
Then I asked the angel who talked with me, "What are these, my lord?"
5
The angel answered me, "These are the four winds of the sky, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.
6
The one with the black horses goes out toward the north country; and the white went out after them; and the dappled went forth toward the south country."
7
The strong went out, and sought to go that they might walk back and forth through the earth: and he said, "go around and through the earth!" So they walked back and forth through the earth.
8
Then he called to me, and spoke to me, saying, "Behold, those who go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country."
