10136. 'And a tenth [of an ephah] of fine flour mixed with beaten oil, a quarter of a hin' means spiritual good derived from celestial good, the amount needed for a joining together. This is clear from the meaning of 'a tenth of an ephah' as a sufficient amount, and the amount needed for the purposes which have to be served, dealt with in 8468, 8540, 9757; from the meaning of 'fine flour' as truth derived from good, dealt with 9995, at this point truth derived from celestial good, which truth is called spiritual good; from the meaning of 'oil' as celestial good, dealt with in 886, 3728, 4582, 4638, 9474, 9780; and from the meaning of 'a quarter of a hin' as the amount needed for a joining together. For 'four' means a joining together, 9601, 9674, so that 'a quarter' or a fourth part means an amount sufficient to accomplish that joining together. The ephah and the hin were measures, and by measures the amount of the thing that is being referred to is meant. By 'an ephah', which was a measure of fine flour, wheat, or barley, the amount of good is meant, and by 'a hin', which was a measure of wine or oil, the amount of truth is meant. The fact that a tenth of an ephah is what should be understood by 'a tenth' is clear from Leviticus 6:20, and elsewhere. From all this it is evident that 'a tenth of fine flour mixed with beaten oil, a quarter of a hin' means spiritual good derived from celestial good, the amount needed for a joining together. What spiritual good is and what celestial good is, see the places referred to in 9277.

4582. 'And poured oil onto it' means the Divine Good of love. This is clear from the meaning of 'oil' as the Divine Good of love, dealt with in 886, 3728. In the internal sense 'setting up a stone pillar, pouring out a drink-offering onto it, and pouring oil onto it' describes the process of progression from truth, as this exists in the ultimate degree, to truth and good that are more interior, and at length to the good of love. For 'a stone pillar' means truth as this exists in the ultimate degree of order, 4580; 'a drink-offering' means truth and good that are more interior, 4581; but 'oil' means the good of love. This was the nature of the process by which the Lord progressed when making Divine His Human; it is also the nature of the process by which man progresses when, through regeneration, the Lord makes him heaven-like.