Arcana Coelestia # 9503
9503. 'And you shall put into the ark the Testimony' means Divine Truth, which is the Lord in heaven. This is clear from the meaning of 'the ark' as heaven, dealt with above; and from the meaning of 'the Testimony' as Divine Truth, thus the Lord in heaven, dealt with below. The reason why Divine Truth is the Lord in heaven is that the Lord is Goodness itself and Truth itself, for both emanate from Him and He Himself composes what emanates from Him. So it is that the Lord is heaven, for Divine Truth which emanates from Him and is received by the angels makes heaven. Consequently the more perfect the manner in which angels receive Divine Truth that comes from the Lord and accordingly receive the Lord, the more perfect the human forms they possess. Eventually they become so perfect that their beauty surpasses belief; anyone who sees them, as I have done, will be dumbfounded. For in their outward form angels are manifestations of heavenly love and charity, and that is the truly human form. The reason why angels possess human forms is that the Divine in heaven is the Lord, and those who receive Divine Truth within good from Him are images of Him.
[2] As regards the meaning of 'the Testimony', a distinction is drawn in the Word between laws, statutes, judgements, commandments, testimonies, words, commands, truths, and covenants, as may be recognized from a number of places, especially in David's Psalms 119, where all these terms occur, testimonies doing so in verses 2, 14, 31, 46, 59, 88, 99, 111, 119, 125, 138, 144, 168. A like distinction occurs elsewhere in the same author,
The law of Jehovah is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of Jehovah is sure, making wise the simple; the commands of Jehovah are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of Jehovah is pure, enlightening the eyes; the judgements of Jehovah are truth, they are righteous altogether. Psalms 19:7-9.
The like occurs in Moses, at Deuteronomy 4:45; 6:17, 20; also in Jeremiah 44:23; and many times elsewhere. From all this it may be recognized that 'the Testimony' means Divine Truth, which testifies of the Lord, and so means the Word. For in the highest sense of the Word the only subject is the Lord, and this is why the internal sense testifies of Him, that is, contains teachings about Him and about the truths of faith and forms of the good of love which He is the source of. 'Testimony' is again used with this meaning in the Book of Revelation,
... those who had been killed on account of the Word of God and on account of the testimony which they had. Revelation 6:9.
And elsewhere,
They conquered the dragon by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony. Revelation 12:11.
'The blood of the Lamb' is Divine Truth emanating from the Lord, 7846, 7877, 9127, 9393, while 'the word of their testimony' is Divine Truth received by man. 'Testimony' is used with the same meaning at Revelation 12:17; 19:10.
[3] The fact that Divine Truth emanating from the Lord is called 'the Testimony' because it testifies of the Lord is clear from the Lord's own words in John,
He who comes from heaven is above all. What He has seen and heard, that He testifies. He who receives His testimony has set his seal [to this], that God is truthful. John 3:31-33.
In the same gospel,
I am One who testifies of Myself; and He, the Father, who sent Me testifies of Me. John 8:18.
In the same gospel,
Search the Scriptures; and it is they that testify of Me. John 5:39.
And in the same gospel,
The Paraclete, the Spirit of truth, He will testify of Me. John 15:26-27.
From all this it is clear that Divine Truth is called the Testimony because it testifies of the Lord. This Divine Truth is the Word, for as stated above, the only subject in the highest sense of the Word is the Lord; this is what makes the Word Divine and therefore what makes it holy. Furthermore the Ten Words or the Law which were declared from Mount Sinai, inscribed on two tablets [of stone], and stored in the ark, is what is here called the Testimony. For that Law means the Word or Divine Truth emanating from the Lord, in its entirety, see 9416. It is evident from the Lord's own words to Pilate that He is the One from whom Divine Truth comes,
Pilate said, Are you a king? Jesus answered, You say [it, because] I am a King. For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, that I may bear testimony to the truth. John 18:37.
'A king' in the internal sense means Divine Truth, see 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 3670, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068, 6148. This was why the Lord said, 'I am a King' and, 'For this I was born, that I may bear testimony to the truth', that is, that He Himself is Divine Truth. From all this it is now evident that 'the Testimony' in the ark means Divine Truth and so the Lord in heaven.
John 3
1
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
2
The same came to him by night, and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him."
3
Jesus answered him, "Most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can't see the Kingdom of God."
4
Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born?"
5
Jesus answered, "Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he can't enter into the Kingdom of God!
6
That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.
7
Don't marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born anew.'
8
The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don't know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."
9
Nicodemus answered him, "How can these things be?"
10
Jesus answered him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and don't understand these things?
11
Most certainly I tell you, we speak that which we know, and testify of that which we have seen, and you don't receive our witness.
12
If I told you earthly things and you don't believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
13
No one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven.
14
As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15
that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
17
For God didn't send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.
18
He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn't believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.
19
This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil.
20
For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn't come to the light, lest his works would be exposed.
21
But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God."
22
After these things, Jesus came with his disciples into the land of Judea. He stayed there with them, and baptized.
23
John also was baptizing in Enon near Salim, because there was much water there. They came, and were baptized.
24
For John was not yet thrown into prison.
25
There arose therefore a questioning on the part of John's disciples with some Jews about purification.
26
They came to John, and said to him, "Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, the same baptizes, and everyone is coming to him."
27
John answered, "A man can receive nothing, unless it has been given him from heaven.
28
You yourselves testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent before him.'
29
He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. This, my joy, therefore is made full.
30
He must increase, but I must decrease.
31
He who comes from above is above all. He who is from the Earth belongs to the Earth, and speaks of the Earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.
32
What he has seen and heard, of that he testifies; and no one receives his witness.
33
He who has received his witness has set his seal to this, that God is true.
34
For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for God gives the Spirit without measure.
35
The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand.
36
One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys the Son won't see life, but the wrath of God remains on him."
