Arcana Coelestia # 10401
10401. 'And Aaron said to them' means the outward features of the Word, the Church, and worship, devoid of the inward. This is clear from the representation here of 'Aaron' as the outward features of the Word, the Church, and worship, devoid of the inward, dealt with above in 10397. The fact that no Church existed among the Israelite and Jewish nation, only what was representative of a Church, thus an outward form devoid of the inward substance, is perfectly clear from Aaron, who, though a typical member of that nation, was nevertheless made the high priest, to whom the most sacred things of the Church were entrusted, and who was therefore considered to be holier than everyone else. For it is said of him that he made the golden calf, built an altar for it, made a proclamation that there was to be 'a feast to Jehovah' for it, brought that sin upon the people, and caused them to become undisciplined, in verses 2, 4-5, 21, 25, 35; and elsewhere that Jehovah was greatly moved with anger against Aaron and would have destroyed him, and that Moses prayed for him, Deuteronomy 9:20. These words imply that Aaron was like the people, who were idolatrous at heart, 4208, 4281, 4820, 5998, 6877, 7401, 8301, 8882. But since only the outward form of a Church devoid of its inward substance existed with that nation, and yet by means of it there was contact with heaven, it did not matter what a person there was like, provided that when engaged in external observances he obeyed what had been decreed and revered it.
In the case of representatives no attention is paid to the person, only to the reality represented by that person, see 665, 1097(end), 3670, 4208, 4281, 4288, 4444, 8588.
Exodus 31
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Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
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"Behold, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:
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and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all kinds of workmanship,
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to devise skillful works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,
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and in cutting of stones for setting, and in carving of wood, to work in all kinds of workmanship.
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I, behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and in the heart of all who are wise-hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded you:
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the Tent of Meeting, the ark of the testimony, the mercy seat that is on it, all the furniture of the Tent,
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the table and its vessels, the pure lampstand with all its vessels, the altar of incense,
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the altar of burnt offering with all its vessels, the basin and its base,
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the finely worked garments--the holy garments for Aaron the priest--the garments of his sons to minister in the priest's office,
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the anointing oil, and the incense of sweet spices for the holy place: according to all that I have commanded you they shall do."
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Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
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"Speak also to the children of Israel, saying, 'Most certainly you shall keep my Sabbaths: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that you may know that I am Yahweh who sanctifies you.
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You shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
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Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to Yahweh. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall surely be put to death.
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Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
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It is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.'"
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He gave to Moses, when he finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, stone tablets, written with God's finger.
