9808. From the midst of the sons of Israel. That this signifies in heaven and in the church, is evident from the signification of “Israel,” as being those who are of the church, thus abstractedly the church itself (see n. 4286, 6426, 6637, 6862, 6868, 7035, 7062, 7198, 7201, 7215, 7223, 8805, 9340); and as “Israel” denotes the church, it also denotes heaven, for heaven and the church make one, and the church is the heaven of the Lord on earth. Moreover, heaven is within every member of the church when he is in truth and at the same time in good from the Lord.

7198. And moreover I have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel. That this signifies their grief from the combat, is evident from the signification of “groaning,” as being grief from combat; and from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being those of the spiritual church who are infested by falsities and are thence in combat.