42. Since at the heart of its inmost level our Word is like a flame that ignites us because of its heavenly meaning, and since at the heart of its intermediate level it is like a light that enlightens us because of its spiritual meaning, at the heart of its outermost level it is like a ruby and a diamond because of its earthly meaning, which contains both the deeper ones. It is like a ruby because of its heavenly flame and like a diamond because of its spiritual light.

Since that is the nature of the Word in its literal meaning because of the way light shines through it, the Word’s literal meaning is meant by the foundations of the wall of Jerusalem [Revelation 21:14, 19], by the Urim and Thummim of Aaron’s breastplate [Exodus 28:30; Leviticus 8:8], by the Garden of Eden where the king of Tyre lived [Ezekiel 28:12-13], as well as by the curtains and veils of the tabernacle [Exodus 26:1-13; 36:8-17] and the decorated surfaces inside the Jerusalem temple [1 Kings 6:7]; while the Word in its essential glory is meant by the Lord when he was transfigured [Matthew 17:2; Mark 9:2].