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Leviticus 3:7

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7 If his offering is a lamb, then let it be placed before the Lord:

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Arcana Coelestia # 10032

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10032. 'And the two kidneys and the fat on them' means the more internal truth of the external or natural man, and the good of that truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'the kidneys' as more internal truths, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'the fat' as good, dealt with above in 10029, the good of that truth being meant here because it was the fat on the kidneys. The expression 'the good of that truth' is used because all good has its own truth, and all truth has its own good. There are countless kinds of good, and each has truth of the same kind. For throughout heaven there are forms of good and of truth which constitute the life there, and everywhere these are different. What type of good it is that is meant by 'the fat on the kidneys' is clear from the truths meant by 'the kidneys'. By 'the kidneys' are meant truths that serve to explore, purify, and correct; they derive this meaning from the function they perform. From this it is evident what 'the kidneys' means in the following places: In Jeremiah,

Jehovah tests the kidneys and the heart. Jeremiah 11:20.

In the same prophet,

Jehovah testing the righteous, seeing the kidneys and the heart. Jeremiah 20:12.

In David,

You test the heart and the kidneys, O righteous God. Psalms 7:9.

In the same author,

O Jehovah, explore my kidneys and my heart. Psalms 26:2.

In the same author,

O Jehovah, You possess my kidneys. Psalms 139:13.

In John,

I am He who examines closely the kidneys and the heart. Revelation 2:23.

'Examining the kidneys closely' and 'testing them' mean exploring the truths of faith, and 'examining the heart closely' and 'testing it' mean exploring forms of the good of love; for 'the heart' is the good of love, 3883-3896, 7542, 9050. The fact that the truths of faith are meant by 'the kidneys' is plainly evident in David,

O Jehovah, behold, You desire truth in the kidneys. Psalms 51:6.

The reason why more internal truth and the exploration of it is meant by 'the kidneys' is that by 'the ureters and bladder' which lead away from the kidneys is meant more external truth and the exploration of it, and also correction, 5381-5384.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

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Arcana Coelestia # 10210

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10210. 'With the blood of the sin [offering] of expiations' means by means of truths which spring from the good of innocence. This is clear from the meaning of 'the blood' as Divine Truth, dealt with in 4735, 6978, 7317, 7326, 7846, 7850, 9127, 9393, 10026, 10033, 10047; and from the meaning of 'the sin [offering] of expiations', or the sin sacrifice by means of which expiation was made, as purification from evils and consequent falsities.

'Sin' is used to mean a sacrifice for sin, see 10039.

'Expiation' means purification from evils and consequent falsities, 9506.

The reason why this purification is accomplished by means of truths which spring from the good of innocence is that the blood with which the expiation was accomplished came from a young bull or from a lamb, and 'a young bull' means the good of innocence in the external man, 9391, 9990, 10132, 'a lamb' the good of innocence in the internal man, 10132; and innocence must be present if truth and good are to be received, 3111, 3994, 4797, 6013, 6765, 7836(end), 7840, 9262, 10134, as well as the places referred to in 10021. The good of innocence consists in acknowledging that all truths and forms of good come from the Lord and none at all from the human self or proprium; thus it consists in wishing to be led by the Lord and not by self. From this it is evident that the more a person trusts and believes in himself, thus the more he is ruled by self-love, the less the good of innocence is present in him. This is why a person cannot be purified from evils unless the good of innocence is present in him. For if this good is not present that person is led not by the Lord but by self; and anyone who is led by self is led by hell, since the human proprium is nothing but evil, and all evil belongs to hell. The fact that every expiation was accomplished with the blood either of a young bull, or of a lamb, or of turtle doves, that is, young pigeons, is clear in Moses, in Exodus 29:36; Leviticus 4:1-7, 13-18, 27-end; 5:1-7; 15:14, 24, 28-31; Numbers 6:9-11. 'Turtle doves' and 'young pigeons' as well mean the good of innocence.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.