10698. And afterward all the sons of Israel came near. That this signifies all who were in external things without what is internal and yet represented internal things, is evident from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being those who are in external things without what is internal (of whic h just above, n. 10692). That it also signifies those who represented internal things, is because Moses obtained permission for the church to be represented among that nation, although they were of such a character that no church could be instituted among them. For there can be no church among those who are in external things without what is internal, because the church is in the internal of man, and not in the external without this; for man’s communication with heaven and with the Lord is through the internal. When there is no internal, that is, when it has been closed, there is then communication with hell. But although the sons of Israel were of such a character that no communication of heaven with them was possible through the internal, nevertheless they could represent such things as were of the church and of heaven, which is effected solely by means of external things to which internal things correspond, and for this reason they were received. (That with that nation there was not a church, but only the representative of a church, may be seen at the places cited in n. 9320, 10396; and that communication with heaven was effected by means of external things that represented internal things, may be seen at the places cited in n. 9320, 10396; also n. 10492, 10500, 10549-10551, 10570, 10575, 10602, 10629.)

10575. And He said, I will make all My good pass by over thy faces. That this signifies all the Divine of heaven and of the church above the external separate from the internal, in which external were Moses and the nation over which he presided, is evident from the signification of “making pass by over his faces,” as being above the external separate from the internal in which were Moses and the nation over which he presided, for by “thy faces” is signified the external of worship, of the church, and of the Word, in which there is an internal, and by “making pass by” is signified above it; and from the signification of “all the good of Jehovah” as being all the Divine of heaven and of the church. How the case herein is can be seen from what has been said and shown above concerning Moses and the nation over which he presided, namely, that they were in external things separate from what is internal, by which is meant that while in worship they were in holy external things without anything internal; and as there was nevertheless present a holy internal, but which did not enter into their holy external, it is therefore plain what is signified by “Jehovah making all His good to pass by over his faces.” There was indeed an internal in that nation, but it was filthy and full of uncleanness from the love of self and of the world. This, however, was closed when they were in worship, to the end that the internal Divine of heaven, of the church, and of the Word should not be defiled; for if this had been defiled by the internal of that nation, there would have been no communication whatever of their external with heaven while they were engaged in worship and in reading the Word (on which subject see what has been said and shown in n. 10454-10457, 10462-10466, 10492, 10498, 10500, 10533, 10549-10551, 10570, where these things have been more fully unfolded).