10133. Continually. That this signifies in all Divine worship, is evident from the signification of “continually,” when said of such things as belong to Divine worship, as being all, and in all; for the subject treated of is purification from evils and falsities through the good of innocence, this good being signified by “lambs;” and purification from evils and the derivative falsities, by a “burnt-offering from them.” This is said to be “continually,” because it was to be in all Divine worship; therefore also it was offered twice every day; in the morning, and in the evening; and what was offered morning and evening represented in general all worship and in all worship. For the good of innocence must be in all good, and from this in all truth, in order that it maybe good and truth in which there is life from the Divine; thus it must be in all worship, for all worship must be from the good of love and from the truths of faith, in order that it may be worship. (That all the good of the church and of heaven has innocence in it, and that without innocence good is not good, and thus worship is not worship, see n. 2736, 2780, 6013, 7840, 7887, 9262; also what innocence is, n. 3994, 4001, 4797, 5236, 6107, 6765, 7902, 9262, 9936, and the places cited at the end of n. 10021.)

[2] That “continually” denotes all, and in all, that is, all of worship and in all worship, is because it involves time. And in the heavens, where the Word is not understood in the natural sense, but in the spiritual sense, there is not any notion of time, but instead of times are perceived such things as belong to state. Here therefore by “continually” is perceived a perpetual state in worship, thus all worship, and in all worship. So it is with all the other expressions in the Word which involve anything of time, as by “yesterday,” “today,” “tomorrow,” “two days,” “three days,” by a “day,” a “week,” a “month,” and a “year;” and also by the times of the day and of the year, as by “morning,” “noon,” “evening,” “night;” “spring,” “summer,” “autumn,” and “winter.” Therefore in order that the spiritual sense of the Word may be understood, everything from its natural sense that relates to time and place, and likewise everything that relates to person, must be rejected, and instead thereof states must be thought of; from all which it can be seen how pure is the Word in the internal sense, thus how purely it is perceived by the angels in the heavens, consequently how superior are the wisdom and intelligence of the angels to the intelligence and wisdom of men, who think only from the natural fixed upon things most finite in the world and the earth. (That times in the heavens are states, see n. 1274, 1382, 2625, 2788, 2837, 3254, 3356, 3404, 3827, 4814, 4882, 4901, 4916, 6110, 7218, 7381, 8070; as also what is meant by states, see n. 4850)

[3] From all this it is evident what is signified by the “continual burnt-offering from lambs;” thus what by “continual” and “continually” in other places; as that the fire should burn continually upon the altar (Leviticus 6:13); and that continual bread should be upon the table (Numbers 4:7). By “fire,” and by “bread,” is here signified the good of love from the Lord to the Lord (that “fire” denotes this, see n. 4906, 5215, 6314, 6832, 6834, 6849, 7324, 7852, 10055; and also “bread,” n. 2165, 2177, 3478, 3735, 3813, 4211, 4217, 4735, 4976, 9323, 9545). By “continual” is here also signified that this good must be in all worship. And that from this good as from its fire must shine the truth of faith, is signified by “making the lamp to go up continually” (Exodus 27:20). (That a “lamp” denotes the truth and good of faith, see n. 9548, 9783)

6849. Because he was afraid to look upon God. That this signifies lest they should be injured by the presence of the Divine itself is evident from the signification of “being afraid” as being fear lest they should be injured, namely, the interiors, for this was the cause of the fear; and from the signification of “looking upon God” as being the presence of the Divine Itself; for the Lord is presented before man in no other way than by an internal looking, which is effected through the faith that is from charity. If the Lord appears to anyone in an outward form, still it is the interiors which are affected, for the Divine penetrates to the inmosts. In regard to the interiors not being injured by the presence of the Divine Itself, and that on this account they were protected, the case is this. The Divine Itself is pure love, and pure love is like a fire which is more ardent than the fire of the sun of this world; and therefore if the Divine love in its purity were to flow into any angel, spirit, or man, he would utterly perish. Hence it is that Jehovah or the Lord is in the Word so often called a “consuming fire.” Lest therefore the angels in heaven should be injured by the influx of heat from the Lord as a sun, they are each of them veiled over by a certain thin and suitable cloud, whereby the heat flowing in from that sun is tempered.

[2] That without this preservation everyone would perish at the presence of the Divine was known to the ancients; and therefore they were afraid to see God, as is evident in the book of Judges:

Gideon saw that he was an angel of Jehovah; and therefore Gideon said, Ah Lord Jehovih, forasmuch as I have seen an angel of Jehovah face to face. And Jehovah said to him, Peace be to thee; fear not, for thou shalt not die (Judg. 6:22-23).

Manoah said unto his wife, Dying we shall die, because we have seen God (Judg. 13:22).

And in the book of Exodus:

Jehovah said unto Moses, Thou canst not see My faces, for no man shall see Me and live (Exodus 33:20).

When therefore it was given Moses to see God, he was put into a hole of the rock (verse 22); by which was represented the obscurity of faith, and also the cloudiness which covered him over, and by which he was protected.

[3] How dangerous it would be for the angels if they were looked upon by the Divine, without being veiled with a cloud, can be plainly seen from the fact that when the angels look at any spirit who is in evil, he appears to be turned into something inanimate, as has been frequently given me to see. The reason is, that through the angelic sight the light and heat of heaven fall there, and with these the truth of faith and the good of love, and when these penetrate, the wicked are almost deprived of life by them.

[4] This being the effect of a look from the angels, how much more would be the effect of a look from the Lord! This is the reason why the hells are quite removed from heaven, and why they who are there desire to be removed, for unless this is done they are direfully tormented. From this it is plain what is meant by these words:

They shall say to the mountains and to the rocks, Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne (Revelation 6:16; Luke 23:30; Hos. 10:8).

[5] From the fact that the presence of the Divine Itself is of such a nature that no angel can endure it unless he is protected by a cloud, which tempers and moderates the rays and heat from that sun, it is very evident that the Lord’s Human is Divine; for unless it were Divine, it could never be so united to the Divine Itself which is called the “Father,” that they may be one, according to the Lord’s words in John 14:10, and elsewhere. For what so receives the Divine must needs be altogether Divine; what is not Divine would be utterly dissipated by such a union. To speak by comparison, what can be put into the solar fire, and not perish, unless it is of a solar nature? And in the same way, who can be introduced into the ardor of infinite love except him who is in the ardor of the like love? Consequently, who but the Lord alone? That the Father is in Him, and that the Father does not appear except in His Divine Human, is evident from the Lord’s words in John:

No one hath ever seen God; the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath set Him forth (John 1:18).

Ye have neither ever heard His voice, nor seen His shape (John 5:37).