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)

9548. And thou shalt make a lampstand. That this signifies the spiritual heaven, is evident from the signification of the “lampstand,” as being the Divine spiritual in heaven and in the church from the Lord. That by the “lampstand” is signified the Divine spiritual is because by “the table on which were the breads of faces” is signified the Divine celestial, as was shown in what goes before. The Divine celestial is the good of love, and the Divine spiritual is the truth of faith thence derived; both proceeding from the Lord. That the “lampstand” denotes the Divine spiritual is from its illumination, for the Divine truth which proceeds from the Divine good of the Lord is what gives light in heaven, nor have the angels light from any other source. Hence it is that in the Word the Lord is called “the Light,” and by “light” is signified faith, also the intelligence of truth and the wisdom of good, which are from the Lord alone (see n. 1053, 1521-1533, 1619-1632, 2776, 3094, 3138, 3167, 3190, 3195, 3222, 3223, 3337, 3339, 3341, 3636, 3643, 3862, 3993, 4060, 4180, 4302, 4408, 4414, 4415, 4419, 4527, 4598, 5400, 6032, 6313, 6315, 6608, 6907, 7174, 8644, 8707, 8861, 9399, 9407).

[2] That the “lampstand” denotes the spiritual heaven from the Divine truth which is from the Lord, thus also the church; and that a “lamp” denotes faith, also the intelligence of truth and the wisdom of good, which are from the Lord alone; is evident from passages in the Word where a “lampstand,” and a “lamp,” are mentioned; as in John:

I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands one like unto the Son of man. The seven lampstands are the seven churches (Revelation 1:12-13, 20).

I will remove thy lampstand out of its place, except thou repent (Revelation 2:5).

The church is here called a “lampstand” from the Divine truth which is there from the Lord; for it is said, “the seven lampstands are the seven churches;” that the church is from the Divine truth is plain from its being said, “I will remove thy lampstand except thou repent;” that it is from the Lord is also plain, for it is said, “in the midst of the lampstands was one like unto the Son of man.” (That the Lord is called “the Son of man” from Divine truth, see n. 2803, 2813, 3704)

[3] In the same:

I will give unto My two witnesses that they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days. These are the two olive-trees and the two lampstands that stand before the God of the earth (Revelation 11:3-4).

The “two witnesses” denote the Word of both Testaments in respect to its witnessing concerning the Lord; it is called an “olive-tree” from the Divine good, and a “lampstand” from the Divine truth, which are from the Lord.

[4] In Zechariah:

The angel said unto the prophet, What seest thou? to whom I said, I see, and behold a lampstand all of gold, with its flask upon the top of it, and its seven lamps thereon, and seven funnels to the lamps. Two olive-trees near it, one on the right side of the flask, and one on the left side thereof (Zech. 4:2-3);

this is said of Zerubbabel, who was about to lay the foundation of the house of God and to complete it, by whom is represented the Lord in that He would come and restore the spiritual heaven and church, which are the “lampstand,” and the holy truths therein, which are the “seven lamps.”

[5] That a “lamp” denotes faith, also the intelligence of truth and wisdom of good, which are from the Lord alone, is evident in John:

The holy Jerusalem hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it; the glory of God shall lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. The nations which are saved shall walk in His light (Revelation 21:23-24).

There shall be no night there; and they need no lamp, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light (Revelation 22:5).

In the former passage “the lamp” denotes the Divine truth which is from the Lord; and “the light,” faith, thus also intelligence and wisdom. Again:

The light of a lamp shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee (Revelation 18:23).

[6] And in Jeremiah:

I will take away the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of the millstones, and the light of the lamp; that the whole land shall be a desolation and a devastation (Jeremiah 25:10-11);

speaking of the extinction of faith and thereby of intelligence in spiritual things, which is meant by “the lamp which shall no longer be, and by the light of the lamp which shall be taken away.”

[7] In like manner in Job:

How oft is the lamp of the wicked put out, and destruction cometh upon them (Job 21:17).

Thou lightest my lamp; Jehovah my God maketh my darkness to shine (Psalms 18:28; also 2 Samuel 22:29).

From Thy commands I am become intelligent, Thy Word is a lamp to my foot, and a light to my path (Psalms 119:104, 119:106).

When God maketh His lamp to shine upon my head, by His light I walked in darkness (Job 29:3).

The lamp of the body is the eye; if thine eye be upright, thy whole body is full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be darkened. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is the darkness (Matthew 6:22-23; also Luke 8:16; 11:33-36);

by “the eye” is here meant faith and the intelligence from it (that these things are meant in the internal sense by “the eye,” see n. 4403-4421, 4523-4534, 9051). From this it is plain what is signified by “the whole body being full of light if the eye be upright, and by the whole body being darkened if the eye be evil.” As faith and the derivative intelligence and wisdom are signified by a “lamp,” therefore the kings of Judah are called “lamps for David” (1 Kings 11:36; 1 Kings 15:4; 2 Kings 8:19); and David is called “the lamp of Israel” (2 Samuel 21:16-17); not that the kings of Judah, nor David, were lamps, but that by a “king” is signified the Divine truth which is from the the Lord, (n. 6148); and by “David,” the Lord as to Divine truth, from which are faith, intelligence, and wisdom (n. 1888).