Apocalypse Explained # 731
731. Where she hath a place prepared by God.- That this signifies its state, that in the meantime provision may be made for it among many, is evident from the signification of place, as denoting state (concerning which we shall speak presently); and from the signification of being prepared by God, as denoting to be provided by the Lord, for what is done by man is prepared, but what is done by the Lord is provided. Also to be provided is said of the state that is signified by place, while to be prepared is said of place. It signifies that the state in the meantime may be provided among many, because by the woman fleeing into the wilderness is signified that the church is as yet among few, because among those who are not in good, and consequently not in truths, as may be seen in the preceding article (n. 730). It therefore follows that these words, namely, "where the woman hath a place prepared by God," signify the state of the church, that in the meantime provision may be made for it among many; and that also the words, "that they may nourish her a thousand two hundred and sixty days" signify until it grows to fulness, of which below (n. 732). But this state of the church meant by the place of the woman in the wilderness is more fully dealt with in what follows in this chapter; for it is said that to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle that she might fly into the wilderness unto her place, where she should be nourished a time and times and half a time from the face of the dragon; besides other circumstances.
[2] The reason why place signifies state is that spaces, places, and distances in the spiritual world are in their origin states of life. These indeed appear there just as in this world, yet they differ in this respect, that the quality of every one is known from the place where he dwells, and the place where any one dwells is known from what he is. Thus it is in general in regard to the places of all according to the quarters, and in particular as to their places in societies, and also individually as to their places in houses, and even in rooms. It is evident from this that place and quality of state make one, and this for the reason that all the things in the spiritual world that appear before the eyes, even the lands (terroe), are correspondences of things spiritual. This is why place signifies state. That spaces, places, and distances are, in their origin, states, and thus, in the Word, signify states, may be seen in Heaven and Hell 191-199), in the article on space in heaven. For the same reason also it is customary in our world to designate state by place; as, for example, "to be established in a high place," "in an eminent place," and "in a distinguished place," are terms used for "a high, an eminent and distinguished state."
[3] From these things it is evident what is meant by the Lord's saying to His disciples, that in his Father's house there are many mansions, and that He would go to prepare a place for them; and that if He went and prepared a place for them, He would come and take them to Himself (John 14:2, 3).
To prepare a place for them signifies to provide heaven for every one according to the state of his life, for by the disciples are meant all those who were to be of His Church. And in Luke,
"When the unclean spirit goeth out of a man, he wandereth through dry places seeking rest" (11:24).
The unclean spirit going out of a man signifies the removal of evils and the falsities thence from a man who repents; the dry places through which he wanders seeking rest, signify the states of evil and falsity that belong to his life. So in other parts of the Word where place and places are mentioned.
Leviticus 16:5-34
5
He shall take from the congregation of the children of Israel two male goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.
6
"Aaron shall offer the bull of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make atonement for himself and for his house.
7
He shall take the two goats, and set them before Yahweh at the door of the Tent of Meeting.
8
Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats; one lot for Yahweh, and the other lot for the scapegoat.
9
Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for Yahweh, and offer him for a sin offering.
10
But the goat, on which the lot fell for the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before Yahweh, to make atonement for him, to send him away for the scapegoat into the wilderness.
11
"Aaron shall present the bull of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make atonement for himself and for his house, and shall kill the bull of the sin offering which is for himself.
12
He shall take a censer full of coals of fire from off the altar before Yahweh, and two handfuls of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the veil:
13
and he shall put the incense on the fire before Yahweh, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is on the testimony, so that he will not die.
14
He shall take some of the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat on the east; and before the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.
15
"Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with his blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:
16
and he shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions, even all their sins; and so he shall do for the Tent of Meeting, that dwells with them in the midst of their uncleanness.
17
No one shall be in the Tent of Meeting when he enters to make atonement in the Holy Place, until he comes out, and has made atonement for himself and for his household, and for all the assembly of Israel.
18
"He shall go out to the altar that is before Yahweh and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the bull's blood, and some of the goat's blood, and put it around on the horns of the altar.
19
He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and make it holy from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.
20
"When he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, he shall present the live goat.
21
Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, even all their sins; and he shall put them on the head of the goat, and shall send him away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness.
22
The goat shall carry all their iniquities on himself to a solitary land, and he shall let the goat go in the wilderness.
23
"Aaron shall come into the Tent of Meeting, and shall take off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the Holy Place, and shall leave them there.
24
Then he shall bathe himself in water in a holy place, and put on his garments, and come out and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people, and make atonement for himself and for the people.
25
The fat of the sin offering he shall burn on the altar.
26
"He who lets the goat go for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.
27
The bull for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the Holy Place, shall be carried forth outside the camp; and they shall burn their skins, their flesh, and their dung with fire.
28
He who burns them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.
29
"It shall be a statute to you forever: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and shall do no kind of work, the native-born, or the stranger who lives as a foreigner among you:
30
for on this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse you; from all your sins you shall be clean before Yahweh.
31
It is a Sabbath of solemn rest to you, and you shall afflict your souls; it is a statute forever.
32
The priest, who is anointed and who is consecrated to be priest in his father's place, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen garments, even the holy garments.
33
Then he shall make atonement for the Holy Sanctuary; and he shall make atonement for the Tent of Meeting and for the altar; and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly.
34
"This shall be an everlasting statute for you, to make atonement for the children of Israel once in the year because of all their sins." It was done as Yahweh commanded Moses.
