10188. And thou shalt make for it two rings of gold from under its border. That this signifies the sphere of Divine good, through which are conjunction and preservation, is evident from the signification of “two,” as being conjunction (see n. 5194, 8423); from the signification of “gold,” as being good (n. 9874, 9881); and from the signification of a “border,” as being a bounding to prevent their being approached and injured by evils (of which just above, n. 10187). From all this it is evident that by “two rings of gold from under the border” is signified the sphere of Divine good through which is conjunction; and that preservation also is signified, is because the altar of incense was carried by staves inserted in the rings, and by “carrying” is signified preservation (n. 9900).

[2] What the sphere of Divine good is shall here be briefly told. The sphere of Divine good fills the universal heaven, and also extends itself into hell, for it is like the sphere of the sun’s heat in the world, which in summer penetrates even into dark places where the sun does not appear. This Divine sphere was likened by the ancients to radiant circles in the midst of which was God, and round about were angels. Accordingly those who suffer themselves to be led by the Lord, thus who receive the Divine from Him, are in the sphere of Divine good in proportion to their reception of it; while those who do not receive it are indeed in the same sphere, but their interiors have been so much closed up that they do not feel the influx. For those who are in hell are in externals and are not in internals, and from their externals there exhale evils and the derivative falsities, which appear around them like the smoke from a furnace; causing the external sphere of Divine good to be dulled there, while the internal sphere of it still remains; but it is not received because it has been closed to them; nevertheless the Lord rules the hells by means of it.

[3] The reason why there is a sphere of Divine good which proceeds from the Lord, is because the Sun of heaven, which is the Lord, is Divine love itself, for this so appears; the heat thence proceeding is the good of love, and the light thence proceeding is the truth of faith; hence in the Word by the “sun” is meant the Divine love; by “fire,” and “heat,” the good of love; and by “light,” the truth of faith.

[4] Moreover, from every angel proceeds a sphere from his love, also from every spirit good and evil according to his love; but the spheres proceeding from these do not extend themselves far, whereas the Divine sphere extends through the universe, for it proceeds from the inmost, and the inmost is the all in all the things that follow in succession from it. (Concerning these spheres, see what has already been shown, partly also from experience, n. 1048, 1053, 1316, 1504-1512, 1695, 2401, 4464, 5179, 6206, 7454, 6598-6613, 8063, 8630, 8794, 8797, 9490-9492, 9498, 9499, 9534, 9606, 9607.)

9498. And thou shalt put the staves into the rings. That this signifies the power of the Divine sphere, is evident from the signification of “staves,” as being power (of which just above, n. 9496); and from the signification of “the rings,” as being Divine truth conjoined with Divine good, which is everywhere round about (of which also above, n. 9493), thus the Divine sphere which encompasses and encloses heaven in general, and the heavenly societies and the individual angels themselves in particular, according to what has been before shown (n. 9490, 9492). For the Divine truth that proceeds from the Divine good of the Lord is not to be conceived of as speech and the influx thereof into the ear; but as a sphere from the sun, which by degrees, as it is removed from the sun, decreases in ardor and brightness, and at last becomes so tempered as to be accommodated to the reception of the angels. Within this sphere, but far from the sun on account of its ardor and brightness, is the angelic heaven. This sphere also extends outside heaven down into hell, but those who are there do not receive it in a suitable manner, but turn it into the opposite. From this it can be seen what is meant by the Divine sphere which encloses and holds together heaven, namely, that it is Divine truth conjoined with Divine good, which is everywhere around heaven, and around those who are in heaven. The heat that proceeds from the Lord as the sun in heaven is the Divine good of His Divine love accommodated to the reception of the angels who are in heaven; and the light that proceeds from the Lord as the sun is the Divine truth of His Divine good. Nevertheless both together are called “the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord.”