8819. And Mount Sinai smoked, the whole of it. That this signifies the appearing of celestial good in the greatest obscurity, is evident from the signification of “Mount Sinai,” as being celestial good (see just above, n. 8818); and from the signification of “smoking,” as being an appearing in obscurity. By obscurity is meant the obscurity of faith, such as is theirs who are of the spiritual church as compared with the faith of those who are of the celestial church (n. 2708, 2715, 2718, 2831, 2935, 2937, 3241, 3833, 6289). By the greatest obscurity, which is signified by “Mount Sinai smoked, the whole of it,” and by what is said just below, that “the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace,” is meant that obscurity in which was the Israelitish nation, before whom the appearing took place; for Jehovah or the Lord appears to everyone according to his quality (see n. 8788, 8814), thus as love and as the light of truth to those who are in good, but as an enemy and avenger to those who are in evil. That so did He appear to the Israelitish people, is also evident from other passages in Moses:

The appearance of the glory of Jehovah was like devouring fire on the top of the mountain before the eyes of the sons of Israel (Exodus 24:17).

Ye came near and stood under the mountain; when the mountain burned with fire unto the heart of heaven, darkness, and cloud, and thick darkness. And Jehovah spake unto you out of the midst of the fire (Deuteronomy 4:11-12; 5:22).

It came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, and the mountain did burn with fire, that ye came near unto me, and ye said, why shall we die? because this great fire will devour us: if we hear the voice of Jehovah our God anymore, we shall die (Deuteronomy 5:23-25).

[2] The reason for this is that no one can see God otherwise than from such things as are in himself, so that he who is in hatred sees Him from hatred, he who is in unmercifulness sees Him in unmercifulness; and on the other hand, they who are in charity and mercy see Him from, and thus in, charity and mercy. The case herein is as it is with the rays of light, which when they fall into ugly forms are turned into ugly colors; but when they fall into beautiful forms are turned into beautiful colors. (That “smoke” denotes the obscurity of truth and also the thick darkness which is of falsity, is evident in Isaiah 9:18-19; 34:9-10; in Joel 2:30-31; in Hos. 13:3; and in Revelation 9:17-18; 18:18; 19:3.)

3241. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim. That this signifies the derivations from the second class, is evident from the representation of Dedan, as being those who are in the good of faith, properly those who are in the truth of faith from good (n. 3240, at the end). That the derivations are from a second class is manifest. By these three sons of Dedan are especially signified the truths of faith from good; but what is signified by each can indeed be told, but cannot be confirmed by other passages from the Word, because the names are not mentioned elsewhere.

[2] In the kingdom of the Lord there are innumerable varieties as to goods and truths, and yet of these innumerable varieties one heaven is constituted; for the varieties are so many that no one society is exactly like another, that is, is never in the same good and truth (n. 684, 685, 690). The one heaven therein is constituted of the many varieties so disposed by the Lord that they agree, the agreement or harmony of the many being imparted by the Lord, by means of all referring themselves to Him (n. 551). The case herein is the same as with the organs, members, and viscera of the body, not one of which is exactly like another. They are all different and yet make a one, and this by reason of their all referring themselves to one soul, and through this to heaven, and thus to the Lord; for whatever is unconnected with the Lord is nothing. From this it is evident that the differences of truth and of good are innumerable in species; but their genera, and these the most general, which are spiritual churches, are signified by these sons and grandsons of Abraham.

[3] As they who are of the spiritual church have no perception of what is good and true, like those of the celestial church, but acknowledge as truths the things they have learned, they are on this account continually in dispute concerning them, reasoning whether a thing is true; and each person abides in that doctrine (and calls it true) which is of his own church. This is the source of so many differences. Moreover very many form their conclusions concerning things good and true from appearances and fallacies-one in one way, another in another, but none from any perception; they do not even know what perception is; and as their understanding is thus in obscurity as to the goods and truths of faith, it is not surprising that dissensions should arise concerning the most essential of all the things of faith, namely, concerning the Divine, the Human, and the Holy Proceeding of the Lord. The celestial perceive that these are not three, but One; but the spiritual abide in the idea of three, although they desire to think that they are One. Seeing then that there are dissensions concerning that which is the most essential, it is evident that the varieties and differences of doctrinal things must be innumerable. From this all may know whence come the derivations signified by those who are here named. But granting the existence of so many varieties and differences of doctrinal things (that is, of so many derivations), they nevertheless together form one church when all acknowledge charity as essential to the church; or what is the same, when they regard life as the end of doctrine; that is, when they inquire how the man of the church lives, and not so much what his sentiments are; for in the other life everyone receives from the Lord a lot in accordance with his good of life, and not in accordance with his truth of doctrine separated from the good of life.