9430. And the cloud covered it. That this signifies the ultimate of the Word which is thus relatively obscure, is evident from the signification of “the cloud,” as being the ultimate of the Word, or its literal sense (see the preface to Genesis 18, and n. 4060, 4391, 5922, 6343, 6752, 8106, 8443, 8781). This sense is called a “cloud,” because it is in obscurity relatively to the internal sense; for this is in the light of heaven. That it is in obscurity and like a cloud is because it is for man while he is in the world, whereas the internal sense is for man when he comes into heaven. But be it known that while a man is in the world, he is in the internal sense of the Word when he is in the genuine doctrine of the church as to faith and as to life; for through this doctrine the internal sense of the Word is then inscribed on both his understanding and his will; on his understanding through faith; and on his will through life. When such a man comes into heaven he apprehends the Word no otherwise than according to its internal sense; and knows nothing of its external sense, this then appearing to him like a cloud that absorbs the rays of its light.

[2] It is said that the man then apprehends the Word according to its internal sense, and not according to its external sense. That it is so is because all who are in heaven are instructed by the Lord from the truth Divine that is with man, thus from the Word. The reason is that man is in the ultimate of order, and that all interior things terminate in the ultimate, the ultimate being as it were a support for the interior things, on which they subsist and rest. The Word in the letter is Divine truth in the ultimate of order; in like manner the man of the church with whom is Divine truth, in respect to his natural and sensuous mind. In the one, as in the other, the interior things terminate and rest, like a house on its foundation. The house itself is heaven, and there Divine truth is such as is the Word in the internal sense; and the foundation is the world, and there Divine truth is such as is the Word in the external sense. As a house rests on its foundation, so also heaven rests on the church; and consequently the Divine truth in heaven upon the Divine truth in the earth; for there is a continuous connection from the Lord through heaven down to man by means of the Word. This is the reason why it is always provided by the Lord that there shall be a church on the earth, in which Divine truth may be in its ultimate. This is a secret as yet known to none, and which is meant by what was cited above (n. 9357, 9360). Let all therefore beware of injuring the Word in any way; for they who injure it, injure the Divine Itself.

8443. And behold the glory of Jehovah was seen in the cloud. That this signifies the presence of the Lord in truth accommodated to the perception, is evident from the signification of “the glory of Jehovah,” as being the presence and the advent of the Lord (see above, n. 8427); and from the signification of “the cloud,” as being the literal sense of the Word (see the preface to Genesis 18,and in4391, 5922, 6343 at the end, 6752, 8106), thus truth accommodated to the perception, for the Word in the letter is such truth. But “the glory which is in the cloud” denotes Divine truth which is not so accommodated to the perception, because it is above the fallacies and appearances of the senses, thus it also denotes the internal sense of the Word (see the preface to Genesis 18, and5922,8427,). That “glory” denotes the internal sense of the Word, is because in this sense the Lord’s church and kingdom are treated of, and in the supreme sense the Lord Himself, in which sense also is the veriest Divine truth. Truth Divine is not of one degree, but of many. Truth Divine in the first degree, and also in the second, is that which proceeds immediately from the Lord; this is above the angelic understanding. But truth Divine in the third degree is such as is in the inmost or third heaven; this is such that it cannot in the least be apprehended by man. Truth Divine in the fourth degree is such as is in the middle or second heaven; neither is this intelligible to man. But truth Divine in the fifth degree is such as is in the ultimate or first heaven; this can be perceived in some small measure by man provided he is enlightened; but still it is such that a great part of it cannot be expressed by human words; and when it falls into the ideas, it produces the faculty of perceiving and also of believing that the case is so. But truth Divine in the sixth degree is such as is with man, accommodated to his perception; thus it is the sense of the letter of the Word. This sense, or this truth, is represented by the cloud, and the interior truths are represented by the glory in the cloud. This is the reason why Jehovah (that is, the Lord) so often appeared to Moses and to the sons of Israel in a cloud (see Exodus 24:15-16; 40:34-35;1 Kings 8:10-11; Matthew 24:30; and other places). The appearing of the Lord is by means of Divine truth, and moreover is Divine truth. That a “cloud” denotes truth accommodated to the perception, is from the representatives in the other life, where angelic speech of the higher heavens appears to those who are beneath as light, and also as the brightness from light; whereas the speech of the angels of a lower heaven appears as a bright cloud, in form various, and in density or rarity according to the quality of the truths. From all this it can be seen that by “the glory of Jehovah seen in the cloud” is signified the presence of the Lord in truth accommodated to the perception.