10143. A continual burnt-offering. That this signifies all Divine worship in general, is evident from the signification of a “burnt-offering,” as being Divine worship (of which below); and from the signification of “continual,” as being all, and in all (see above, n. 10133). Hence by the “continual burnt-offering” is signified all Divine worship in general, and when the lamb is meant from which is the burnt-offering, by which is signified the good of innocence, there is also signified in all worship. For all worship which is truly such must be from the truths of faith and the goods of love; and in all the good of love, and hence in all the truth of faith, there must be the good of innocence (n. 10133); thus by the “continual burnt-offering” is also signified in all worship.

[2] That a “burnt-offering” denotes Divine worship is because burnt-offerings and sacrifices were the chief things of representative worship with the Israelitish and Jewish nation, and all things relate to their chief, and are named from it. (That the chief thing of worship with that nation consisted in sacrifices and burnt-offerings, and that consequently by these is signified everything of worship in general, see n. 922, 1343, 2180, 6905, 8680, 8936, 10042.)

[3] But what the Divine worship is which is signified by sacrifices and burnt-offerings shall be briefly told. By the sacrifices and burnt-offerings was specifically signified purification from evils and falsities, and the implantation then of good and truth, and the conjunction of both, thus regeneration (see n. 10022, 10053, 10057). The man who is in these is in genuine worship, for purification from evils and falsities consists in desisting from them, and in shunning and turning away from them; and the implantation of good and of truth consists in thinking and willing what is good and what is true, and in speaking and doing them; and the conjunction of both consists in living from them; for when good and truth have been conjoined with a man, he then has a new will and a new understanding, consequently a new life. When a man is of this character, there is Divine worship in every work he does, for he then looks to the Divine in everything; he venerates it, and he loves it; consequently he worships it.

[4] That this is genuine Divine worship is unknown to those who make worship consist in adoration and prayers, thus in such things as are of the mouth and thought, and not in such as are of work from the good of love and the good of faith; when yet the Lord regards nothing else in the man who is in adoration and in prayers than his heart, that is, his interiors, such as they are in respect to love and the consequent faith. If therefore these interiors of man are not inwardly in adoration and prayers, there is no soul and life in them, but only an external such as is that of flatterers and pretenders, and that these are not pleasing to a wise man in the world is well known.

[5] In a word, to do according to the precepts of the Lord is truly to worship Him, nay, it is truly love and truly faith, as also can be seen by everyone who considers the matter; for nothing is more pleasing to one who loves anyone, and who believes anyone, than to will and do what the other wills and thinks, for it is his sole desire to know his will and thought, thus his good pleasure. It is otherwise with one who does not love and believe. Such also is the case with love to God, as also the Lord teaches in John:

He that hath My commandments, and doeth them, he it is who loveth Me; but he that loveth Me not, keepeth not My words (John 14:21, 24).

If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; this is My commandment, that ye love one another (John 15:10, 12).

[6] That external worship without this internal is not worship, is also signified by what is said of burnt-offerings and sacrifices in Jeremiah:

I spoke not unto your fathers concerning burnt-offerings and sacrifices; but this word I commanded them, saying, Obey ye My voice, and I will be to you a God (Jeremiah 7:21-23).

I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, and the knowledges of God more than burnt-offerings (Hos. 6:6).

Shall I come before Jehovah with burnt-offerings? Will Jehovah be pleased with thousands of rams? He hath showed thee what is good, and what doth Jehovah require of thee, but to do judgment, and to love mercy, and to humble thyself in walking with thy God? (Micah 6:6-8).

Hath Jehovah pleasure in burnt-offering and sacrifices? Behold, to comply is better than sacrifice, and obedience than the fat of rams (1 Samuel 15:22).

(That the veriest worship of the Lord consists in a life of charity, and not in a life of piety without this, see n. 8252-8257)

8680. And Jethro Moses’ father-in-law took a burnt-offering and sacrifices for God. That this signifies worship from the good of love and truths of faith, is evident from the signification of “a burnt-offering” and of “sacrifices,” as being representatives of the celestial and spiritual things which are of internal worship; burnt-offerings being representative of celestial things, that is, of the good of love; and sacrifices being representative of spiritual things, that is, of the truth of faith (see n. 922, 923, 1823, 2180, 2805, 2807, 2830, 3519, 6905). That burnt-offerings represented those things which are of the good of love, and sacrifices those things which are of the truth of faith, is evident from their institution; namely, that in the burnt-offerings all was consumed, both the flesh and the blood; but in the sacrifices the flesh was eaten, as can be seen from what is said in Leviticus 1 to 5; Numbers 28, and in Deuteronomy, where are these words:

That thou mayest make thy burnt-offerings, the flesh and the blood, upon the altar of Jehovah thy God; the blood of the sacrifices shall be poured out upon the altar of Jehovah thy God, and thou shalt eat the flesh (Deuteronomy 12:27).

The reason why these two things were represented by the burnt-offerings and the sacrifices, was that the burnt-offerings and the sacrifices represented all the worship of God in general (n. 923, 6905); and the worship of God in general is founded upon love and faith, for without these there is no worship, but only a rite, such as is of the external man without the internal, thus devoid of life.