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)

922. And took of every clean beast and of every clean fowl. That this signifies the goods of charity and the truths of faith, has been shown above; that “beast” signifies the goods of charity n. 45-46vvv3, 142-143, 246); and that “fowl” signifies the truths of faith n. 40, 776). Burnt-offerings were made of oxen, of lambs and goats, and of turtledoves and young pigeons (Leviticus 1:3-17; Numbers 15:2-15; 28:1-31). These were clean beasts, and each one of them signified some special heavenly thing. And because they signified these things in the Ancient Church and represented them in the churches that followed, it is evident that burnt-offerings and sacrifices were nothing else than representatives of internal worship; and that when they were separated from internal worship they became idolatrous. This anyone of sound reason may see. For what is an altar but something of stone, and what is burnt-offering and sacrifice but the slaying of a beast? If there be Divine worship, it must represent something heavenly which they know and acknowledge, and from which they worship Him whom they represent.

[2] That these were representatives of the Lord no one can be ignorant, unless he is unwilling to understand anything about the Lord. It is by internal things, namely, charity and the faith therefrom, that He who is represented is to be seen and acknowledged and believed, as is clearly evident in the Prophets, for example, in Jeremiah:

Thus saith Jehovah of armies, the God of Israel, Add your burnt-offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat ye flesh for I spake not unto your fathers, and I commanded them not in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt-offerings and sacrifices; but this thing I commanded them, saying, Hearken unto My voice, and I will be your God (Jeremiah 7:21-23).

To “hearken to” or obey, “the voice” is to obey the law, which all relates to the one command: to love God above all things, and the neighbor as one’s self; for in this is the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 22:35-40; 7:12).

In David:

O Jehovah, sacrifice and offering Thou hast not desired, burnt-offering and sin-offering hast Thou not required; I have desired to do Thy will, O my God; yea, Thy law is within my heart (Psalms 40:7, 9).

[3] In Samuel, who said to Saul,

Hath Jehovah as great pleasure in burnt-offerings and sacrifices as in hearkening to the voice of Jehovah? behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams (1 Samuel 15:22).

What is meant by “hearkening to the voice” may be seen in Micah:

Shall I come before Jehovah with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old? will Jehovah be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth Jehovih require of thee, but to do judgment, and to love mercy; and to humble thyself in walking with thy God? (Micah 6:6-8).

This is what is signified by “burnt-offerings and sacrifices of clean beasts and birds.”

So in Amos:

Though you offer Me your burnt-offerings and gifts I will not accept them; neither will I regard the peace-offering of your fat ones; let judgment flow like waters, and righteousness like a mighty river (Amos 5:22, 24).

“Judgment” is truth, and “righteousness” is good, both from charity, and these are the “burnt-offerings and sacrifices” of the internal man.

In Hosea:

For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt-offerings (Hosea 6:6).

From these passages it is evident what sacrifices and burnt-offerings are where there is no charity and faith; and it is also evident that clean beasts and clean birds represented, because they signified, the goods of charity and of faith.