9857. 'And you shall make a breastplate of judgement' means that which has regard to Divine Truth shining forth from Divine Good. This is clear from the meaning of 'a breastplate' as Divine Truth shining forth from the Lord's Divine Good within last and lowest things, dealt with in 9823. It is called 'a breastplate of judgement' because it gave answers, and through these Divine Truth was revealed; furthermore Divine Truth, and therefore doctrinal teachings and a life in accord with them, is meant in the Word by 'judgement'. This then is why this breastplate is referred to as 'the breastplate of judgement', and also further on in this chapter as 'the judgement', in verse 30 - 'Aaron shall carry the judgement of the children of Israel over his heart before Jehovah continually'. And when Joshua was chosen to be leader of the people, it says that he was to stand before Eleazar the priest, who would inquire for him by the judgement of the Urim before Jehovah, Numbers 27:21.

[2] 'Judgement' means Divine Truth and intelligence springing from It, as a consequence of which it means religious teachings and a life in accord with them. This is clear from a large number of places in the Word, such as the following: In Isaiah,

The vineyard of Jehovah Zebaoth is the house of Israel. He looked for judgement, but behold, festering; for righteousness, but behold, a cry. Isaiah 5:7.

'Looking for judgement' means intelligence springing from Divine Truth, and a life in accord with the commandments. In the same prophet,

On the throne there sat in truthfulness, in the tabernacle of David, one who judges and seeks judgement. Isaiah 16:5.

This refers to the Lord's Coming. 'The throne' on which He is going to sit means Divine Truth that emanates from Him, and consequently means the spiritual kingdom, see 2129, 5313, 6397, 8625, 9039. 'Judging judgement' means teaching Divine Truth, and 'seeking judgement' people's acceptance of it.

[3] In the same prophet,

On that day Jehovah will be a tiara of beauty for the remnant of His people, and a spirit of judgement to him who sits in judgement. Isaiah 28:5-6.

'A tiara of beauty', when these words have reference to Jehovah, that is, the Lord, means Divine Intelligence, see above in 9827; and 'a spirit of judgement' means wisdom that springs from Divine Truth, 9818. 'To him who sits in judgement' means one who informs people about or teaches Divine Truth. In the same prophet,

Jehovah has filled Zion with judgement and righteousness. Isaiah 33:5.

'Zion' stands for the celestial Church, 'being filled with judgement' for intelligence that springs from Divine Truth, and 'being filled with righteousness' for wisdom that comes from Divine Good.

[4] In the same prophet,

Who has directed the Spirit of Jehovah? With whom did He deliberate, that He might make Him intelligent, and instruct Him in the way of judgement, and teach Him knowledge, and show Him the way of intelligence? Isaiah 40:13-14.

'The Spirit of Jehovah' means Divine Truth, 9818. 'Instructing Him in the way of judgement' self-evidently means making him knowledgeable, intelligent, and wise. In Jeremiah,

The stork in the sky knows her appointed times, but Jehovah's people do not know the judgement of Jehovah. How can you say, We are wise, and the law of Jehovah is with us? Jeremiah 8:7-8.

'Not knowing the judgement of Jehovah' stands for ignorance of Divine Truth, the source of wisdom; and this is why it says, 'How can you say, We are wise?'

[5] In the same prophet,

Woe to him who builds his house without righteousness, and his upper rooms without judgement! Jeremiah 22:13.

'Building upper rooms without judgement' stands for absorbing ideas that are not true. In Hosea,

I will betroth you to Me forever in righteousness and in judgement, and I will betroth you to Me in truth. Hosea 2:19-20.

'Betrothing in judgement' stands for joining by means of Divine Truth, thus by means of faith and the life of faith. In Amos,

Let judgement flow like water, and righteousness like a mighty torrent. Amos 5:24.

In the same prophet,

You have turned judgement into poison and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood. Amos 6:12.

Here also 'judgement' stands for intelligence that springs from Divine Truth, and for a life based on this.

[6] In Zephaniah,

Jehovah in the morning will bring His judgement to light. Zephaniah 3:5.

'Bringing judgement to light' stands for revealing Divine Truth. In Moses,

All the ways of Jehovah are judgement. Deuteronomy 32:4.

In David,

O Jehovah, Your truth reaches up to the skies, Your righteousness is like the mountains of God, Your judgements [like] the great abyss. Psalms 36:5-6.

In the same author,

Jehovah will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgement as the noonday. Psalms 37:6.

In the same author,

Hear my voice according to Your mercy; O Jehovah, revive me according to Your judgements. Psalms 119:149.

In these places 'judgement' and 'judgements' stand for Divine Truth.

[7] In Luke,

Woe to you Pharisees! You pass by the judgement and the love of God. These you ought to have done. Luke 11:42.

'Passing by the judgement of God' stands for shunning Divine Truth, and 'passing by the love of God' for shunning Divine Good and a life inspired by them both. The fact that this life is also meant accounts for their being told, These you ought to have done. In Isaiah,

Jehovah Zebaoth will be exalted in judgement, and God will be made holy in righteousness. Isaiah 5:16.

In the same author,

... upon the throne of David to establish the kingdom in judgement and in righteousness, from now and even for evermore. Isaiah 9:7.

In the same author,

Give counsel, execute judgement, set your shade like the night in the middle of the day. Isaiah 16:3.

'Executing judgement' stands for acting in accordance with God's truth.

[8] In Jeremiah,

I will raise up for David a righteous branch, who will execute judgement and righteousness in the land. Jeremiah 23:5; 33:15.

In Ezekiel,

If a man has been righteous, one who has executed judgement and righteousness ... [if he] walks in My statutes, and keeps My judgements, to execute truth, he is righteous; he will surely live. Ezekiel 18:5, 9.

In Zephaniah,

Seek Jehovah, O all the meek of the earth, who have executed His judgement. Zephaniah 2:3.

'Executing God's judgement' stands for carrying out Divine Truth or acting in accord with it. In Isaiah,

I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth judgement to the nations. He will not quench nor will He break until He has set judgement on the earth. Isaiah 42:1, 4.

This refers to the Lord. 'Bringing forth judgement to the nations' and 'setting judgement on the earth' stand for teaching Divine Truth and establishing it in the Church.

[9] In the same prophet,

Law will go out from Me, and I will raise up My judgement to be the light of peoples. Isaiah 51:4.

'Judgement' stands for Divine Truth, 'to be the light of peoples' for to bring enlightenment. In John,

For judgement I came ¹ into this world, that those who do not see may see, but those who see may become blind. John 9:39.

'Coming into the world for judgement' stands for coming to reveal Divine Truth, which gives people vision if the Lord is the source of their wisdom, but makes them blind if they themselves are the source of it and on account of this are reputed to be learned.

[10] In Jeremiah,

Swear by the living Jehovah, in truth, in judgement, and in righteousness. Jeremiah 4:2.

In the same prophet,

There is none judging judgement for healthiness; you have no restorative medicaments. Jeremiah 30:13.

In David,

Righteousness and judgement are the support of Your throne; mercy and truth will stand firm before Your face. Psalms 89:14.

'Righteousness' stands for the good that belongs to mercy, and 'judgement' for the truth that belongs to faith, which is why the expression 'mercy and truth' is also used. In Ezekiel,

Jerusalem has changed My judgements into wickedness more than the nations, and My statutes more than the lands. Therefore I will execute in you [My] judgements in the eyes of the nations, and I will scatter all your remnant. Ezekiel 5:6-8, 10, 15.

'Changing judgements' stands for altering truths as they exist in the civic state, these truths being meant by 'judgements' when 'statutes' are also mentioned, see 8972. But 'executing judgements' means passing judgement that points to death, which is damnation, or to life, which is salvation. Salvation or damnation is also meant by 'judgement' when the expression 'day of judgement' or 'hour of judgement' is used, for example in Matthew 11:22, 24; 12:36, 41-42; Luke 10:14; 11:31-32; John 5:28-29; Revelation 14:7; 18:10. The same thing is also meant by 'judgement' when judgement-making is referred to, for example in Matthew 5:21-22; 7:1-2; 23:14, 33; John 5:24, 26-27; 7:24; 8:15-16; 12:31, 47-48; Luke 6:37; 12:13-14, 56-57; 19:21-22; 20:47; 22:30; Mark 12:40; Isaiah 3:14; 41:1; Jeremiah 25:31; 48:21; Joel 3:12; Psalms 7:7-8; 9:4, 7-8; Leviticus 19:15; Deuteronomy 1:16-17; 25:1; Revelation 17:1; 18:10; 20:12-13.

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8972. Verse 1 And these are the judgements which you shall set before them means those more external truths such as must exist in a civic state where the Church is representative, which flow from the internal truths belonging to order in heaven. The fact that these things are meant by 'the judgements that were to be set before the children of Israel' is clear from the meaning of 'judgements' as truths, dealt with in 2235, 6397, 7206, 8685, 8695. The reason why 'judgements' are truths is that all judgement is effected by means of truths; therefore 'executing judgement' in the Word means executing truth, that is, judging in accordance with truths. But the plural 'judgements' means civil laws, thus those more external truths such as exist in a civic state. The words 'where the Church is representative' are added because these truths contain and embody within themselves the truths that belong to order in heaven, as may be recognized from the internal sense of them.

[2] The laws which the Lord delivered to the children of Israel and commanded them to keep were divided into commandments, judgements, and statutes. The term 'commandments' was given to those which were laws of life, 'judgements' to those which were laws of the civic state, and 'statutes' to those which were laws of worship. As regards judgements specifically, they are the kinds of laws that are contained in the present chapter and also some that follow. They served as laws in a Church in which inner realities, those of heaven and of the Church, were represented by outward things; but they do not serve as laws in a Church in which inner realities are no longer represented by outward things, as in the Christian Church. The reason for this is that inner realities have been revealed to people of this Church, and therefore inner realities are the channel through which contact is made with heaven, not outward things, as had been the situation before the Christian Church. Here is the reason why members of the Christian Church are not bound to adhere to the outward requirements of the laws called judgements and statutes, only to the inward ones. Holiness still remains within them because they hold holy truths within them, as also does every single command in the Word regarding the sacrifices. Although these are no longer prescriptive laws they remain holy constituents of the Word because of the Divine realities which they hold within themselves and which they represented. For when they are read by a Christian the Divine realities which are held within them and which were represented by them are discerned in heaven. They fill the angels with holiness, and at the same time the reader too through influx from the angels, especially if the reader himself is thinking at the same time about the Divine realities within them. From this it is evident that even the Old Testament Word is extremely holy.

[3] The fact that the laws which the Lord delivered to the children of Israel and commanded them to keep were divided into commandments that were laws of life, judgements that were laws of the civic state, and statutes that were laws of worship, is evident in Moses,

Jehovah said to Moses, Go, say to them, Go back into your tents. But you, stand here with Me, that I may tell you all the commandments, and statutes, and judgements which you shall teach them, so that they may do them. Deuteronomy 5:30-31.

In the same author,

Furthermore these are the commandments, statutes, and judgements which Jehovah your God commanded to teach you. Deuteronomy 6:1.

In the same author,

Therefore you shall keep the commandments and the statutes and the judgments which I am commanding you today, to do them. Deuteronomy 7:11.

In David,

If his sons forsake My law and do not walk in My judgements, if they profane My statutes and do not keep My commandments, I will visit their transgression with the rod. Psalms 89:30-32.

[4] Furthermore all the laws, in that they were those of a representative Church, were generally called judgements and statutes, as in Moses,

Now therefore, O Israel, hear the statutes and the judgements which I will teach you, that you may do them. What great nation [is there] that has righteous statutes and judgements, like all this law which I will set before you today? Deuteronomy 4:1, 8; 5:1.

In Ezekiel.

Jerusalem has changed My judgements into wickedness more than the nations, and My statutes more than the lands that are around her; for they have repudiated My judgements, and have not walked in My statutes. Ezekiel 5:6-7.

In the same prophet,

Let him ¹ walk in My statutes and keep My judgements - to do the truth. Ezekiel 18:9.

In addition to these there are many other places, such as Leviticus 18:5; 19:37; 20:22; 25:18; 26:15; Deuteronomy 26:17; Ezekiel 11:12, 20; 20:11, 13, 25; 37:24.

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