9596. Of fine twined linen, and blue, and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed. That this signifies the spiritual and celestial things from which are these truths, is evident from the signification of “fine twined linen,” as being truths from a celestial origin (see n. 9469); from the signification of “blue” [hyacinthinum] as being the celestial love of truth (n. 9466); from the signification of “crimson,” as being the celestial love of good (n. 9467); and from the signification of “scarlet double-dyed,” as being spiritual good, or the good of truth (n. 9468). Such is the order in which spiritual and celestial things, or truths and goods, follow with the man, and with the angel, who is in the middle or second heaven. For first is truth from a celestial origin, which is signified by “fine linen;” next is the love or affection of truth, which is signified by “blue;” afterward is the consequent love or affection of good, which is signified by “crimson;” and lastly is spiritual good, which is signified by “scarlet double-dyed.”

[2] As spiritual and celestial things follow in this order, therefore fine twined linen is here mentioned first; but in the case of the veil, which was between the Habitation and the ark, or between the holy and the holy of holies-see verse 31 of this chapter-it is mentioned in the last place. The reason why in the veil the fine twined linen is mentioned last, is that the veil signifies the intermediate that unites the inmost heaven with the middle heaven, and therefore in this intermediate it must be the last, so that, for the sake of conjunction, it may be the first in what follows.

[3] But by “fine twined linen” is properly signified the understanding such as belongs to a spiritual man, or to an angel who is in the Lord’s spiritual kingdom. The reason why the understanding is signified by “fine twined linen,” is that with the spiritual man a new will from the Lord has been implanted in his understanding (n. 863, 875, 895, 927, 1023, 1043, 1044, 1555, 2256, 4328, 4493, 5113); and as the understanding of the spiritual man is signified by “fine twined linen,” therefore also spiritual truth is signified thereby, because all truth belongs to the part of the understanding, and all good to the part of the will (n. 3623, 9300); for the understanding is the subject or containant, and truth belongs to it, and these two make a one. From all this it can also be seen that with those who are of the Lord’s spiritual kingdom the understanding is “the Habitation” in the close sense (n. 9296, 9297), and that it is described by the expanse of the curtains.

[4] From all this it can be known what is signified by “spreading out and stretching out the heavens” in Isaiah:

Jehovah that stretcheth out the heavens, that spreadeth out the earth, that giveth breath to the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein (Isaiah 42:5).

I, Jehovah, that maketh all things; that stretcheth out the heavens alone; that spreadeth out the earth by Myself (Isaiah 44:24).

I have made the earth, and created man upon it; I, My hands, have stretched out the heavens (Isaiah 45:12).

He who maketh the earth by His power, prepareth the world by His wisdom, and by His intelligence stretcheth out the heavens (Jeremiah 51:15).

Jehovah, that stretcheth out the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man in the midst of him (Zech. 12:1).

[5] That by “stretching out the heavens and spreading out the earth” the same is here signified as by “stretching out and spreading out the habitation” by means of the curtains is manifest; and that this denotes to regenerate man, and thus to create or form a new understanding in which is a new will, which is the very heaven of the spiritual man, wherein the Lord dwells with this man. That it is regeneration, or the formation of a new understanding and therein of a new will, thus of a new man, which is signified by “stretching out the heavens and spreading out the earth” is clear from the very explanation given in the above passages, for it is said, “that giveth breath to the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein; also, “that formeth the spirit of man within him.” That “heaven and earth” denote the internal and external church, see n. 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118, 3355, 4535; also that “the earth” in general denotes the Lord’s kingdom and church (n. 9334); and this is also plainly to be seen, for unless “the earth” had this signification, what could be meant by “spreading out the earth,” and by “laying the foundation of the earth,” and by “forming the spirit of man therein”?

[6] That by “stretching out the heavens, and spreading out the earth” the like is here signified as by “stretching out and spreading out the habitation” by means of the curtains is evident from other passages where it is stated more expressly, as in Isaiah:

Jehovah, that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in (Isaiah 40:22).

Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch the curtains of thy habitations (Isaiah 54:2).

Jehovah covereth Himself with light as with a garment; He stretcheth out the heavens like a curtain (Psalms 104:2).

From all this it is also evident what is signified by “the expanse” in the first chapter of Genesis:

God said, Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it be to the waters a dividing between the waters. And God made the expanse, and divided between the waters that were under the expanse and the waters that were above the expanse. And God called the expanse heaven (Genesis 1:6-8).

In this first chapter is described the regeneration of the man of the celestial church; and his new will and understanding are described by “the expanse;” “the waters under the expanse, and above the expanse” denote the truths of the external and of the internal man (that “waters” denote truths, see n. 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 8568, 9323).

9467. And crimson. That this signifies the celestial love of good, is evident from the signification of “crimson,” as being the celestial love of good. The reason why this is signified by “crimson,” is that by a red color is signified the good of celestial love. For there are two fundamental colors from which come the rest: the color red, and the color white. The color “red” signifies the good which is of love; and the color “white” signifies the truth which is of faith. That the color “red” signifies the good which is of love, is because it comes from fire, and “fire” denotes the good of love; and the color “white” signifies the truth which is of faith, because it comes from light, and “light” denotes the truth of faith. (That “fire” denotes the good of love, see n. 5215, 6314, 6832, 6834, 6849, 7324, 9434; and that “light” denotes the truth of faith, n. 2776, 3195, 3636, 3643, 3993, 4302, 4413, 4415, 5400, 8644, 8707, 8861, 9399, 9407; that “red” denotes the good of love, n. 3300; and “white,” the truth of faith, n. 3993, 4007, 5319)

[2] From this it is evident what the remaining colors signify; for insofar as they partake of red they signify the good of love; and insofar as they partake of white they signify the truth of faith; for all the colors that appear in heaven are modifications of heavenly light and flame upon these two planes. For heavenly light is real light, and in itself is the Divine truth that proceeds from the Divine good of the Lord; wherefore the modifications of this light and flame are variegations of truth and good, thus of intelligence and wisdom.

[3] This shows why the veils and curtains of the tent, and also the garments of Aaron, were to be woven of blue, crimson, scarlet double-dyed, and fine linen (Exodus 26:1 (Exodus 26:1), 31, 36; 27:16; 28:6, 15); namely, that by these things might be represented the celestial things that belong to good, and the spiritual things that belong to truth (of which in what follows).

[4] Good from a celestial origin is signified by “crimson” also in Ezekiel:

Fine linen with broidered work from Egypt was thy spread, blue and crimson from the Isles of Elishah were thy covering (Ezekiel 27:7);

speaking of Tyre, by which are signified the knowledges of truth and good; “blue and crimson for a covering” denote the knowledges of truth and good from a celestial origin.

[5] Like things are signified by “crimson and fine linen” in Luke:

There was a certain rich man, who was clothed in crimson and fine linen, and fared splendidly every day (Luke 16:19);

by the “rich man” was meant in the internal sense the Jewish nation and the church among them, which was called “rich” from the knowledges of good and truth from the Word there existing; “garments of crimson and fine linen” denote these knowledges; “garments of crimson,” the knowledges of good; and “garments of fine linen,” the knowledges of truth; both from a celestial origin, because from the Divine. The like is also signified by “crimson” in the Revelation:

A woman sitting upon a scarlet beast, arrayed in crimson and scarlet (Revelation 17:3-4);

treating of Babylon, by which is signified the church wherein the holy things of the Word are applied to profane uses, that is, to such as aim at dominions in heaven and on earth; thus from the infernal love of self and of the world.