10500. Perchance I shall make expiation for your sin. That this signifies a possibility by virtue of the Divine power of the Lord with those who have so completely turned themselves away, is evident from the signification of “to expiate,” as being to cause that it be no longer reflected upon, thus that their worship be nevertheless accepted and heard. (That “to expiate” also denotes the hearing and reception of all things of worship, see n. 9506; here therefore the possibility that it can be done with those who have turned themselves away.) And from the signification of “sin,” as being a complete turning away from the Divine (as above, n. 10498). That these things are signified by these words is because the subject treated of in this chapter throughout is the turning away of the Israelitish nation from the Divine, and the possibility notwithstanding that a communication might be effected with heaven by means of the external things in which alone they were.

[2] A few more words shall be said in order to make known how the case herein is. The church on earth is instituted for the sole end that there may be a communication of the world, or of the human race, with heaven, that is, through heaven with the Lord; for without the church there would be no communication; and without communication the human race would perish (n. 10452). But the communication of man with heaven is effected by means of the spiritual and celestial things with man, and not by means of worldly and bodily things without these; or what is the same, it is effected by means of internal things, and not by external things without these. And as the Israelitish nation were in external things without internal, and yet something of a church was to be instituted among them, it was therefore provided by the Lord that nevertheless communication with heaven might be effected by means of representatives, such as were the externals of worship with that nation. This communication, however, was effected miraculously (as may be seen at the places adduced above, n. 10499).

[3] But in order that this might be done, two things were requisite; first, that the internal with them should be completely closed; and second, that they might be in a holy external when in worship. For when the internal has been completely closed, then the internal of the church and of worship is neither denied nor acknowledged, being as though it did not exist; and then there can be a holy external, and it can also be raised, because nothing opposes and stands in the way. For this reason also that nation was in full and complete ignorance about internal things, which belong to love and faith in the Lord and to eternal life thereby. But as soon as the Lord came into the world, and revealed Himself, and taught love and faith in Himself, then that nation, when they heard these things, began to deny them, and thus could no longer be kept in such ignorance as before. They were therefore then driven out of the land of Canaan, lest they should defile and profane internal things by denial in that land, where from the most ancient times all the places had been made representative of such things as belong to heaven and the church (n. 1585, 3686, 4447, 5136, 6516).

[4] For the same reason, insofar as at this day they are acquainted with internal things, and confirm themselves intellectually against them, and deny them, so far they can no longer be in a holy external, because denial not only closes up the internal, but also takes away what is holy from the external, thus that which is communicative with heaven. The case is similar with Christians who from the Word or from the doctrine of the church are acquainted with internal things, and yet at heart deny them, as is the case when they live evilly, and think in themselves what is evil, however much their externals may seem to be in devotion and piety while they are engaged in worship.

9506. And thou shalt make a propitiatory [mercy seat] of pure gold. That this signifies the hearing and reception of all things that belong to worship from the good of love is evident from the signification of “a propitiatory [mercy seat]” as being a cleansing from evils, or the forgiveness of sins, consequently the hearing and reception of all things that belong to worship (of which in what follows); and from the signification of “gold” as being the good of love (see n. 113, 1551-1552, 5658, 6917). That “the propitiatory [mercy seat]” denotes a cleansing from evils and the forgiveness of sins is evident from the passages in the Word where “propitiation” or “expiation” is mentioned.

[2] That it also denotes the reception of all things of worship is because those only are heard who have been propitiated or expiated, that is, cleansed from evils; and their worship alone is received by the Lord; but those are not heard who are in evils, that is, who have not been expiated or propitiated. On this account also Aaron was not allowed to approach the propitiatory [mercy seat] until he had cleansed and expiated himself and the people. That for this reason “the propitiatory [mercy seat]” denotes the hearing and reception of all things of worship is also evident from the fact that Jehovah spoke with Moses over the propitiatory [mercy seat] between the two cherubs. That it is worship from the good of love that is received is because no one is admitted into heaven, thus to the Lord, except one who is in good, namely, in the good of love to the Lord and in the good of charity toward the neighbor (see n. 8516, 8539, 8722, 8772, 9139, 9227, 9230, 9274); consequently no one else is heard, and his worship received. For this reason also cherubs were over the propitiatory [mercy seat]; for by “the cherubs” is signified guard and providence lest the Lord be approached except through the good of love, thus lest any enter into heaven except those who are in good, and also lest those who are in heaven be approached and injured by those who are in hell. From all this it can be seen what was signified by the propitiatory [mercy seat] being upon the ark, and by the cherubs being over the propitiatory [mercy seat]; and further by the propitiatory [mercy seat] and the cherubs being of pure gold; for “gold” signifies the good of love, and “the ark” signifies heaven where the Lord is.

[3] That “the propitiatory [mercy seat]” signifies cleansing from evils, thus the forgiveness of sins, is evident from the passages in the Word where “propitiation” or “expiation” is mentioned; as in David:

O Jehovah, expiate our sins for Thy name’s sake (Psalms 79:9).

He, being merciful, expiated their iniquity (Psalms 78:38).

Thou shalt expiate me with hyssop, and I shall be made clean; Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow (Psalms 51:7).

Evil shall come upon thee, which thou shalt not know how to avert by prayer; calamity shall fall upon thee, which thou shall not be able to expiate (Isaiah 47:11).

Sing, ye nations, His people; who will avenge the blood of His servants, and will make expiation for His land, for His people (Deuteronomy 32:43).

[4] Expiations were made by means of sacrifices, and after they had been made, we read, “The priest shall expiate him from sin, and he shall be forgiven” (Leviticus 4:26, 31, 35; 5:6, 10, 13, 16, 18; 9:7; 15:15, 30). Expiation was also made by means of silver (Exodus 30:16; Psalms 49:8). Therefore there was a day of expiations before the feast of tabernacles (Leviticus 23:27-32). But be it known that these expiations were not real cleansings from evils, nor forgivenesses of sins, but represented them; for every ritual with the Israelitish and Jewish nation was merely representative of the Lord, of His kingdom and church, and of such things as belong to heaven and the church. (In what manner the representations presented such things before the angels in heaven, see in n. 9229.)

[5] As cleansing from evils and forgiveness of sins were signified by “the propitiatory [mercy seat],” there were also signified by it the hearing and reception of all things that belong to worship; for he who has been cleansed from evils is heard, and his worship is received. This was represented by Jehovah speaking above the propitiatory [mercy seat] with Moses, and commanding what the sons of Israel should do, as is evident from verse 22 of the present chapter, where it is said, “There I will meet with thee, and I will speak with thee from above the propitiatory [mercy seat], from between the two cherubs that are over the ark of the testimony, all that I shall command thee for the sons of Israel.” In like manner in another place: “When Moses spoke with Jehovah, he heard the voice speaking from above the propitiatory [mercy seat] that was upon the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubs” (Numbers 7:89). That a man would be heard and his worship received after he had been cleansed from evils, was represented by Aaron’s not entering into the holy of holies within the veil before the propitiatory [mercy seat] until he had first expiated himself and the people, which was effected by means of washing, sacrifices, incense, and blood; and it is said, “So shall he expiate the holy place from the uncleannesses of the sons of Israel, and from their transgressions as to all their sins” (Leviticus 16:16); “and that Jehovah would appear there in a cloud” (verse 2). “In a cloud” denotes in Divine truth accommodated to the reception and apprehension of men, such as is the Word in the sense of the letter (n. 4060, 4391, 5922, 6343, 6752, 8106, 8443, 8781).