9490. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold. That this signifies that all these things must be founded on good, is evident from the signification of “overlaying,” when said of heaven, which is signified by “the ark,” as being to lay the foundation (of which in what follows); and from the signification of “gold,” as being good (see n. 113, 1551, 1552, 5658, 6914, 6917). That “overlaying” denotes to lay the foundation, is because the good that proceeds from the Lord as a sun (for the heat from this sun is the good of love) encompasses not only heaven in general, but also the heavenly societies in heaven in particular, and likewise every angel individually, and thus protects them from the breaking in of evil from hell. That which in heaven encompasses, forms also the foundation, for heaven leans or rests upon it as a house upon its foundation, and as the outermost parts of the body rest on the air and ether which press round them; for that which encompasses, bounds, encloses, and holds together; consequently supports and sustains. From this it is plain that by “overlaying” is signified to lay the foundation; and by “overlaying with gold,” to lay the foundation upon good.

9486. Of shittim wood. That this signifies righteousness, is evident from the signification of “shittim wood,” as being the good of merit that belongs to the Lord alone (of which above, n. 9472), thus also righteousness, which is the good of merit. For by His own power the Lord reduced the universal heaven into order, and subjugated the hells, and at the same time made the Human in Himself Divine, whereby He has merit and righteousness; and therefore the only good that reigns in heaven and makes heaven, is the good of merit and the righteousness of the Lord; thus His Divine Human, for this was made merit and righteousness.

[2] That these things were done by the Lord of His own power, is evident in Isaiah:

Who is this that cometh from Edom? I that speak in righteousness, Great to save. I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the peoples there was no man with Me. I looked around, but there was none to help; and I was amazed, but there was none to uphold; therefore Mine own arm brought salvation to Me (Isaiah 63:1-5).

He saw that there was no man, and was amazed that there was none to intercede; therefore His own arm brought salvation to Him; and His righteousness, it upheld Him. He put on righteousness as a coat of mail (Isaiah 59:16-17).

This is His name whereby they shall call Him, Jehovah our righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6; 33:15-16).

I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one taketh it away from Me; I lay it down of Myself; I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again (John 10:17-18).

From these passages it is plain that in respect to the Divine Human the Lord has merit and righteousness from Himself. As by “the ark” is signified heaven where the Lord is, there was employed in its construction shittim wood, by which this good is signified; for by “wood” in general is signified good (n. 643, 3720, 8354); and therefore they who place merit in works appear in the other life to cut wood, beneath which there is something of the the Lord, (n. 1110, 4943, 8740). Consequently by cutting the wood of the burnt-offering is signified the good of merit, or the good of works (n. 2784, 2812).