9492. 'And you shall make on it a rim of gold round about' means a border of good, serving to defend them from the approach of evils and the harm these can do. This is clear from the meaning of 'a rim' as a border, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'gold' as good, dealt with just above in 9490. The reason why to defend them from the approach of evils and the harm these can do is meant is that the good emanating from the Lord serves to protect those in heaven from being approached and harmed by evils that spring from hell. For unceasingly the hells are bent on doing ill and try to destroy heaven, 8295, which accounts for their looking like something that is boiling up and bubbling over, 8209. For firmly lodged in the minds of those who are in hell there is hatred of the neighbour and hatred of God; and because of this they are filled with rage when they become aware of the bliss of those who are upright, 1974. But the good emanating from the Lord which surrounds heaven as a whole, also every heavenly community and each individual inhabitant specifically, protects them and wards off attacks; and it does so unceasingly. Regarding 'the sphere of endeavours' emanating constantly from the hells to do ill and to destroy, and 'the sphere of endeavours' emanating constantly from the Lord to do good and to protect, see 8209. That border of good with which the Lord protects heaven is meant by the rim of gold round about the ark.

1973. To give an account of all types of visions would take far too long, for there are many. Purely by way of illustration, let two visions be recounted, from which the nature of such may become clear. At the same time these visions will show how spirits are affected by the things which they see, and how evil spirits are tormented when the ability to see what others see and hear is withdrawn from them; for they cannot bear to have any such thing as that taken away from them. Spirits do not possess the sense of taste, but instead they have a desire or kind of appetite for knowing and learning. And this is so to speak their food by which they are nourished, 1480. How distressed they are therefore when this food is taken away from them may become clear from the example that follows.