32
And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side:
Exodus 25:32
Arcana Coelestia # 9457
9457. And Jehovah spoke unto Moses, saying. That this signifies instruction concerning the holy things of heaven that were to be represented, is evident from what follows; for by “what Jehovah spoke unto Moses” are signified the holy things of heaven that were to be represented. For among the Israelitish people there was instituted a church in which were to be representatively presented in an external form the celestial things of the good of love and the spiritual things of the good and truth of faith, such as are in heaven, and such as must be in the church. From this it is evident that by “Jehovah spoke,” is signified instruction concerning the holy things of heaven that were to be represented. Inasmuch as the things that follow are representative of the celestial and spiritual things which are in the heavens from the Lord, it shall be told what a representative church is, and why it was instituted.
[2] There are three heavens: the inmost or third; the middle or second; and the ultimate or first. In the inmost heaven reigns the good of love to the Lord; in the middle heaven, the good of charity toward the neighbor; and in the ultimate heaven are represented the things which are thought, said, and come forth in the middle and inmost heavens. The representatives in this heaven are countless, consisting of paradises, gardens, forests, fields, plains; also of cities, palaces, houses; likewise of flocks and herds, animals and birds of many kinds, besides numberless other things. These things appear before the eyes of the angelic spirits there more clearly than similar things appear in the light of noon on earth; and wonderful to say, their signification also is perceived.
[3] Such things appeared also to the prophets when their interior sight, which is the sight of the spirit, was opened; as horses to Zechariah (Zech. 6:1-8); animals that were cherubs, and afterward the new temple with all things belonging to it, to Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1,9, 10, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48); a lampstand, thrones, animals that also were cherubs, horses, the New Jerusalem, and many other things, to John, as described in Revelation; in like manner horses and chariots of fire to the young man of Elisha (2 Kings 6:17). Things like these appear constantly in heaven before the eyes of spirits and angels, and they are natural forms in which the internal things of heaven terminate, and in which they are portrayed, and are thus presented to view before the very eyes. These things are representations.
[4] A church is therefore representative when the internal holy things of love and faith from the Lord and to the Lord are presented to view by means of forms visible in the world; as in this chapter and the following by the ark, the propitiatory [mercy seat], the cherubs, the tables there, the lampstand, and all the other things of the tabernacle. For this tabernacle was so constructed as to represent the three heavens and all things therein; and the ark, in which was the Testimony, so as to represent the inmost heaven and the Lord Himself therein. Wherefore its form was shown to Moses in the mountain, Jehovah then saying that they should “make for Him a sanctuary, and He would dwell in the midst of them” (verse 8). Everyone who has some capacity of thinking interiorly can perceive that Jehovah could not dwell in a tent, but that He dwells in heaven; and that this tent could not be called a sanctuary unless it referred to heaven, and to the celestial and spiritual things therein. Consider what it would be for Jehovah, the Creator of heaven and earth, to dwell in a small habitation of wood, overlaid with gold and surrounded with curtains, unless heaven and the things of heaven had been there represented in a form.
[5] For the things represented in a form do indeed appear in a like form in the lowest or first heaven before the spirits who are there; but in the higher heavens are perceived the internal things which are represented, and which as before said are the celestial things of love to the Lord, and the spiritual things of faith in the Lord. Such were the things that filled heaven when Moses and the people were in a holy external, and adored this tent as the habitation of Jehovah Himself. From this it is plain what a representative is, and also that through it heaven, thus the Lord, was present with man.
[6] Therefore when the Ancient Church ceased, a representative church was instituted among the Israelitish people, in order that by means of such representatives there might be the conjunction of heaven, thus of the Lord, with the human race; for without the conjunction of the Lord through heaven, man would perish, because he has his life by virtue of this conjunction. These representatives, however, were only external means of conjunction, with which the Lord miraculously conjoined heaven (see n. 4311). But when the conjunction through these things also perished, the Lord came into the world and opened the internal things themselves that were represented, which are those of love and faith in Him. These internal things now effect the conjunction; nevertheless at the present day the only means of conjunction is the Word, because it has been so written that each and all things therein correspond, and thus represent and signify the Divine things that are in the heavens.
Ezekiel 42
1
Then he brought me forth into the outer court, the way toward the north: and he brought me into the room that was over against the separate place, and which was over against the building toward the north.
2
Before the length of one hundred cubits was the north door, and the breadth was fifty cubits.
3
Over against the twenty [cubits] which belonged to the inner court, and Over against the pavement which belonged to the outer court, was gallery against gallery in the third story.
4
Before the rooms was a walk of ten cubits' breadth inward, a way of one cubit; and their doors were toward the north.
5
Now the upper rooms were shorter; for the galleries took away from these, more than from the lower and the middle, in the building.
6
For they were in three stories, and they didn't have pillars as the pillars of the courts: therefore [the uppermost] was straitened more than the lowest and the middle from the ground.
7
The wall that was outside by the side of the rooms, toward the outer court before the rooms, its length was fifty cubits.
8
For the length of the rooms that were in the outer court was fifty cubits: and behold, before the temple were one hundred cubits.
9
From under these rooms was the entry on the east side, as one goes into them from the outer court.
10
In the thickness of the wall of the court toward the east, before the separate place, and before the building, there were rooms.
11
The way before them was like the appearance of [the way of] the rooms which were toward the north; according to their length so was their breadth: and all their exits were both according to their fashions, and according to their doors.
12
According to the doors of the rooms that were toward the south was a door at the head of the way, even the way directly before the wall toward the east, as one enters into them.
13
Then he said to me, The north rooms and the south rooms, which are before the separate place, they are the holy rooms, where the priests who are near to Yahweh shall eat the most holy things: there shall they lay the most holy things, and the meal offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; for the place is holy.
14
When the priests enter in, then shall they not go out of the holy place into the outer court, but there they shall lay their garments in which they minister; for they are holy: and they shall put on other garments, and shall approach to that which pertains to the people.
15
Now when he had made an end of measuring the inner house, he brought me forth by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east, and measured it all around.
16
He measured on the east side with the measuring reed five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed all around.
17
He measured on the north side five hundred reeds with the measuring reed all around.
18
He measured on the south side five hundred reeds with the measuring reed.
19
He turned about to the west side, and measured five hundred reeds with the measuring reed.
20
He measured it on the four sides: it had a wall around it, the length five hundred, and the breadth five hundred, to make a separation between that which was holy and that which was common.
