9458. Speak unto the sons of Israel. That this signifies the representative church, is evident from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being the church, specifically the spiritual church (see n. 8805, 9340), but here the representative church, because such things are treated of as represented the holy things of the church and of heaven, namely, the ark, the propitiatory [mercy seat], the cherubs, the table upon which were the breads of faces, the lampstand; and in following chapters the tabernacle, the garments of Aaron, the altar, and the sacrifices, all of which were representative. That the spiritual church is signified by “the sons of Israel” is because it was represented by them. (But that with that people a representative church could not be instituted; but only the representative of a church, see n. 4281, 4288, 4311, 4444, 4500, 6304, 7048, 9320)

6304. And shall bring you back unto the land of your fathers. That this signifies to the state of both Ancient Churches, is evident from the signification of “land,” as being the church (see n. 566, 662, 1066, 1067, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118, 3355, 4535, 4447, 5577); and from the signification of “fathers,” as being the men of the Ancient and Most Ancient Churches (n. 6075). It is said “to the state of both Ancient Churches,” because the sons of Israel and their descendants, like those who belonged to the Ancient Churches, in every particular represented the Lord’s kingdom, celestial and spiritual. The representative itself was also instituted; with the Jewish nation that of the celestial kingdom, and with the Israelitish that of the spiritual kingdom; but with that generation nothing but a mere representative could be instituted, and not anything of the church or kingdom of the Lord; for they desired to see and acknowledge in the representatives absolutely nothing but what was external, and not anything internal. Nevertheless in order that there might exist a representative, and thereby some communication with heaven, and through heaven with the Lord, they were kept in externals; and it was then provided by the Lord that communication should exist by means of a mere external representative without an internal. This was the state to which the descendants of Jacob could be brought back; nevertheless in their external representatives there lay inwardly hidden Divine things; in the highest sense such as regarded the Lord’s Divine Human; and in the relative sense such as regarded the Lord’s kingdom in the heavens, and the church. This state of both Ancient Churches is signified by the words, “God shall bring you back unto the land of your fathers.”