10608. And moreover no man shall be seen in all the mountain. That this signifies that they have been quite removed from it, thus outside of it, is evident from the signification of “the mountain,” here Mount Horeb, as being heaven in the whole complex, thus also Divine truth; for whether you say heaven, or Divine truth, it is the same, because the angels, of whom heaven consists, are receptions of Divine truth. The whole extension of that mountain was called “Horeb,” and the more elevated mountain in the midst of it was called “Mount Sinai.” Consequently by “Horeb” is signified heaven, or what is the same, Divine truth, in the whole complex; its internal by “Mount Sinai,” and its external by the mountainous part round about. Hence it is that by “Horeb,” when the surrounding mountainous part also is meant, is signified what is external (see n. 10543). As the Israelitish nation was in an external that did not receive the internal, thus was in an external separate from the internal, or what is the same, was outside of that in which is the internal, it was therefore commanded that no man should be seen in the whole mountain. The like is signified by that nation standing at the door of the tent in which Moses was, and bowing themselves unto it, in the preceding chapter (Exodus 33:8-10, see n. 10543-10555).

[2] It shall here be briefly told whence it is that “Mount Horeb” and “Sinai” signify heaven and Divine truth. It is believed in the world that the angels are in a region above that of the atmosphere, and that they subsist there as aerial beings, and that they have no plane to stand upon. The reason why there is such an opinion in the minds of many men, is that they do not apprehend that angels and spirits are in a like form to that of men on earth, thus that they have faces, that they have arms and hands, that they have feet, in a word, that they have a body, and still less that they have dwellings or abodes; when yet angels and spirits dwell among themselves upon land, just as do men on the earth; the celestial angels upon mountains, and the spiritual angels upon rocks, and those who have not yet become angels, in the plains between the mountains, and between the rocks; while infernal spirits dwell beneath the mountains and the rocks.

[3] These things have been said in order that it may be known whence it is that “mountains” in the Word signify heaven, and specifically “Horeb,” and “Mount Sinai.” Moreover, the interior angels dwell higher upon the mountains; and the higher they dwell, the more interior and perfect they are. From this it is evident why Jehovah descended upon the top of Mount Sinai when the law was being promulgated, and why Moses was ordered to stand with Him on the head of the mountain. The mountains on earth are not heaven, but represent the mountains upon which are the angels in heaven.