10129. And the altar shall be a holy of holies. That this signifies the celestial kingdom, where the Lord is present in the good of love, is evident from the signification of “the altar,” as being a representative of the Lord as to Divine good (see n. 9388, 9389, 9714, 9964), here as to Divine good in heaven and in the church (n. 10123); and from the signification of “a holy of holies,” as being celestial good, or the good of love from the Lord. That it is the celestial kingdom which is here signified by “the altar,” and the good in this kingdom which is signified by “a holy of holies,” is because in this kingdom is received the good of love from the Lord to the Lord, which is celestial good. For there are two kingdoms into which the heavens are distinguished, the celestial kingdom and the spiritual kingdom; in the celestial kingdom is received the good of love from the Lord to the Lord, and in the spiritual kingdom is received the good of charity toward the neighbor from the Lord (see the places cited in n. 9277, 9680, 10068).

[2] By the altar is represented the celestial kingdom, or what is the same, the Lord is represented where He is present in the good of love; and by the Tent of meeting outside the veil is represented the spiritual kingdom, or what is the same, the Lord is represented where He is present in the good of charity toward the neighbor. The good of the spiritual kingdom, or spiritual good, is called “holy;” but the good of the celestial kingdom, or celestial good, is called “holy of holies.” Celestial good, which is the good of love from the Lord to the Lord, is called “holy of holies” because through this good the Lord flows in immediately into the heavens; but through spiritual good, which is the good of charity toward the neighbor, He flows in mediately through celestial good (n. 9473, 9683, 9873, 9992, 10005). It is said “flows in,” because the Lord is above the heavens, and flows in from thence (n. 10106); and yet He is quite as present in the heavens.

[3] That celestial good, which is the good of love from the Lord to the Lord, is meant by “holy of holies,” is evident from the passages in the Word where mention is made of the “holy of holies,” as in Moses:

The veil shall divide unto you between the holy and the holy of holies. And thou shalt put the propitiatory upon the ark of the Testimony in the holy of holies (Exodus 26:33-34);

from this it is evident that that part of the Tent is called “holy” which was outside the veil, and that part the “holy of holies” which was within the veil. (That the Tent or Habitation outside the veil represented the spiritual kingdom of the Lord, or the middle heaven; and that the Tent or Habitation within the veil represented the celestial kingdom of the Lord, see n. 9457, 9481, 9485, 10001, 10025.) That part of the Tent which was within the veil is called “the sanctuary of holiness” (Leviticus 16:33). Because by the ark in which was the Testimony; and upon which was the propitiatory, was represented the inmost heaven where celestial good reigns, therefore the inmost part [adytum] of the temple, where the ark of the covenant was, is also called the “holy of holies” (1 Kings 6:16; 8:6).

[4] As the bread and the meat-offering signified the good of love from the Lord to the Lord, which is celestial good, these also are called “holy of holies” in Moses, where it is said that the bread of faces, or of setting forth, shall be eaten by Aaron and his sons in the holy place, because it is the holy of holies of the fire-offerings to Jehovah (Leviticus 24:9). (That the “bread of faces,” or of “setting forth,” signifies celestial good, see n. 9545.) In Moses:

The residue of the meat-offering shall be for Aaron and his sons, the holy of holies of the fire-offerings to Jehovah (Leviticus 2:3, 10).

(That the meat-offering, which was unleavened bread, cakes, and also unleavened wafers mixed with oil, denotes celestial good, or the good of love, see n. 4581, 9992, 10079)

[5] In the same:

Every meat-offering, every sacrifice of sin and of guilt, which is for Aaron and his sons, is a holy of holies to Jehovah (Numbers 18:9).

These things were called “holy of holies” because these sacrifices signified purification from evils, and all purification from evils is effected in a state of the good of innocence, which good is also celestial good; wherefore in the sacrifices of sin and of guilt were offered female or male lambs, or rams, or bullocks, or turtle-doves, as is evident from Leviticus 4:5; and by these animals is signified this good. (That it is signified by “lambs,” see n. 3519, 3994, 7840; by “rams,” n. 10042; and by “bullocks,” n. 9391; that it is signified by “turtle-doves,” is evident from the passages in the Word where they are mentioned.) That purification from evils and regeneration are effected in a state of innocence, see n. 10021. For this reason these sacrifices are also called “holy of holies” in Leviticus 6:17; 7:6; 10:17; 14:13.

[6] That the altar of burnt-offering represented the Lord as to the good of love and its receptivity by angels and men, has been shown above, and therefore it is thus spoken of in Moses:

Thou shalt anoint the altar of burnt-offering, and all the vessels thereof, the laver thereof, and the base thereof. And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be a holy of holies; whosoever toucheth them shall sanctify himself (Exodus 30:29).

[7] The incense, a portion of which was put before the Testimony in the Tent of meeting, is also called “holy of holies” (Exodus 30:36), because it signified celestial good in ultimates, and also the things which proceed from this good (n. 9475).

In Ezekiel:

This is the law of the house, upon the head of the mountain the whole border thereof round about shall be holy of holies (Ezekiel 43:12).

The house with the border round about it is called “holy of holies” because by “the house of God” is signified the celestial kingdom, and in the supreme sense the Lord as to the good of love (n. 3720); hence also it is said “upon the head of the mountain,” for by “the head of the mountain” the like is signified (n. 6435, 9422, 9434).

[8] In Daniel:

Seventy weeks are decreed upon the people and upon the holy city, to seal up the vision, and the prophet, and to anoint the holy of holies (Daniel 9:24);

speaking of the coming of the Lord, who alone is the anointed of Jehovah, and alone is holy, and also as to His Human is the Divine good of the Divine love, thus “the holy of holies.” (That the Lord as to the Divine Human is alone the anointed of Jehovah, see n. 9954; and that He alone is holy, n. 9229; and that He is the Divine good of the Divine love, see the citations in n. 9199.)

[9] That celestial good is “holy of holies,” but spiritual good is “holy,” is because celestial good is inmost good, and therefore also this good is the good of the inmost heaven; whereas spiritual good is the good thence proceeding, and is therefore the good of the middle heaven, and this good is so far good, and hence is so far holy, as it has celestial good within it; for this good flows into it, and conceives it, and begets it, as a father his son. By celestial good is meant the good of love from the Lord to the Lord, and by spiritual good is meant the good of charity toward the neighbor from the Lord. The very good of love to the Lord from the Lord is “holy of holies,” because through it the Lord conjoins Himself immediately; but the good of charity toward the neighbor is “holy,” because through it the Lord conjoins Himself mediately, and He conjoins Himself insofar as it has in it the good of love from the Lord.

[10] The good of love to the Lord from the Lord is in all the good of charity which is genuine, and likewise in all the good of faith which is genuine, because it flows in from the Lord; for no one can love the neighbor, and from love do good to him, from himself, but only from the Lord; and no one can believe in God from himself, but only from the Lord. Therefore when the Lord is acknowledged, and the neighbor is loved, then the Lord is in the love toward the neighbor, however little the man may know it. This is also meant by the words of the Lord in Matthew:

The righteous shall answer, Lord, when saw we Thee hungry, and fed Thee? Or thirsty and gave Thee drink? When saw we Thee sick, or in prison, and came unto Thee? And the King shall say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Insofar as ye did it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye did it unto Me (Matthew 25:37-40);

from this it is plain that the Lord is in the good of charity, and is this good, even though they who are in this good are unaware of it. By “brethren” in the proximate sense are meant those who are in the good of charity, and in a sense abstracted from person; the Lord’s “brethren” denote the very goods of charity (see n. 5063-5071).