8753. They came into the wilderness of Sinai. That this signifies a state of good in which truths of faith were to be implanted, is evident from the signification of “the wilderness of Sinai,” as being a state of good in which truths of faith are to be implanted. “The wilderness” here denotes good in which truths have not yet been implanted; and “Sinai” denotes the truths themselves. For a “wilderness” has several significations (see n. 3900); in general it signifies what is uninhabited and uncultivated, thus in the spiritual sense, good in which as yet there are no truths, for good without truths is spiritually uncultivated; consequently a “wilderness” signifies a new will that as yet has not been formed by means of the truths of faith (n. 8457).

[2] As regards “Mount Sinai,” it signifies in the supreme sense Divine truth from Divine good; “mountain,” Divine good; and “Sinai,” Divine truth. In the internal sense it signifies the truth of faith from good, here the truth of faith that is to be implanted in good, because the law had not yet been promulgated from it. “Mount Sinai” has these significations because the law was promulgated by the Lord from thence, and “the law” denotes Divine truth from Divine good, and also the truth of faith from good (n. 6752, 7463, 8695). For this reason it was that the sons of Israel encamped in the wilderness near that mountain, for from it were promulgated not only the ten commandments, which are “the law” in a close sense, but also all the statutes of the church, which contained in themselves, because they represented, the spiritual and celestial truths and goods of the Lord’s kingdom. That the law was promulgated from thence, is evident from the following chapter, and that so also were the statutes of the church, from the succeeding chapters, and also from Leviticus 7:37-38; 27:34. The same is signified by “Sinai” in David:

O God, when Thou wentest forth before Thy people, when Thou didst march in the wilderness; the earth trembled, the heavens also dripped before God; this Sinai before God, the God of Israel. Thou, O God, makest to drip the rain of Thy benevolences (Psalms 68:7-9).

Here “Sinai” denotes the truth that is from good, for such is the signification of “the heavens dripping before God,” and of “God making to drip the rain of His benevolences.”

[3] In the book of Judges:

Jehovah, when Thou wentest forth out of Seir, when Thou camedst forth out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the heavens also dripped, the clouds also dripped waters, the mountains flowed down before Jehovah, Sinai itself before Jehovah the God of Israel. In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the ways ceased, and they that walked in paths went through crooked ways, the roads ceased in Israel; they ceased until I Deborah arose, until I arose a mother in Israel (Judg. 5:4-7).

Here also “Sinai” denotes the law or Divine truth from Divine good, by virtue of which the truths of faith were implanted in its good, which things are also signified by “the heavens dripped,” and “the clouds dripped waters;” that the truths of faith were lacking and were perverted, is signified by “the ways ceased, and they that walked in paths went through crooked ways” (that “ways,” “paths,” and “roads” denote truths, see n. 627, 2333, 3123, 3477); for the subject treated of in this prophetic song, which is the song of Deborah and Barak, is the perversion of the truth of the church, and its restitution.

[4] In Moses:

Jehovah came from Sinai, He rose up from Seir to them; He shone forth from Mount Paran, and He came from the ten thousands of holiness, from His right hand was the fire of the law to them (Deuteronomy 33:2).

in this chapter the sons of Jacob are blessed by Moses before his death, who begins the prophetic utterance of his blessing with “Jehovah came from Sinai,” and by “Sinai” are here signified the truths of faith in the complex. That he begins in this way is because by “the sons of Jacob” are signified all the truths and goods of faith (n. 3858, 3862, 3926, 3939, 6335); and in like manner by “the sons of Israel” (n. 5414, 5951, 5879).

7463. And Moses said, Behold I go forth from thee. That this signifies the removal of the appearance of truth Divine among them, is evident from the representation of Moses, as being the law Divine (see n. 6723, 6752), thus also truth Divine (n. 7014, 7382); and from the signification of “going forth,” as being removal (as above, n. 7404). For by Pharaoh’s calling Moses and Aaron is signified the presence of truth Divine (n. 7451); and therefore here by “going forth from him” is signified removal. As regards the presence and the removal of truth Divine with the evil, be it known that truth from the Divine sometimes appears to them, and this through the presence of an angel near them; but truth from the Divine does not flow in with them through the interiors, as with the good, because with them the interiors have been closed; but it affects their exteriors only. When this happens they are in fear, and from this in humiliation, for the presence of truth from the Divine strikes them with dismay, and inspires them with fear as of death; but when truth from the Divine is removed they return into their former state and are devoid of fear. This is what is meant by the presence of the appearance of truth Divine, and by its removal. This also was represented by Pharaoh, in that when Moses was present he humbled himself and promised to let the people go, that they might sacrifice to Jehovah; but when Moses had gone forth from him he made heavy his heart (verse 28); for as shown above, Moses represented the law Divine, or truth Divine.

[2] That the law Divine is the same as truth Divine, is because the “law Divine” signifies the Word, and thus truth Divine. That the “law” signifies the Word, and thus truth Divine, is evident from the following passages, in John:

Jesus said, Is it not written in your law, I said Ye are gods? If He called them gods unto whom the Word was made, and the scripture cannot be broken (John 10:34-35); where “written in the law” denotes in the Word, for it is written in David. In the same:

The multitude said, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth forever (John 12:34);

this also was written in David. In the same:

Jesus said that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated Me without a cause (John 15:25);

this also is in David.

In Luke:

It is written in the law of the Lord that every male that openeth the womb should be called holy to the Lord, and that they should offer a sacrifice according to that which is written in the law of the Lord; a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons (Luke 2:23-24, 39);

this is in Moses. In the same:

A lawyer tempting Jesus, said, What shall I do to receive the heritage of eternal life? Jesus said unto him, What is written in the law? How readest thou? (Luke 10:25-26).

[3] In the same:

The law and the prophets were until John; from that time the kingdom of God is evangelized: it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than for one tittle of the law to fall (Luke 16:16-17);

besides passages where the Word is called “the law and the prophets” (as Matthew 5:18; 7:12; 11:13; 22:40).

In Isaiah:

Bind together the testimony, seal up the law for those whom I will teach (Isaiah 8:16);

“the law” denotes the Word. In the same:

Lying sons, sons that would not hear the law of Jehovah (Isaiah 30:9).

He will set judgment in the earth, and the isles shall hope in His law (Isaiah 42:4);

this is said of the Lord; “His law” denotes the Word. In the same:

Jehovah shall magnify His law (Isaiah 42:21).

Thus said Jehovah, If ye will not obey Me, to go in My law, which I have set before you, and ye are hearing the words of My servants the prophets (Jeremiah 26:4-5); where “the law” denotes the Word; besides many other passages. From this it is evident that “the law” denotes the Word, and because it denotes the Word, it denotes truth Divine, as in Jeremiah:

This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after these days, said Jehovah; I will put My law in the midst of them, and I will write it on their heart (Jeremiah 31:33); where “the law of Jehovah” denotes truth Divine.

[4] That “the law” in a wide sense is the whole Word, in a less wide sense the historic Word, in a still less wide sense the Word written by Moses, and in a narrow sense the commandments of the Decalogue, see n. 6752. From all this it can now be seen why it is said that Moses represents both the law Divine and also truth Divine.