9928. That he die not. That this signifies that the representative does not perish, and therewith the conjunction with the heavens, is evident from the signification of “dying,” when said of Aaron and his office, as being the ceasing of the representatives, and consequently of conjunction with the heavens; for by Aaron was represented the Lord, and by his office the whole work of salvation, and on the part of man, worship. That this worship was representative, and that by means of representative worship there was conjunction with the heavens, has been abundantly shown. (See the places cited in n. 9320; also what was the representative of a church with the Israelitish and Jewish nation, n. 9280, 9457, 9481, 9576, 9577; and that the conjunction of the Lord and of heaven with man at that time was by means of representatives, n. 9481.) From this also it was that when Aaron was performing holy things he was clothed with garments that represented heavenly things; and that if he had done otherwise he would have died; especially if he had gone in to perform holy things without the knowledge of the people; for with the people there was the representative of a church, and with Aaron the representative of the Lord, from whom and toward whom is everything of worship.