9964. 'Or when they approach the altar to minister in the holy place' means in worship representative of the Lord Himself. This is clear from the consideration that the altar was the chief representative of the Lord in respect of Divine Good, see 9714, so that 'approaching the altar' and 'ministering in the holy place' there mean worship of the Lord Himself. The worship representative of the Lord consisted chiefly in burnt offerings and sacrifices offered on the altar, 922, 923, 2180, 6905, 8680, 8936. Worship representative of the Lord in respect of Divine Good took place at the altar, and worship representative of Him in respect of Divine Truth took place in the tent of meeting. This is the reason for saying that 'going into the tent of meeting' means worship representative of all things of heaven and the Church, 9963, and 'approaching the altar' worship representative of the Lord Himself. For heaven and the Church are recipients of Divine Truth emanating from the Lord, Divine Truth emanating from the Lord being truth emanating from the good of love that is His and implanted where that good is also received, consequently where the Lord, the Source of that good, is received.

9963. 'When they go into the tent of meeting' means in worship representative of all things of heaven and the Church. This is clear from the meaning of 'going into the tent of meeting' as worship representative of all things of heaven and the Church. For 'the tent' represented heaven where the Lord was, 9457, 9481, 9485, 9784, so that 'going into it', when it refers to Aaron and his sons, means worship of the Lord. Furthermore all the worship at that time took place within the tent and at the altar; for within the tent the loaves of the presence were laid out, the lamps were lit, and incense was offered, and at the altar sacrifice took place. These things primarily were the ones in which representative worship consisted. Representative worship is the outward performance of worship representing the inward virtues of love derived from the Lord and offered back to Him, thus all things of heaven and the Church; for in heaven and in the Church everything has connection with the good belonging to love and the truth belonging to faith which are derived from the Lord and offered to Him.