10699. And he commanded them all things that Jehovah had spoken with him in Mount Sinai. That this signifies a command concerning the primary truths which were to be represented, as revealed from heaven, is evident from the signification of “commanding,” when by Jehovah unto Moses, as being a command; that it denotes a command concerning the primary truths which were to be represented, is evident from the fact that the things which were commanded, and which are contained in verses twelve to twenty-seven, were primary truths, which were to be represented so that they might be received (see above, n. 10637); and from the signification of “which Jehovah had spoken with him from Mount Sinai,” as being which were revealed from heaven; for by “Jehovah spoke” is signified what was revealed; and by “Mount Sinai” is signified heaven, from which is Divine truth (n. 9420).

10637. Keep thou that which I command thee this day. That this signifies if they do these primary things which are of the eternal truth, is evident from the signification of “keep thou,” as being if those do so who acknowledge the Word, for by Moses is represented the Word (see above); and from the signification of “that which Jehovah commands this day,” as being the primary things which are of the eternal truth, for the things which Jehovah commands are Divine truths; and by “this day” is signified what is eternal (n. 2838, 3998, 4304, 6165, 6984, 9939). These eternal truths are what are contained in the internal sense in verses 12 to 27, which follow. The things contained in the external sense are not eternal truths, but are things that were to be observed by the Israelitish nation for the sake of things internal; for they signify these, and thus involve them. Moreover, these things were to be kept by that nation until the internal things of the Word had been opened by the Lord; but when these had been opened, then these external things were abrogated. For when a man worships the Lord from faith in Him and from love to Him, which are internal things, he has no need of the external things which signify these internal things, because he is then in these, and not in their symbols. For example, the feast of unleavened bread was to be kept in the month Abib, and then unleavened bread was to be eaten seven days; everything that opens the womb was to be given to God; the firstling of an ass was to be redeemed, or its neck broken; the firstborn sons were to be redeemed; the feast of weeks was to be observed, also the feast of ingathering; three times in the year all the males were to appear before Jehovah; they were not to sacrifice upon what is leavened; a kid was not to be seethed in its mother’s milk. But although these things have been abrogated, they nevertheless are holy Divine things of the Word, because there is a holy internal in them.