8102. Further explanation of these matters can be dispensed with since they have been explained before, at Genesis 50:24-25, where similar words occur, see 6590, 6592.

8102a Verses 20-22 And they travelled from Succoth and encamped in Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. And Jehovah went before them during the daytime in a pillar of cloud to lead them [along] the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and by night. The pillar of cloud during the daytime and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.

'And they travelled from Succoth and encamped in Etham' means the second state after they were delivered. 'On the edge of the wilderness' means the first state of temptations. 'And Jehovah went before them' means the Lord's constant presence. 'During the daytime in a pillar of cloud' means that when there was a state of enlightenment, this was moderated by a dimming of truth. 'To lead them [along] the way' means Divine guidance. 'And by night in a pillar of fire to give them light' means that when there was a state of dimness, this was moderated by enlightenment from good. 'So as to go by day and by night' means thus life in both states. 'The pillar of cloud during the daytime and the pillar of fire by night, did not depart from before the people' means the Lord's presence, that it was unceasing.

6592. 'And you shall cause my bones to go up from here' means that there will be a representative of the Church but not a Church which also exists on an internal level. This is clear from the representation of 'Joseph' as the internal of the Church, dealt with above in 6587; and since he represents the internal of the Church, that which is the most external or the outermost area of the Church, thus that which forms the representative part of it, is meant by his 'bones'. For the representative acts which existed in the Ancient Church and which were also established among the descendants of Jacob constituted outermost forms within the Church; but the things those acts meant and represented were the inner realities of the Church. These - the inner realities - are meant by 'the flesh' which holds the spirit within it; but the outer forms are meant by 'the bones'. From this one may see what the Church is like when it is concerned solely with outer forms, without their inner realities, namely like the bones forming the framework of a person's body without the flesh. As regards the fact that no Church, only a representative of the Church existed among the Israelite and Jewish people, see 4281, 4288, 4307, 4500, 4680, 4844, 4847, 4903, 6704; and a representative of the Church was not established among them until they had been completely vastated internally, or else they would have rendered holy things profane, 4289.