Arcana Coelestia #10483
10483. And Moses stood in the gate of the camp. That this signifies where the opening to hell is, is evident from the representation of Moses, as being the internal (of which above, n. 10468); from the signification of “in the gate,” as being where there is an opening (of which below); and from the signification of “the camp,” as being hell (n. 10458). The reason why Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and did not enter into the camp itself, was in order that it might be represented that what is internal cannot enter into hell; for by Moses was represented what is internal, and by the camp was represented hell. For all who are in hell are in things external separate from what is internal, because they are in the loves of self and of the world, and therefore what is internal cannot enter there, because it is not received, but is at once rejected by some who are there; with some it is suffocated and extinguished; and with others it is perverted. Whether you say “what is internal,” or “heaven,” it is the same, because heaven is in what is internal; it is in the internal of the Word, and in the internal of the church and of worship; consequently it is in the internal of the man who is in celestial and spiritual love; that is, in love to the Lord and in charity toward the neighbor.
[2] It shall be briefly told what is this opening of hell which is signified by “the gate of this camp.” Every hell is closed round about; but is opened above according to necessity and need. This opening is into the world of spirits, which world is midway between heaven and hell, for there the hells terminate upward, and the heavens downward (n. 5852). It is said that they are opened according to necessity and need, because every man has with him spirits from hell and angels from heaven. The spirits from hell are in his bodily and worldly loves, and the angels from heaven are in his heavenly and spiritual loves, for without the presence of spirits no man can possibly live. If spirits were removed from him, he would fall down as dead as a stone. Consequently in order that man may have life according to his loves, the hells are of necessity opened, and according to need, and from them such spirits come forth to him as are in similar loves.
[3] This opening is what is meant by “the gate of hell,” and such openings it has sometimes been granted me to see. The gates are guarded by the Lord by means of angels, to prevent more spirits coming forth than is needful. From this it is evident what is signified in the Word by “the gates of hell,” and by “the gates of enemies,” as in Matthew:
Jesus said unto Peter, Upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18);
“the gates of hell not prevailing” denotes that the hells will not dare to go forth and destroy the truths of faith; “the rock upon which the church is built” denotes faith from the Lord in the Lord, which faith is the faith of charity, because charity is in this faith and thus is one with it. (That a “rock” denotes this faith may be seen in the preface to the twenty-second chapter of Genesis, and also in n. 8581 (2760), 10438; and that real faith is charity, in n. 654, 1162, 1176, 1608, 2228, 2343, 2349, 2419, 2839, 3324, 4368, 6348, 7039, 7623-7627, 7752-7762, 8530, 9154, 9224, 9783)
[4] The like is also signified by the words:
Thy seed shall inherit the gate of thine enemies (Genesis 22:17; 24:60);
“to inherit the gate of enemies” denotes to destroy the evils and falsities which are from hell; and this was also represented by the driving out and destruction of the nations in the land of Canaan; for the nations there represented evils and falsities which are from hell (see n. 1573, 1574, 1868, 4818, 6306, 8054, 8317, 9320, 9327). Also in David:
They that dwell in the gate plot against me; they that drink strong drink sing and dance (Psalms 69:12).
Happy is the man that hath filled his quiver; they shall not be ashamed, for they shall speak with the enemies in the gate (Psalms 127:5).
[5] But in a good sense “gates” denote an opening into heaven, as in David:
Lift up your head, O ye gates; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in (Psalms 24:7-10).
Moreover by “gates” in the Word is signified entrance into heaven and into the church by means of truth and good; and also the influx of truth and good with man.
Exodus 32
1
When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron, and said to him, "Come, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we don't know what has become of him."
2
Aaron said to them, "Take off the golden rings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them to me."
3
All the people took off the golden rings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron.
4
He received what they handed him, and fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it a molten calf; and they said, "These are your gods, Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt."
5
When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation, and said, "Tomorrow shall be a feast to Yahweh."
6
They rose up early on the next day, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.
7
Yahweh spoke to Moses, "Go, get down; for your people, who you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves!
8
They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molten calf, and have worshiped it, and have sacrificed to it, and said, 'These are your gods, Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt.'"
9
Yahweh said to Moses, "I have seen these people, and behold, they are a stiff-necked people.
10
Now therefore leave me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them, and that I may consume them; and I will make of you a great nation."
11
Moses begged Yahweh his God, and said, "Yahweh, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, that you have brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?
12
Why should the Egyptians speak, saying, 'He brought them forth for evil, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the surface of the earth?' Turn from your fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against your people.
13
Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, 'I will multiply your seed as the stars of the sky, and all this land that I have spoken of I will give to your seed, and they shall inherit it forever.'"
14
Yahweh repented of the evil which he said he would do to his people.
15
Moses turned, and went down from the mountain, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand; tablets that were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other they were written.
16
The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tables.
17
When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, "There is the noise of war in the camp."
18
He said, "It isn't the voice of those who shout for victory, neither is it the voice of those who cry for being overcome; but the noise of those who sing that I hear."
19
It happened, as soon as he came near to the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing: and Moses' anger grew hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands, and broke them beneath the mountain.
20
He took the calf which they had made, and burnt it with fire, ground it to powder, and scattered it on the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.
21
Moses said to Aaron, "What did these people do to you, that you have brought a great sin on them?"
22
Aaron said, "Don't let the anger of my lord grow hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil.
23
For they said to me, 'Make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we don't know what has become of him.'
24
I said to them, 'Whoever has any gold, let them take it off:' so they gave it to me; and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf."
25
When Moses saw that the people had broken loose, (for Aaron had let them loose for a derision among their enemies),
26
then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, "Whoever is on Yahweh's side, come to me!" All the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.
27
He said to them, "Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, 'Every man put his sword on his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate throughout the camp, and every man kill his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.'"
28
The sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.
29
Moses said, "Consecrate yourselves today to Yahweh, yes, every man against his son, and against his brother; that he may bestow on you a blessing this day."
30
It happened on the next day, that Moses said to the people, "You have sinned a great sin. Now I will go up to Yahweh. Perhaps I shall make atonement for your sin."
31
Moses returned to Yahweh, and said, "Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made themselves gods of gold.
32
Yet now, if you will, forgive their sin--and if not, please blot me out of your book which you have written."
33
Yahweh said to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.
34
Now go, lead the people to the place of which I have spoken to you. Behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless in the day when I punish, I will punish them for their sin."
35
Yahweh struck the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.
