Arcana Coelestia #922
922. And took of every clean beast and of every clean fowl. That this signifies the goods of charity and the truths of faith, has been shown above; that “beast” signifies the goods of charity n. 45-46vvv3, 142-143, 246); and that “fowl” signifies the truths of faith n. 40, 776). Burnt-offerings were made of oxen, of lambs and goats, and of turtledoves and young pigeons (Leviticus 1:3-17; Numbers 15:2-15; 28:1-31). These were clean beasts, and each one of them signified some special heavenly thing. And because they signified these things in the Ancient Church and represented them in the churches that followed, it is evident that burnt-offerings and sacrifices were nothing else than representatives of internal worship; and that when they were separated from internal worship they became idolatrous. This anyone of sound reason may see. For what is an altar but something of stone, and what is burnt-offering and sacrifice but the slaying of a beast? If there be Divine worship, it must represent something heavenly which they know and acknowledge, and from which they worship Him whom they represent.
[2] That these were representatives of the Lord no one can be ignorant, unless he is unwilling to understand anything about the Lord. It is by internal things, namely, charity and the faith therefrom, that He who is represented is to be seen and acknowledged and believed, as is clearly evident in the Prophets, for example, in Jeremiah:
Thus saith Jehovah of armies, the God of Israel, Add your burnt-offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat ye flesh for I spake not unto your fathers, and I commanded them not in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt-offerings and sacrifices; but this thing I commanded them, saying, Hearken unto My voice, and I will be your God (Jeremiah 7:21-23).
To “hearken to” or obey, “the voice” is to obey the law, which all relates to the one command: to love God above all things, and the neighbor as one’s self; for in this is the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 22:35-40; 7:12).
In David:
O Jehovah, sacrifice and offering Thou hast not desired, burnt-offering and sin-offering hast Thou not required; I have desired to do Thy will, O my God; yea, Thy law is within my heart (Psalms 40:7, 9).
[3] In Samuel, who said to Saul,
Hath Jehovah as great pleasure in burnt-offerings and sacrifices as in hearkening to the voice of Jehovah? behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams (1 Samuel 15:22).
What is meant by “hearkening to the voice” may be seen in Micah:
Shall I come before Jehovah with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old? will Jehovah be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth Jehovih require of thee, but to do judgment, and to love mercy; and to humble thyself in walking with thy God? (Micah 6:6-8).
This is what is signified by “burnt-offerings and sacrifices of clean beasts and birds.”
So in Amos:
Though you offer Me your burnt-offerings and gifts I will not accept them; neither will I regard the peace-offering of your fat ones; let judgment flow like waters, and righteousness like a mighty river (Amos 5:22, 24).
“Judgment” is truth, and “righteousness” is good, both from charity, and these are the “burnt-offerings and sacrifices” of the internal man.
In Hosea:
For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt-offerings (Hosea 6:6).
From these passages it is evident what sacrifices and burnt-offerings are where there is no charity and faith; and it is also evident that clean beasts and clean birds represented, because they signified, the goods of charity and of faith.
Numbers 28
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Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
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"Command the children of Israel, and tell them, 'My offering, my food for my offerings made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to me, you shall observe to offer to me in their due season.'
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You shall tell them, 'This is the offering made by fire which you shall offer to Yahweh: male lambs a year old without blemish, two day by day, for a continual burnt offering.
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You shall offer the one lamb in the morning, and you shall offer the other lamb at evening;
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with the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meal offering, mixed with the fourth part of a hin of beaten oil.
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It is a continual burnt offering, which was ordained in Mount Sinai for a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to Yahweh.
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Its drink offering shall be the fourth part of a hin for the one lamb. You shall pour out a drink offering of strong drink to Yahweh in the holy place.
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The other lamb you shall offer at evening: as the meal offering of the morning, and as the drink offering of it, you shall offer it, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.
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"'On the Sabbath day two male lambs a year old without blemish, and two tenth parts [of an ephah] of fine flour for a meal offering, mixed with oil, and the drink offering of it:
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this is the burnt offering of every Sabbath, besides the continual burnt offering, and the drink offering of it.
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"'In the beginnings of your months you shall offer a burnt offering to Yahweh: two young bulls, and one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish;
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and three tenth parts [of an ephah] of fine flour for a meal offering, mixed with oil, for each bull; and two tenth parts of fine flour for a meal offering, mixed with oil, for the one ram;
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and a tenth part of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering to every lamb; for a burnt offering of a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to Yahweh.
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Their drink offerings shall be half a hin of wine for a bull, and the third part of a hin for the ram, and the fourth part of a hin for a lamb: this is the burnt offering of every month throughout the months of the year.
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One male goat for a sin offering to Yahweh; it shall be offered besides the continual burnt offering, and the drink offering of it.
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"'In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, is Yahweh's Passover.
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On the fifteenth day of this month shall be a feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten.
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In the first day shall be a holy convocation: you shall do no servile work;
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but you shall offer an offering made by fire, a burnt offering to Yahweh: two young bulls, and one ram, and seven male lambs a year old; they shall be to you without blemish;
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and their meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil: you shall offer three tenth parts for a bull, and two tenth parts for the ram.
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You shall offer a tenth part for every lamb of the seven lambs;
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and one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you.
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You shall offer these besides the burnt offering of the morning, which is for a continual burnt offering.
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In this way you shall offer daily, for seven days, the food of the offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh: it shall be offered besides the continual burnt offering, and the drink offering of it.
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On the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation: you shall do no servile work.
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"'Also in the day of the first fruits, when you offer a new meal offering to Yahweh in your [feast of] weeks, you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no servile work;
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but you shall offer a burnt offering for a pleasant aroma to Yahweh: two young bulls, one ram, seven male lambs a year old;
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and their meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three tenth parts for each bull, two tenth parts for the one ram,
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a tenth part for every lamb of the seven lambs;
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one male goat, to make atonement for you.
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Besides the continual burnt offering, and the meal offering of it, you shall offer them (they shall be to you without blemish), and their drink offerings.
