1557. Between Bethel and Ai. That this signifies the celestial things of knowledges, and worldly things, is evident from the signification of “Bethel,” which is the light of wisdom by means of knowledges (see n. 1453); and from the signification of “Ai,” which is the light from worldly things (also spoken of in n. 1453). From what is there said, it may be seen what the Lord’s state then was, namely, that it was childlike; and the state of a child is such that worldly things are present; for worldly things cannot be dispersed until truth and good are implanted in celestial things by means of knowledges; for a man cannot distinguish between celestial and worldly things until he knows what the celestial is, and what the worldly. Knowledges make a general and obscure idea distinct; and the more distinct the idea is made by means of knowledges, the more can the worldly things be separated.

[2] But still that childlike state is holy, because it is innocent. Ignorance by no means precludes holiness, when there is innocence in it; for holiness dwells in ignorance that is innocent. With all men, except with the Lord, holiness can dwell solely in ignorance; and if not in ignorance, they have no holiness. With the angels themselves, who are in the highest light of intelligence and wisdom, holiness also dwells in ignorance; for they know and acknowledge that of themselves they know nothing, but that whatever they know is from the Lord. They also know and acknowledge that all their memory-knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom, is as nothing in comparison with the infinite knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom of the Lord; thus that it is ignorance. He who does not acknowledge that there are infinite things with which he is not acquainted, beyond those with which he is acquainted, cannot be in the holiness of ignorance in which are the angels.

[3] The holiness of ignorance does not consist in being more ignorant than others; but in the acknowledgment that of himself a man knows nothing, and that the things he does not know are infinite in comparison with those he does know; and especially does it consist in his regarding the things of the memory and of the understanding as being of but little moment in comparison with celestial things; that is, the things of the understanding in comparison with the things of the life. As regards the Lord, as He was conjoining things human with things Divine, He advanced according to order; and He now for the first time arrived at the celestial state such as He had had when a child; in which state worldly things also were present. By advancing from this into a state still more celestial, He at length came into the celestial state of infancy, and in this He fully conjoined the Human Essence with the Divine Essence.

414. That to “dwell in tents” signifies what is holy of love, is evident from the signification of “tents” in the Word. As in David:

Jehovah, who shall abide in Thy tent? Who shall dwell in the mountain of Thy holiness? He that walketh upright, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart (Psalms 15:1-2),

in which passage, what it is to “dwell in the tent” or “in the mountain of holiness” is described by holy things of love, namely, the walking uprightly, and working righteousness. Again:

Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their discourse to the end of the world. In them hath He set a tent for the sun (Psalms 19:4),

where the “sun” denotes love. Again:

I will abide in Thy tent to eternities, I will trust in the covert of Thy wings (Psalms 61:4),

where the “tent” denotes what is celestial, and the “covert of wings” what is spiritual thence derived.

In Isaiah:

By mercy the throne has been made firm, and one hath sat upon it in truth, in the tent of David, judging and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness (Isaiah 16:5),

where also the “tent” denotes what is holy of love, as may be seen by the mention of “judging judgment” and “hasting righteousness.” Again: Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feast; thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tent that shall not be moved away (Isaiah 33:20), speaking of the heavenly Jerusalem.

[2] In Jeremiah:

Thus said Jehovah, Behold, I bring again the captivity of Jacob’s tents, and will have mercy on his dwelling places, and the city shall be builded upon her own heap (Jeremiah 30:18).

The “captivity of tents” signifies the vastation of what is celestial, or of the holy things of love.

In Amos:

In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David which is fallen; and will fence up the breaches thereof, and I will raise up its ruins, and I will build it as in the days of eternity (Amos 9:11),

where the “tabernacle” in like manner denotes what is celestial and the holy things thereof.

In Jeremiah:

The whole land is laid waste, suddenly are My tents laid waste, and My curtains in a moment (Jeremiah 4:20).

And in another place:

My tent is laid waste, and all My cords are plucked out, My sons are gone forth from Me, and they are not; there is none to stretch My tent anymore, and to set up My curtains (Jeremiah 10:20),

where the “tent” signifies celestial things, and “curtains” and “cords” spiritual things thence derived. Again:

Their tents and their flocks shall they take; they shall carry off for themselves their curtains, and all their vessels, and their camels (Jeremiah 49:29),

speaking of Arabia and the sons of the east, by whom are represented those who possess what is celestial or holy. Again:

Into the tent of the daughter of Zion the Lord hath poured out His wrath like fire (Lamentations 2:4),

speaking of the vastation of the celestial or holy things of faith.

[3] The reason why the term “tent” is employed in the Word to represent the celestial and holy things of love, is that in ancient times they performed the holy rites of worship in their tents. But when they began to profane the tents by profane kinds of worship, the tabernacle was built, and afterwards the temple, and therefore tents represented all that was subsequently denoted first by the tabernacle, and afterwards by the temple. For the same reason a holy man is called a “tent” a “tabernacle” and a “temple” of the Lord. That a “tent” a “tabernacle” and a “temple” have the same signification, is evident in David:

One thing have I asked of Jehovah, that will I seek after, that I may remain in the house of Jehovah all the days of my life, to behold Jehovah in sweetness, and to visit early in His temple; for in the day of evil He shall hide me in His tabernacle; in the secret of His tent shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall my head be lifted up against mine enemies round about me, and I will offer in His tent sacrifices of shouting (Psalms 27:4-6).

[4] In the supreme sense, the Lord as to His Human essence is the “tent” the “tabernacle” and the “temple;” hence every celestial man is so called, and also everything celestial and holy. Now as the Most Ancient Church was better beloved of the Lord than the churches that followed it, and as men at that time lived alone, that is, in their own families, and celebrated so holy a worship in their tents, therefore tents were accounted more holy than the temple, which was profaned. In remembrance thereof the feast of tabernacles was instituted, when they gathered in the produce of the earth, during which, like the most ancient people, they dwelt in tents (Leviticus 23:39-44; Deuteronomy 16:13; Hosea 12:9).