9680. And the veil shall divide for you between the holy and the holy of holies. That this signifies between spiritual good which is the good of charity toward the neighbor and the good of faith in the Lord, and celestial good which is the good of love to the Lord and the good of mutual love, is evident from the signification of “the holy,” as being the good that reigns in the middle heaven; and from the signification of “the holy of holies,” as being the good that reigns in the inmost heaven. That this good is the good of love to the Lord and the good of mutual love; and that the former, namely, the good that reigns in the middle heaven, is the good of charity toward the neighbor and the good of faith in the Lord, is evident from all that has been shown concerning each kind of good, celestial and spiritual, in the passages cited above (see n. 9670). The good of love to the Lord in the inmost heaven is the internal good there, and the good of mutual love is the external good there. And the good of charity toward the neighbor is the internal good in the middle heaven, and the good of faith in the Lord is the external good there. In each heaven there is an internal and an external, just as there is in the church, which is both internal and external (as may be seen above, n. 409, 1083, 1098, 1238, 1242, 4899, 6380, 6587, 7840, 8762, 9375).

[2] All good is holy, and all truth is holy insofar as it has good in it. Good is called “holy” from the Lord, because the Lord alone is holy, and because from Him is all good and all truth (n. 9229, 9479). From this it is evident why the Habitation is called “the holy; and why the ark in which was the Testimony is called “the holy of holies;” for the Testimony denotes the Lord Himself as to Divine truth (n. 9503); and “the ark” denotes the inmost heaven where the Lord is (n. 9485). The Lord is also in the middle heaven; but He is more fully present in the inmost heaven; for they who are conjoined with the Lord by the good of love are with Him; but they who are conjoined with the Lord by the good of faith are indeed with Him, but more remotely. In the middle heaven there is conjunction with the Lord through faith implanted in the good of charity toward the neighbor. From all this it is evident why the Habitation that was outside the veil is called “the holy;” and why the Habitation that was within the veil is called “the holy of holies.”

[3] That it is the Lord from whom is all the holy, and that He is the very holy of holies, is evident in Daniel:

Seventy weeks have been decreed upon My people, to anoint the holy of holies (Daniel 9:24).

Who shall not fear Thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? For Thou only art holy (Revelation 15:4).

Therefore also the Lord is called “the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 1:4; 5:19, 24; 10:20; 12:6; 17:7; 29:19; 30:11-12, 15; 31:1; 37:23; 41:14, 16, 20; 43:3, 14; 45:11; 60:9, 14; Jeremiah 50:29; 51:5; Ezekiel 39:7; Psalms 71:22; 78:41; 89:18; 2 Kings 19:22). Therefore among the sons of Israel whatever represented the Lord, or the good and truth which proceed from Him, after inauguration was called “holy,” for the reason that the Lord alone is holy. The “Holy Spirit” in the Word is also the holy which proceeds from the Lord.

1159. Everyone according to his tongue, according to their families, as to their nations. That this signifies that these were according to the genius of each; “according to their tongue,” according to the opinion of each; “according to their families,” according to their uprightness; and “as to their nations,” as regards both in general, may be seen from the signification of “tongue,” of “families,” and of “nations,” in the Word; concerning which of the Lord’s Divine mercy hereafter. That “tongue,” or “language,” in the internal sense, signifies opinion, thus principles and persuasions, is because there is a correspondence of the tongue with the intellectual part of man, or with his thought, like that of an effect with its cause. Such also is not only the influx of a man’s thoughts into the movements of the tongue in speaking, but also the influx of heaven, concerning which some things from experience, by the Divine mercy of the Lord, will be told elsewhere.

[2] That “families” in the internal sense signify uprightness, and also charity and love, comes from the fact that in the heavens all things which are of mutual love are circumstanced as are relationships by blood and by marriage, thus as families (see n. 685). In the Word therefore the things which pertain to love or charity are expressed by “houses,” and also by “families,” which it is unnecessary here to stop to confirm. (That such is the signification of a “house” may be seen at n. 710)

[3] That “nations” here signify both, in general, is evident from the signification of a nation, or nations, in the Word. In a good sense “nations” signify things of the new will and understanding, consequently the goods of love and truths of faith; but in the opposite sense they signify evils and falsities; and in like manner so also do “houses,” “families,” and “tongues,” as may be confirmed by very many passages from the Word. The reason is that the Most Ancient Church was distinguished into houses, families, and nations. A married pair with their children, and their menservants and maidservants, constituted a house; a number of houses that were not far distant from one another constituted a family; and a number of families, a nation. Hence “nations” signified all the families taken together in the aggregate. It is much the same in heaven; but the relation of all there is according to love and faith toward the Lord (see n. 685).

[4] From this then comes the signification of “nations” in the internal sense, as a general term comprising things of both the will and the understanding, or what is the same of both love and faith; but relatively to the families and houses of which they are composed. (See also what has been said before concerning this subject, n. 470, 471, 483.) It is evident from these considerations that “nations” signify both [opinion and uprightness] in general; and that “everyone according to his tongue, according to their families, as to their nations,” signifies according to the genius of each man, family, and nation, to whom worship was derived from the Ancient Church.