9603. One measure for all the curtains. That this signifies a like state of the matter, is evident from the signification of a “measure,” as being the state of a thing as to truth (see n. 3104); consequently “one measure for all the curtains” denotes a like state of the matter for all the truths. By a like state of the matter, when said concerning the truths of faith in the spiritual kingdom, is meant that they all look to good, and that through good they look to the Lord from whom they are; for the truths which do not look to good, and thus to the Lord, are not truths of faith, consequently are not the truths of the church or of heaven. The truths which look in another direction may indeed in their external form appear like truths, but they are not truths, because they are devoid of life; for the life of truth is good, and good is from the Lord, who alone is life. Truths which look in another direction are like the members of a body without a soul, which are not members of any body, because they are lifeless, and therefore of no use.

[2] That “measure” signifies the state of a thing as to truth, and also the state of a thing as to good, is evident from the passages in the Word that treat of the measurements of the New Jerusalem, and also of the new temple. By the “New” or “Holy Jerusalem” is signified the Lord’s New Church, in like manner by the temple; and therefore by their “measurements” are signified states as to truth and as to good; as in John:

The angel had a golden reed, to measure the holy Jerusalem, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof; and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. And he measured the wall thereof, a hundred forty and four cubits, which is the measure of a man, that is, of an angel (Revelation 21:15-17).

That the “measurements” here signify states as to good and truth is very manifest, for the “holy Jerusalem” denotes the Lord’s New Church; “the gates and the wall” denote the protecting truths of faith; “twelve thousand” denotes all truths and goods in the complex; likewise “a hundred forty and four” (n. 7973), for this number signifies the like as the number “twelve” because it arises from twelve multiplied by twelve (that “twelve” denotes all truths and goods in the complex, see n. 577, 2089, 2129, 2130, 3272, 3858, 3913); “the measure of a man, that is, of an angel” signifies that such is the state of the church and of heaven in respect to the goods of love and the truths of faith, for “a man” denotes the church, and “an angel,” heaven. Unless it were known what is signified by “the holy Jerusalem,” by its “gate” and its “wall,” by the number “twelve thousand furlongs,” and by “the measure of the wall being a hundred forty and four,” also what by “measure,” what by “a man,” and what by “an angel,” who would ever know what is meant by “the measure of the city being twelve thousand furlongs,” and “the measure of the wall a hundred forty and four cubits, the measure of a man, that is, of an angel”?

[3] The like is signified by “measurement” in Zechariah:

I lifted up mine eyes again and saw a man in whose hand was a measuring line. I said, Whither goest thou? He said, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof (Zech. 2:1-2).

Also in Ezekiel, where a man who had a measuring reed measured the houses of the new city, and also the temple, as to the outer walls, the inner walls, the gates, the foundations, the thresholds, the windows, the steps (Ezekiel 40:0-42:0). Unless these measurements signified the states of the matter in respect to truth and good, such things would never have been mentioned. By “measuring” in general is signified the state of truth and good; as in Jeremiah:

Thus said Jehovah, If the heavens above shall be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, behold still will I disapprove the seed of Israel for all that they have done. Behold the days come in which the city shall be built to Jehovah. And the measuring line shall go out more fully over the hill Gareb, and shall turn about unto Goah (Jeremiah 31:37-39).

Who hath measured the waters in His fist, and meted out the heavens with the span, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? (Isaiah 40:12).

7973. About six hundred thousand on foot that were men. That this signifies all things of the truth and good of faith in one complex, is evident from the signification of the number “six hundred thousand,” as being all things of faith in one complex; for this number arises from six and also from twelve, and “twelve” signifies all things of faith and charity (see n. 577, 2089, 2129, 2130, 3272, 3858, 3913). It is for this reason that the sons of Jacob were twelve, and that their posterity were distinguished into twelve tribes, and also that twelve disciples were adopted by the Lord, namely, to represent all things of faith and charity. (Concerning the tribes see n. 3858, 3862, 3913, 3926, 4060, 6335, 6337, 6640, 7836, 7891; concerning the disciples, n. 3354, 3488, 3858, 6397.)

[2] That here “six hundred thousand” has a similar signification, is because a number greater or less, or multiplied, or divided, involves the like as the simple numbers from which it is derived (n. 5291, 5335, 5708). This is very clear from the number “twelve,” which has a like signification whether divided into six, or multiplied to seventy-two, or to one hundred and forty-four-that is, twelve times twelve,—or to twelve thousand, or to one hundred and forty-four thousand, as the “one hundred and forty-four thousand” spoken of in John:

I heard the number of the sealed, a hundred and forty and four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the sons of Israel, out of each tribe twelve thousand (Revelation 7:4-5);

here by the “sons of Israel” are not meant the sons of Israel, nor by “tribes” tribes, nor by “number” number, but such things as are in the internal sense, namely, all things of faith and charity, and thus by each tribe specifically one genus or one class, according to what has been unfolded in regard to the contents of the twenty-ninth and thirtieth chapters of Genesis.

[3] In like manner in the same:

Behold the Lamb standing upon the Mount Zion, and with Him a hundred and forty and four thousand, having the name of His Father written upon their foreheads. They sang a new song before the throne, and no one could learn the song save the hundred and forty and four thousand bought from the earth. These are they who follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. These were bought from men, the firstfruits to God and the Lamb (Revelation 14:1, 3-4).

From this description it is clear that they who are in charity are meant by “the hundred and forty and four thousand,” and it is also clear that this number merely designates state and quality.

[4] For this number designates the like as “twelve,” because it arises from “twelve thousand” and “twelve” multiplied together; in like manner as the lesser number “one hundred and forty-four” which is twelve times twelve, in the same:

He measured the wall of the holy Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, a hundred and forty and four cubits, which is the measure of a man, that is, of an angel (Revelation 21:2, 17).

That in the spiritual sense the “wall of the holy Jerusalem” does not mean a wall, but the truth of faith defending the things of the church, see n. 6419; for which reason also it is said that it was “a hundred and forty and four cubits.” That such is the meaning is very clear, for it is said that this measure is “the measure of a man, that is, of an angel,” and by “man” and by “angel” is signified everything of the truth and good of faith.

[5] And the same is evident from the twelve precious stones of which was the foundation of the wall, and from the twelve gates, each of which was a pearl (verses 19-21), for by “precious stones” are signified the truths of faith which are from the good of charity (n. 643, 3720, 6426), as likewise by a “gate” and also by a “pearl.” From this then it is evident that a lesser and a greater number involve the like as the simple number from which they come. (That all numbers mentioned in the Word signify real things, see n. 482, 487, 575, 647, 648, 755, 813, 1963, 1988, 2075, 2252, 3252, 4264, 4495, 4670, 5265, 6175.)

[6] From all this it can now be seen that the number “six hundred thousand men” going forth out of Egypt has also such a signification. That this number signifies such things scarcely anyone can believe, for the reason that it is a matter of history, and everything historical keeps the mind continually in the external sense, and withdraws it from the internal sense. Nevertheless this number has such a signification, for there is not even a syllable, nor yet one jot or one point in the Word, which is not in itself holy, because it infolds in itself what is holy. Everyone sees that there is nothing holy in the mere historical fact.