Arcana Coelestia #353
353. 'Fat' means the celestial itself, which also is the Lord's. The celestial consists in everything that is an aspect of love. Faith too is celestial when it has its origin in love. Charity is the celestial, and all good stemming from charity is celestial. All of these were represented by 'the fat' in sacrifices, especially by the fat on the liver or omentum, by the fat on the kidneys, by the fat covering the entrails, and by that actually on the entrails. These were consecrated and burnt on the altar, Exodus 29:13, 22; Leviticus 3:3-4, 14; 4:8-9, 19, 26, 31, 35; 8:16, 25, and were consequently called 'the bread offered by fire for an odour of rest' for Jehovah, 1 Leviticus 3:15-16. For this reason the Jewish people were forbidden to eat any of the fat from animals, and this was called 'a perpetual statute throughout their generations', Leviticus 3:17; 7:23, 25. They were forbidden to do so because that Church was such that it did not acknowledge anything internal, still less anything celestial.
[2] That 'fat' means celestial things and goods that flow from charity is clear in the Prophets, as in Isaiah,
Why do you weigh out silver for 2 that which is not bread, and your labour on that which does not satisfy? Hearken diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will find its delight in fatness. Isaiah 55:2.
In Jeremiah,
I will fill the soul of the priests with fat, and My people will be satisfied with My goodness. Jeremiah 31:14.
Here it is quite clear that 'fat' is not used to mean fat but celestial-spiritual good. In David,
They will be filled with the fat of Your house, and You givest them drink from the river of Your delights; for with You is the fountain of life, in Your light do we see light. Psalms 36:8-9.
Here 'fat' and 'the fountain of life' stand for the celestial, which consists in love, and 'river of delights' and 'light' stand for the spiritual, which consists in faith deriving from love. In the same author,
My soul will be satisfied with fat and fatness, and my mouth will praise You with joyful lips. 3 Psalms 63:5.
Here similarly 'fat' stands for the celestial, 'joyful lips' 3 for the spiritual. It is quite clear that the celestial is meant for the reason that 'the soul will be satisfied'. And first-fruits, which were the firstborn of the earth, are for the same reason called 'fat' in Numbers 18:12.
[3] Since there are countless genera of celestial things, and still more countless species of them, they are described in general in the words of the song which Moses recited to the people,
Butter from the cattle, and milk from the flock, with the fat of lambs and rams, the breed 4 of Bashan, and of goats, with the kidney-fat of wheat; and of the blood of the grape you will drink unmixed wine. Deuteronomy 32:14.
Nobody can possibly know what these expressions mean except from the internal sense. Without the internal sense nobody is able to know what butter from the cattle means, or milk from the flock, or the fat of lambs, or the fat of rams and of goats, or the breed 4 of Bashan, or the kidney-fat of wheat, or the blood of the grape. Without the internal sense they would be mere words and nothing more. In reality every single thing mentioned there means the genera and species of celestial things.
Notes de bas de page:
1. The Latin here means for a rest to Jehovah but comparison with the original Hebrew suggests that Swedenborg intended for an odour of rest, as in 2165:2, 5943:3.
2. or Why do you spend money on
3. literally, lips of songs
4. literally, sons
Psalms 35
1
Contend, Yahweh, with those who contend with me. Fight against those who fight against me.
2
Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help.
3
Brandish the spear and block those who pursue me. Tell my soul, "I am your salvation."
4
Let those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonor. Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded.
5
Let them be as chaff before the wind, Yahweh's angel driving them on.
6
Let their way be dark and slippery, Yahweh's angel pursuing them.
7
For without cause they have hidden their net in a pit for me. without cause they have dug a pit for my soul.
8
Let destruction come on him unawares. Let his net that he has hidden catch himself. Let him fall into that destruction.
9
My soul shall be joyful in Yahweh. It shall rejoice in his salvation.
10
All my bones shall say, "Yahweh, who is like you, who delivers the poor from him who is too strong for him; yes, the poor and the needy from him who robs him?"
11
Unrighteous witnesses rise up. They ask me about things that I don't know about.
12
They reward me evil for good, to the bereaving of my soul.
13
But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting. My prayer returned into my own bosom.
14
I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother. I bowed down mourning, as one who mourns his mother.
15
But in my adversity, they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together. The attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I didn't know it. They tore at me, and didn't cease.
16
Like the profane mockers in feasts, they gnashed their teeth at me.
17
Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my soul from their destruction, my precious life from the lions.
18
I will give you thanks in the great assembly. I will praise you among many people.
19
Don't let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let those who hate me without a cause wink their eyes.
20
For they don't speak peace, but they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.
21
Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me. They said, "Aha! Aha! Our eye has seen it!"
22
You have seen it, Yahweh. Don't keep silent. Lord, don't be far from me.
23
Wake up! Rise up to defend me, my God! My Lord, contend for me!
24
Vindicate me, Yahweh my God, according to your righteousness. Don't let them gloat over me.
25
Don't let them say in their heart, "Aha! That's the way we want it!" Don't let them say, "We have swallowed him up!"
26
Let them be disappointed and confounded together who rejoice at my calamity. Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me.
27
Let them shout for joy and be glad, who favor my righteous cause. Yes, let them say continually, "Yahweh be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant!"
28
My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long. For the Chief Musician. By David, the servant of Yahweh.
