10199. Incense of spices. That this signifies grateful hearing and reception, is evident from the signification of “incense,” as being the hearing and reception by the Lord of all things of worship from love and charity (see n. 10177); and from the signification of “spices,” as being things that are grateful. It is from their odor that spices denote what is grateful, for “odor” signifies perceptivity; consequently a sweet odor signifies a grateful perceptivity, and an offensive odor an ungrateful perceptivity. For all things which are perceived by man through the organs of sense signify spiritual things, which bear relation to the good of love and to the truths of faith, as do smell, taste, sight, hearing, and touch; hence “smell” signifies the perceptivity of interior truth from the good of love; “taste” signifies the perception and affection of knowing and of being wise; “sight,” the understanding of the truths of faith; “hearing,” perceptivity from the good of faith, and from obedience; and “touch” in general, communication, transfer, and reception.

[2] The reason of this is that all external sensations derive their origin from internal sensations which are of the understanding and will, thus in man from the truths of faith and from the good of love, for these constitute the understanding and the will of man. But the internal sensations, which are proper to the understanding and will with man, have not that sense which the external sensations have, but are turned into such when they flow in; for all things made sensible to man by the external organs of sense, flow in from internal things, because all influx is from internal things into external, but not the reverse. For there is no such thing as physical influx, that is, influx from the natural world into the spiritual, but only from the spiritual world into the natural. The interiors of man which belong to his understanding and will are in the spiritual world, and his externals which belong to the senses of the body are in the natural world. From this also it can be seen what correspondence is, and what is its nature.

[3] (That smell in general corresponds to perception in respect to the quality of a thing, see n. 1514, 1517-1519, 3577, 4624-4634, 10054; taste, to the perception and affection of knowing and of growing wise, n. 3502, 4791-4805; sight, to the understanding of the truths of faith, n. 3863, 4403-4421, 4567, 5114, 5400, 6805; hearing, to the perception of the good of faith, and to obedience, n. 3869, 4652-4660, 7216, 8361, 9311, 9926; and that touch denotes communication, transfer, and reception, n. 10130)

[4] From all this it is evident that “spices” signify such things as are gratefully perceived, such as are those which are from love and charity; specifically, interior truths, because these are from this source, as is evident from the following passages in the Word, in Isaiah:

Instead of spice shall be rottenness; and instead of a girdle rending, and instead of braided work baldness (Isaiah 3:24); where the subject treated of is the daughters of Zion, by whom is signified the celestial church, which church is in interior truths from the good of love to the Lord; “spice” here denotes interior truth; “rottenness,” the privation thereof; a “girdle” denotes conjunction; a “rending” denotes the dispersion of connection and order; “braided work” denotes memory-truth, which is exterior truth, or the truth of the external man; and “baldness” denotes the deprivation of it. (That a “girdle” denotes conjunction and a bond, that all things may be kept in connection, so as to look to one end, see n. 9828; that “braided work” denotes memory-truth, n. 2831; and “baldness,” the deprivation of it, n. 9960)

[5] In Ezekiel:

An eagle great with wings came unto Lebanon, and brought down therefrom a small branch of cedar into the land of Canaan; in a city of those who deal in spices he set the head thereof (Ezekiel 17:3-4).

The subject here treated of in the internal sense is the beginning of a spiritual church and its growth, and afterward its perversion and end; by “an eagle great with wings” is signified the interior truth of this church (n. 3901, 8764); “wings” denote exterior truths (n. 8764, 9514); “Lebanon” denotes this church; the “cedar” there denotes the truth of the spiritual church; the “city of those who deal in spices” denotes where there is the doctrine of interior truth (that “cities” in the Word signify doctrines, see n. 402, 2449, 3216, 4492, 4493); it is from interior truths that it is called the “city of those who deal in spices.”

[6] Again:

The traders of Sheba and Raamah, by the chief of spice, and by every precious stone and gold, gave their tradings (Ezekiel 27:22).

The subject here treated of is Tyre, by which is signified the church in respect to the knowledges of good and truth; “traders” denote those who have these knowledges and communicate them; “Sheba and Raamah” denote those who are in the knowledges of things celestial and spiritual; “the chief of spice” denotes that which is grateful from interior truths; “precious stones” denote these truths themselves; and “gold” denotes their good. (That “Tyre” denotes the church in respect to the interior knowledges of good and truth, and in the abstract sense these knowledges themselves, see n. 1201; and that “traders” denote those who have these knowledges and communicate them, n. 2967, 4453; “Sheba and Raamah,” those who are in the knowledges of things celestial and spiritual, n. 1171, 3240; a “precious stone,” interior truth, n. 9863, 9865, 9873, 9874; and “gold,” its good, see the places cited in n. 9874, 9881)

[7] From this it is evident what was represented by the Queen of Sheba coming to Jerusalem to Solomon, “with camels carrying spices, and gold, and precious stone” (1 Kings 10:1-2); and by the wise men of the east offering to the child Jesus “gold, frankincense, and myrrh” (Matthew 2:11). As “spices” signified interior truths, thus such as are grateful, therefore the incense was made aromatic, and also the oil of anointing (of which in what follows in this chapter).

[8] By interior truths are meant those which have been made to be of the man’s life and affection, thus which are with him inwardly; but not the truths that are merely in the memory, and not made to be of the life. These truths are called external truths relatively, because they have not been inscribed on the life, but only on the memory; for they reside in the external man, and not in the internal man. The truths of faith which have been inscribed on the life are in the will, and those things which are in the will are in the internal man, for by means of the truths of faith the internal man is opened, and communication is effected with the heavens. From this it is evident that interior truths with man are those which are from the good of love and of charity. Whether you say the will, or the love, it is the same, for that which is of man’s will is of his love; and therefore truths inscribed on the life, which are called interior truths, are those which have been inscribed on the love, thus on the will, from which they afterward proceed when they come into speech and act.

[9] For heaven (in which is the internal man that has been opened) does not flow immediately into truths, but mediately through the good of love; and heaven cannot enter with man when the internal man is closed, because there is not any good of love there to receive it; and therefore with those with whom the internal man has not been opened by means of truths from the good of love and of charity, hell flows in with falsities from evil, however much the truths of faith, even interior ones, may reside in the external man only, that is, in the memory. From all this it can now be seen what is meant by interior truths which are grateful and are signified by “spices,” namely, those which are from the good of love and of charity.

9926. And the voice thereof shall be heard. That this signifies the influx of truth with those who are in the heavens and who are on earth, is evident from the signification of “being heard,” as being reception and perception (see n. 5017, 5471, 5475, 7216, 8361, 9311), consequently also influx, because the things which are received and perceived must flow in; and from the signification of “the voice,” when said of Aaron, by whom is represented the Lord, as being Divine truth (see n. 8813); for “the voice” denotes the annunciation of this truth, and because it denotes its annunciation, it exists with those who are in the heavens and on earth. For Divine truth fills all things of heaven, and makes all things of the church. Such an annunciation was represented by the voice from the bells of gold, when Aaron went in unto the holiness before Jehovah, and when he came out, as is said in what now follows in this verse.

[2] That in the Word a “voice” signifies the Divine truth which is heard and perceived in the heavens and on earth, is evident from the following passages.

In David:

The voice of Jehovah is upon the waters; the voice of Jehovah is in power; the voice of Jehovah is with honor; the voice of Jehovah breaketh the cedars; the voice of Jehovah cleaveth as a flame of fire; the voice of Jehovah maketh the wilderness to tremble; the voice of Jehovah maketh the hinds to calve; but in His temple everyone saith, Glory (Psalms 29:3-9).

In this psalm Divine truth is treated of, in that it destroys falsities and evils; this Divine truth is “the voice of Jehovah;” but the “glory” which is spoken of denotes the Divine truth in heaven and in the church. (That “glory” denotes the Divine truth, see n. 9429; and that the “temple” denotes heaven and the church, n. 3720)

[3] In John:

To Him who is the Shepherd of the sheep the doorkeeper openeth; and the sheep hear His voice. The sheep follow Him, because they know His voice. A stranger they follow not, because they know not the voice of strangers. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice. But ye are not of My sheep, for My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me (John 10:2-5, 16, 26-27).

That the “voice” here denotes the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, thus the Word, is very evident; “the voice of strangers” denotes falsity.

[4] In Isaiah:

The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of Jehovah, for the glory of Jehovah shall be revealed. The voice saith, Cry. O Zion, that tellest good tidings, get thee up upon the high mountain! O Jerusalem, that tellest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength! lift it up. Behold the Lord Jehovih cometh in strength (Isaiah 40:3, 5, 40:5-6, 9-10; also John 1:23).

“The voice” here denotes annunciation from the Word about the coming of the Lord, thus it also denotes the Divine truth which the Word announces; “the wilderness” denotes the state of the church at that time, which was as it were in the wilderness because the Word was no longer understood; “the glory which shall be revealed” denotes the Word as to its interiors. (That this is meant by “glory,” may be seen above, n. 9429 .) That “Jehovah, for whom a way was to be prepared,” and “the Lord Jehovih, who should come in strength,” denote the Lord, is plain, for this is clearly stated.

[5] In Isaiah:

The voice of thy watchmen; they shall lift up the voice when they shall see eye to eye that Jehovah will return to Zion (Isaiah 52:8);

“the watchmen” denote those who search the Scriptures concerning the coming of the Lord, their “voice” denotes the Word, which is the Divine truth that is the source.

In Jeremiah:

The Maker of the earth by His understanding hath stretched out the heavens. At the voice which He uttereth there is a multitude of waters in the heavens (Jeremiah 5:12-13; 51:16).

“The voice” here denotes Divine truth; “waters” denote truths which are in the heavens and from the heavens. (That “waters” in the Word denote truths, see n. 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668, 9323)

[6] So also in the Apocalypse:

The voice of the Son of man was like the sound of many waters (Revelation 1:15).

I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters (Revelation 14:2).

The voice of Jehovah is upon the waters, Jehovah is upon great waters (Psalms 29:3).

Jehovah hath uttered His voice before His army, for without number is he that doeth His word (Joel 2:11).

In this passage also “voice” denotes Divine truth, and likewise the Word which they do. Again:

Jehovah shall utter His voice from Jerusalem, so that the heavens and the earth shall shake (Joel 3:16).

Sing psalms unto the Lord, ye kingdoms of the earth, to Him that rideth upon the heaven of heaven of old; lo, He shall utter in a voice a voice of strength (Psalms 68:32-33).

I say unto you, The hour cometh when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live (John 5:25).

That “the voice” in this passage denotes Divine truth, consequently the Word of the Lord, is manifest.

[7] In Ezekiel:

The spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice of a great earthquake, saying, Blessed be the glory of Jehovah. And I heard the voice of the wings of the living creatures, and the voice of the wheels, even the voice of a great earthquake (Ezekiel 3:12-13).

The voice of the wings of the cherubs was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of God Shaddai when He speaketh (Ezekiel 10:5).

Here also “the voice” denotes Divine truth; for “the cherubs” signify the providence and guard of the Lord that there be no approach to Himself and to heaven except through the good of love (n. 9277, 9509); “the voice of the wings,” and “the voice of the wheels,” denote spiritual truths.

[8] In the present verse, in which Aaron is treated of, it is the sound or ringing from the bells which is called a “voice.” In other passages of the Word also sounds and blarings from trumpets, and sounds and peals from thunders, are called “voices;” and thereby in like manner are signified Divine truths (se e n. 7573). Moreover, the sounds of musical instruments of various kinds have also a like signification; but those which give out a stridulous and a discrete sound signify Divine spiritual truths; while those which give out a continuous sound signify Divine celestial truths (n. 418-420, 4138, 8337). From this it is evident that by the sounds or “voices” of the bells are signified Divine spiritual truths; for the garments of Aaron, and specifically the robe, in the skirts of which were the bells, round about, represented the Lord’s spiritual kingdom or heaven (n. 9814, 9825).