9382. 'And Moses came and reported to the people' means enlightenment and instruction by the Lord, imparted through Divine Truth which springs from Him. This is clear from the representation of 'Moses' as the Lord in respect of the Word, and so in respect of Divine Truth since the Word is this, dealt with above in 9372; from the meaning of 'coming' - when it refers to the Lord in respect of the Word or Divine Truth, represented by 'Moses' - as enlightenment, for when the Lord comes or He is present in the Word there is enlightenment; and from the meaning of 'reporting' as instruction. From all this it is evident that 'Moses came and reported to the people' means enlightenment and instruction by the Lord, imparted through Divine Truth.

[2] A brief statement must also be made here regarding the nature of enlightenment and instruction from the Word. Everyone receives enlightenment and instruction from the Word according to his affection for truth and degree of desire for it, and according to his ability to receive it. The internal man of those who receive enlightenment dwells in the light of heaven, for the light of heaven is what enlightens a person in the truths and forms of the good of faith, 8707, 8861. Those who are in that way enlightened understand the Word according to its inner truths, which being so they establish for themselves from the Word guidelines, to which they then relate the literal sense. But those who have no affection for truth rooted in good nor consequently any desire to become wise are blinded rather than enlightened when they read the Word, since they do not dwell in the light of heaven. Indeed in the light of the world, called natural illumination, they gain no insights into things other than those of a worldly nature. And as a result of this the illusions to which their outward senses are subject lead them to seize on falsities which look to them like truths. The majority of these people therefore establish no guidelines for themselves but keep to the literal sense, which they use in support of falsities, especially such falsities as accord with self-love and love of the world. But those who are not like these do no more than assent to the teachings of their Church, without caring or knowing whether they are true or false. Regarding these, see 4741, 5033, 6865, 7012, 7680, 7950, 8521, 8780. From this it is evident who exactly they are who are enlightened by the Word and who exactly they are who are blinded. That is to say, those are enlightened who are governed by heavenly loves; for heavenly loves receive and like sponges soak up heaven's truths, and are also of their own accord joined to them in the manner of soul and body. On the other hand those are blinded who are ruled by worldly loves, since these loves receive and like sponges soak up falsities, and are also of their own accord joined to them. For good and truth accord with each other, as conversely do evil and falsity. This being so, evil and falsity joined together is called the hellish marriage, in which hell itself consists, while good and truth joined together is called the heavenly marriage, in which heaven itself consists.

[3] The reason why the Word is the source of enlightenment and instruction is that in its first origin the Word is God's truth itself emanating from the Lord, and on its way down into the world it is adjusted to suit all the heavens. Therefore when a person possessing a heavenly love reads it the Word links him to heaven and through heaven to the Lord, as a result of which he receives enlightenment and instruction. It is different when a person possessing a worldly love reads the Word. He is not linked to heaven and consequently has no enlightenment or instruction. Regarding the union of heaven and the world through the Word, and of the Lord with the human race, see 9212 (end), 9216 (end), 9357.

9216. 'In which he may sleep' means resting on them. This is clear from the meaning of 'sleeping' as resting, in this instance on the external and sensory level, meant by 'clothing', 9212; for it says that it is clothing 'in which he may sleep'. How the explanation that more internal things find rest on the sensory level should be understood must be stated. The sensory level is the last and lowest of a person's life, as has been shown above. What is lowest contains all the more internal levels and is general to them all; for they terminate in it and accordingly rest on it. It is like the skin, for example, which is the outermost covering of the body. The body and all things in it terminate in the skin, because it contains them and they accordingly rest on the skin. In a similar way it is like the peritoneum within the body. Because it contains the abdominal organs, these rest on it and are also linked to it all round. Or equally it is like the pleura's relationship to the organs in the chest.

[2] A similar situation exists with all the things that compose a person's actual life, with those for instance that are connected with his understanding and those that are connected with his will. These too follow one another in order from more internal things to relatively external ones. The relatively external ones are factual knowledge together with its delights, while the outermost things are those of the senses, which are in contact with the world through sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. The more internal things rest on them since they terminate in them. These are the matters that are meant in the spiritual sense by 'the covering' or 'the clothing in which he may sleep'. The reason why things on the level of the senses are meant by 'the clothing' or 'the covering' lies in correspondences; for as stated above in 9212, spirits and angels appear dressed in garments in keeping with their truths of faith. Those governed by truths springing from good appear in shining ones, as for instance those at the Lord's tomb did, Luke 24:4; Matthew 28:3, and also in ones of fine, white linen, as for instance those referred to in Revelation 19:14 did; and others appear in garments of various colours.

[3] Furthermore it should be realized that all things without exception proceed in successive stages from their first or inmost level to their terminations on the last and lowest and rest on them. Each thing at a prior or more internal stage in order has its own connection with terminations on the lowest level. Therefore if things on the lowest level are dispelled those on interior levels are also scattered. This also explains why there are three heavens. The inmost or third heaven flows into the middle or second heaven; the middle or second heaven flows into the first or lowest heaven, which in turn flows into and resides with mankind. Consequently the human race constitutes the lowest level of order; in it heaven terminates and on it heaven rests. This being so, the Lord in His Divine [Love and Care] always provides for the presence among the human race of a Church in which truth revealed by God exists; such truth on our planet is the Word. By means of this a continuous link exists between the human race and the heavens. This is why every detail of the Word has within it an internal sense which exists for heaven's benefit and whose nature is such that it joins angels' minds to those of people on earth in so firm a bond that they act as one. All this goes to show yet again the nature of a situation in which interior things rest on those at the lowest level.