9814. And thou shalt make garments of holiness for Aaron thy brother. That this signifies a representative of the spiritual kingdom joined to the celestial kingdom, is evident from the signification of “garments,” as being truths in general, and indeed truths which clothe good (see n. 5954, 9212, 9216). That “garments” denote truths, originates in heaven, where angels appear clothed in garments in accordance with their truths from good (n. 165, 5248, 5954, 9212); from which it can be seen that by the garments of Aaron was represented the spiritual kingdom of the Lord joined to His celestial kingdom. For Aaron represented the Lord as to the Divine celestial (n. 9810); whence the garments joined to him represented the Divine spiritual joined to the celestial kingdom, as a garment is to the body. The Divine spiritual is the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord’s Divine good; this appears in heaven as light, and moreover, is the light which illumines the external as well as the internal sight of the angels. The modification of this light according to the recipient subjects, which are angels, presents to the sight various phenomena, such as clouds, rainbows, colors, and splendors, of various kinds; and it also presents shining garments about the angels. From this it can be seen that the spiritual kingdom of the Lord was represented by Aaron’s garments of holiness. For there are two kingdoms into which the heavens have been divided, the celestial kingdom and the spiritual kingdom (on which see n. 9277); they who are in the celestial kingdom appear naked, but they who are in the spiritual kingdom appear clothed. From this it is again evident that it is Divine truth, or the Divine spiritual, and which appears as light, that invests or clothes.

[2] But who could possibly believe that within the church, where there is the Word, and the consequent enlightenment about Divine and heavenly things, ignorance so great should reign that it is not known that angels and spirits are in the human form, and appear to themselves as men; and also that they see and hear each other, and converse together; and that it is known still less that they appear clothed in garments. That this is the case falls not only into doubt, but also into total denial, with those who are so much immersed in outward things as to believe that the body alone lives, and that all is nothing which they do not see with the bodily eyes, and touch with the bodily hands (n. 1881); when yet the heavens are full of men, who are angels, and who are clothed in garments of varied resplendence. But nothing of these things can be seen by a man on earth through the eyes of his body; but through the eyes of his spirit, when these are opened by the Lord. The angels who were seen by the ancients, as by Abraham, Sarah, Lot, Jacob, Joshua, Gideon, and also the prophets, were not seen with the eyes of the body, but with the eyes of the spirit, which were then opened. That these angels appeared clothed in garments, is evident from the angels who sat at the Lord’s sepulcher, and were seen in shining white garments by Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James (Matthew 28:3; Mark 16:5; Luke 24:4); and especially is the same thing evident from the Lord Himself when seen in His glory by Peter, James, and John, in that His raiment was then white and glistering, and was like the light (Matthew 17:2; Luke 9:29; by which raiment there was also represented the Divine spiritual, that is, the Divine truth which is from Him.

[3] From this it can be seen what is signified by “white garments” in Revelation:

Thou hast a few names in Sardis which have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white garments (Revelation 3:4-5);

here “garments” denote spiritual truths, which are truths from good (as was shown above); and “white” denotes genuine truth (n. 3301, 4007, 5319). In like manner elsewhere:

I saw heaven open, and behold a white horse, and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True; and in righteousness He doth judge and fight. His armies in heaven followed Him clothed in fine linen, white and clean (Revelation 19:11, 14).

Upon the thrones I saw four and twenty elders, clothed in white garments (Revelation 4:4).

9277. So shalt thou do to thy vineyard, and to thine olive-yard. That this signifies that so it is with spiritual good and with celestial good, is evident from the signification of a “vineyard,” as being the spiritual church (n. 1069, 9139), thus spiritual good, which is the good of charity toward the neighbor, for this good makes the spiritual church; and from the signification of an “olive-yard,” as being the celestial church, thus celestial good, that is, the good of love to the Lord, for this good makes the celestial church. (What the spiritual church is, and what is its good; and what the celestial church is, and what is its good; and also what is the difference between them, see n. 2046, 2227, 2669, 2708, 2715, 2718, 2935, 2937, 2954, 3166, 3235, 3236, 3240, 3246, 3374, 3833, 3887, 3969, 4138, 4286, 4493, 4585, 4938, 5113, 5150, 5922, 6289, 6296, 6366, 6427, 6435, 6500, 6647, 6648, 7091, 7233, 7877, 7977, 7992, 8042, 8152, 8234, 8521)

[2] That an “olive-yard” signifies the celestial church, and thus celestial good, is evident from the passages in the Word where the “olive-tree” is mentioned; as in Moses:

Thou shalt plant vineyards and till them, but the wine thou shalt not drink, nor gather; for the worm shall eat it. Thou shalt have olive-trees throughout all thy border, but thou shall not anoint thyself with the oil, for thine olive-tree shall be shaken (Deuteronomy 28:39-40); where the subject treated of is the curse if other gods were worshiped, and if the statutes and judgments were not kept. “Olive-trees in all thy border” denote the goods of celestial love which are from the Lord through the Word in the whole church; “not being anointed with the oil” denotes that nevertheless they are not in this good; “thine olive-tree shall be shaken” denotes that this good will perish. In like manner in Micah:

Thou shalt tread the olive, but shall not anoint thee with oil; and the must, but shalt not drink the wine (Micah 6:15).

[3] In Amos:

I have smitten you with blasting and mildew; your many gardens, and your vineyards, and your fig-trees, and your olive-trees, shall the caterpillar devour; yet have ye not returned unto Me (Amos 4:9);

“vineyards” denote the goods of faith; and “olive-trees” the goods of love; the punishment for not receiving these goods is signified by “the caterpillar devouring the olive-trees.”

In Habakkuk:

The fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall deceive, and the field shall yield no food (Hab. 3:17); where “the fig-tree” denotes natural good; “the vine,” spiritual good; “the olive,” celestial good; and “the field,” the church.

In Zechariah:

Two olive-trees were beside the lampstand, one on the right side of the bowl, and the other on the left side. These are the two sons of pure oil, that stand beside the Lord of the whole earth (Zech. 4:3, 11, 14).

The “two olive-trees beside the lampstand” denote celestial and spiritual good, which are at the Lord’s right and left; “the lampstand” signifies the Lord as to Divine truth.

[4] In the book of Judges:

Jotham said to the citizens of Shechem who made Abimelech king, The trees went to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive-tree, Reign thou over us. But the olive-tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, which God and men honor in me, and go to sway myself over the trees? And the trees said to the fig-tree, Come thou, and reign over us. But the fig-tree said unto them, Should I cause to cease my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to sway myself over the trees? Then the trees said unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. But the vine said unto them, Should I cause to cease my must, which cheereth God and men, and go to sway myself over the trees? Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou and reign over us. And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, come ye, and put your trust in my shadow; but if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon (Judg. 9:7-15);

what these things specifically involve cannot be known unless it is known what is signified by “the olive-tree,” “the fig-tree,” “the vine,” and “the bramble.” “The olive-tree” signifies the internal good of the celestial church; “the fig-tree,” the external good of that church (n. 4231, 5113); “the vine,” the good of the spiritual church; but “the bramble” signifies spurious good. These words therefore involve that the people who are here meant by the trees, were not willing that either celestial good or spiritual good should reign over them, but spurious good, and that they chose this in preference to the other goods. “Fire out of the bramble” denotes the evil of concupiscence; “the cedars of Lebanon that it would consume” denote the truths of good.

[5] As “the olive-tree” signified the good of love from the Lord and to the Lord, therefore the cherubs in the midst of the house or of the temple were made of olive wood, and in like manner the doors leading to the sanctuary (1 Kings 6:23-33); for the “cherubs” and also the “doors of the sanctuary” signified the guard and providence of the Lord that there should be no approach to Him except through the good of celestial love; and therefore they were of olive wood. From all this it can be seen why the tabernacle and the altar were anointed with oil; also the priests, and afterward the kings; and why the oil of the olive was used for the lamps; for this “oil” signified the good of love from the the Lord, (n. 886, 3728, 4582, 4638); and the “anointing” signified that so they might represent the Lord.