9993. And cakes of unleavened things mixed with oil. That this signifies the purification of the middle celestial, is evident from the signification of “cakes,” as being the middle celestial (of which in what follows); and from the signification of “oil,” as being the good of love (see n. 886, 4582, 4638). From this it is evident that by “cakes mixed with oil” is signified the celestial which is from the inmost, for “oil” denotes the good of love, which is inmost. The case herein is that the heavens have been distinguished into two kingdoms, one of which is called “spiritual,” the other “celestial.” To the spiritual kingdom in the heavens corresponds understanding with man, and to the celestial kingdom corresponds his will (n. 9835). In each kingdom there is an internal and an external, as also with man in his understanding and will; for understanding with man is internal and external, and will is internal and external. Internal understanding makes the spiritual life of the internal man, and external understanding makes the spiritual life of the external man; but internal will makes the celestial life of the internal man, and external will makes the celestial life of the external man. That there is an internal and an external with man, can be seen by everyone who reflects, especially from hypocrites, the deceitful, the cunning, and the malicious, in that interiorly they think contrary to the truths of faith, and also will contrary to the goods of celestial love; but exteriorly they think and will in agreement with them, and also speak and act accordingly, that they may so appear before the world.

[2] Be it known further, that each kingdom in the heavens, namely the spiritual kingdom and the celestial kingdom, is in three divisions, being inmost, middle, and external (see n. 9873). The inmost of the celestial kingdom is the good of love to the Lord; the middle there is the good of mutual love, which is the good thence proceeding; and the external is the delight proceeding from this good. The two former are in the internal man with those who are in the Lord’s celestial kingdom; but the third is in the external with the same. These three were represented by the bread of unleavened things, the cakes of unleavened things mixed with oil, and the wafers of unleavened things anointed with oil; and their purification is represented by the offering of these three upon the altar together with the burnt-offering or sacrifice. That such things are signified in order, can be seen merely from the fact that these three were commanded, and their preparation is also described, in the books of Moses, which would by no means have been done unless they had involved arcana of heaven and the church. Otherwise of what use would such things be?

[3] But I know that at the present day scarcely anyone can apprehend these arcana, for the reason that at this day everything in the understanding and the will is worldly, and they who think about heaven, and desire it, have and are willing to have no other idea of it than a natural and earthly one; and where there is such an idea, and such a will, thus such a love, there the arcana of heaven have no place. Very different would it be if the mind were more delighted with heavenly things than with worldly ones, for a man apprehends what delights him; as when he is delighted with the arcana of the civil state in kingdoms, and with those of the moral state with man. By “the moral state” is meant that of the loves and affections, and of the derivative thoughts, the arcana of which a shrewd man easily perceives, because he delights to lead others by them, in order to secure honors, gain, or reputation for the sake of these.

[4] That “cakes” signify the [middle] celestial in the internal man, is because they are in the second rank; for in the first rank is bread of unleavened things; in the second are cakes mixed with oil; and in the third are wafers anointed with oil. These three were called “meat-offerings,” and were offered on the altar together with burnt-offerings and sacrifices. How they were to be prepared is described in Leviticus 2; and how they were to be offered is described in various passages, as by Aaron on the day of his anointing, in Leviticus 6:13-16.

[5] By “cakes” in the Word is also meant the good of love in general; from which it is that the “breads of faces,” or “of setting forth,” are called “cakes” in Moses:

Thou shalt take fine flour, and bake it into twelve cakes; of two tenth parts shall one cake be. And thou shalt set them on the table before Jehovah. And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row (Leviticus 24:5-9).

The “pure frankincense put upon the cakes” signified truth from celestial good, which is the ultimate or outermost of the celestial kingdom.

[6] By “cakes” is also signified the good of love in general, in Jeremiah:

The sons gather wood, and the fathers kindle a fire, and the women knead the dough, to make cakes to the queen of the heavens, and to pour out drink-offerings to other gods (Jeremiah 7:18; 44:19);

“to make cakes to the queen of the heavens” denotes to worship the devil from the good of celestial love; and “to pour out drink-offerings to other gods” denotes to worship Satan from the truths of faith. For by “the queen of the heavens” are signified those who are in the hell of genii; and by “other gods,” those who are in the hell of evil spirits (on which see n. 5977, 8593, 8622, 8625). They who are in the hell of genii are collectively called “the devil;” and they who are in the hell of evil spirits are called “Satan.”

[7] But the good of spiritual love is signified by “cakes” in Hosea:

Ephraim hath become a cake not turned (Hos. 7:8);

but “cake” is here expressed by another term in the original tongue, which signifies the good of spiritual love; a cake is “not turned” when the external man rules over the internal. When this is the case with man, the order is inverted; for then the external rules, and the internal serves. “Ephraim” denotes the intellectual of the church, which is enlightened and affected when the truths and goods of faith are received.

886. That the “olive” signifies the good of charity, is evident from the signification in the Word not only of an “olive” but also of “oil.” It was with olive oil, together with spices, that the priests and kings were anointed, and it was with olive oil that the lamps were trimmed (see Exodus 30:24; 27:20). The reason olive oil was used for anointing and for lamps was that it represented all that is celestial, and therefore all the good of love and of charity; for the oil is the very essence of the tree, and is as it were its soul, just as the celestial, or the good of love and of charity, is the very essence or the very soul of faith; and hence oil has this representation. That “oil” signifies what is celestial, or the good of love and of charity, may be confirmed from many passages of the Word; but as it is the olive-tree, that is mentioned here, we will merely present some passages that confirm its signification. As in Jeremiah:

Jehovah called thy name a green olive-tree, fair with goodly fruit (Jeremiah 11:16),where the Most Ancient or Celestial Church is so called, which was the foundation church of the Jewish Church; and therefore all the representatives of the Jewish Church had regard to celestial things, and through these to the Lord.

[2] In Hosea:

His branches shall spread, and his honor shall be as the olive-tree, and his smell as of Lebanon (Hosea 14:6),

which is said of the church that is to be planted, whose honor is the “olive-tree” that is, the good of love and of charity; the “smell as of Lebanon” being the affection of the truth of faith therefrom. “Lebanon” stands for its cedars, which signified spiritual things, or the truths of faith.

In Zechariah, speaking of the lampstand:

Two olive-trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof; these are the two sons of the pure oil that stand by the Lord of the whole earth (Zechariah 4:3, 11, 14).

Here the “two olive-trees” denote the celestial and the spiritual, thus love, which is of the celestial church, and charity, which is of the spiritual church. These are on the “right hand” and on the “left hand” of the Lord. The “lampstand” here signifies, as in the Jewish Church it represented, the Lord; its “lamps” signify celestial things from which are spiritual, as from a flame proceed rays of light, or light.

In David:

Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine in the sides of thy house; thy sons like olive plants (Psalms 128:3); where “wife as a vine” denotes the spiritual church; “sons” the truths of faith, which are called “olive plants” because from the goods of charity.

In Isaiah:

Yet there shall be left therein gleanings, as the shaking of an olive-tree, two or three berries in the top of the branch (Isaiah 17:6); where the subject treated of is the remains in man; “of an olive-tree” denoting celestial remains.

In Micah:

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

And in Moses:

Thou shalt plant vineyards and dress them, but thou shalt not drink of the wine; thou shalt have olive-trees throughout all thy border, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with the oil (Deuteronomy 28:39-40),

where the subject is the abundance of doctrinal teachings about the goods and truths of faith, which by reason of their character, those people rejected. From these passages it is evident that a “leaf” signifies the truth of faith, and an “olive” the good of charity; and that like things are signified by the “olive-leaf” which the dove brought in her mouth; that is, that there now appeared in the man of the Ancient Church some little of the truth of faith from the good of charity.