10548. 'And so it was, that everyone asking Jehovah a question went out to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp' means that all instruction regarding the truths and forms of good belonging to the Church and worship was imparted to everyone through the outward sense of the Word, far removed from the external things in which the interest of that nation lay. This is clear from the meaning of 'asking Jehovah a question' as receiving instruction regarding the truths and forms of good belonging to the Church and worship, for whenever Jehovah is asked a question it is done for the sake of receiving instruction regarding those things; from the meaning of 'the tent of meeting' as the external aspect of the Church and worship, dealt with immediately above in 10547; and from the meaning of 'outside the camp' as far removed from the external things in which the interest of that nation lay, also dealt with above, in 10546. From all this it is evident that 'everyone asking Jehovah a question went out to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp' means that all instruction regarding the truths and forms of good belonging to the Church and worship was imparted through the outward sense of the Word, far removed from the external things in which the interest of that nation lay.

[2] One reason for saying 'through the outward sense of the Word' is that all instruction regarding the truths and forms of the good of faith and love which compose the Church and constitute worship is obtained from that sense. Another reason is that asking the Lord a question is done by consulting the Word; for the Word has the Lord present within it. He is present there because the Word consists of Divine Truth that comes from Him and He resides with angels in Divine Truth that is His, and also with members of the Church who receive Him.

[3] A further reason for saying 'through the outward sense of the Word' is that this sense at one and the same time has within it all the inward contents of the Word, thus all the truths and forms of good of heaven and the Church, as accords with what has been shown in 10547. This was why answers were given and revelations made within objects on the last and lowest level of things, 9905. Furthermore all the teachings of the Church applying to worship are imparted through the outward sense of the Word. But they are imparted only to those who receive enlightenment from the Lord when they read the Word. For when they do so light from heaven flows into them through the inward sense, see 9025, 9382, 9409, 9424, 9430, 10105, 10324, 10402, 10431.

[4] The reason why far removed from the external things in which the interest of the Israelite nation lay is meant is that the outward sense of the Word among that nation is seen by them in an altogether different manner and is consequently explained in a different way, as becomes clear from the consideration that they do not see anything at all there about faith in the Lord and love to Him, not even anything about the Lord Himself or heaven provided by Him. All they see are references to worldly and earthly matters, in particular their pre-eminence over others. The reason for this is that they are interested in external things and not in what is internal; and people like this see nothing from an inward point of view. Seeing from this point of view implies doing so from the Lord's with the eyes of heaven.

From all this it is evident that the outward sense or external aspect of the Word, and consequently of the Church and worship, with that nation was far removed from the external aspect of the Word, the Church, and worship as it really is. The external worship of that nation is described next in the internal sense, down to verse 11.

10546. 'And pitched it for himself outside the camp, far from the camp' means remote from the external things in which the interest of that actual nation lay. This is clear from the meaning of 'pitching the tent' as providing, arranging, and setting in order the things that belong to the Church and worship, for 'the tent' means the holiness of the Church, worship, and the Word, dealt with immediately above in 10545, so that 'pitching it' means providing, arranging, and setting those things in order; and from the meaning of 'the camp' as the heavenly order which heaven and the Church arise from and conform to. And since all the truths and forms of good of heaven and the Church are elements of that order, that which contains them is also meant. The reason why these elements are meant by 'the camp' is that by 'the children of Israel' who made up the camp all truths and forms of good in their entirety are meant. But when the children of Israel worshipped the calf instead of Jehovah their camp had a contrary meaning, namely hellish order and also that which contains the falsity and evil that compose hell. Whether you speak of the external things of worship and the Church without anything internal or you speak of hell, it amounts to the same thing; for people whose worship is external and not at all internal are ruled by self-love and love of the world, and self-love and love of the world come from hell. From this it is evident why 'Moses took his tent and pitched it outside the camp, far from the camp' - for 'the tent', as has been stated above, meant the holiness of worship, the Church, and the Word - and why those words mean remote from the external things in which the interest of the Israelite nation lay.

'The camp' means heavenly order, and 'encamping' means arranging good and truth into heavenly order, see 4236, 8103(end), 8130, 8131, 8155, 8193, 8196.

[2] Consequently 'the camp' means heaven and the Church, in that they contain that good and truth, 10038, and in the contrary sense hell, 10458.

Also, the external side of worship and of the Church separated from the internal constitutes hell, 10483, 10489, because people whose interest lies in external things separated from what is internal never receive any Divine influx at all, 10429, 10472, and are therefore incapable of possessing any faith in the Lord or love to Him, 10396, 10400, 10411.

They look solely in the direction of their own loves, thus in the direction of hell, 10422, and consequently worship self as their god, 10407, 10412.

The interest of the Israelite nation lay in external things separated from what was internal, see in the places referred to in 9380, and also what is said in 9373, 9381, 10396, 10401, 10407, 10492, 10498, 10500, 10533.

10422. 'They have suddenly departed from the way which I have commanded them' means that they have removed themselves from Divine Truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'departing from the way' as removing themselves from truth. 'Departing' means removing themselves, for those whose interest lies in external things separated from what is internal remove themselves; and 'the way' means truth, dealt with below. Divine Truth is what they remove themselves from because, as it says, it is the way which Jehovah has commanded them that they have departed from.

[2] The meaning of 'the way' as truth has its origin in things that appear in the spiritual world. There also ways and paths appear, and in the cities streets and lanes; and spirits do not take any except the ones leading to those whom love draws them into association with. This explains why spirits' characters as regards truth may be recognized from the way or road they go along; for all truth leads to its own love, that being called truth which lends support to what is loved. It also explains why in the everyday language people use 'the way to go' denotes that which is true; for human language derives this usage, as it does very many others, from the spiritual world.

[3] This then accounts for the meaning in the Word of 'way', 'path', 'pathway', 'track', 'street', and 'lane' as truths, and in the contrary sense falsities, as is evident from the following places: In Jeremiah,

Stand close to the ways ¹ and look; ask concerning the ways of old ² , Which way is the best? Jeremiah 6:16.

In the same prophet,

Make good your ways and your works; do not trust in lying words ³ . Jeremiah 7:3-5.

In the same prophet,

Do not learn the way of the nations ⁴ . Jeremiah 10:2.

In the same prophet,

I will give to each according to his ways, according to the fruit of his works. Jeremiah 17:10.

In the same prophet,

They have caused them to stumble in their ways, in the pathways of old ² , in order that they go away [into] by-paths and not the highway. Jeremiah 18:15.

In the same prophet,

I will give them one heart and one way. Jeremiah 32:39.

In David,

Make Your ways known to me, O Jehovah, teach me Your paths; lead me in Your truth. Psalms 25:4-5.

In the Book of Judges,

In the days of Jael the ways ceased ⁵ . And those going along the paths went along twisting ways. Judges 5:6.

In Isaiah,

Depart from the way, cause [yourselves] to turn aside from the path. Let your ears hear the word from behind you, This is the way; go in it. Isaiah 30:11, 21.

In the same prophet,

The paths have been devastated, the wayfarer has ceased. Isaiah 33:8.

In the same prophet,

There will also be a path there and a way, which will be called the way of holiness. The unclean one will not pass through it; but it will be for them. [The one] walking in the way and fools will not go astray. Isaiah 35:8.

[4] In the same prophet,

The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of Jehovah; make level in the lonely place a path for our God. With whom did He deliberate, that He might teach Him the way of judgement, and show Him the way of intelligence? Isaiah 40:3, 14.

In the same prophet,

... to say to those who are in darkness, Reveal yourselves. They will feed along the ways. I will set all My mountains as a way; My paths will be raised up. Isaiah 49:9, 11.

In the same prophet,

The way of peace they have not known, and there is no judgement in their tracks. They have perverted their paths for themselves. He who treads that [way] will not know peace. Isaiah 59:8.

In the same prophet,

Prepare the way for the people. Level out, level out the path. Say to the daughter of Zion, Behold, your salvation comes. Isaiah 62:10-11.

In the same prophet,

I have made ⁶ a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters. I will place a way in the wilderness. Isaiah 43:16, 19.

In Moses,

Cursed is the one who causes the blind to go astray in the way. Deuteronomy 27:18.

In Matthew,

Go to the ends of the ways, and whomever you find, summon to the wedding. Matthew 22:9.

In John,

Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. John 14:6.

In these places, and in very many others, 'the way' means truth and in the contrary sense falsity.

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