9349. In chapters 20-23, the laws, judgments, and statutes, that were promulgated from Mount Sinai, have been treated of, and it has been shown what they contain in the internal sense, thus how they are perceived in heaven; namely, not according to the literal sense, but according to the spiritual sense, which is not apparent in the letter, but still is within it. One who does not know how this is, may indeed suppose that the Word as to its literal sense is thus annihilated, because in heaven no attention is paid to it. But be it known that the literal sense of the Word is by no means thereby annihilated; but is indeed rather confirmed; and that each word has weight, and is holy, from the spiritual sense which is within; because the literal sense is the basis and support on which the spiritual sense rests, and with which it coheres in the closest conjunction, insomuch that there is not even a jot or point, or a little horn, in the letter of the Word, which does not contain within it the holy Divine; according to the words of the Lord in Matthew:

Verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one little horn shall not pass away from the law, till all things be done (Matthew 5:18);

It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one point in the law to fail (Luke 16:17).

(That “the law” denotes the Word, see n. 6752, 7463.)

[2] Therefore also it has come to pass through the Divine providence of the Lord, that the Word, especially the Word of the Old Testament, has been preserved in respect to every jot and point from the time when it was written. It has also been shown from heaven, that in the Word not only every expression, but also every syllable, and what seems incredible, every little horn of a syllable in the original tongue infolds in it something holy, which becomes perceptible to the angels of the inmost heaven. That this is the case I am able to affirm; but I know that it transcends belief. From this it is evident that the outward rituals of the church, which represented the Lord and the internal things of heaven and the church that are from the Lord, and which are treated of in the Word of the Old Testament, have indeed been for the most part abrogated, but that the Word nevertheless remains in its Divine sanctity; because, as before said, each and all things therein still infold holy Divine things, which are perceived in heaven while the Word is being read; for in every detail there is a holy internal which is its internal sense; that is, its heavenly and Divine sense. This sense is the soul of the Word, and it is truth Divine itself proceeding from the Lord; thus it is the Lord Himself.

[3] From all this it can be seen how the case is with the laws, judgments, and statutes promulgated by the Lord from Mount Sinai, and which are contained in chapters 20-23, which have been explained; namely, that each and all things therein are holy because they are holy in their internal form; but that nevertheless some of them have been abrogated in respect to present use where the church is, which is an internal church. Some of them however are of such a nature that they may serve a use if one so pleases; and some of them are to be altogether observed and done. And yet those which have been abrogated in respect to use where the church is, and those which may serve a use if one so pleases, and also those which are to be altogether observed and done, are equally holy in their holy internal; for in its bosom the whole Word is Divine. This holy internal is that which the internal sense teaches, and is the same as the internal things of the Christian Church, which the doctrine of charity and faith teaches.

[4] In order that what has been said may be placed within the apprehension, let us take for illustration the laws, judgments, and statutes treated of in the aforesaid chapters. Those which are to be altogether observed and done are those contained in Exodus 20:3-5, 7-8, 12-17, 23; in Exodus 21:12, 14-15, 20; in Exodus 22:18-20, 28; and in Exodus 23:1-3, 6-8, 24-25, 32. Those which may serve a use if one so pleases, are such as are contained in Exodus 20:10; in Exodus 21:18-19, 22-25, 33-36; in Exodus 22:1-14, 17, 21-23, 25-27, 31; and in Exodus 23:4-5, 9, 12-16, 33. And those which have been abrogated in respect to present use where the church is, are contained in Exodus 20:24-26; 21:2-11, 16, 21, 26-29, 31-32; in Exodus 22:15, 29-30; and in Exodus 23:10-11, 17-19. But, as before said, both the latter and the former are equally holy, that is, are equally the Divine Word.

6752. And she called his name Moses. That this signifies the quality of state then, is evident from the signification of a “name,” and “calling a name as being the quality (n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006, 3421, 6674); here the quality of the state, because when anyone is named, the name itself then signifies the state (see n. 1946, 2643, 3422, 4298). The quality of state which is signified, is that of the law Divine in the beginning with the Lord, and that of truth Divine in the beginning with the man who is being regenerated. Two men especially represent the Lord as to the Word, namely, Moses and Elias; Moses as to the historic books, Elias as to the prophetic. There are besides, Elisha, and lastly John the Baptist, wherefore this is he who is meant by “Elias who was to come” (Matthew 17:10-13; Luke 1:17). But before it can be shown that Moses represents the law Divine, what this is must be told. The law Divine in a wide sense signifies the whole Word; in a sense less extended the historic Word; in a close sense, what was written through Moses; and in the closest sense, the ten commandments written on the tables of stone upon Mount Sinai. Moses represents the law in the less wide sense, also in the close, and likewise in the closest sense.

[2] That “the law,” in a wide sense, is the whole Word, both historic and prophetic, is evident in John:

We have heard out of the law that the Christ [Messiah] abideth forever (John 12:34).

That by “the law” here is meant also the prophetic Word, is plain, for this is written in Isaiah 9:6-7; Psalms 110:4; and in Daniel 7:13-14. Again in John:

That the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated Me without a cause (John 15:25); where the sense is the same, for this is written in Psalms 35:19.

In Matthew:

Verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall not pass away from the law, till all things be done (Matthew 5:18); where “law” in the wide sense denotes the whole Word.

[3] That “the law” in a sense less wide is the historic Word, is evident in these passages:

All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets (Matthew 7:12);

here the Word is distinguished into the law and the prophets, and because the Word is distinguished into the historic and prophetic, it follows that by “the law” is meant the historic Word, and by “the prophets” the prophetic Word.

On these two commandments hang the law and the prophets (Matthew 22:40).

The law and the prophets were until John: from that time the kingdom of God is evangelized (Luke 16:16; Matthew 11:13).

[4] That “the law” in a close sense is the Word that was written through Moses, is evident in these passages:

When Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law upon a book, even until he had completed them, Moses commanded the Levites who bare the ark of Jehovah, saying, Take the book of this law, and put it by the side of the ark of the covenant of Jehovah your God (Deuteronomy 31:24-26);

“the book of the law” denotes the books of Moses.

If thou wilt not watch to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, every disease and every plague which are not written in the book of this law, Jehovah will send secretly upon thee, even until thou be destroyed (Deuteronomy 28:58, 61); where the meaning is the same.

His good pleasure is in the law of Jehovah, and in His law doth he meditate day and night (Psalms 1:2);

“the law of Jehovah” denotes the books of Moses, for the prophetic books were not yet written, nor the historic except those of Joshua and of Judges. Besides passages in which the “law of Moses” is mentioned, to be seen below.

[5] That “the law” in the closest sense is the ten commandments written on tables of stone upon Mount Sinai, is known (see Josh. 8:32); but this law is also called “the testimony” (Exodus 25:16, 21).

[6] That Moses represents the law in a less wide sense, or the historic Word, and also the law in a close sense, and likewise in the closest sense, is evident from those passages where instead of “the law” mention is made of “Moses;” and where the law is called “the law of Moses,” as in Luke:

Abraham said to him, They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them. If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead (Luke 16:29, 31);

here by “Moses and the prophets” the like is signified as by “the law and the prophets,” namely, the historic and the prophetic Word; from which it is evident that “Moses” denotes the law, or the historic Word. Again:

Jesus beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, interpreted in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself (Luke 24:27).

All things must be fulfilled which are written in the law of Moses, and the prophets, and the psalms, concerning Me (Luke 24:44).

Philip said, We have found Jesus of whom Moses in the law did write (John 1:45).

Moses in the law commanded us (John 8:5).

There hath flowed down over us the curse and the oath, which was written in the law of Moses the servant of God; for we have sinned against Him. As it is written in the law of Moses, all evil is come upon us (Daniel 9:11, 13).

Joshua wrote upon the stone of the altar a copy of the law of Moses (Josh. 8:32).

[7] It is said “the law of Moses” because by Moses is represented the Lord as to the law, that is, as to the Word; and in a sense less wide, as to the historic Word. Hence it is that to Moses is attributed what is of the Lord, as in John:

Moses gave you the law; Moses gave you circumcision; if a man receive circumcision on the sabbath, that the law of Moses may not be broken (John 7:19, 22-23).

Moses said, Honor thy father and thy mother (Mark 7:10).

Jesus answering said to them, What did Moses command you? They said, Moses permitted to write a bill of divorcement and to put her away (Mark 10:3-4).

And because on account of the representation there is attributed to Moses what is of the Lord, it is said both “the law of Moses,” and “the law of the Lord,” in Luke:

When the days of her purification were fulfilled, according to the law of Moses, they brought Him into Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord), and to offer a sacrifice, according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtle doves, and two young pigeons (Luke 2:22-24, 39).

[8] As Moses represented the law, he was allowed to enter in unto the Lord on Mount Sinai, and not only to receive the tables of the law there, but also to hear the statutes and judgments of the law, and to deliver them to the people; and it is also said that “from this, they should believe in Moses forever.”

Jehovah said unto Moses, Lo I come unto thee in the thickness of the cloud, that the people may hear when I shall speak with thee, and may also believe in thee forever (Exodus 19:9);

it is said “in the thickness of the cloud” because by a “cloud” is meant the Word in the letter, and from this when Moses entered in unto the Lord on Mount Sinai, it is said that he “entered into the cloud” (Exodus 20:18; 24:2, 18; 34:25). (That a “cloud” denotes the literal sense of the Word, see the preface to Gen. 18; also n. 4060, 4391, 5922, 6343)

[9] And as Moses represented the law or the Word, therefore also when he came down from Mount Sinai,

The skin of his face shone when he spoke; and he put a veil upon his faces (Exodus 34:28 seq.).

The “shining of the faces” signified the internal of the law, for this is in the light of heaven, and is therefore called “glory” (n. 5922); and the “veil” signified the external of the law. That he veiled his face when he spoke with the people was because with them the internal was covered; and was so obscured to that people that they could not endure any of the light from it. (That the “face” denotes the internal, see n. 1999, 2434, 3527, 3573, 4066, 4796-4805, 5102, 5695.) As by Moses was represented the Lord as to the historic Word, and by Elias the Lord as to the prophetic Word, therefore when the Lord was transfigured, Moses and Elias were seen talking with Him (Matthew 17:3); nor could any others talk with the Lord when His Divine appeared in the world than they who represented the Word, for talking with the Lord is done through the Word. (That Elias represented the Lord as to the Word, see n. 2762, 5247.)

[10] And as both Moses and Elias together represented the whole Word, therefore where it is said of Elias that he should be “sent before the Lord,” mention is made of both:

Remember ye the law of Moses My servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, even statutes and judgments. Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet, before the great and terrible day of Jehovah come (Malachi 4:4-5).

These words involve that one would go before to announce the advent according to the Word.