9966. It is a statute of an age to him and to his seed after him. That this signifies the laws of order in the representative church, is evident from the signification of “a statute of an age,” as being a law of Divine order in the heavens and in the church (see n. 7884, 7995, 8357). It is said “in the representative church,” because the external things of worship which represented internal things were called “statutes” (n. 8972), thus those things which were representatives of the church; and because the internal things which were represented were Divine, thus eternal, therefore it is said, “a statute of an age;” for by “an age” is signified what is eternal.

7884. Ye shall keep it by an eternal statute. That this signifies the worship of the Lord according to the order of heaven on the part of those who are of the spiritual church, is evident from the signification of “an eternal statute,” as being the order of heaven (of which below); and from the signification of “keeping a feast,” as being the worship of the Lord (as just above, n. 7882); and because it is said to the sons of Israel that they should “keep it,” they are meant who are of the spiritual church. That “an eternal statute” denotes the order of heaven, is because all the statutes that were commanded to the sons of Israel were such as flowed from the order of heaven; consequently they also represented the things that are of heaven. By worship according to the order of heaven is meant all practicing of good according to the Lord’s precepts. By the worship of God at this day is chiefly meant the oral worship in a temple, both morning and evening. But the worship of God does not consist essentially in this, but in a life of uses; this latter worship is according to the order of heaven. Oral worship is also worship, but it is of no avail whatever unless there is the worship that belongs to the life; for this worship is of the heart; and oral worship, that it may be worship, must proceed from this.