9684. And the lampstand over against the table on the side of the Habitation toward the south. That this signifies the illumination of the spiritual kingdom by means of the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord’s Divine human to those who are in good is evident from the signification of “the lampstand” as being the Lord as to Divine truth, thus the Divine truth that proceeds from His Divine Human, and the consequent illumination of His spiritual kingdom (of which in what follows); from the signification of “the table upon which were the breads of faces,” over against which was the lampstand, as being the Lord as to celestial good, and thus this good itself, from which and through which the Lord flows into the spiritual kingdom, that is, into the middle heaven (of which also in what follows); and from the signification of “on the side of the Habitation toward the south,” as being in heaven where the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord’s Divine Human is in the greatest light; for the Habitation outside the veil, where the lampstand was, denotes the middle heaven (n. 9594), and “the south” or “midday” denotes where Divine truth is in its light (see n. 9642). That the lampstand was in the Habitation near the veil, and also the table upon which were the breads of faces; and that the lampstand was on the side toward the south, and the table on the side toward the north; are arcana of heaven which cannot be made plain unless it is known that the Habitation represented heaven, and the things in the Habitation the celestial and spiritual things which are in heaven. (What “the lampstand” represented has been shown above, n. 9548; and what “the table upon which were the breads of faces,” n. 9527, 9545; and what “the south” or “midday,” n. 9642; and what “the north,” n. 3708.) From this it can be seen that by “the lampstand on the side of the Habitation toward the south” is signified the illumination of the spiritual kingdom by means of the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord’s Divine Human.

[2] But in order that the arcana themselves may be clearly seen, it must be stated how the case is in the heavens. The Lord appears to those who are of the celestial kingdom as a Sun, but to those who are of the spiritual kingdom as a Moon. The Lord as a Sun appears at a middle altitude over against the right eye; and as a Moon also at a middle altitude over against the left eye. From the Lord as a Sun, light comes to those who are in His celestial kingdom; and from the Lord as a Moon, light comes to those who are in His spiritual kingdom (concerning these two kingdoms, see the places cited in n. 9277). The light in the heavens is the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord’s Divine Human, and this, when received by the angels of the spiritual kingdom, is called the truth of faith from the good of charity toward the neighbor. The middle heaven, which is called the spiritual heaven, consists of this good and this truth. The lampstand in the Habitation represented the Moon, from which those who are of the spiritual kingdom have light, thus it represented the Lord as to Divine truth there; for, as before said, the Lord appears as a Moon to those who belong to this kingdom. From all this it can now be seen why the lampstand was placed toward the south, for “the south” or “midday” denotes where Divine truth is in light (see n. 9642); and why the table upon which were the breads of faces was placed toward the north, for “the north” denotes where Divine truth is in obscurity (n. 3708). The case is the same with the Divine good signified by “the breads” upon this table; this good becomes spiritual good through the reception of Divine truth as of light from the Moon. These are the arcana which are signified by the lampstand and its position toward the south; and by the table upon which were the breads of faces, and its position toward the north.

[3] That “the lampstand” denotes the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord’s Divine Human, is evident from Revelation:

I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the feet, and girt about the breasts with a golden girdle (Revelation 1:12-13);

“the Son of man” denotes the Lord in respect to the Divine truth from His Divine Human (n. 2803, 2813, 3704). And in another passage in the same book:

The glory of God shall lighten the Holy City Jerusalem, and the Lamb is the lamp thereof (Revelation 21:23);

“the glory of God” denotes the Divine truth that proceeds from the the Lord, (n. 9429); “the lamp which is the Lamb,” that is, the Lord, denotes faith, and the consequent intelligence of truth and wisdom of good, which are from the Lord alone (n. 9548); “the New Jerusalem” denotes the Lord’s New Church (see n. 2117).

[4] (That the Lord is a Sun to those who are in the celestial kingdom, and appears as a Moon to those who are in the spiritual kingdom, see n. 1053, 1521, 1529-1531, 3636, 3643, 5097, 7083, 7173, 7270, 8644, 8812; consequently that by “the sun” in the Word is signified the Lord as to celestial good, and by “the moon” the Lord as to spiritual good, n. 1529, 1530, 2441, 2495, 4060, 4696, 7083, 8644; and that the Lord as a Sun appears at a middle altitude over against the right eye, and as a Moon also at a middle altitude over against the left eye, n. 1531, 4321, 7078, 7171. It is for this reason that the east in heaven is where the Lord appears as a Sun, and the south where the Lord appears as a Moon. (That the light from the Lord as a Sun and as a Man is the Divine truth that proceeds from His Divine Human, see n. 1053, 1521-1533, 1619-1632, 2776, 3094, 3138, 3167, 3190, 3195, 3222, 3223, 3337, 3339, 3341, 3636, 3643, 3862, 3993, 4060, 4180, 4302, 4408, 4414, 4415, 4419, 4527, 4598, 5400, 6032, 6313, 6315, 6608, 6907, 7174, 8644, 8707, 8861, 9399, 9407.) And as the light from the Lord as a Sun and as a Moon is the Divine truth that proceeds from Him, therefore the heat from the Lord as a Sun in heaven is the Divine good of His Divine love (n. 3338, 3339, 3636, 3643, 5215, 6032).

[5] From this can be seen the nature of the difference between the celestial kingdom and the spiritual kingdom of the Lord in respect to the reception of Divine truth, namely, that it is like the difference between the light from the sun and the light from the moon. (That on this account they who are in the spiritual kingdom are comparatively in obscurity in respect to the truth of faith and the good of love, see n. 2708, 2715, 2718, 2831, 2849, 2935, 2937, 3241, 3833, 6289, 6500, 6945, 7233; that these especially were saved by the coming of the Lord into the world, n. 2661, 2716, 3969, 6373, 6854, 6914, 7035, 7091, 7828, 7932a, 8018, 8054, 8159, 8321, 9596; and that they have illumination in the Lord’s Divine Human, n. 2716, 2833, 2834; but that those belonging to the spiritual church are saved who are in the good of life through the truths of faith, n. 2954, 6435, 6647, 6648, 7977, 7992, 8643, 8648, 8658, 8685, 8690, 8701)

2722. He planted a grove in Beersheba. That this signifies doctrine thence with its knowledges and its quality, is evident from the signification of a “grove,” and from the signification of “Beersheba.” As regards groves: in the Ancient Church holy worship was performed on mountains and in groves; on mountains, because mountains signified the celestial things of worship; and in groves, because groves signified its spiritual things. So long as that church, namely, the Ancient, was in its simplicity, their worship at that time on mountains and in groves was holy, for the reason that celestial things, which are those of love and charity, were represented by things high and lofty, such as mountains and hills; and spiritual things, which are therefrom, by things fruitful and leafy, such as gardens and groves; but after representatives and significatives began to be made idolatrous, by the worship of external things without internal, that holy worship became profane; and they were therefore forbidden to worship on mountains and in groves.

[2] That the ancients held holy worship on mountains is evident from the twelfth chapter of Genesis, where we read of Abraham:

He removed thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the sea, and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar, and called on the name of Jehovah (Genesis 12:8, n. 1449-1455);

and also from the signification of a “mountain,” as being the celestial of love (n. 795, 796, 1430). That they also held holy worship in groves is evident from what is stated in this verse: “Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the God of eternity;” and also from the signification of a “garden,” as being intelligence (n. 100, 108, 1588); and of “trees,” as being perceptions (n. 103, 2163). That this was forbidden is evident from the following passages.

In Moses:

Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any tree beside the altar of Jehovah thy God which thou shalt make thee, and thou shalt not set thee up a pillar; which Jehovah thy God hateth (Deuteronomy 16:21-22).

In the same:

The altars of the nations shall ye break down, and dash in pieces their pillars, and cut down their groves (Exodus 34:13);

and they were commanded to burn the groves of the nations with fire (Deuteronomy 12:3).

[3] And as the Jews and Israelites, among whom the representative ritual of the Ancient Church was introduced, were solely in externals, and at heart were nothing but idolaters, neither knowing nor wishing to know what anything internal was, nor the life after death, nor even that the Messiah’s kingdom was a heavenly one, therefore whenever they were in freedom they held profane worship on mountains and hills, and also in groves and forests; and likewise in place of mountains and hills they made for themselves high places, and in place of groves carved representations of a grove, as is evident from many passages in the Word. As in the book of Judges:

The sons of Israel served Baalim and the groves (Judg. 3:7).

In the book of Kings:

Israel made groves provoking Jehovah (1 Kings 14:15).

And in another place:

Judah built them high places, and pillars, and groves, upon every high hill, and under every green tree (1 Kings 14:23).

And again:

Israel built them high places in all their cities, and set up pillars and groves upon every high hill, and under every green tree (2 Kings 17:9-10).

And again:

Manasseh king of Judah reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel, and set the carved image of the grove which he had made in the house of God (2 Kings 21:3, 7);

from which it is manifest that they also made for themselves carved images of a grove. That these were destroyed by king Josiah may be seen in the same book:

Josiah caused all the vessels that were made for Baal and for the grove, and for the sun and the moon, and for all the army of the heavens, to be brought out of the temple of Jehovah, and he burnt them without Jerusalem, and the houses which the women had woven there for the grove (2 Kings 23:4-5, 7, 14-15).

He also cut down the groves which Solomon had made, and likewise the grove in Bethel which Jeroboam had made (2 Kings 23:4, 6-7, (23:6-7) 13-15). That king Hezekiah also demolished such things may be seen in the same book:

Hezekiah king of Judah removed the high places, and brake the pillars, and cut down the grove, and brake in pieces the brazen serpent which Moses had made (2 Kings 18:4).

[4] That the brazen serpent was holy in the time of Moses is evident; but when the external was worshiped it became profane, and was broken in pieces, for the same reason that worship on mountains and in groves was forbidden. These things are still more evident in the Prophets.

In Isaiah:

Inflaming yourselves with gods under every green tree; sacrificing the children in the rivers under the crags of the rocks; thou hast also poured out a drink-offering to the rivers, thou hast offered a gift; upon a high and lofty mountain hast thou set thy habitation, and thither wentest thou up ¹ to offer sacrifice (Isaiah 57:5-7).

In the same:

In that day shall a man look unto his Maker, and his eyes shall see the Holy One of Israel; and he shall not look to the altars the work of his hands, neither shall he see that which his fingers have made, and the groves and the sun images (Isaiah 17:7-8).

In Micah:

I will cut off thy graven images and thy pillars out of the midst of thee, and thou shalt no more bow thyself down to the work of thy hands; and I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy cities (Micah 5:13-14).

In Ezekiel:

That their slain may be among their idols, round about their altars, upon every high hill, on all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every tangled oak, the place where they did offer an odor of rest to all their idols (Ezekiel 6:13).

[5] From all this it is now manifest from what origin idolatrous worship came, namely, the worship of objects that were representative and significative. The most ancient people who were before the flood saw in each and everything-in mountains, hills, plains, and valleys, gardens, groves, and forests, rivers and waters, fields and plantations, trees and animals of every kind, and the luminaries of heaven-something representative and significative of the Lord’s kingdom; but they never dwelt with their eyes, still less with their minds, on these objects; but these things served them as means for thinking about the celestial and spiritual things in the Lord’s kingdom; and this to such a degree that there was nothing at all in universal nature that did not serve them as such means. The real fact is that everything in nature is representative, which is an arcanum at this day and scarcely believed by anyone. But after the celestial which is of love to the Lord had perished, the human race was then no longer in that state-namely, that from objects as means they could see the celestial and spiritual things of the Lord’s kingdom.

[6] Yet the ancients after the flood knew, from traditions, and from collections made by certain persons, that these things had such a signification; and as they were significative they esteemed them holy. Hence came the representative worship of the Ancient Church; which church, being spiritual, was not in the perception that a thing was so, but was in the knowledge of the fact; for it was relatively in obscurity (n. 2715). Nevertheless they did not worship outward things, but by means of outward things they called to mind inward things; and hence when they were in those representatives and significatives, they were in holiness of worship. They were able to be so because they were in spiritual love, that is, in charity, which they made an essential of worship; and therefore holiness from the Lord could flow into their worship. But when the state of the human race had become so changed and perverted that they removed themselves from the good of charity, and thus no longer believed that there was any heavenly kingdom, or any life after death, but that men were in a similar condition with animals, save only that they could think (as is also believed at this day), then the holy representative worship was turned into idolatry, and the outward things were worshiped. Hence with many Gentiles at that time, and also with the Jews and Israelites, the worship was not representative, but was a worship of the representatives and significatives; that is, of the outward things without the inward.

[7] As regards groves in particular, among the ancients they were of various signification, and indeed according to the kinds of trees in them. Groves of olive-trees signified the celestial things of worship; groves of vines signified the spiritual things of worship; but groves of fig-trees, cedars, fir-trees, poplars, and oaks, signified various things relating to what is celestial and spiritual. In the passage before us mention is made simply of a grove or plantation of trees; and this signifies the things of reason that were adjoined to doctrine and its knowledges; for trees in general signify perceptions (n. 103, 2163), but when they are predicated of the spiritual church they signify knowledges, for the reason that the man of the spiritual church has no other perceptions than those which come through knowledges from doctrine or the Word; for these become of his faith, and thus of conscience, from which he has perception.

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