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.

7463. And Moses said, Behold I go forth from thee. That this signifies the removal of the appearance of truth Divine among them, is evident from the representation of Moses, as being the law Divine (see n. 6723, 6752), thus also truth Divine (n. 7014, 7382); and from the signification of “going forth,” as being removal (as above, n. 7404). For by Pharaoh’s calling Moses and Aaron is signified the presence of truth Divine (n. 7451); and therefore here by “going forth from him” is signified removal. As regards the presence and the removal of truth Divine with the evil, be it known that truth from the Divine sometimes appears to them, and this through the presence of an angel near them; but truth from the Divine does not flow in with them through the interiors, as with the good, because with them the interiors have been closed; but it affects their exteriors only. When this happens they are in fear, and from this in humiliation, for the presence of truth from the Divine strikes them with dismay, and inspires them with fear as of death; but when truth from the Divine is removed they return into their former state and are devoid of fear. This is what is meant by the presence of the appearance of truth Divine, and by its removal. This also was represented by Pharaoh, in that when Moses was present he humbled himself and promised to let the people go, that they might sacrifice to Jehovah; but when Moses had gone forth from him he made heavy his heart (verse 28); for as shown above, Moses represented the law Divine, or truth Divine.

[2] That the law Divine is the same as truth Divine, is because the “law Divine” signifies the Word, and thus truth Divine. That the “law” signifies the Word, and thus truth Divine, is evident from the following passages, in John:

Jesus said, Is it not written in your law, I said Ye are gods? If He called them gods unto whom the Word was made, and the scripture cannot be broken (John 10:34-35); where “written in the law” denotes in the Word, for it is written in David. In the same:

The multitude said, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth forever (John 12:34);

this also was written in David. In the same:

Jesus said that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated Me without a cause (John 15:25);

this also is in David.

In Luke:

It is written in the law of the Lord that every male that openeth the womb should be called holy to the Lord, and that they should offer a sacrifice according to that which is written in the law of the Lord; a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons (Luke 2:23-24, 39);

this is in Moses. In the same:

A lawyer tempting Jesus, said, What shall I do to receive the heritage of eternal life? Jesus said unto him, What is written in the law? How readest thou? (Luke 10:25-26).

[3] In the same:

The law and the prophets were until John; from that time the kingdom of God is evangelized: it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than for one tittle of the law to fall (Luke 16:16-17);

besides passages where the Word is called “the law and the prophets” (as Matthew 5:18; 7:12; 11:13; 22:40).

In Isaiah:

Bind together the testimony, seal up the law for those whom I will teach (Isaiah 8:16);

“the law” denotes the Word. In the same:

Lying sons, sons that would not hear the law of Jehovah (Isaiah 30:9).

He will set judgment in the earth, and the isles shall hope in His law (Isaiah 42:4);

this is said of the Lord; “His law” denotes the Word. In the same:

Jehovah shall magnify His law (Isaiah 42:21).

Thus said Jehovah, If ye will not obey Me, to go in My law, which I have set before you, and ye are hearing the words of My servants the prophets (Jeremiah 26:4-5); where “the law” denotes the Word; besides many other passages. From this it is evident that “the law” denotes the Word, and because it denotes the Word, it denotes truth Divine, as in Jeremiah:

This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after these days, said Jehovah; I will put My law in the midst of them, and I will write it on their heart (Jeremiah 31:33); where “the law of Jehovah” denotes truth Divine.

[4] That “the law” in a wide sense is the whole Word, in a less wide sense the historic Word, in a still less wide sense the Word written by Moses, and in a narrow sense the commandments of the Decalogue, see n. 6752. From all this it can now be seen why it is said that Moses represents both the law Divine and also truth Divine.