340. And blessing. That this signifies acknowledgment and glorification of the Lord on account of those things, and thanksgiving that from Him are all good and truth, and thence heaven and eternal happiness to those who receive them, is clear from the signification of blessing when it is said concerning the Lord, as denoting acknowledgment, here the acknowledgment that to Him belong Omnipotence, Omniscience, Providence, Divine good, and Divine truth, these being signified by His being worthy to receive power, riches, wisdom, honour, and glory, and also glorification on that account. Moreover, blessing, when said of the Lord, signifies thanksgiving that from Him is all the good of love and the truth of faith, and thence heaven and eternal happiness to those who receive them. Because acknowledgment and glorification on account of those things, and also thanksgiving, are here signified by blessing, therefore, it is said, in the last place or as a fitting end, by those angels who glorified the Lord. Those things are signified by blessing when said of the Lord, because nothing is a blessing but what is given by the Lord, for that alone is blessed, because it is Divine and eternal, and contains in itself heaven and eternal happiness; all other things, which have not in themselves what is Divine and eternal, are not a blessing, although they may be so called (see the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 269, 270).

[2] That blessing, when it is mentioned in the Word, signifies such things, is evident from the passages there understood in the internal sense. But first some passages shall be adduced, in which blessed and blessing are spoken of Jehovah, that is, of the Lord, and where it is said, blessed be God, in order that it may be seen that these signify acknowledgment, glorification, and thanksgiving, that from Him are all good and truth, and thence heaven and eternal happiness to those who receive them. In Luke:

"The mouth" of Zacharias "was opened and he spake, blessing God." And he said, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visited and made redemption for his people" (1:64, 67, 68).

Zacharias said this when, filled with the Spirit, he prophesied concerning the Lord; and by blessing God, and by, "blessed be the Lord God of Israel," are signified glorification and thanksgiving that He delivers and frees from hell those who receive Him. It is, therefore, also said, "for he hath visited and made redemption for his people Israel." By redemption is signified liberation from hell, and by His people are signified those who are in truths from good, thus those who receive Him. That by redemption is signified liberation and deliverance from hell, may be seen above, n. 328; and that by people are signified those who are in truths from good, may be seen above, n. 331.

[3] In the same:

Simeon took the infant Jesus in his arms, "and blessed God; and said, Mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples" (2:28-31).

Here, to bless God manifestly means, to glorify and give thanks that the Lord came into the world to save all who receive Him; therefore he calls the Lord the salvation which his eyes saw, which is prepared for all people. They are called His people who are in truths from good, thus who thereby receive Him, as was said above.

[4] In David:

"They have seen thy goings, O God. The singers went before, the players on instruments after, in the midst of the virgins playing with timbrels. Bless ye God in the congregations, the Lord from the fountain of salvation" (Psalms 68:24-26).

To bless God in the congregations, the Lord from the fountain of salvation, signifies to glorify the Lord from spiritual truths, which are truths from good. By congregations in the Word are signified the same as by people, namely, those who are in spiritual truths, and, abstractedly, those truths themselves; and by the fountain of salvation is signified spiritual good, because thereby is salvation. Spiritual good is the good of charity towards the neighbour, and spiritual truth is the truth of faith from that good. (That congregations in the Word are predicated of spiritual truths, may be seen, n. 6355, 7843.) Because by blessing in the congregations is signified glorification from spiritual truths, and by blessing from the fountain of salvation is signified [glorification] from spiritual good, therefore God is said of the former, and Lord of the latter; for God is mentioned in the Word, where truths are treated of, and Jehovah and Lord, where good is treated of. That glorification is meant by blessing, is clear from what immediately follows after these words, "The singers went before, the players on instruments after, in the midst of the virgins playing with timbrels," by which glorification is signified from spiritual truths and goods (as may be seen above, n. 323, 326).

[5] In the same:

"O sing unto Jehovah a new song; sing unto Jehovah, all the earth. Bless his name; proclaim his salvation from day to day. Recount his glory among the nations" (Psalms 96:1-3).

That to bless Jehovah here denotes to glorify Him, and to give thanks unto Him, is plain; and because all glorification of Him is from spiritual truths and from spiritual good, therefore, it is said, "bless his name, proclaim his salvation from day to day"; name also is said of truths, and salvation of good. To sing a song signifies to glorify from those truths and from that good, as may be seen above, n. 323, 326.

[6] In Moses:

Jehovah chose the sons of Levi, "to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of Jehovah" (Deuteronomy 10:8; 21:5).

Because the sons of Levi were appointed for Divine worship, and all Divine worship takes place from spiritual good and the truths thence, therefore, it is said that Jehovah chose them "to minister unto him, and to bless in his name"; and by ministering is signified worship from spiritual good, and by blessing is signified worship from spiritual truths. That to minister is said of worship from good, may be seen above, n. 155.

[7] In David:

"O Jehovah, thou hast prevented the King with the blessings of good; thou hast set a crown of pure gold on his head. Thou layest glory and honour upon him. For thou placest upon him blessings for ever" (Psalms 21:1, 3, 5, 6).

By the King here is not meant David, but the Lord, who is called King from the Divine Spiritual which proceeds from His Divine Human. And because blessing signifies acknowledgment, glorification, and thanksgiving, that all good and truth, and thence heaven and eternal happiness, are from Him, it is hence plain what is signified by, "Thou hast prevented the King with the blessings of good," and by, "thou placest upon him blessings for ever." Blessings of good signify truths from good; a crown of pure gold signifies the good from which these are; honour and glory signify the Divine good and the Divine truth. (That by David in the Word is meant the Lord, may be seen above, n. 205, similarly by king, in the Psalms, n. 31; that by the crown of kings is signified the Divine good, n. 272, similarly by gold, n. 242; and that by honour and glory are signified the Divine good and the Divine truth, n. 288.)

[8] From these considerations it is evident what blessed signifies when said of the Lord, as in the following passages:

The disciples cried with a great voice, "Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord" (Luke 19:37, 38).

The multitude cried, "Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord" (Matthew 21:9; Mark 11:9, 10; John 12:12, 13).

Jesus said, "Ye shall not see me henceforth, until ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord" (Matthew 23:38, 39; Luke 13:35).

"The High Priest asked Jesus, Art thou then the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" (Mark 14:61).

Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord, signifies glorified, because from Him are all Divine truth and Divine good. The name of the Lord signifies everything by which He is worshipped; and because all that has reference to the good of love and to the truth of faith, therefore, these things are signified by the name of the Lord. (That the Lord's name signifies everything by which He is worshipped, may be seen above (n. 102, 135, 148, 224); and that the Lord is called Lord from the Divine Good, in the Arcana Coelestia 4973, 9167, 9194).)

[9] In Moses:

Melchizedek blessed Abram, and said, "Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be the most high God, who hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand" (Genesis 14:18-20).

Here it is said, "Blessed be the most high God, who hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand," and it signifies that glorification and thanksgiving are His on that account. Those, therefore, who receive Divine good and Divine truth from the Lord, are called

"Blessed" (Psalms 37:22; 115:15; Matthew 25:34).

[10] That by blessing when said of man, is meant nothing else but the reception of Divine truth and Divine good, because in them are heaven and eternal happiness, is evident from the following passages:

In David:

"The clean in hands and the pure in heart shall bear the blessing from before Jehovah, and justice from the God of our salvation" (Psalms 24:4, 5).

He that is clean in hands signifies those who are in truths from faith, and the pure in heart those who are in good from love; concerning such it is said that they shall bear the blessing from before Jehovah, and justice from the God of salvation, and by bearing the blessing is signified the reception of Divine truth and by bearing justice the reception of Divine good. That justice is predicated of good, may be seen above, n. 204; and in the Arcana Coelestia 2235, 9857.

[11] In Moses:

"Thus shall ye bless the sons of Israel, Jehovah bless thee, and keep thee; Jehovah make his faces to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee; Jehovah lift up his faces upon thee, and give thee peace. Thus shall they put my name upon the sons of Israel; and I will bless them" (Num. 6:23-27).

From these words unfolded by the internal sense it is evident what blessing involves in summary; namely, that Jehovah, that is, the Lord from the Divine love, flows in with Divine truth and with Divine good with those who receive Him. The Divine love, from which the Lord flows in, is meant by the faces of Jehovah; the Divine truth, with which the Lord flows in, is meant by, "Jehovah make his faces to shine upon thee"; and the Divine good, with which He flows in, is meant by, "Jehovah lift up his faces upon thee"; protection from evils and falsities, which otherwise would take away the influx, is meant by, "keep thee and be gracious unto thee"; heaven and eternal happiness, which the Lord gives by His Divine truth and His Divine good, are meant by, give thee peace; communication and conjunction with those who receive Him, are meant by, "Thus shall they put my name upon the sons of Israel," the name of Jehovah signifying the Divine proceeding which, in general, is called Divine truth and Divine good, and the sons of Israel signifying those who are of the church, thus who receive [the Lord], concerning whom it is therefore said, and "I will bless them." That this is the internal or spiritual sense of these words is evident from this fact, that by the faces of Jehovah is signified the Divine love, by making them to shine is signified the influx of Divine truth, and by lifting them up the influx of Divine good; that these things may be better understood it shall be explained whence these significations arise. The Lord appears to the angels in heaven as a sun, for it is His Divine love which thus appears; this, therefore, is meant by the face of Jehovah; the light which thence proceeds is the Divine truth, this therefore is what is meant by making His faces to shine; the heat also which thence proceeds is the Divine good, this therefore is what is meant by lifting up His faces, for by lifting up is signified to reveal Himself, which is effected from the Divine good by means of the Divine truth. (That the Lord appears to the angels in heaven as a sun, and that such appearance is that of His Divine love, may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 116-125; and that the light thence is the Divine truth, also that the heat thence is the Divine good, n. 126-140. That peace signifies the celestial delight which inmostly affects every good with blessedness, and that it thence signifies heaven and eternal happiness, may be seen in the same work, n. 284-290; and that the sons of Israel signify those who belong to the church, consequently, the church, in the Arcana Coelestia 6426, 8805, 9340.)

[12] In Ezekiel:

"I will give them the circuits of my hill [as] a blessing, and I will send down the rain in its time, there shall be rams of blessing; then the tree shall give its fruit, the earth shall give its produce" (34:26, 27).

He who sees the Word merely in its natural sense, believes that such things only as are mentioned in that sense are meant by blessing, namely, that rain shall be given to make fruitful the gardens and fields, and so that the tree shall give its fruit, and the earth its produce; but it is a spiritual blessing which is meant, for by rain is signified everything Divine which flows in with man from the Lord out of heaven; that truths shall produce good, and that good shall produce truths, is signified by, the tree shall give its fruit, and the earth its produce. The earth denotes the church, as does also a garden in which there are trees; by these, and by the circuits of My hill which I shall give as a blessing, are signified the internal and external with the men of the church; a circuit signifies what is outside or below, and hill signifies what is within or above, specifically, where there is charity, for this is within. (That a hill signifies where charity is, may be seen, n. 6435, 10438.)

[13] In David:

"Blessed is every one that feareth Jehovah, that walketh in his ways. Thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands; blessed art thou, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house; thy sons like olive plants around thy tables. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed that feareth Jehovah. Jehovah shall bless thee out of Zion; that thou mayest see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel" (Psalms 128).

Here also by, to be blessed, is not meant to be blessed naturally, as that [a man] should eat the labour of his hands, that his wife should be fruitful, that many sons should be about his tables, and that this should be in Zion and in Jerusalem; but to be blessed spiritually is meant. For by them that fear Jehovah, are meant those who love to do His precepts; therefore it is said, blessed is he that feareth Jehovah, and walketh in His ways; to walk in His ways signifying to do His precepts. By the labour of his hands which he shall eat, is signified the study of the life according to them. By the wife by the sides of his house, is signified the affection of spiritual truth in all things that he thinks and does; therefore it is also said, "as a fruitful vine," for by a vine is signified the spiritual church from the affection of truth. By the sons around his tables are signified the truths of good thence; tables denoting instructions; therefore it is also said, "like olive-plants," the plants signifying truths, and the olives goods. By Zion is signified heaven whence those things are, and by Jerusalem doctrine. Hence it is evident what is signified by Jehovah shall bless thee out of Zion, that thou mayest see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. By peace upon Israel is signified all spiritual good in general and in particular, Israel denoting the church.

[14] In the same:

"As the dew of Hermon that descendeth upon the mountains of Zion; for there hath Jehovah commanded a blessing, life even for evermore" (Psalms 133:3).

The marriage of good and truth is here treated of, and their fructification and multiplication. The latter and the former are signified by, the dew of Hermon that descendeth upon the mountains of Zion, the mountains of Zion signifying where the goods of celestial love are; therefore it is also said, "there hath Jehovah commanded a blessing, life even for evermore."

[15] In Moses:

"If ye hearken to these judgments, to keep and do them, Jehovah thy God shall keep the covenant and the mercy; and he will love thee, and bless thee, and will bless the fruit of thy belly, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy new wine, and thine oil, the young of thy oxen, and of the rams of thy flock. Thou shalt be blessed above all peoples; there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle. And Jehovah will take away from you every disease, and all the evil sicknesses of Egypt, which thou hast known, he shall not lay upon thee; but will put them upon all that hate thee. And thou shalt consume all the peoples whom Jehovah thy God shall deliver to thee; thine eye shall not spare them" (Deuteronomy 7:12-16).

By all these words spiritual things are meant, thus spiritual blessings; the sense of the letter which is natural, and for those who are in the natural world, and thence in a natural idea, involving and signifying those things; therefore, from the spiritual sense of the Word it is evident what is meant by being blessed in general and in particular. By the fruit of the belly and by the fruit of the earth, by the corn, the new wine, and the oil, by the young of the oxen, and of the rams of the flock, are meant the multiplications of truth and the fructifications of good, thus spiritual blessings. (What is signified specifically by each may be seen in various places in the Arcana Coelestia, and in the explanations of this prophetic book.) There shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle, signifies the multiplication of truth and the fructification of good in the internal and the external man; and by Jehovah taking away from them every disease, and all the evil sicknesses of Egypt, is signified the removal of all evils and falsities; the evil sicknesses of Egypt denoting the falsities arising from evils in the natural man. The haters, upon whom Jehovah will put them, denote those who are against the goods and truths of the church. The dispersion of the evils and falsities that are opposed to the truths and goods of the church, is signified by, thou shalt consume all the peoples whom Jehovah thy God shall deliver to thee; and the continual shunning of them by, thine eye shall not spare them. That by these things those who do the Lord's precepts are blessed is meant by, "If ye hearken to these judgments, to keep and do them, Jehovah thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy; He will love thee, and bless thee." Covenant and mercy denote a conjunction from love by them; conjunction by good is meant by the covenant, and by, He will love thee; and conjunction by truth thence is meant by mercy, and by, He will bless thee.

[16] In the same:

"He shall bless thee with blessings of heaven from above, with blessings of the deep that lieth under, with blessings of the breasts and of the womb" (Genesis 49:25).

These things are said of Joseph, by whom is here signified the Lord's spiritual kingdom; and by the blessings of heaven from above are meant the multiplications of truth from good in the internal or spiritual man; by the blessings of the deep that lieth under, are meant the multiplications of truth from good in the external or natural man; and by blessings of the breasts and of the womb, are signified spiritual and celestial goods.

[17] In Joel:

"Who knoweth? Let him return, and it will repent" Jehovah God "and he will leave behind him a blessing, a meat-offering and a drink-offering unto Jehovah our God" (2:14).

Because by blessing is signified spiritual blessing, which in general has reference to good and truth proceeding from the Lord, and given to man, it is therefore said, he shall leave behind him a blessing, a meat-offering, and a drink-offering from our God. The meat-offering, which was bread, signifies good, and the drink-offering, which was wine, signifies truth, both from the Lord, for it is said, from our God.

[18] In Isaiah:

"In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt into Assyria, that the Assyrian may come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, that the Egyptians may serve with the Assyrian. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the land; whom Jehovah shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance" (19:23-25).

By Israel, Assyria, and Egypt, are signified the three things that are with the men of the church, namely, the Spiritual, the Rational, and the Scientific; by Israel the Spiritual, by Assyria the Rational, and by Egypt the scientific. Inasmuch as the whole Rational of man is formed by scientifics, and both are from the spiritual part which is from heaven from the Lord (for all understanding of truth and all application of knowledges to truths are thence), it is therefore said that there shall be a highway from Egypt into Assyria, that Assyria may come into Egypt and Egypt into Assyria; and that the Egyptians may serve with the Assyrian; and afterwards, that Israel shall be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the land. The midst signifies the inmost from which the rest, or from which the whole is derived (as may be seen above, n. [313] ¹ ); and the land, the church where these things are; and because it is the Spiritual from which the Rational and the Scientific are applied to genuine truths, therefore Israel is called the inheritance, or the heir of the house who possesses all things; and Assyria, the work of My hands, because the Rational is thence formed; and Egypt is called a blessed people, because, in the Scientific, as in their ultimate, all things are together; from these considerations also it is evident that by a blessing in the Word is meant a spiritual blessing.

[19] In Zechariah:

"As ye were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I liberate you that ye may be a blessing" (8:13).

These things are said concerning the devastated church, and concerning the church to be established by the Lord. The house of Judah and the house of Israel signify the church, here in both senses. The church devastated is called a curse, because therein are evil and falsity; but the church to be established is called a blessing, because therein are good and truth.

[20] In David:

"Salvation unto Jehovah, thy blessing upon thy people" (Psalms 3:3).

The blessing of Jehovah upon His people signifies the influx and reception of good and truth; those are called the people of Jehovah who are in spiritual good (see above, n. 331).

[21] In Moses:

"I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, that thou mayest become a blessing. I will also bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee; and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 12:2, 3).

In the same:

"All the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him" (Genesis 18:18).

These things are said concerning Abraham, and by him, in the highest sense, is meant the Lord, and, in a respective sense, the Lord's celestial kingdom, and the celestial church. Hence it is evident what is signified by I will make thee into a great nation, and I will bless thee, that thou mayest become a blessing, namely, that therein shall be Divine good and Divine truth; a great nation being said of Divine good (see above, n. 331), and a blessing of Divine truth. I will bless them that bless thee, signifies that Divine truth shall be with those who receive it, and the falsity of evil with those who do not receive it. In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him, signifies that from the reception of Divine truth and Divine good they have heaven and eternal happiness. The families of the earth signify those who are in truths from good, families denoting truths, nations denoting goods. Blessing signifies that hence they have heaven and eternal happiness.

[22] The same is signified by the blessing of Israel and Jacob. In the same:

"Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee" (Num. 24:9).

And in the same:

"And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and shall spread itself towards the west, and towards the east, and towards the north, and towards the south; and in thee, and in thy seed, shall all the families of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 28:14).

By Israel and Jacob also, in the highest sense, the Lord is meant, and, in the respective sense, the Lord's spiritual kingdom and the spiritual church; by Israel that church internal, by Jacob [that church] external. By the seed that shall be as the dust of the earth, and which shall spread itself towards the west, the east, the north, and the south, is signified the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, and received by those who belong to that church; the fructification of good thence is signified by its spreading itself towards the west and the east, and the multiplication of truth thence is signified by its spreading itself towards the north and the south. (That those quarters have such significations, may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 141-153.)

[23] That the Lord blessed the bread, the wine, the fishes which He gave to the disciples and to the people (Matthew 14:15, 21, 22; 15:32; 26:26, 27; Mark 6:41; 8:6, 7; 14:22, 23; Luke 9:16; 22:19; 24:30), signified the communication of His Divine, and thus conjunction with them by means of goods and truths, which are signified by bread and wine, and also by fishes; bread and wine signify goods and truths in the spiritual man, and fishes signify goods and truths in the natural.

[24] In Isaiah:

"He shall call his servants by another name; he who blesseth himself in the earth, shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth, shall swear by the God of truth; because the former distresses shall be delivered to forgetfulness " (65:15, 16).

By blessing himself is signified self-instruction in Divine truths, and the application of them to life. The reason why this is signified by swearing, is, because an oath, in the internal sense, signifies confirmation in oneself, and conviction that it is so, and this is effected from good by means of truths; truths are confirmed and proved with man only from good. A new church is here treated of; and by calling by another name is signified its quality as to truth and good.

[25] In Jeremiah:

"Swear by the living Jehovah, in truth, in judgment, and in justice; the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory" (4:2).

The same is here signified by swearing and blessing themselves; the nations which shall bless themselves in Jehovah signify those who are in good.

[26] By blessing, in the opposite sense, is signified to love evil and falsity, and to imbibe the same. As in Isaiah:

"He who slayeth an ox smiteth a man, he who offers frankincense blesseth vanity; they have also chosen these things in their own ways" (66:3).

To slay or sacrifice an ox, and to smite a man, signify to worship God in externals, and yet to reject all truth. By sacrificing an ox is signified worship from those things which represented natural good, for an ox denotes natural good; and by smiting a man is signified to reject and deny the truth, man in the Word denoting truth. To offer incense and to bless vanity, signify to worship God from such things as represented spiritual good, and yet to love evil and falsity, and to imbibe them; an offering of incense denoting worship from spiritual good, and vanity denoting evil and the falsity of evil.

Footnotes:

2576. 'Behold, it is for you a covering of the eyes for all who are with you' means that rational truths are like a covering or garment for spiritual truths. This is clear from the meaning of 'a covering', to be dealt with immediately below, and from the meaning of 'the eyes' as things of the understanding, as is evident from very many places in the Word, and also from the meaning of 'seeing' as understanding, 2150, 2325. Anyone may see that each detail in this verse holds arcana within it which cannot be brought to light except by some interior sense - such as the detail that it is said 'he gave a thousand pieces of silver to her brother' not 'to her husband'; or the details that it was 'a covering of the eyes', and that it was 'for her and all who were with her', also 'with all'; or the detail 'so she was vindicated'. Many historical inferences might indeed be drawn from the sense of the letter, but none of these would have anything spiritual in them, still less anything Divine. Such is the nature of the Word.

[2] As regards rational truths being like a covering or garment for spiritual truths, the position is that the inmost parts of man's being belong to his soul, while the more exterior belong to his body. Man's inmost parts consist in goods and truths from which the soul has its life, or else the soul would not be a soul. Those which are more exterior however derive their life from the soul, and each one of them is like a body, or what amounts to the same, a covering or garment. This becomes clear in particular from the things that are seen in the next life, for example, from angels when these are presented to view. The interior parts of their beings shine from their faces, while the exterior are represented both in their bodies and in the clothes they are wearing, so completely that anyone there may recognize the character of those angels simply from the clothes they are wearing; for every angel consists of real substance and so is an essence given outward form. It is similar in the case of angels who have been seen and whose faces and clothing are described in the Word, such as those seen in the Lord's tomb, Matthew 28:3; Mark 16:5; and the twenty-four elders around the throne, Revelation 4:4; and others. Nor does this apply only to angels but also to everything else, even inanimate objects, mentioned in the Word. Their exteriors are a covering or garment as with the Ark of the Covenant and the tent surrounding it. 'The Ark' there, which was inmost, represented the Lord Himself, for the Testimony belonged there, while 'the tent' outside of it represented the Lord's kingdom. Every single one of 'the coverings' there, that is, the veils and screens, represented the exterior celestial and spiritual things within the Lord's kingdom, that is to say, within the three heavens. This becomes clear from the plan of it that was shown to Moses on Mount Sinai, Exodus 25:9; 26:30. It was this that gave it its holiness, not the gold and silver and the carvings that were in it.

[3] Since the matter of rational truths being like a covering or garment to spiritual truths is being discussed here, and since in Moses a description of the Tent is given - of its coverings or of its screens, and also of its veils in front of places of entry - let an explanation be given, for the sake of illustration, of what specifically was meant by the veils. (But what was meant by the enveloping covers will in the Lord's Divine mercy be stated elsewhere.) The Tabernacle had three veils, the first, which made a division between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies; the second, which is called a screen serving as a door into the tent; the third, which is called a screen serving as a gate into the court.

[4] The first of these, the veil itself, which was a screen in front of the Ark, is referred to in Moses,

You shall make a veil of violet and purple and twice-dyed scarlet and fine-twined linen. The work of a designer, ¹ you shall make it with cherubs on it. And you shall hang it on four pillars of shittim, overlaid with gold, and their hooks shall be of gold; [they shall stand] on four bases of silver. And you shall hang the veil under the clasps. And you shall bring in, within the veil, the Ark of the Testimony, and the veil shall divide for you the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. Exodus 26:31-34; 36:35-36.

This veil represented the most immediate and inmost appearances of rational good and truth, which occur among the angels of the third heaven. These appearances are described by the violet, purple, twice-dyed scarlet, and fine-twined linen, the red of which represented the goods that belong to love, and the white its truths. Also, the gold and silver with which the pillars were overlaid, and of which the hooks and bases were made had a similar representation. As regards colours being representative, see 1042, 1043, 1053, 1624; and as regards 'gold' meaning the good of love, 113, 1551, 1552, and 'silver' truth, 1551, 2048.

[5] This shows what is meant by the veil of the temple being torn in two, Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45 - namely that once all appearances had been dispelled the Lord entered into the Divine Itself, and at the same time He opened a means of access to the Divine Itself through His Human that had been made Divine.

[6] The second veil, or screen serving as a door to the tent, is referred to in Moses as follows,

You shall make a screen for a door of the tent, of violet and purple and twice-dyed scarlet and fine-twined linen, the work of an embroiderer. And you shall make for the screen five pillars of shittim and overlay them with gold, and their hooks shall be of gold; and you shall cast for them five bases of bronze. Exodus 26:36-37; 36:37-38

This screen represented the appearances of good and truth which are lower and more exterior than those mentioned already; that is, they are the middle appearances that belong to the rational, which occur among the angels of the second heaven. The description given to these appearances is virtually the same, the difference being that this screen had five pillars and five bases, by which number is meant something relatively small, for these appearances are not so unified or heavenly as the appearances belonging to the inmost or third heaven. Regarding the number 'five' meaning that which is small, see 649, 1686. And because these appearances look to natural things, it was commanded that the bases should be cast of bronze; for bronze represented and meant natural good, 425, 1551.

[7] The third veil, or screen serving as a gate into the court, is referred to in Moses as follows,

The screen for a gate of the court shall be twenty cubits [long], of violet and purple and twice-dyed scarlet and fine-twined linen, the work of an embroiderer; the pillars of it shall be four and the bases of these four. All the pillars of the surrounding court shall be fastened with silver; their hooks shall be of silver but their bases of bronze. Exodus 27:16-17; 38:18-19

This screen represented the still lower and more exterior appearances of good and truth, which are the lowest appearances belonging to the rational, and which occur among the angels of the first heaven. Because these appearances correspond to those that are more interior the description given to them is also much the same, the differences being that the pillars were not overlaid with gold but were fastened together with silver, while the hooks were made of silver - all of which mean rational truths such as have their origin immediately in factual knowledge - and the bases were made of bronze which mean natural goods. All these considerations show that there was nothing in the Tent which was not representative of the celestial and spiritual things of the Lord's kingdom; that is, they show that all those things were made so as to provide every type or imprint of the celestial and spiritual things that exist in the three heavens. And they also show that the coverings or screens meant things which, like a body or clothing, surround or are outside of that which is inmost.

[8] In addition to all this, the fact that coverings, screens, and a garment or clothes mean relatively lower truths becomes clear from many places in the Word, as in Ezekiel,

Fine linen with embroidered work from Egypt was your sail, violet and purple from the islands of Elishah was your covering. ² Ezekiel 27:7.

This refers to 'Tyre', which means interior cognitions of celestial and spiritual things, and therefore those who possess those cognitions, 1201. 'Embroidered work from Egypt' stands for factual knowledge - 'Egypt' meaning factual knowledge, 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462. 'Violet and purple from the islands of Elishah as a covering' stands for forms of ritual corresponding to internal worship, 1156.

[9] In the same prophet,

All the princes of the sea will step down from upon their thrones, and will remove their robes and will strip off their embroidered clothes. They will clothe themselves with tremblings; they will sit on the ground. Ezekiel 26:16.

This too refers to 'Tyre'. 'Robes' and 'embroidered clothes' stand for cognitions formed out of factual knowledge, and so stand for lower truths.

[10] In the same prophet,

I clothed you with embroidered cloth and shod you with badger, and I swathed you in fine linen and covered you with silk, and I adorned you with adornments and put bracelets on your hands and a chain on your neck. You took some of your garments and made for yourself gaily-decked high places and committed whoredom on them. You took your embroidered clothes and covered them. Ezekiel 16:10-11, 16, 18.

This describes 'Jerusalem', which is the spiritual Church, as it had been in early times and as it was subsequently when perverted. Its lower spiritual things and its matters of doctrine are the embroidered clothes, fine linen, and silk.

[11] In Isaiah,

The Lord, Jehovah Zebaoth, is taking away from Jerusalem and from Judah the whole staff of bread and staff of water. At that time a man will take hold of his brother, of his father's house, [saying,] You have clothing, you will be leader for us. On that day he will speak out, saying, I will not be a binder up; and in my house there is neither bread nor clothing. You shall not make me leader of the people. The Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion. And on that day the Lord will take away the finery of the anklets, and of the networks, and of the crescents, and of the necklaces, and of the chainlets, and of the bracts; ³ and the tiaras, and the garters, and the sashes, and the perfume boxes, ⁴ and the earrings; the rings, and the nose-jewels, the changes of clothes, and the robes, and the veils, and the pin-cases, and the mirrors, and the muslin, and the turbans, and the mantles. Isaiah 3:1, 6-7, 17-24.

'Jerusalem' stands for the spiritual Church, 'Judah' for the celestial Church, 'the staff of bread and the staff of water which will be taken away' for good and truth. 'The clothing which the leader will have' stands for the truths that make up doctrine. The various articles of clothing and adornments that are listed belonging to the daughters of Zion mean every single genus and species of good and truth which were to be taken away from them. Unless each item that is mentioned meant some specific detail of the Church they would not be part of the Word, every expression of which has what is Divine within it. 'The daughters of Zion' who are said to possess all these articles means those things that constitute the Church; see 2362.

[12] In the same prophet,

Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion, put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; no more may there come in to you the uncircumcised and the unclean. Isaiah 52:1-2.

'Zion' stands for the celestial Church, 'Jerusalem' for the spiritual, 'beautiful garments' for the sacred things of faith. In the same prophet,

Their webs do not become clothing, neither are they covered in their works. Their works are works of iniquity. Isaiah 59:6.

'Webs' stands for made-up truths which do not become clothing. 'Clothing' stands for exterior truths of doctrine and worship, hence the statement 'neither are they covered in their works'.

[13] In the same prophet,

I will greatly rejoice in Jehovah, my soul will exult in my God, for He will clothe me with the clothes of salvation, with the robe of righteousness has He covered me. Isaiah 61:10.

'The clothes of salvation' stands for truths of faith, 'the robe of righteousness' for the good that flows from charity. In John,

You have a few names also in Sardis, who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who conquers will be clad in white garments. Revelation 3:4-5.

In the same book,

Blessed is he who is awake and keeps his garments, so that he may not walk naked. Revelation 16:15.

In the same book,

On the thrones I saw twenty-four elders seated, clad in white garments. Revelation 4:4.

Here it is evident that 'garments' do not mean garments but spiritual things, which are forms of truth.

[14] The same may be seen in what the Lord said when speaking about the close of the age. When He said that people were not to turn back and fetch their garments, Matthew 24:18; Mark 13:16, truths were meant by 'garments', see 2454, as they also are in His reference to the man who was not wearing a wedding garment, Matthew 22:11-12, and in His reference to John,

What did you go out to see. A man clad in fine garments? Those who wear fine garments are in kings' houses. Matthew 11:8; Luke 7:25.

This means that they did not care about the external things of doctrine and worship but about the internal, and this is why He adds,

What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. Matthew 11:9.

'A prophet' here stands for the external things of doctrine and worship.

[15] As 'clothes' meant truths of every kind the children of Israel were commanded when leaving Egypt to ask from their neighbour for gold and silver, and for clothes, and to place them on their children, Exodus 3:22; 12:35-36.

[16] They were also commanded not to wear clothes made from different kinds of stuff, or to wear mixed ones, Leviticus 19:19; Deuteronomy 22:11; and were commanded to make tassels for the hems of their clothes, to put a violet cord there, and when they saw it were to recollect the commandments and carry them out, Numbers 15:38-40. In former times they also rent their clothes, as is evident in Joshua 7:6; Judges 11:35; 1 Samuel 4:12; 2 Samuel 1:2, 11-12; 3:31; 13:30-31; 15:32; 1 Kings 21:27; 2 Kings 5:7-8; 6:30; 22:11, 14, 19; Isaiah 36:22; 37:1. This action meant a zealous regard for doctrine and truth which had in a similar way been torn to shreds, and also a humble recognition that nothing existed with them, which is meant by the adornment of clothing.

[17] That veils, screens, garments, or clothes mean such things is also evident with the prophecy of Jacob, who by now was Israel,

He will bind his colt to the vine, and the foal of his ass to a choice vine. He will wash his clothing in wine, and his garment in the blood of grapes. Genesis 49:11.

What these words mean nobody can know except from the internal sense, that is to say, what is meant by 'a vine', 'a choice vine', 'a colt', 'the foal of an ass', 'wine', 'the blood of grapes', 'clothing', and 'garment'. That it is a reference to the Lord who in that prophecy is called 'Shiloh' is self-evident. The reference at this point is to Judah who represents the Lord's Divine celestial. 'The clothing he was to wash in wine' and 'the garment in the blood of grapes' mean His Rational and Natural which He was to make Divine.

[18] Similarly in Isaiah,

Who is this coming from Edom, with dyed clothes from Bozra, he that is glorious in his apparel, marching in the vast numbers of his strength? Why are you red as to your clothing, and your clothes like his that treads the winepress? And I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with me. Their victory has been sprinkled on my clothes, and I have stained all my raiment. Isaiah 63:1-3.

Here also 'clothes' and 'raiment' stand for the Lord's Human which, by means of the conflicts brought about by temptations and by means of victories, He made Divine by His own power; hence the statement, 'I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with me'. The reference to 'Isaac smelling the smell of Esau's clothes, and so blessing him' implies much the same, Genesis 27:27.

[19] The Holiness itself of the Lord's Divine Human was also a garment which was seen as light and as something dazzling white when He was transfigured, described in Matthew as follows,

When Jesus was transfigured His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became [white] as the light. Matthew 17:2.

In Luke,

When Jesus was praying the appearance of His face was altered; His clothing became dazzling white. Luke 9:29.

And in Mark,

When Jesus was transfigured His clothes became glistening, intensely white like snow, as no fuller on earth could bleach them. Mark 9:3.

The sacred vestments worn by Aaron when he went inside the veil, which were made of linen, were similarly representative, Leviticus 16:2, 4, and so were the sacred vestments 'for glory and adornment' when he ministered, which are described in Exodus 28:2-end; 39:1-end. Not a detail of those vestments failed to be representative.

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