3312. Dwelling in tents. That this signifies the derivative worship, is evident from the signification of “tents,” as being the holy of love, and thence of worship (n. 414, 1102, 2145, 2152). That “tents” signify the holy of worship, is because in the most ancient time the man of the church who was in love to the Lord and thence in holy worship, dwelt in tents, and there performed his holy worship; and because at that time the holy of love and thence the holy of worship began to be represented by tents, it was commanded that they should make a Tent according to the pattern shown to Moses upon Mount Sinai, and should therein institute their Divine worship. Hence also the feast of tabernacles, and their then dwelling in tents, was for the sake of the representation of the holy worship which belonged to the man of the celestial church; and this shows that by “dwelling in tents” is signified worship.

1566. That “tents” are the worship of that which was separating itself from the internal, is evident from the signification of “tent,” as being the holy of worship (n. 414); and also from the representation of Lot, as being the external man, of which “tents”—or worship—are predicated. That in the opposite sense “tents” signify worship not holy, is also evident from the following passages of the Word.

In Hosea:

The nettle shall inherit them; thorns shall be in their tents (Hos. 9:6).

In Habakkuk:

I saw the tents of Cushan; the curtains of the land of Midian were greatly moved; Jehovah was angry against the rivers (Hab. 3:7-8).

In Jeremiah:

Shepherds with their flocks shall come unto the daughter of Zion; they shall pitch tents against her round about; they shall feed down everyone his space (Jeremiah 6:3).

In David:

He smote all the firstborn in Egypt, the beginning of strength in the tents of Ham (Psalms 78:51).

In the same:

I had rather stand at the threshold in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness (Psalms 84:10).