9437. And Moses was in the mountain forty days and forty nights. That this signifies what is complete in respect to instruction and influx, is evident from the signification of “forty,” as being what is full or complete. That “forty” denotes what is full or complete, is because “four” denotes what is full (see n. 9103), in like manner “ten” (n. 3107, 4638), and the number forty arises from four multiplied into ten; for multiplied numbers signify the same as the simple numbers from which they have been multiplied (n. 5291, 5335, 5708, 7973). (That all numbers in the Word signify real things, see n. 575, 3252, 4264, 4495, 4670, 5265, 6175.) It is from this then that Moses was in the mountain forty days and forty nights. That “forty” here signifies what is complete in respect to instruction and influx, is plain from what follows in chapters 25 to 32, in which are recounted the things concerning which he was instructed, which were the ark, Aaron, the Urim and Thummim, and the sacrifices. That “forty” signifies what is complete as to influx also, is because from that time Moses began to represent the holy external of the Word, which mediates between the Lord and the people; and mediation is effected by influx through this holy external into the representative in which the people were (see n. 9419).

[2] As “forty” signified what is full or complete, therefore Moses remained on Mount Sinai not only on this occasion, but also on another, “forty days and forty nights” (Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 9:18, 25; 10:10). And for this reason the sons of Israel wandered in the wilderness “forty years,” until, as it is said, “all that generation was consumed” (Numbers 14:33-34; 32:13). And for this reason it was said by Jonah to the Ninevites that “the city would be overthrown after forty days” (Jonah 3:4). And for this reason the prophet was commanded “to lie on the right side, and to bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days” (Ezekiel 4:6). For this reason also it is said of Egypt that it should be surrendered to “an utter solitude forty years, and after those years should be gathered together from the peoples” (Ezekiel 29:11-13). And for this reason “it rained upon the earth, so that it was inundated with a flood, forty days and forty nights” (Genesis 7:4, 12, 17). From this it is evident why it was decreed that a wicked man should be “beaten with forty stripes” (Deuteronomy 25:3); for “forty stripes” signified punishment to the full. From this it is also evident what is meant in the prophetic song of Deborah and Barak, that “there was neither shield nor spear seen in the forty thousands of Israel” (Judges 5:8); “in the forty thousands of Israel” denotes in all. It is evident also from this why the temple built by Solomon was “forty cubits long” (1 Kings 6:17); in like manner the new temple described in Ezekiel (41:2); for by “the temple,” in the supreme sense, is signified the Lord; in the internal sense, heaven and the church; and thus by “forty,” what is complete in respect to representation. In like manner in other passages.

9419. And Moses rose up, and Joshua his minister. That this signifies the Word and the representative, is evident from the representation of Moses, as being that which mediates between the Lord and the people who are in the external sense of the Word separate from the internal, thus also the Word, in accordance with what was shown just above (n. 9414); and from the representation of Joshua his minister, as being the representative. That Joshua here denotes the representative, is because the representative serves and ministers, in order that the external things of the Word and of worship may be presented to the Lord through the intermediate, which was Moses. But these things are of such a nature that they can with difficulty fall into ideas, except with those who know how the external or literal sense of the Word is presented representatively in heaven; namely, that it is presented in one manner with those who are in the external sense and at the same time in the internal, who are those in the external sense of the Word and at the same time in the true doctrine of the church; and in a different manner with those who are in the external sense separate from the internal, as was the case with this people. (In what manner it was effected with this people, see n. 4311)

[2] From this some idea can be formed of the intermediate which Moses represents, and the ministering representative which Joshua represents; namely, that the holy internal that belongs to the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, thus to the Word and the consequent worship, flows into heaven and is there received by the angels; and also that mediately through this holy internal, and also immediately, there flows in from the Lord a holiness into the good spirits who are with the man who is reading the Word, or is engaged in the derivative worship. This holiness is called the holy external; and when this flows in with man it presents representatives according to the correspondences with him. From all this it can be seen how the case is with the Intermediation which Moses now represents, and with the Ministry which Joshua represents; namely, that the holy external is the intermediate; and that the representative, which is the ultimate of order, is the ministry. But be it known that such is the nature of the influx of Divine truth that it does not fall into a human idea unless this is enlightened by the Lord; for a man perceives no otherwise than that the holiness of the Word and of worship inflows from man to the Lord. But this order is inverted order, and is called “physical influx.” (That this influx is apparent, and by no means real, see what has been shown in the passages cited above, n. 9223, 9227)