Arcana Coelestia #9480
9480. 'That I may dwell in their midst' means the Lord's presence as a result in the representative Church. This is clear from the meaning of 'dwelling in the midst of', when said of the Lord, as His presence. For 'dwelling in' means one's being and life, 1293, 3384, 3613, 4451, and therefore 'dwelling in the midst of' means the presence of one's being and life. The reason why in the representative Church is meant is that the Lord's presence with that people was not within internal things, which are those of love and faith, but solely within the external things which represented those internal ones. Such was the nature of that presence, see 4311, and the places referred to in 9320 (end), 9380.
