9216. Wherein he may sleep. That this signifies rest upon them, is evident from the signification of “sleeping,” as being to rest, here upon the external sensuous which is signified by the “garment” (see n. 9212); for it is said, “the garment wherein he may sleep.” How it is to be understood that interior things have rest upon the sensuous, shall be told. The sensuous is the ultimate of man’s life, as was shown above. This contains all the interior things, and is common to them, for they terminate in it, and thus rest upon it; as for example the skin, which is the ultimate covering of the body; for in this the interior things of the body terminate, because it contains them, wherefore also they rest upon it. The case is the same with the peritoneum in the body; as this membrane contains the viscera of the abdomen, they rest upon it, and also have a general connection with it. It is the same with the pleura relatively to the viscera of the chest.

[2] It is the same with all things that belong to man’s very life, as with those which relate to his understanding, and those which relate to his will. These also follow in order from interior to exterior things. Exterior things are memory-knowledges with their pleasant feelings; and outermost things are those of the senses, which communicate with the world by the sight, the hearing, the taste, the smell, and the touch. Upon these the interior things rest, for in these they terminate. These are the things which are signified in the spiritual sense by the “covering” or “garment wherein he may sleep.” That sensuous things are a “garment” or “covering,” is from correspondences; for, as before said (n. 9212), spirits and angels appear clothed in garments according to their truths of faith; in shining garments those who are in truths from good, as were the angels at the Lord’s sepulchre (Luke 24:4; Matthew 28:3); others in white garments of fine linen; as those spoken of in Revelation 19:14; and others in garments of various colors.

[3] Be it known moreover, that each and all things advance from the first or inmost successively to their ultimates, and there rest; also that prior or interior things have a connection with ultimates in successive order. Wherefore if the ultimates are removed, the interior things also are dispersed. From this also there are three heavens; the inmost or third heaven flows into the middle or second heaven; the middle or second heaven flows into the first or ultimate heaven; and this again flows in with man. Consequently the human race is the last in order, in which heaven terminates, and upon which it rests. Wherefore the Lord always provides from His Divine that there shall be a church among the human race, in which there shall be revealed truth Divine, which on our earth is the Word. By means of this, there is a continuous connection of the human race with the heavens. Therefore it is that in every detail of the Word there is an internal sense which is for heaven, and which is of such a nature that it conjoins angelic minds with human minds by a bond so close that they act as a one. From this it is again evident how the case is with the resting of interior things upon ultimates.

6723. And she took an ark of rush. That this signifies what is of low value round about, but nevertheless derived from truth, is evident from the signification of “an ark,” ¹ as being what is round about, or that in which anything is inclosed (of which in what follows); and from the signification of “rush,” as being what is of low value, but nevertheless derived from truth. That “rush” denotes what is of low value is evident, and that it denotes what is derived from truth is because a “rush” has this signification, as is clear in Isaiah:

Woe to the land that is overshadowed with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Cush; that sendeth envoys to the sea, even in vessels of rush upon the faces of the waters (Isaiah 18:1-2);

“the land overshadowed with wings” denotes the church, which darkens itself by means of reasonings from memory-knowledges; “beyond the rivers of Cush” denotes to the knowledges whereby they confirm false principles (n. 1164); “to send envoys to the sea” denotes to consult memory-knowledges (see n. 28); “in vessels of rush upon the faces of the waters,” denotes the lowest receptacles of truth.

[2] In the opposite sense:

The dry place shall become a pool, and the thirsty place springs of waters; there shall be grass instead of the reed and the rush (Isaiah 35:7);

“grass instead of the reed and the rush,” denotes that there will be true memory-knowledge instead of things in which there is no truth. That “grass” denotes true memory-knowledge is plain from the passages in the Word where it is mentioned.

[3] As it was provided that Moses should represent the Lord as to the law Divine, or the Word, specifically the historic Word, it was therefore brought about that when he was an infant he was placed in a little ark, but in one of low value, because he was in his first rising, and because his being there was only a representative; but that afterward when the law Divine itself had shone forth from Mount Sinai, it was placed in an ark which was called the “ark of the testimony.” (That the law Divine was placed in the ark, see Exodus 40:20; 1 Kings 8:9; and also that the books of Moses were placed in it, Deuteronomy 31:24-26.)

[4] Hence the ark was most holy, because it represented the Lord’s Divine Human as to the Divine law; for from the Lord’s Divine Human proceeds the Divine law, or the Divine truth, which is the same as the “Word” mentioned in John:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word; and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, the glory as of the Only-begotten of the Father (John 1:1, 14).

And as the ark represented that most holy thing, the propitiatory with the cherubs was placed over the ark; and near the veil thereof the lampstand with its lamps, and the golden table with loaves, both of which signified the Divine love. This then is the reason why Moses, when an infant, because he represented the law Divine, was placed in a little ark.

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