9372. And He said unto Moses. That this signifies that which concerns the Word in general, is evident from the representation of Moses, as being the Word (of which below); and from the signification of “He said,” as involving those things which follow in this chapter, thus those which concern the Word (see n. 9370). (That Moses represents the Word, can be seen from what has been often shown before about Moses, as from the preface to Genesis 18; and n. 4859, 5922, 6723, 6752, 6771, 6827, 7010, 7014, 7089, 7382, 8601, 8760, 8787, 8805.) Here Moses represents the Word in general, because it is said of him in what follows, that he alone should come near unto Jehovah (verse 2); and also that, being called unto out of the midst of the cloud, he entered into it, and went up the mount (verses 16-18).

[2] In the Word there are many who represent the Lord in respect to truth Divine, or in respect to the Word; but chief among them are Moses, Elijah, Elisha, and John the Baptist. That Moses does so, can be seen in the explications just cited above; that so do Elijah and Elisha, can be seen in the preface to Genesis 18; and n. 2762, 5247; and that John the Baptist does so is evident from the fact that he was “Elias who was to come.” He who does not know that John the Baptist represented the Lord as to the Word, cannot know what all those things infold and signify which are said about him in the New Testament; and therefore in order that this secret may stand open, and that at the same time it may appear that Elias, and also Moses, who were seen when the Lord was transfigured, signified the Word, some things may here be quoted which are spoken about John the Baptist; as in Matthew:

After the messengers of John had departed, Jesus began to speak concerning John, saying, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? a reed shaken by the wind? But what went ye out to see? a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that wear soft things are in kings’ houses. But what went ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, even more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, Behold I send Mine angel before Thy face, who shall prepare Thy way before Thee. Verily I say unto you, Among those who are born of women there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist; nevertheless he that is less in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he. All the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye are willing to believe, he is Elias who was to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear (Matthew 11:7-15; and also Luke 7:24-28).

No one can know how these things are to be understood, unless he knows that this John represented the Lord as to the Word, and unless he also knows from the internal sense what is signified by “the wilderness” in which he was, also what by “a reed shaken by the wind,” and likewise by “soft raiment in kings’ houses;” and further what is signified by his being “more than a prophet,” and by “none among those who are born of women being greater than he, and nevertheless he that is less in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he,” and lastly by his being “Elias.” For without a deeper sense, all these words are uttered merely from some comparison, and not from anything of weight.

[3] But it is very different when by John is understood the Lord as to the Word, or the Word representatively. Then by “the wilderness of Judea in which John was” is signified the state in which the Word was at the time when the Lord came into the world, namely, that it was “in the wilderness,” that is, it was in obscurity so great that the Lord was not at all acknowledged, neither was anything known about His heavenly kingdom; when yet all the prophets prophesied about Him, and about His kingdom, that it was to endure forever. (That “a wilderness” denotes such obscurity, see n. 2708, 4736, 7313.) For this reason the Word is compared to “a reed shaken by the wind” when it is explained at pleasure; for in the internal sense “a reed” denotes truth in the ultimate, such as is the Word in the letter.

[4] That the Word in the ultimate, or in the letter, is crude and obscure in the sight of men; but that in the internal sense it is soft and shining, is signified by their “not seeing a man clothed in soft raiment, for behold those who wear soft things are in kings’ houses.” That such things are signified by these words, is plain from the signification of “raiment,” or “garments,” as being truths (n. 2132, 2576, 4545, 4763, 5248, 6914, 6918, 9093); and for this reason the angels appear clothed in garments soft and shining according to the truths from good with them (n. 5248, 5319, 5954, 9212, 9216). The same is evident from the signification of “kings’ houses,” as being the abodes of the angels, and in the universal sense, the heavens; for “houses” are so called from good (n. 2233, 2234, 3128, 3652, 3720, 4622, 4982, 7836, 7891, 7996, 7997); and “kings,” from truth (n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 6148). Therefore by virtue of their reception of truth from the Lord, the angels are called “sons of the kingdom,” “sons of the king,” and also “kings.”

[5] That the Word is more than any doctrine in the world, and more than any truth in the world, is signified by “what went ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet;” and by, “there hath not arisen among those who are born of women a greater than John the Baptist;” for in the internal sense “a prophet” denotes doctrine (n. 2534, 7269); and “those who are born,” or are the sons, “of women” denote truths (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 2803, 2813, 3704, 4257).

[6] That in the internal sense, or such as it is in heaven, the Word is in a degree above the Word in the external sense, or such as it is in the world, and such as John the Baptist taught, is signified by, “he that is less in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he;” for as perceived in heaven the Word is of wisdom so great that it transcends all human apprehension. That the prophecies about the Lord and His coming, and that the representatives of the Lord and of His kingdom, ceased when the Lord came into the world, is signified by, “all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.” That the Word was represented by John, as by Elijah, is signified by his being “Elias who is to come.”

[7] The same is signified by these words in Matthew:

The disciples asked Jesus, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come? He answered and said, Elias must needs first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, that Elias hath come already, and they knew him not, but did unto him whatsoever they wished. Even so shall the Son of man also suffer of them. And they understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist (Matthew 17:10-13).

That “Elias hath come, and they knew him not, but did unto him whatsoever they wished” signifies that the Word has indeed taught them that the Lord is to come, but that still they did not wish to comprehend, interpreting it in favor of the rule of self, and thus extinguishing what is Divine in it. That they would do the same with the truth Divine itself, is signified by “even so shall the Son of man also suffer of them.” (That “the Son of man” denotes the Lord as to truth Divine, see n. 2803, 2813, 3704)

[8] From all this it is now evident what is meant by the prophecy about John in Malachi:

Behold I send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Jehovah cometh (Malachi 4:5).

Moreover, the Word in the ultimate, or such as it is in the external form in which it appears before man in the world, is described by the “clothing” and “food” of John the Baptist, in Matthew:

John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, had His clothing of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey (Matthew 3:1, 4).

In like manner it is described by Elijah in the second book of Kings:

He was a hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins (2 Kings 1:8).

By “clothing,” or a “garment,” when said of the Word, is signified truth Divine there in the ultimate form; by “camel’s hair” are signified memory-truths such as appear there before a man in the world; by the “leathern girdle” is signified the external bond connecting and keeping in order all the interior things; by “food” is signified spiritual nourishment from the knowledges of truth and of good out of the Word; by “locusts” are signified ultimate or most general truths; and by “wild honey” their pleasantness.

[9] That such things are signified by “clothing” and “food” has its origin in the representatives of the other life, where all appear clothed according to truths from good, and where food also is represented according to the desires of acquiring knowledge and growing wise. From this it is that “clothing,” or a “garment,” denotes truth (as may be seen from the citations above; and that “food” or “meat” denotes spiritual nourishment, n. 3114, 4459, 4792, 5147, 5293, 5340, 5342, 5576, 5579, 5915, 8562, 9003; that “a girdle” denotes a bond which gathers up and holds together interior things, n. 9341; that “leather” denotes what is external, n. 3540; and thus “a leathern girdle” denotes an external bond; that “hairs” denote ultimate or most general truths, n. 3301, 5569-5573; that “a camel” denotes memory-knowledge in general, n. 3048, 3071, 3143, 3145, 4156; that “a locust” denotes nourishing truth in the extremes, n. 7643; and that “honey” denotes the pleasantness thereof, n. 5620, 6857, 8056). It is called “wild honey,” or “honey of the field,” because by “a field” is signified the church (n. 2971, 3317, 3766, 7502, 7571, 9139, 9295). He who does not know that such things are signified, cannot possibly know why Elijah and John were so clothed. And yet that these things signified something peculiar to these prophets, can be thought by everyone who thinks well about the Word.

[10] Because John the Baptist represented the Lord as to the Word, therefore also when he spoke of the Lord, who was the Word itself, he said of himself that he was “not Elias, nor the prophet,” and that he was “not worthy to loose the latchet of the Lord’s shoe,” as in John:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory. The Jews from Jerusalem, priests and Levites, asked John who he was. And he confessed, and denied not, I am not the Christ. Therefore they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? But he said, I am not. Art thou the prophet? He answered, No. They said therefore unto him, Who art thou? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet. They said therefore, Why then baptizest thou, if thou art not the Christ, nor Elias, nor the prophet? He answered, I baptize with water; in the midst of you standeth one whom ye know not; He it is who is to come after me, who was before me, the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to unloose. When he saw Jesus, he said, Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, After me cometh a man who was before me; for he was before me (John 1:1, 14, 19-30).

From these words it is plain that when John spoke about the Lord Himself, who was Truth Divine itself, or the Word, he said that he himself was not anything, because the shadow disappears when the light itself appears, that is, the representative disappears when the original itself makes its appearance. (That the representatives had in view holy things, and the Lord Himself, and not at all the person that represented, see n. 665, 1097, 1361, 3147, 3881, 4208, 4281, 4288, 4292, 4307, 4444, 4500, 6304, 7048, 7439, 8588, 8788, 8806.) One who does not know that representatives vanish like shadows at the presence of light, cannot know why John denied that he was Elias and the prophet.

[11] From all this it can now be seen what is signified by Moses and Elias, who were seen in glory, and who spoke with the Lord when transfigured, of His departure which He should accomplish at Jerusalem (Luke 9:29-31); namely, that they signified the Word (“Moses” the historic Word, and “Elias” the prophetic Word), which in the internal sense throughout treats of the Lord, of His coming into the world, and of His departure out of the world; and therefore it is said that “Moses and Elias were seen in glory,” for “glory” denotes the internal sense of the Word, and the “cloud” its external sense (see the preface to Genesis 18, and n. 5922, 8427).

314. Stood a Lamb. That this signifies the Lord as to the Divine Human, is evident from the signification of a lamb, when predicated of the Lord, as denoting Himself as to the Divine Human. The Lord as to the Divine Human is called a lamb, because a lamb signifies the good of innocence, and the good of innocence is the very good of heaven which proceeds from the Lord; and in proportion as the angels receive this good, in the same proportion they are angels. This good reigns with the angels who are in the third or inmost heaven; therefore those who are in that heaven appear as infants before the eyes of other angels. What the good of innocence is, and that the angels of heaven are in that good, may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell, in the article which treats concerning the State of Innocence of the Angels of Heaven (n.276-283, also n. 285, 288, 341, 382). It is believed in the world that the Lord is called a lamb from this, that the continual burnt-offering, or what was offered every day, evening and morning, was that of lambs; and especially on the days of the passover, when a lamb was also eaten; and that the Lord suffered Himself to be sacrificed. But this reason of His being so called is for those in the world who do not think beyond the sense of the letter of the Word; nevertheless, in heaven no such thing is perceived by a lamb when it is predicated of the Lord; but when a lamb is named or read of in the Word, the angels, because all of them are in the spiritual sense of the Word, perceive the good of innocence; and when the Lord is thus called, they perceive His Divine Human, and at the same time the good of innocence which is from Him. I know that it will be believed with difficulty that it is so, but yet it is the truth.

[2] That the lamb, in the Word, signifies the good of innocence, and, when predicated of the Lord, signifies His Divine Human, is evident from the following passages. In Isaiah:

"Behold, the Lord Jehovih cometh in might. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; he shall gather the lambs into his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead the sucklings" (40:10, 11).

This is spoken of the Lord's advent; by the flock which He shall feed like a shepherd, are signified those who are in the good of charity; and by the lambs which He shall gather into His arm, are signified those who are in love to Him. This love is that which strictly regarded, is innocence, therefore all those who are in it are in the heaven of innocence, which is the third heaven; and because that love is signified by lambs, it is therefore said also, "He shall gently lead the sucklings." By sucklings and infants in the Word are meant those who are in innocence, as may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 277, 280, 329-345).

[3] In the same:

"The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little boy shall lead them. And the she-calf and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; the suckling shall play on the hole of the adder, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den" (11:6-8).

These things are said concerning the Lord's advent, and concerning His kingdom, also concerning those therein who are in the good of innocence, that they shall have nothing to fear from the hells and the evils thence, because guarded by the Lord. The Lord's kingdom is here described, by innocences of various kinds, and by their opposites from which they shall be defended; the lamb denotes innocence of the inmost degree, its opposite is the wolf: the kid denotes innocence of the second degree, of which the opposite is the leopard: the calf denotes innocence of the last degree, of which the opposite is the young lion. (That a lamb, a ram or sheep, and a calf, signify three degrees of innocence, may be seen, n. Arcana Coelestia 10132.) Innocence of the inmost degree is such as belongs to those who are in the third or inmost heaven, and the good thereof is called celestial good; innocence of the second degree is such as belongs to those who are in the second or middle heaven, and the good thereof is called spiritual good; and innocence of the last degree is such as belongs to those who are in the first or ultimate heaven, and the good thereof is called natural-spiritual good. (That all those who are in the heavens are in some good of innocence, may be seen, n. Arcana Coelestia 4797.) Because as the goods of innocence are described by these, it is therefore also said, "And a little boy shall lead them," also, "the suckling shall play on the hole of the adder the weaned child shall put his hand upon the cockatrice' den." By a boy, a suckling a weaned child, are in like manner signified those degrees of innocence. (That a boy [signifies a degree of innocence], Arcana Coelestia 430, 5236; that a suckling or infant of the first age, and a weaned child or an infant of the second age, see n. 3183, 4563, 5608, 6740, 6745.)

[4] Because the lamb signifies innocence or those who are innocent, and a wolf those who are opposed to innocence, therefore it is said elsewhere in the same prophet:

"The wolf and the lamb shall feed together; they shall not do evil in the whole mountain of holiness" (65:25).

The mountain of holiness denotes heaven, specifically the inmost heaven; and therefore the Lord said to the seventy whom He sent forth,

"I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves" (Luke 10:3).

[5] Because lambs signify those who are in love to the Lord, which love is one with innocence, and because sheep signify those who are in love towards the neighbour, which love is charity, therefore the Lord said to Peter,

"Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; Thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs; and afterwards, Feed my sheep" (John 21:15-17).

These things were said to Peter, because by him was meant truth from good, or faith from charity, and truth from good teaches; to feed denoting to teach.

[6] In Ezekiel:

"Arabia and all the princes of Kedar, these were the merchants of thy hand, in lambs, rams, and goats" (27:21).

This is said concerning Tyre, by which are meant those who are in the knowledges of truth and good. By Arabia and the princes of Kedar, who are the merchants of her hand, are signified those who are in truths and goods from knowledges; and by merchants are signified those who communicate and teach them; by lambs, rams, and goats, are signified three degrees of the good of innocence, similarly as by lambs, rams, and calves. That by these are signified the three degrees of the good of innocence, may be seen, n. Arcana Coelestia 10042, 10132.

[7] Also in Moses:

"He made him to ride on the high places of the earth, and fed him with the produce of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the stone of the rock; butter of the herd, and milk of the flock, with the fat of lambs, of the rams of Bashan, and of goats, with the fat of the kidneys of wheat; and thou drinkest the pure blood of the grape" (Deuteronomy 32:13, 14).

These things are said concerning the establishment of the Ancient Church, which was the first church after the flood, and by all these things are described its various kinds of good; but because without explanation scarcely any one will understand them, a few words will be said. To ride on the high places of the earth, signifies that the intelligence of those who belonged to that church was interior; he fed him with the produce of the fields, signifies that they were instructed in every truth and good; He made him to suck honey out of the rock, signifies that by means of truths they had natural good; oil out of the stone of the rock, signifies that they had also spiritual good by means of truths; honey and oil signify those goods, and a rock, a flinty rock, and a stone signify truths. Butter of the herd, and milk of the flock, signify the good of external and internal truth; the fat of lambs, of the rams of Bashan, and of goats, signifies the goods of innocence of three degrees (as mentioned above); the fat of the kidneys of wheat, and the blood of the grape, signify that thus they had genuine good and genuine truth.

[8] In Isaiah:

"The sword of Jehovah is filled with blood; it is made fat with fatness, with the blood of lambs and of goats, and with the fat of the kidneys of rams" (34:6).

Here also by lambs, rams, and goats, are signified the three degrees of the good of innocence (mentioned above); but the subject here treated of is concerning their destruction by the falsities of evil; for a sword signifies falsity destroying truth and good; the blood with which it shall be filled signifies destruction.

[9] Because by lamb is signified innocence, which, strictly regarded, is love to the Lord, therefore by lamb, in the highest sense, is signified the Lord as to the Divine Human, for the Lord as to that was Innocence itself; as may be seen in the following passages. In Isaiah:

"He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter" (53:7).

In the same:

"Send ye the lamb of the ruler of the land from the rock toward the wilderness, unto the mount of the daughter of Zion" (16:1).

In John:

"John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." And afterwards seeing Jesus walking, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God" (1:29, 36).

In the Apocalypse:

"The Lamb [which is] in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters" (7:17).

And in another place:

"They have overcome by the blood of the Lamb, and by the Word of the testimony" (12:11),

besides also elsewhere in the Apocalypse (as chap. 13:8; 14:1, 4; 17:14; 19:7, 9; 21:22, 23; 22:1, 3).

[10] Because the burnt-offerings and sacrifices signified all representative worship from the good of love and from the truths thence, burnt-offerings from the good of love, and sacrifices specifically from the truths thence, therefore,

Every day, evening and morning, a burnt-offering was made of lambs (Exodus 29:38-43; Num. 28:1-9).

On every Sabbath, of two lambs, besides the continual burnt-offering of them (Num. 28:9, 10).

In the beginnings of the months, of seven lambs (Num. 28:11-15).

In like manner, on the day of the first-fruits (Num. 28:26 to end).

In like manner in the seventh month, when there was a holy convocation (Num. 29:1-7).

In like manner of seven lambs on each day of the passover, besides of two calves, one ram, and one goat (Num. 28:16-24).

[The burnt-offering was] of seven lambs, because by seven is signified all and full, and it is said of what is holy; and because by burnt-offerings in general was signified the worship of the Lord from the good of love, and the good of love to the Lord from the Lord is the essential good of innocence; and by lamb, in the highest sense, was signified the Lord as to the Divine Human. (That burnt-offerings signified all worship grounded in the good of love from the Lord to the Lord, may be seen, n. 923, 6905, 8680, 8936, 10042.) Because of this representation the supper of the passover of lambs or kids was also instituted (Exodus 12:1-29); for by the feast of the passover was represented the glorification of the Lord's Human (as may be seen, n. 10655). Because infants signified innocence, it was therefore also commanded, that

After a birth, on the day of purification, they should sacrifice a lamb, a young pigeon, or a turtle dove; or, instead of a lamb, two young pigeons or two turtle doves (Leviticus 12:6, 8).

By young pigeons and by turtle doves is signified the same as by lambs, namely, innocence.