9373. Come up unto Jehovah. That this signifies conjunction with the Lord, is evident from the signification of “coming up,” as being to be raised toward interior things (see n. 3084, 4539, 4969, 5406, 5817, 6007), consequently also to be conjoined (n. 8760). That it denotes conjunction with the Lord, is because by “Jehovah” in the Word is meant the the Lord, (n. 1343, 1736, 1793, 2004, 2005, 2018, 2025, 2921, 3023, 3035, 5663, 6280, 6303, 6905, 8274, 8864, 9315). A secret which also lies hidden in the internal sense of these words, is that the sons of Jacob, over whom Moses was the head, were not called and chosen; but they themselves insisted that Divine worship should be instituted among them (according to wh at has been said in n. 4290, 4293); and therefore it is here said, “and He said unto Moses, Come up unto Jehovah,” as if not Jehovah, but another, had said that he should come up. For the same reason in what follows it is said that “the people should not go up” (verse 2); and that “Jehovah sent not His hand unto the sons of Israel who were set apart” (verse 11); and that “the appearance of the glory of Jehovah was like devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the sons of Israel” (verse 17); and lastly that Moses, being called the seventh day, “entered into the midst of the cloud.” For by “the cloud” is meant the Word in the letter (n. 5922, 6343, 6752, 6832, 8106, 8443, 8781); and with the sons of Jacob the Word was separated from its internal sense, because they were in external worship without internal, as can be clearly seen from the fact that now, as before, they said, “all the words which Jehovah hath spoken we will do” (verse 3); and yet scarcely forty days afterward they worshiped a golden calf instead of Jehovah; which shows that this was hidden in their hearts while they were saying with their lips that they would serve Jehovah alone. But nevertheless those who are meant by “the called and the chosen” are those who are in internal worship, and who from internal worship are in external; that is, those who are in love to and faith in the Lord, and from this in love toward the neighbor.

1024. (Verse 20) And every island fled. That this signifies that there was no longer any truth of faith, is evident from the signification of an island, as denoting the church as to the truths of the natural man, which are called scientific truths, also, the knowledges of good and truth (concerning which see n. 406); in this case the church as to the truths of faith; for the truths that are called truths of faith are the truths of the natural man; and that these are no more is signified by every island fled.

The reason why an island denotes the church as to the truths of faith is, that an island is land encompassed by the sea. And by land is signified the church; and by sea the scientific and knowledge in general, which pertains to the natural man.

By islands, in the Word, are also signified the churches with the Gentiles, with whom there are only appearances of truth, these being truths more remote from genuine truths. The reason of this signification was, that the islands of the sea were far removed from the land of Canaan, which was the terra firma; by which the church which was in genuine truths was signified.

Concerning the Precepts of the Decalogue in general:-

[2] The precepts of the Decalogue are called the ten words or Ten Precepts, because by ten are signified all; consequently, by the Ten Words are signified all the things of the Word, and therefore all the things of the church, in a summary.

The reason why they are all the things of the Word and all the things of the church in summary is, that in each precept there are three interior senses, each sense for its own heaven, for there are three heavens. The first sense is the spiritual-moral sense, this is for the first or ultimate heaven; the second sense is the celestial-spiritual sense, which is for the second or middle heaven; and the third sense is the Divine-celestial, which is for the third or inmost heaven. There are also as many internal senses in everything contained in the Word; for the Word is from the Lord, who is in its supreme things. It was sent down, in order, through the three heavens even to the earth, and thence was accommodated to each heaven; consequently, also the Word is in each heaven, and almost with every angel, in its own sense; it is read by them daily, and there are also preachings from it, just as on the earth.

[3] For the Word is Divine truth itself, thus Divine wisdom proceeding from the Lord as a Sun and appearing in the heavens as light. The Divine truth is the Divine that is called the Holy Spirit; for it not only proceeds from the Lord, but also enlightens man, and teaches him, as is said concerning the Holy Spirit.

Because the Word, in its descent from the Lord, has been accommodated to the three heavens, and the three heavens are conjoined, like inmost things with ultimates by media, thus also the three senses of the Word, it is therefore evident, that the Word was given, in order that the three heavens may be conjoined one with another; and also that there may be a conjunction of the heavens with the human race, for whom the literal sense is given, this being purely natural, and therefore the basis of the other three senses. That the Ten Precepts of the Decalogue are all the things of the Word in a summary can be seen only from those precepts in their three senses, such as above described.

8106. By day in a pillar of cloud. That this signifies that when there was a state of enlightenment it was tempered by obscurity of truth, is evident from the signification of “by day,” or “in the day,” as being in a state of enlightenment; for the times of day, as morning, noon, evening, and night, correspond to the various degrees of enlightenment which belong to intelligence and wisdom in the other life (see n. 5672, 5962, 6110); whence “day” denotes a state of enlightenment or clear perception, and “night” a state of no enlightenment, or of obscure perception (n. 7680); and from the signification of “cloud,” as being obscurity of truth, because a cloud takes away the brightness of light from the sun, and also tempers it.

[2] In the Word throughout it is said that Jehovah appeared “in a cloud,” and that He was “girded with a cloud,” also that “beneath His feet was a cloud;” in which passages by “cloud” is meant obscurity of truth, specifically, the literal sense of the Word, for relatively to the internal sense this sense is obscurity of truth (see the preface to Genesis 18; also n. 4391, 5922, 6343, 6752). This was signified by the “cloud” when the Lord was seen by Peter, James, and John in glory (Luke 9:34); when from Mount Sinai by the people; and when by Moses upon his entering to Him there (Exodus 19:9; 20:18; 24:15-18; 34:5); and also by the circumstance that the Lord so often said that He “would come in the clouds of heaven” (Matthew 24:30; 26:63-64; Mark 13:26; 14:61-62; Luke 21:27).

[3] The literal sense of the Word is called a “cloud,” because the internal sense, which is called “glory,” cannot be comprehended by man, except one who is regenerated, and is also enlightened. If the internal sense of the Word, or truth Divine in its glory, were to appear before a man who is not regenerated, it would be like thick darkness, in which he would see nothing at all, and by which he would also be blinded, that is, would believe nothing. From all this it can be seen what is signified by a “cloud by day,” namely, obscurity of truth; and when the Word is treated of, the literal sense.

[4] It is said “in a pillar of cloud and of fire,” because by “a pillar” is signified a prop which supports (see Jeremiah 1:18 , Psalms 75:3 , Revelation 3:12; Job 9:6); and it is predicated of the natural, because the natural is like a prop or base to the spiritual; for the spiritual closes in the natural, and there rests. Hence it is that the feet of the angel descending from heaven appeared “as pillars of fire” (Revelation 10:1); for by “feet” is signified the natural (see n. 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952, 5327, 5328).