700. And the ark of his covenant was seen in his temple.- That this signifies Divine Truth, by means of which there is conjunction with the Lord, is evident from the signification of the ark of the covenant, as denoting the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord (of which presently). The ark of the covenant was seen, because the temple appeared; and the ark was in the midst of the temple at Jerusalem, in which were deposited the two tables of the law, which, in the most general sense, signified the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord, thus the Lord Himself, who is the Divine Truth in the heavens, and therefore He is also called the Word, in John (1:1, 2, 14). The reason of this signification of the ark was, that the tent of the assembly represented the three heavens. Its court represented the ultimate or first heaven; the tent itself even to the veil, where the table for the loaves, the altar of incense, and the lampstand were, represented the middle or second heaven; and the ark which was within the veil, upon which was the mercy-seat with the cherubim, represented the inmost or third heaven, while the law itself, which was in the ark, represented the Lord as to Divine Truth, or the Word. And because conjunction with the Lord is by means of the Word, therefore that ark was called the ark of the covenant, covenant signifying conjunction. That the tent or tabernacle represented the form of heaven, and that, together with the court, it represented the three heavens, and that the Holy of Holies, which was the inmost, where the ark was, within which were the tables of the law, represented the third or inmost heaven, and that the law or testimony represented the Lord Himself, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 3478, 9457, 9481, 9485). And that the tabernacle equally as the temple, in the highest sense, signifies the Lord; in the relative sense, heaven and the church, and thus the holy principle of worship, see the same (n. 9457, 9481, 10242, 10245, 10304, 10545). That covenant, in the Word, signifies conjunction, and that all things pertaining to the church, both internal and external, are signs of the covenant, and that they are called a covenant, because conjunction is effected by means of them may also be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021, 2037, 6804, 8767, 8778, 9396, 9416, 10632). That therefore the law promulgated on Mount Sinai was called the covenant, and the ark containing the law, the ark of the covenant may be seen in the same (n. 6804, 9416).
[2] That the ark with the covenant, or testimony inclosed, signifies the Lord as to the celestial Divine which is the Divine Truth in the inmost or third heaven, is evident from what has been said concerning the ark in the Word.
In Moses:
"And they shall make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in the midst of them, according to all that I have shewn thee, the form of the dwelling place. Especially they shall make the ark of shittim wood; and thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it; and thou shalt make for it a border of gold; four rings of gold" for the staves. "And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee. And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold; and thou shalt make two cherubim of gold, solid shalt thou make them, out of the mercy seat, that the cherubim may stretch out their wings, and cover with their wings the mercy seat; and their faces shall be towards the mercy seat. And thou shalt put the testimony into the ark; and I will meet thee there, and I will speak with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are over the ark of the testimony, of all things that I shall give thee in commandment unto the sons of Israel" (Exodus 25:8-22).
"Thou shalt make a veil of purple and crimson, and scarlet double dyed, and fine twined linen, with cherubim; thou shalt put it upon four pillars of shittim overlaid with gold; and thou shalt place the veil under the clasps; and thou shalt bring in thither within the veil the ark of the testimony, so that the veil shall divide unto you between the holy place and the holy of holies; and thou shalt put the veil before the ark in the holy of holies" (Exodus 26:31-34).
It was said above, that the tent which contained the ark, the candlestick, the table for the loaves, and the altar for the incense, together with the court, represented the three heavens, and that the place within the veil, where the ark was, which contained the law or testimony, represented the third heaven. This heaven was represented by that place, because the law was there, and the law means the Lord as to Divine Truth, or the Word, for this is what the law signifies in a broad sense, and it is Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord that forms the heavens. This is received in the greatest purity by the angels of the third heaven, because they are in conjunction with the Lord through love to Him; for all the angels in that heaven are in love to the Lord, consequently they see Divine Truth as it were implanted in themselves, although it flows in continually from the Lord. For this reason, that heaven more than the other heavens which are below is said to be in the Lord, because in the Divine that goes forth from Him.
[3] This heaven was represented by the ark in which was the law, that is, the Lord. This is why the ark was overlaid with gold, within and without, why the mercy seat was over the ark, and why over the mercy seat and out of it were two cherubim, which were of pure gold; for gold, from correspondence, signifies the good of love, in which are the angels of the third heaven. The mercy seat signified the hearing and reception of all things of that worship which is from the good of love from the Lord; and the cherubim signified the Lord's providence and protection that He may not be approached except through the good of love. And this heaven with its angels is a protection against any thing being raised up to the Lord Himself except that which proceeds from the good of love to Him and from Him. For all worship of God passes through the heavens even unto the Lord, and is purified on its way, even until it reaches the third heaven, and there it is heard and received by the Lord, everything impure having been removed on the way. This is why cherubim of gold were placed over the mercy seat, which was over the ark; also why that place was called the sanctuary, and also the holy of holies, and was divided from the outer part of the tabernacle by the veil.
[4] That the tent, together with the court, represented the three heavens, is also evident from this fact, that all things instituted among the sons of Israel were representatives of heavenly things. For the church itself was a representative church. Thus the tabernacle, together with the altar, was in an especial manner a most holy [representative] of worship. For worship was celebrated upon the altar by burnt offerings and sacrifices, and in the tabernacle by incense offerings and by the lamps which were lighted every day, and by the loaves which were placed in order daily upon the table. All these things represented all worship in heaven, and in the church, and the tent itself with the ark represented the heavens themselves. For this reason the tabernacle was called the dwelling place of Jehovah God, as heaven itself is also called. That the heavens were represented by the tabernacle is also evident from this, that its form was shown to Moses by the Lord upon Mount Sinai; and that which is shown in form by the Lord must necessarily represent either heaven or the things belonging to heaven. That the form of the tabernacle was shown to Moses upon Mount Sinai is clear from these words spoken to Moses:
"Let them make for me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in the midst of them, according to all that I have shown thee, the form of the dwelling place;" and afterwards," See and make them in their form, which thou wast made to see in the mount" (Exodus 25:8, 9, 40).
This is why it is called the sanctuary, and it is said, "That I may dwell in the midst of them." This is what is signified in particular in regard to the ark, the mercy seat over it, and the cherubim over the mercy seat the border of gold round about the ark, the four rings for the staves, the veil, the clasps, and the rest, all of which may be seen explained in the Arcana Coelestia 9484-9577, 9670-9680).
[5] The very holiness of the whole tabernacle was from the testimony, that is, from the two tables of stone on which the law was inscribed, because the law signified the Lord as to Divine Truth, and thus as to the Word, for this is Divine Truth. That the Lord is the Word, is evident in John, where it is said,
"The Word was with God and God was the Word, and the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us" (John 1:1, 2, 14).
That the law which is called both the testimony and the covenant was placed in the ark, and also the book written by Moses is clear from these words:
"Thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee" (Exodus 25:16; 40:20):
"I put the tables of the law in the ark which I had made that they might be there, even as Jehovah had commanded me" (Deuteronomy 10:5).
And of the book of the law written by Moses:
"When Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in the book, even when he had finished them, Moses commanded the Levites that bare the ark" to take the book of the law, and put it by the side of the ark of the covenant that it might be there for a witness (Deuteronomy 31:24, 25, 26).
From this it is plain that there was nothing within the ark but the two tables of stone, on which the law was written, and that the book of Moses was by the side of it. That there was nothing in the ark but the two tables of the covenant is evident from the First Book of Kings:
"There was nothing in the ark, but the two tables of stone, which Moses put there in Horeb, the covenant which Jehovah made with the sons of Israel" (8:9).
That the book of Moses, which was laid by the side of the ark, was afterwards taken out, and preserved in the temple, is evident from the fact that Hilkiah the high priest found the book of the law in the house of Jehovah and gave it to Shaphan, who told the king of it, and read it before the king (2 Kings 22:8-11).
[6] That the ark represented the Lord as to Divine truth, and that it consequently signified Divine Truth from the Lord, thus the Word, is also evident from this, that the Lord spoke with Moses from it. For it is said,
"Thou shalt put the testimony into the ark, and I will meet thee there, and I will speak with thee from between the two cherubim, which are over the ark of the testimony, of all things that I shall give thee in commandment unto the sons of Israel" (Exodus 25:21, 22).
And elsewhere,
"When Moses entered into the Tent of meeting to speak with him, he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from above the mercy seat, which was over the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim; thus he spake unto him" (Numbers 7:89).
The Lord spoke to Moses therefrom, because the law was there, and the law, in a broad sense, signifies the Lord as to the Word; and from the Word the Lord speaks with man. It was from above the mercy seat between the two cherubim, because the mercy seat signifies the removal of falsities that are from evil loves, and at the same time reception and hearing, while the cherubim signify protection, lest He should be approached except through the good of love.
[7] Since the Lord, in heaven and in the church, is the Divine Truth, or the Word, which is meant by the law inclosed in the ark, and since the presence of the Lord is in the law, or the Word, therefore, where the ark was, there was Jehovah or the Lord, as is evident from these words in Moses:
"Moses said" unto Hobab "Leave us not, I pray, forasmuch as thou knowest how we must encamp in the wilderness, whence thou wilt be to us instead of eyes and it shall be when thou shalt go with us, yea, it shall be that the good which Jehovah shall do to us, we will also do to thee. And they went forward from the mount of Jehovah a journey of three days, and the ark of the covenant of Jehovah went before them a journey of three days to seek out a resting place for them; and the cloud of Jehovah was over them by day, when they went forward out of the camp. When the ark went forward, Moses said, Arise Jehovah, that thine enemies may be scattered, and let them that hate thee flee from before thy faces; and when it rested, he said, Return, Jehovah, the myriads of the thousands of Israel" (Numbers 10:31-36).
From these particulars it is evident that Jehovah or the Lord is there meant by the ark, because of His presence in the law, which was in the ark, thus because of His presence in the Word. Since the Lord is there meant by the law, and thus by the ark, Moses said, "Arise, Jehovah, that Thine enemies may be scattered, and let them that hate thee flee from before Thy faces;" and when it rested, he said, "Return Jehovah, the myriads of the thousands of Israel." But the same words involve things still more interior; namely, that the Lord, by means of His Divine Truth, leads men and defends them against falsities and evils, which are from hell, especially in temptations, which are specifically signified by the journeyings of the sons of Israel in the wilderness during forty years. That He leads them continually by means of His Divine Truth is signified by the ark of the covenant of Jehovah going forward before them a journey of three days to seek out a resting place for them. The ark of Jehovah means the Lord as to Divine Truth; its going forward a journey of three days means, His protection and guidance from beginning to end; and seeking out signifies salvation, which is the end.
[8] Moreover protection from falsities and evils, which are from hell, is signified by the cloud of Jehovah over them by day, as well as by the Words of Moses when the ark went forward, "Arise, Jehovah, that Thine enemies may be scattered, and let them that hate thee flee from before Thy faces." The cloud of Jehovah by day signifies defence by means of Divine Truth in ultimates, such as the Word is in the sense of the letter; for by means of this the Lord may be approached even by the evil, and by means of it He guards the interior things of the Word, which are celestial and spiritual. That this sense of the word is signified by a cloud, may be seen above (n. 594). Enemies and them that hate signify falsities and evils, which are from hell, enemies falsities, and them that hate evils, thus they also signify the hells themselves as to falsities and evils. Truths from good, which are implanted in man after temptations, are signified by Moses saying when the ark rested, "Return, Jehovah, the myriads of the thousands of Israel." The resting of the ark signifies the state after temptations, when evils and falsities are removed; to return signifies the Lord's presence at that time, for in temptations the Lord appears to be absent, and the myriads of the thousands of Israel signify truths from good implanted, which constitute the church. That myriads are predicated of truths, and thousands, of goods, may be seen above (n. 336).
[9] Similar things are signified by these words in David:
"Lo, we heard of him in Ephratah, we found him in the fields of the wood; we will enter into his habitations, we will bow ourselves down at his footstool. Arise, Jehovah, to thy rest, thou and the ark of thy strength; let thy priests be clothed with justice, and let thy saints shout for joy" (Psalm 132:6-9).
This Psalm evidently treats of the Lord, who is also meant there by David, as is evident from the words, "We have found Him in Ephratah and in the fields of the wood," and from their bowing themselves down at His footstool, Ephratah meaning Bethlehem, where the Lord was born, and by Ephratah is signified the Word as to its natural sense, and by Bethlehem the Word as to the spiritual sense. He chose to be born there because the Lord is the Word. The fields of the wood signify the things of the natural sense of the Word, that is, of the letter, while His habitations signify the spiritual sense of the Word, and therefore also heaven, since heaven is in that sense. The footstool to which they shall bow themselves down signifies the natural sense of the Word, and thus also the church on earth, because the church is in that sense. That the footstool of the Lord is the church on earth, may be seen above (n. 606).
[10] The rest to which Jehovah should arise signifies the union of the Divine and Human in the Lord, and His conjunction with heaven and the church. And because the Lord, and those also who are in heaven and in the church have rest and peace, when He has subjugated the hells and brought all things there and in the heavens into order, it is said, "Arise, Thou and the ark of Thy strength," Thou meaning the Lord Himself, and the ark of Thy strength, the Divine Truth proceeding from Him, for it is by means of this that the Lord has Divine Power. The priests who shall be clothed with justice, and the saints who shall shout for joy, have a similar signification to the thousands and myriads of Israel, priests meaning those who are in good, and saints, those who are in truths, thus, in an abstract sense, the goods and truths of heaven and of the church. That priests, in an abstract sense, signify the goods of the church, may be seen above (n. 31[8]), and that saints, in that sense, signify the truths of the church, also above (n. 204, 325). More about that Psalm may also be seen above (n. 684:25).
[11] Since the ark, from the law which was in it, signified the Lord as to Divine Truth, and because the Lord has omnipotence from Divine Good by means of Divine Truth, therefore by means of the ark miracles were performed. Thus the waters of Jordan were divided by it, so that the sons of Israel passed over on dry ground; the wall of the city of Jericho was over-thrown; Dagon, the god of the Ashdodites, fell down before it; the Ashdodites, the Gittites, the Ekronites, and Bethshemites were smitten with plagues on account of it; Uzzah died because he touched it, and Obed-edom, into whose house it was taken, was blessed. As these historical circumstances involve interior truths (arcana) which become plain only by means of their spiritual sense, I will explain them in order that it may be known what the ark signifies in a strict and in a broad sense.
First, concerning the dividing of the waters of Jordan so that the sons of Israel might pass over on dry ground, in Joshua. Joshua and all the sons of Israel "came unto Jordan; and at the end of three days" Joshua "commanded, saying, When ye shall see the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and the priests the Levites bearing it, ye shall also remove from your place and shall go after it, yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits; ye shall not approach unto it," And the priests "took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people;" and Joshua said, "When ye shall come to the brink of the waters of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan." And he said unto the people, "Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of the whole earth passing over before you into Jordan; and take ye twelve men of the tribes of Israel; and when the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of Jehovah the Lord of the whole earth shall rest in the waters of Jordan, the waters of Jordan shall be cut off, and the waters that come down from above shall stand in a heap. And it came to pass when the priests came unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bear the ark were dipped in the brink of the waters, and Jordan was full, as it was wont to be all the days of harvest, the waters that came down from above stood in a heap, stretching out very far from the city Adam; and those that came down upon the sea of the plain, the sea of salt, were completely cut off, so that the people could pass over towards Jericho. And the priests stood on dry ground in the midst of Jordan; and all the people passed over on dry ground. Afterwards Jehovah said unto Joshua, Take to you twelve men, one of a tribe, and take out of the midst of Jordan, from where the feet of the priests stood, twelve stones, which ye shall bring over with you, and leave in the place where ye pass the night. The sons of Israel did so; and they took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of Israel, and they carried them unto the place where they passed the night. Then, after that all the people had finished passing over, the ark of Jehovah passed over, and the priests. And it came to pass, when the priests were come up, and the soles of their feet were lifted up [out of Jordan], the waters of Jordan returned unto their place. And the twelve stones which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua set up in Gilgal" (Josh. 3:1-17; 4:1-20). All the historical, equally as the prophetical parts of the Word, contain a spiritual sense, which treats not of the sons of Israel and of nations and peoples, but of the church and its establishment and progress, for this is the Spiritual of the Word, while the history is the Natural that contains the Spiritual. Therefore also all the miracles described in the Word, as the miracles performed in Egypt, and afterwards in the land of Canaan, involve such things as pertain to heaven and the church, and for this reason those miracles are Divine.
[12] The miracle described above signifies the introduction of the faithful into the church, and through the church into heaven. The sons of Israel, in the spiritual sense, mean there the faith, who, after enduring temptations - which are signified by their wanderings in the wilderness - are brought into the church; for the land of Canaan, into which the sons of Israel were brought, signifies the church; Jordan signifies the first entrance into it. The waters of Jordan signify introductory truths, and these truths are such as those of the literal sense of the Word, for these are the truths that first introduce; but here by Jordan and its waters are signified the falsities of evil which lead to hell, because the land of Canaan was then filled with idolatrous nations, which signify the evils and falsities of every kind that constitute hell; for this reason also they had to be driven out in order that there might be a place for establishing the church. And because the waters of Jordan then signified the falsities of evil, therefore they were divided and kept back in order that a passage might be given to the sons of Israel, who, were to represent the church.
[13] Now as the Lord alone removes and disperses the falsities of evil which are from hell, and by means of His Divine truths brings the faithful into the church, and into heaven, and because the ark, and the law inclosed in it represented the Lord as to Divine Truth, it was therefore commanded that the ark should go before the people and thus lead them. For this reason it came to pass, that as soon as the priests who bore the ark dipped their feet in the waters of Jordan, those waters were divided and descended, and the people passed over on dry land, and that after this was done the waters returned. Those same waters then signified introductory truths; for Jordan was the first boundary of the land of Canaan, and that land, after the sons of Israel had entered into it, represented the church, and the river, introduction into it.
[14] Since the waters of Jordan signified introductory truths, they were therefore commanded to take up out of the midst of it twelve stones, and carry them over to the first place where they should pass the night, for the reason that stones signify truths, while twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of Israel, signified the truths of the church. Joshua set up those stones in Gilgal from the east of Jericho, because Gilgal signified the doctrine of natural truth, which is serviceable for introduction into the church. From these few things it is evident what things pertaining to heaven and the church were represented by this miracle, and that the ark, because of the law in it, signified the Lord as to Divine Truth. It is therefore also called the ark of the covenant of the Lord of the whole earth, from conjunction with the Lord by means of Divine Truth, for by its means conjunction, which is signified by covenant, is effected, and it is this that constitutes heaven and the church, which are specifically signified by the whole earth. In fact by means of Divine Truth all things were created and made, according to the Lord's words in John (1:1-3, 10); and in David (Psalm 33:6), the Word there meaning Divine Truth.
[15] The SECOND miracle performed by means of the ark was the falling down of the wall of Jericho, which is thus described in Joshua:
The city "of Jericho was shut up; and Jehovah said unto Joshua, I have given into thy hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty in strength; ye shall compass the city, all the men of war, once a day for six days. And seven priests shall carry seven trumpets of rejoicings before the ark; but the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall sound with the trumpets, and then the people shall shout with a great shouting, and the wall of the city shall fall down under itself, and the people shall go up." Then Joshua made them compass the city once on the first day, as was said; after which circuit they returned into the camp, and passed the night in the camp; in like manner the day after. "And the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rejoicings before the ark of Jehovah, went on, going and sounding the trumpets, before whom went the men of war, and also the rear company marching after the ark, going and sounding the trumpets. And so they did six days; and on the seventh day they went about the city seven times, and the seventh time the people shouted; and when the people heard this, then the wall of the city fell down under itself, and the people went up into the city, and gave to the curse all things which were in the city, from male even to female, and from a boy to an old man; and they burned the city with fire, and all things that were in it; only the silver and gold, and the vessels of brass and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of Jehovah. And Joshua charged them with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man before Jehovah, who shall rise up and build this city; with his first born he shall lay the foundations of it, and with the youngest he shall set up its gates" (Joshua 6:1-26).
No one can know the Divine meaning of this miracle, unless he knows what is signified by the city of Jericho in the land of Canaan, which was burned, by its wall which fell down, by the inhabitants who were given to the curse, by the gold and silver, and vessels of brass and iron, which were put into the treasury of the house of Jehovah, also what is signified by sounding the trumpets and shouting, and by going about it six days, and seven times on the seventh day.
The city of Jericho signifies instruction in the knowledges (cognitiones) of good and truth, by which man is brought into the church. For Jericho was a city not far from the Jordan, and this river signifies introduction into the church, as was shown above. For all the places in the land of Canaan were significative of celestial and spiritual things pertaining to the church, and this from the most ancient times. And because the sons of Israel were to represent the church, and the Word was to be written among them, in which those places, signifying such things as belong to heaven and the church, were to be mentioned, therefore the sons of Israel were introduced into it. The river Jordan signified that introduction, and Jericho instruction. And as Jericho signified instruction, it also signified the good of life, for none but those who are in the good of life can be instructed in truths of doctrine. But when the land of Canaan was held by idolatrous nations, the signification of the places and cities in that land was changed into its opposite, and therefore Jericho then signified the profanation of truth and good. From this it follows, that the city itself signified the doctrine of falsity and evil, which perverted and profaned the truths and goods of the church, that its wall signified the falsities of evil defending that doctrine, and that the inhabitants signified those who are profane. And as all profanation is from infernal love after acknowledgment of truth and good, therefore the city was burned with fire, the inhabitants given to the curse, and its wall overthrown, fire signifying infernal love, curse an utter blotting out, and the falling down of the wall, exposure to every evil and falsity.
[16] The sounding of the trumpets by the priests signified the preaching of Divine Truth from Divine Good; the shouting and acclamation of the people signified consent and confirmation; compassing the city signified an examination of falsity and evil, and their dispersion by the influx of Divine Truth from the Lord, this influx being signified by their carrying the ark about it. The priests were seven in number, and compassed the city seven days, and seven times on the seventh day, to signify what is holy, and the holy proclamation of Divine Truth; for seven signifies what is holy, and, in the opposite sense, what is profane, therefore, as holiness was on the one part, and what was profane on the other, there were seven priests with seven trumpets, and they compassed the city seven times.
[17] The gold, the silver, and vessels of brass and iron, were put into the treasury of the house of Jehovah, because they signified the knowledges of spiritual and natural truth and good, gold and silver the knowledges of spiritual truth and good, and vessels of brass and iron the knowledges of natural truth and good, which are changed into dire falsities and evils, with those who are guilty of profanation, but as they are still knowledges although applied to evils, yet they are serviceable to the good by application to goods, therefore these things were put into the treasury of the house of Jehovah. This also is what is meant by the pounds (minoe) which were taken away from the evil, and given to the good; by the unjust mammon, by the gold, silver, and raiment, which the sons of Israel took away from the Egyptians, and afterwards devoted to the tabernacle; and also by the gold and silver which David gathered from the spoils of the enemy, and left to Solomon for building the temple.
[18] That he who rebuilt Jericho should be cursed, and that he should lay the foundation of it with his first-born, and with his youngest set up the gates, signified the profanation of Divine Truth from first to last, if instruction in it were represented elsewhere than in Jerusalem, which signified the church as to the doctrine of truth and good, and as to instruction from the Word. That this profanation took place under king Ahab by Hiel the Bethelite, is recorded in the First Book of Kings (16:34); and it is said of this king that he did evil in the eyes of Jehovah above all the kings of Israel (verses 30, 33). From this miracle performed by means of the ark, it is also evident that the ark, because of the law in it, represented the Lord as to Divine Truth, and thus signified Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord.
[19] The THIRD miracle, that Dagon, the god of the Ashdodites, fell before the ark, and the Ashdodites, Gittites, Ekronites, and Bethshemites were smitten with plagues because of it, is thus described in the First Book of Samuel:
"Israel went out against the Philistines to war; and Israel was smitten before the Philistines about four thousand men. Therefore the elders said, Let us receive unto us out of Shiloh the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and let it come into the midst of us, and deliver us out of the hand of the enemy. And they brought down the ark of the covenant of Jehovah Zebaoth that sitteth upon the cherubim, and with the ark the two sons of Eli. And it came to pass, when the ark came to the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shouting; the Philistines heard and knew that the ark of Jehovah was come to the camp, and they feared for themselves, saying God is come to the camp; woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hands of these mighty gods? These are the gods who smote the Egyptians with every plague. But be strong and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye may not serve the Hebrews. And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten with a great slaughter, about thirty thousand footmen; and the ark of God was taken, and both the sons of Eli died. And the Philistines took the ark, and brought it down to Ashdod, into the house of Dagon, and they set it near Dagon. When they of Ashdod arose in the morning, behold, Dagon lay upon his faces on the earth before the ark of Jehovah; and they set up Dagon again; but when they arose the next morning, Dagon lay upon his faces on the earth before the ark, and at the same time the head of Dagon and the two palms of his hands lay cut off upon the threshold. And the hand of Jehovah was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he smote them with hemorrhoids, Ashdod, and the borders thereof. Then they of Ashdod said, The ark of Israel shall not remain with us; wherefore the lords of the Philistines said, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried over unto Gath." And they carried it over unto Gath; but the hand of Jehovah came against the city, and smote the men of the city from the least to the greatest, while they had hardened hemorrhoids. Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron; but the Ekronites cried out that it would slay them. "And the men that died not were smitten with hemorrhoids." Therefore the lords said that they would send back the ark unto its place. "When the ark had remained in the land of the Philistines seven months, the Philistines called the priests and diviners, saying, What shall we do with the ark of Jehovah, how shall we send it back to its place? And they said, Send it not again empty, but send with it a trespass-offering, then shall ye be healed, namely, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines, five hemorrhoids of gold, and five mice of gold, for one plague is upon you all, and upon your lords; ye shall make images of your hemorrhoids, and images of your mice, which vastated the land; and make a new cart, and take two milch kine upon which no yoke hath come, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them, and put the ark of Jehovah upon the cart, and the vessels of gold put into a coffer at the side thereof; and see if it go up the way of the coast to Bethshemesh; and they did so. Then the kine went in a straight way upon the way to Bethshemesh in one path, and they lowed; and the lords of the Philistines went after them. And the cart came into the field of Joshua the Bethshemite, and stood there where there was a great stone. Then they clave the wood of the cart, and offered the kine for a burnt-offering to Jehovah. And the Levites set down the ark of Jehovah, and the coffer in which were the vessels of gold, upon that great stone, and the men of Bethshemesh offered burnt-offerings, and sacrificed sacrifices to Jehovah;" but the Bethshemites were smitten, because they saw the ark of Jehovah, to the number of fifty thousand and seventy men. But the men of Kirjathjearim caused the ark of Jehovah to come up, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in Gibeah, and it remained there twenty years. Then Samuel said, "If with the whole heart ye will return to Jehovah, put ye away the gods of the stranger and Ashtaroth, and prepare your heart towards Jehovah, and serve him alone, then shall he deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines" (4:1-11; 5:1-12; 6:1-21; 7:1-3).
What is signified by these things - that the ark was taken by the Philistines, that the Philistines were smitten with hemorrhoids on account of the ark in Ashdod, Gath, and Ekron, also that mice laid waste their land and that so many died there and in Bethshemesh - cannot be known, unless it is known what the Philistines, and specifically the Ashdodites, Gittites, Ekronites, and Bethshemites represented, and thus signified; also what is signified by the hemorrhoids and by the mice, and by the golden images of these, and moreover by the new cart and the milch kine. That these are representative of such things as pertain to the church is clear, for if not, why should the Philistines have been smitten with such plagues, and the ark have been thus brought back?
[20] The Philistines represented, and thus signified, those who make no account of the good of love and of charity, and thus no account of the good of life, placing everything of religion in knowledge and cognition (scientia et cognitio); therefore they were like those at the present day who make faith alone, that is, faith separated from charity, the essential of the church and the essential of salvation. For this reason they were called the uncircumcised, for to be uncircumcised signifies to be void of spiritual love, consequently of good; and whereas they had reference to those within the church, therefore they were not spiritual, but merely natural. For he who makes no account of the good of charity and of life becomes merely natural, indeed, sensual, loving only worldly things, and is unable to understand any truths spiritually; the truths which he does apprehend naturally he either falsifies or defiles.
Such are those who are meant in the Word by the Philistines. The reason why the Philistines so often fought with the sons of Israel, and why sometimes the Philistines conquered, and sometimes the sons of Israel, is therefore plain. The Philistines conquered when the sons of Israel departed from their statutes and precepts by not keeping them, and the sons of Israel conquered when they lived according to them; to live according to the precepts and statutes was their good of love and good of life. The sons of Israel were at that time conquered by the Philistines because they turned from the worship of Jehovah to the worship of other gods, and especially to the worship of Ashtaroth, as is evident from what Samuel said to them (1 Sam. 7:3). This was the cause also of the ark being taken by the Philistines.
[21] When it is known that the Philistines represented, and thus signified, those who make no account of the good of love, of charity, and of life, it can be known why they were smitten with hemorrhoids because of the ark, and died in consequence, also, why the mice laid waste their land, hemorrhoids signifying truth defiled by such evil of life, as those are in who are destitute of good; for blood signifies truth, and the corrupt matter of the hemorrhoids truth defiled, and the hinder part, where the hemorrhoids were, signifies natural love, which, with those who are not spiritual, is the love of the world; while mice signify the falsities of the sensual man, which eat up and consume all things of the church, as mice [lay waste] the fields and crops, and also eat up and consume vegetables in the earth. They suffered such plagues because they were of such a nature; for those who are without good defile truths, and also lay waste all things of the church.
These things took place on account of the ark, because the ark signified Divine Truth which proceeds from the Lord, and this can be genuine only with those who are in the good of love, and thus in the good of life. And when the Divine Truth flows in with those who are not in good, it produces effects corresponding to the falsity of their doctrine and the evils of their life, similar to that which takes place in the spiritual world, when Divine Truth flows in with such persons; the defilement of truth and the devastation of good then appear under the similitude of hemorrhoids and mice.
[22] Dagon the god of the Ashdodites, on account of the nearness and presence of the ark, was cast down to the earth, and afterwards his head and the palms of his hands were cast upon the threshold of his house, because Dagon signified their religion, which being without spiritual good, possessed neither intelligence nor power; for the head signifies intelligence, and the palms of the hands signify power. A similar effect follows in the spiritual world, when Divine Truth flows in out of heaven with such persons, for they then appear to have neither head nor palms of the hands, because they have neither intelligence nor power.
[23] By the advice of their priests and diviners, they made golden images of the hemorrhoids and mice, and set them at the side of the ark upon a new cart, and to this they tied two milch kine upon which no yoke had yet come, because gold signifies the good of love healing and purifying from the falsities and evils which are signified by hemorrhoids and mice, and because a cart signifies the doctrine of natural truth, and a new cart, the same doctrine unharmed and undefiled by the falsities of their evil. The milch kine, upon which there had yet been no yoke, signified natural good not yet defiled by falsities, for to bear a yoke signifies to serve, and in this case to serve falsities which defile good; and as such good is in harmony with Divine Truth, signified by the ark, therefore these representatives were adopted and applied; and afterwards the Levites offered the kine as a burnt-offering, which they burned with the wood of the cart.
[24] The ark with the gifts was placed upon a great stone, near which the kine stood still, because a stone signifies Divine Truth in the ultimate of order. All this was done by the advice of the priests and diviners of the Philistines, because a knowledge (scientia) of correspondences and representations was common knowledge at that time, for it was their theology, known to the priests and diviners, who were their wise men. But since men at that time had for the most part become merely natural, they regarded those things in an idolatrous manner, worshipping externals, and giving no thought to the internals which the externals represented. From these observations it is evident what the particulars quoted above from the book of Samuel connectedly signify, and that the ark, from the law in it, signifies Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord.
[25] FOURTHLY, the two miracles performed by means of the ark - the death of Uzzah and the blessing of Obed-edom - are thus described in the second Book of Samuel:
"David arose and departed, and all the people that were with him, from Baal of Judah, to bring up thence the ark of God, whose name is invoked, the name of Jehovah Zebaoth that sitteth upon the cherubim over it, and they caused the ark of God to be carried upon a new chariot, and they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which is in Gibeah, and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were leading the chariot. And David and all the house of Israel were playing before Jehovah, upon all kinds [of instruments made] of fir wood, and upon harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with dulcimers, and with cymbals. And when they came to the threshing floor of Nachon, Uzzah put forth [his hand] to the ark, and took hold of it, because the oxen stumbled; and the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Uzzah, and God smote him for his error, so that he died there by the ark of God. And David was grieved at it, and David feared Jehovah that day, saying, How shall the ark of Jehovah come unto me? And David would not remove the ark of Jehovah unto him in the city of David, but he carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. When the ark of Jehovah had remained in his house three months, Jehovah also blessed Obed-edom and all his house; and this was told to king David, and David went, and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with joy. And when they that bare the ark of Jehovah had gone forward six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling; and David danced with all his might before Jehovah, girt with a linen ephod. And David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of Jehovah with a shout and with the sound of a trumpet, and they brought the ark of Jehovah "into the city of David, which is Zion, and set it up in its place within the tent that David had spread for it" (6:2-17).
These historical details, in the internal or spiritual sense, involve many things that cannot be seen in the sense of the letter, which is the historical sense - as what is involved in the fact that the ark was brought from the house of Abinadab into the house of Obed-edom, and at length into the city of David, which is Zion; in the fact that when it was being brought, they played upon and caused to sound all kinds of musical instruments, and that David himself danced; also that the ark was brought upon a new chariot, to which oxen were tied; also that Uzzah, the son of Abinadab, died, and Obed-edom with his house was blessed. All these things, although historical, contain in their bosom such things as pertain to heaven and the church, in the same way as the ark itself, which, because of the law in it, represented the Lord as to Divine Truth, and therefore was called the ark of God, whose name is invoked, the name of Jehovah Zebaoth that sitteth upon the cherubim. That the ark was now brought out of the house of Abinadab, first into the house of Obed-edom, and at length into the city of David, which is Zion, is a fact involving interior truths (arcana) which no one can know unless he learns what was signified there by Gibeah, and by Baal of Judah, where Abinadab was, and by Gath, where Obed-edom was, and lastly by Zion, where David was.
All parts of the land of Canaan with their cities were representative, as is the case in the spiritual world with the regions there, and their cities. In every region, and in every city in the spiritual world, those who are in the good of love dwell towards the east and the west, those who are in clear good of love towards the east, and those who are in obscure good of love towards the west; while towards the south and north, dwell those who are in the light of truth; those who are in clear light of truth towards the south, and those who are in obscure light of truth towards the north. The case was similar in the land of Canaan, in its districts and their cities; these with respect to their quarters, corresponded to the regions of the spiritual world, and to the cities of those regions, but with this difference, that it is impossible to distribute men on earth into quarters according to the good of love, and to the light of truth, as is done with spirits and angels in the spiritual world, therefore in the land of Canaan and its cities the places themselves were representative, and not persons.
That this was so is evident from the partition of the land of Canaan into inheritances, which fell by lot to the tribes according to their representation of the church; also from Jerusalem and Zion which represented the church itself, Jerusalem the church as to the truth of doctrine, and Zion the church as to the good of love. When therefore it is known what that is pertaining to heaven and the church which is specially signified by Gibeah, by Baal of Judah, where Abinadab was, and by Gath where Obed-edom was, the signification of the ark being brought from Abinadab to Obed-edom, and at length into Zion, can be known.
[26] It is evident from the signification of those cities, that the carrying up of the ark represented the progress of the church in man, from its ultimate to its inmost, as from one heaven into another, even to the highest, which is the third heaven. Baal of Judah, where Abinadab was, signified the ultimate of the church, which is called its Natural, for this was represented by Gibeah, where Baal of Judah was; but Gath, where Obed-edom was, who was thence called a Gittite, signified the Spiritual of the church, and it took on this signification after the sons of Israel had taken the cities from the Philistines, from Ekron even to Gath (1 Sam, 7:13-15); while Zion, where David dwelt, signified the inmost of the church, which is called its Celestial.
[27] It is evident from these things that the carrying up of the ark signified the progress of the church in man from its ultimate to its inmost, and this because those progressions are effected by means of the Divine Truth, signified by the ark; for the man of the church advances from the Natural to the Spiritual, and through this to the Celestial, and this continually from the Lord by means of His Divine Truth, the Natural being the good of life, the Spiritual the good of charity towards the neighbour, and the Celestial the good of love to the Lord. The goods of the three heavens advance in a similar manner, and therefore also the ascent through them in their order was also represented.
[28] Their playing upon and causing all kinds of musical instruments to sound, when the ark was being brought, and David dancing, represented the gladness and joy which result from the affection for truth and good from the Lord through the influx of the Divine Truth, signified by the ark. The instruments mentioned, on which they played on the first journey from the house of Abinadab to the house of Obed-edom, represented gladness of mind resulting from natural and spiritual affection for truth, while the dancing of David, and also the shouting and the sound of the trumpet, represented joy of heart resulting from affection for spiritual and celestial good. Harmonies of musical sounds are from the spiritual world, and signify affections with their gladness and joys, as may be seen above (n. 323, 326). Zion signifies the third heaven, and thus the inmost of the church, as may also be seen above (n. 405).
[29] The ark brought upon a new chariot, to which oxen were tied, represented, and thus signified, the doctrine of truth from the good of love, the chariot signifying the doctrine of truth, and the oxen the good of love, both in the natural man; for Divine Truth, signified by the ark, rests and is founded upon the doctrine of natural truth which is from good.
It was for this reason that the ark was placed upon a chariot, with oxen before the chariot. That a chariot signifies the doctrine of truth, may be seen above (n. 355); and that an ox signifies natural good, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 2180, 2566).
[30] The reason why Uzzah, the son of Abinadab, died because he took hold of the ark with his hand, is that to touch with the hand signifies communication, and communication with the Lord takes place by means of the good of love; and Uzzah was not anointed, as the priests and Levites were, who received the representation of the good of love by means of anointing; that this was the case, see above (n. 375). Moreover the cherubim, that were over the mercy-seat which was over the ark, signified protection lest the Lord should be approached except through the good of love. That this was done, in order that David might not bring the ark into Zion before the progression - which was also represented - was finished (of which just above) is clear from this, that David was grieved at the death of Uzzah, and feared to bring the ark into Zion, his own city (verses 8-10).
[31] Obed-edom was blessed, and his house, on account of the ark, because to be blessed with the good things of the world signifies to be blessed with the good things of heaven, which proceed solely from the Lord by the reception of Divine Truth represented by the ark; these good things are given to those who are in spiritual good, which Obed-edom in Gath represented, as stated above.
[32] Lastly, the bringing of the ark into Zion, and into the tent which had been spread out for it by David, signified ascent into the third heaven, and the conjunction of Divine Truth with the good of love; for Zion represented the inmost of the church, and thus the inmost of the heavens, which is the highest or third heaven, where the angels are in the good of love to the Lord, and where there is a protection lest the Lord should be approached except through the good of love; this protection is represented by the cherubim over the ark.
[33] The bringing of the ark into the inmost part of the temple built by Solomon has a similar signification. This circumstance is thus described in the First Book of Kings:
Solomon "prepared the adytum (or oracle) in the midst of the house, to place in it the ark of the covenant of Jehovah; and he made in the adytum two cherubim of the wood of oil, and set them in the midst of the inner house, so that their wings were stretched out to the wall on each side, and their wings touched each other in the midst of the house and he overlaid the cherubim with gold." And Solomon brought up "the ark of the covenant of Jehovah from the city of David, which is Zion. And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests carried the ark, and brought up the ark of Jehovah, and the tent of meeting, and all the vessels of holiness that were in the tent; and Solomon and all the congregation with him before the ark. And the priests brought the ark of the covenant of Jehovah into its place, into the adytum (or oracle) of the house, into the holy of holies, even under the wings of the cherubim; for the cherubim spread out their wings over the place of the ark, so that the cherubim covered the ark and the staves thereof from above, and the heads of the staves were seen from the holy place, towards the faces of the adytum (or oracle), but they were not seen without." And Solomon said, "I have appointed there the place of the ark, wherein is the covenant of Jehovah, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt" (6:19, 23, 27; 8:1-8, 21).
As the ark in the tent of meeting represented the third heaven where the Lord is, and the tent itself without the veil, the second heaven, and the court the first heaven, so also was this the case with the temple; for the temple with its courts represented the three heavens. Therefore there was nothing in the temple, or outside of the temple where the courts were, that did not represent something of heaven, and this because the Lord at that time was present in representatives; for the churches which were before the Lord's coming were representative churches, and became finally of such a character as the church instituted among the sons of Israel. But when the Lord came into the world, then external representatives were abolished, because it was the Lord Himself whom the representatives of the church shadowed forth and signified; and since these were external things, and as it were coverings, within which was the Lord, therefore these coverings were taken away when He came, and He himself became manifest together with heaven and the church, in which the Lord is the all in all. The chief representatives of the Lord, and thence of heaven and the church, were the tent of meeting, and in it the table, the lampstand, the altar of incense, and the ark, also the altar with the burnt-offerings and sacrifices, and afterwards the temple, the temple having the same representation as the tent of meeting, with this difference, that the tent of meeting was a more holy representative of the Lord, of heaven, and of the church, than the temple.
[34] From these things it is evident that the adytum (or oracle) of the temple, where the ark was, in the same way as in the tent of meeting, represented the Lord as to Divine Truth, and thus also the third heaven, where the angels are conjoined with the Lord through love to Him, and consequently have Divine Truth inscribed on their hearts. But the signification of the cherubim in the temple, their wings and the staves - which are also mentioned - shall be explained in a few words. The cherubim signified protection, lest the Lord should be approached except through the good of love, therefore also they were made of the wood of oil, and this wood signifies the good of love, as may be seen in n. 375. The wings of the cherubim signify the spiritual Divine which descends from the celestial Divine, in which is the third heaven into the second, and is there received; this is the reason why the wings touched each other in the midst of the house, and were stretched forth to the wall on each side. But the staves, with which the ark was carried, signified Divine Power, in the same way as arms. From these and the foregoing observations the signification of the ark of the covenant in the Word is evident.
[35] Moreover the ark signifies a representative of the church in general, and this the continual sacrifice in Daniel, which was to cease at the Lord's coming into the world, also signifies as in Jeremiah:
"I will give you shepherds according to my heart, that they may feed you with knowledge and understanding; then it shall come to pass when ye shall be multiplied and bear fruit in the land, in those days they shall no more say, The ark of the covenant of Jehovah, neither shall it come up upon the heart, neither shall they make mention of it, neither shall they desire it, neither shall it be renewed any more" (3:15, 16).
These things are said of the coming of the Lord, and of the abolition of the representative rites of the Jewish church at that time. That the interior things of the church which had been concealed by representative external rites would be made manifest, and that then would men be interior or spiritual, is signified by shepherds being given according to the heart of the Lord, who would feed them with knowledge and understanding, shepherds meaning those who teach good and lead to it by means of truths. Then it shall come to pass, when ye shall be multiplied and bear fruit in the land in those days, signifies the multiplication of truth and the fructification of good. That then there will be conjunction with the Lord by means of the interior things of the Word and not by exterior things, which merely signified and represented interior things, is signified by, They shall no more say, The ark of the covenant of Jehovah; the ark of the covenant of Jehovah there denoting the externals of worship, which were then to be abolished, the same as the continual [sacrifice] which was to cease, as mentioned in Daniel (8:13; 11:31; 12:11). That worship was to be no longer external but internal, is signified by, It shall not come up upon the heart, neither shall they make mention of it, neither shall they desire it, neither shall it be renewed any more. It is evident from this that the ark of the covenant seen by John in the temple of God, which is the vision now treated of, was a manifestation of the Divine Truth, by means of which the conjunction of the new heaven and new church with the Lord is effected. And it was therefore seen in this manner in order that the Word in the letter might be everywhere similar, consisting of such things as being externals of worship also represented internals, just as above (8:3, 4), where the altar and the offerings of incense were seen before the throne. For the Word in the letter consists of pure correspondences, such as existed in the representative churches, and were consequently made use of in writing the Word; and in these the interior things of heaven and the church, which are spiritual and celestial, are contained.
