10707. Until he entered in to speak with Him. That this signifies no matter how much they may be informed, is evident from the signification of “until Moses entered in to speak with Jehovah,” as signifying the state of this external when the internal from the Lord flowed in, and it received information (see above, n. 10702). That here it also denotes no matter how much they may be informed, is because by Moses is represented that external of the Word in which is the internal (n. 10694); and he entered in before Jehovah and went out, and informed them; for by “entering in and going out” is signified communication (n. 5249, 6901); and by “speaking” is signified information (see at the places cited in n. 10280). That they did not wish to know anything about these internal things of the Word, of the church, and of worship, which relate to the Lord, to His kingdom, and to love to Him and faith in Him, is very evident from the fact that they did not wish to acknowledge the Lord no matter how much He when in the world informed them from the Word; and that neither do they wish to acknowledge Him at this day, although they live among Christians, and know that it has been foretold in the Word that the Messiah, that is, the Christ, will come. The reason why they did not acknowledge, and do not acknowledge, is that they apply all things of the Word to themselves, and to their own eminence over others, thus in favor of their loves, which are the loves of self and of the world. All who do so, see nothing from heaven. Their internal, which should be open into heaven, is closed, and therefore they have no light from this source. For this reason they are in thick darkness and blindness in respect to spiritual things, thus in respect to the internal of the Word, of the church, and of worship. The internal of the Word is spiritual; its external is natural. When the internal of the Word is spoken of, the internal of the church and of worship is also meant, because the church is where the Word is, and is from the Word; and worship is from those things which are in the Word. Thus such as is a man’s understanding of the Word, such is the church in him, and such is his worship.

10702. And when Moses entered in before Jehovah to speak with Him. That this signifies the state of the external when the internal from the Lord flowed in and this external received information, is evident from the representation of Moses, as being that external in which is the internal (see n. 10694); from the signification of “entering in before Jehovah,” as being the state of this external when the Lord flows in (of which below); and from the signification of “speaking,” as being information (see at the places cited in n. 10280). With the external when the internal flows into it, which is signified by “when Moses entered in before Jehovah,” the case is this. There are two states with men in respect to the things of the church, of worship, and of the Word. Some turn themselves to the Lord, thus to heaven; but some turn to themselves and the world. Those who turn themselves to the Lord or to heaven receive influx from thence, and are in enlightenment, and thus are inwardly in the perception of truth. This influx takes place from the Lord through the internal into the external. This is here signified by “entering in before Jehovah.” But those who turn to themselves and the world cannot receive any influx from the Lord or from heaven, thus cannot be in any enlightenment and perception of truth; for by looking to self the world flows in, and completely extinguishes, or repels, or perverts whatsoever comes from heaven. Consequently they are in thick darkness in respect to all things of the church, of worship, and of the Word. This is signified by “the veil before Moses’ faces.” Moreover, the interiors of a man actually turn themselves in accordance with his loves. With those who love the Lord, the interiors turn themselves to the Lord or heaven, thus inwardly; but with those who love themselves they turn to the world, thus outwardly. To turn one’s self to the Lord is to be turned by the Lord Himself, for a man cannot elevate his interiors from himself. But to turn one’s self to self is to be turned by hell, and when this is done, then, in order to prevent the man from serving two masters, the things of the internal man are closed.