9457. And Jehovah spoke unto Moses, saying. That this signifies instruction concerning the holy things of heaven that were to be represented, is evident from what follows; for by “what Jehovah spoke unto Moses” are signified the holy things of heaven that were to be represented. For among the Israelitish people there was instituted a church in which were to be representatively presented in an external form the celestial things of the good of love and the spiritual things of the good and truth of faith, such as are in heaven, and such as must be in the church. From this it is evident that by “Jehovah spoke,” is signified instruction concerning the holy things of heaven that were to be represented. Inasmuch as the things that follow are representative of the celestial and spiritual things which are in the heavens from the Lord, it shall be told what a representative church is, and why it was instituted.

[2] There are three heavens: the inmost or third; the middle or second; and the ultimate or first. In the inmost heaven reigns the good of love to the Lord; in the middle heaven, the good of charity toward the neighbor; and in the ultimate heaven are represented the things which are thought, said, and come forth in the middle and inmost heavens. The representatives in this heaven are countless, consisting of paradises, gardens, forests, fields, plains; also of cities, palaces, houses; likewise of flocks and herds, animals and birds of many kinds, besides numberless other things. These things appear before the eyes of the angelic spirits there more clearly than similar things appear in the light of noon on earth; and wonderful to say, their signification also is perceived.

[3] Such things appeared also to the prophets when their interior sight, which is the sight of the spirit, was opened; as horses to Zechariah (Zech. 6:1-8); animals that were cherubs, and afterward the new temple with all things belonging to it, to Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1,9, 10, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48); a lampstand, thrones, animals that also were cherubs, horses, the New Jerusalem, and many other things, to John, as described in Revelation; in like manner horses and chariots of fire to the young man of Elisha (2 Kings 6:17). Things like these appear constantly in heaven before the eyes of spirits and angels, and they are natural forms in which the internal things of heaven terminate, and in which they are portrayed, and are thus presented to view before the very eyes. These things are representations.

[4] A church is therefore representative when the internal holy things of love and faith from the Lord and to the Lord are presented to view by means of forms visible in the world; as in this chapter and the following by the ark, the propitiatory [mercy seat], the cherubs, the tables there, the lampstand, and all the other things of the tabernacle. For this tabernacle was so constructed as to represent the three heavens and all things therein; and the ark, in which was the Testimony, so as to represent the inmost heaven and the Lord Himself therein. Wherefore its form was shown to Moses in the mountain, Jehovah then saying that they should “make for Him a sanctuary, and He would dwell in the midst of them” (verse 8). Everyone who has some capacity of thinking interiorly can perceive that Jehovah could not dwell in a tent, but that He dwells in heaven; and that this tent could not be called a sanctuary unless it referred to heaven, and to the celestial and spiritual things therein. Consider what it would be for Jehovah, the Creator of heaven and earth, to dwell in a small habitation of wood, overlaid with gold and surrounded with curtains, unless heaven and the things of heaven had been there represented in a form.

[5] For the things represented in a form do indeed appear in a like form in the lowest or first heaven before the spirits who are there; but in the higher heavens are perceived the internal things which are represented, and which as before said are the celestial things of love to the Lord, and the spiritual things of faith in the Lord. Such were the things that filled heaven when Moses and the people were in a holy external, and adored this tent as the habitation of Jehovah Himself. From this it is plain what a representative is, and also that through it heaven, thus the Lord, was present with man.

[6] Therefore when the Ancient Church ceased, a representative church was instituted among the Israelitish people, in order that by means of such representatives there might be the conjunction of heaven, thus of the Lord, with the human race; for without the conjunction of the Lord through heaven, man would perish, because he has his life by virtue of this conjunction. These representatives, however, were only external means of conjunction, with which the Lord miraculously conjoined heaven (see n. 4311). But when the conjunction through these things also perished, the Lord came into the world and opened the internal things themselves that were represented, which are those of love and faith in Him. These internal things now effect the conjunction; nevertheless at the present day the only means of conjunction is the Word, because it has been so written that each and all things therein correspond, and thus represent and signify the Divine things that are in the heavens.

4290. In the internal historical sense, by “he said, I will not let thee go unless thou bless me,” is signified that they insisted upon being representative; for their insisting is signified by “I will not let thee go,” and representing a church by being “blessed.” In regard to this subject—that the posterity of Jacob insisted upon being representative of a church, and that they were chosen above all other nations—this cannot indeed be made so evident from the historicals of the Word in the sense of the letter, for the reason that the historicals of the Word in the sense of the letter enfold within them deep secrets of heaven, and therefore these so follow in the series; and also because the names themselves signify things; many names indeed in their supreme sense signify the Lord Himself, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. That these in the supreme sense signify the Lord, has been shown many times in what precedes (see n. 1965, 1989, 2011, 3245, 3305, 3439).

[2] That the posterity of Jacob were not chosen, but insisted that a church should be among them, may be seen from many passages of the Word, from its internal historical sense, and openly in the following.

In Moses:

Jehovah spoke unto Moses, Go up hence, thou and the people which thou hast made to go up out of the land of Egypt, into the land of which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it; I will not go up in the midst of thee, for thou art a stiffnecked people; lest I consume thee in the way. And when the people heard this evil word, they mourned, and put off everyone his ornament from upon him. And Moses took the tent, and pitched it for himself without the camp, in removing far from the camp. And Moses said unto Jehovah, See, Thou sayest unto me, Make this people go up, and Thou hast not made known to me whom Thou wilt send with me. Now therefore I pray if I have found grace in Thine eyes, make known to me I pray Thy way, that I may know concerning Thee, that I have found grace in Thine eyes; behold also that this nation is Thy people. He said therefore, My faces shall go until I give thee rest (Exodus 33:1-7, 12-14).

It is here said that Moses made the people go up out of the land of Egypt, and then that they put off their ornament and mourned, and that Moses pitched his tent without the camp, and that thereby Jehovah assented; thus plainly showing that they themselves insisted.

[3] In the same:

Jehovah said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke Me, and how long will they not believe in Me, for all the signs which I have wrought in the midst of them? I will smite them with the pestilence, and will extinguish them, and will make of thee a nation greater and mightier than they. But Moses supplicated, and Jehovah being entreated said, I will be gracious according to thy word: nevertheless, I live, and the whole earth shall be filled with the glory of Jehovah; for as to all those men who have seen My glory, and My signs which I wrought in Egypt, and in the wilderness, yet have tempted Me these ten times, and have not obeyed my voice, surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked Me see it. Your bodies shall fall in this wilderness; but your little children will I bring in (Numbers 14:11-12, 20-23, 29, 31).

From these words it is also manifest that Jehovah willed to extinguish them, and consequently not to set up a church among them, but that they insisted and it was therefore done—besides many other times also, when Jehovah willed to utterly destroy that nation so often rebellious, but as often suffered Himself to be entreated by their supplications.

[4] The like is also involved in Balaam’s not being permitted to curse that people (Numbers 22,23, 24); and in other places also, where it is said that Jehovah repented that He had brought in that people; also that Jehovah was entreated; and also that He so often made a new covenant with them. Such things are signified in the internal historical sense by the words “I will not let thee go, unless thou bless me.” The same is also signified by Jacob’s taking away the birthright from Esau, and also by his taking the blessing from him by fraud (Genesis 25 and 27).