9964. 'Or when they approach the altar to minister in the holy place' means in worship representative of the Lord Himself. This is clear from the consideration that the altar was the chief representative of the Lord in respect of Divine Good, see 9714, so that 'approaching the altar' and 'ministering in the holy place' there mean worship of the Lord Himself. The worship representative of the Lord consisted chiefly in burnt offerings and sacrifices offered on the altar, 922, 923, 2180, 6905, 8680, 8936. Worship representative of the Lord in respect of Divine Good took place at the altar, and worship representative of Him in respect of Divine Truth took place in the tent of meeting. This is the reason for saying that 'going into the tent of meeting' means worship representative of all things of heaven and the Church, 9963, and 'approaching the altar' worship representative of the Lord Himself. For heaven and the Church are recipients of Divine Truth emanating from the Lord, Divine Truth emanating from the Lord being truth emanating from the good of love that is His and implanted where that good is also received, consequently where the Lord, the Source of that good, is received.

8936. 'And shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your eucharistic offerings' means worship in particular according to each person's state of spiritual life. This is clear from the meaning of 'burnt offerings and sacrifices' as all inward worship in general, and also all the varieties of it in keeping with the different kinds of celestial and spiritual realities that are involved, that is, the different forms of the good of love to the Lord and the different truths of faith in Him, 922, 923, 2165, 2180, 2805, 2807, 2930, 3519, 6405, thus in keeping with every state of spiritual life in particular. This accounts for the institution of so many different kinds of sacrifices; that is, in addition to the daily sacrifices there were those offered on sabbath days, at feasts, new moons, inaugurations, and consecrations, as well as those for all guilt, sin, cleansing, healing, and childbirth. It also accounts for the use according to the occasion of different living creatures, such as oxen, young oxen, lambs, rams, she-goats, and he-goats, each of which meant a different kind of good that belongs to spiritual life, 1823, 2180, 3519.