Title: Daily and Yearly Preparation for Heaven

Topic: Salvation

Summary: The daily sacrifices, weekly sabbaths, and three annual feasts prescribed in the Old Testament are a picture of how to prepare for heaven.

Use the reference links below to follow along in the Bible as you watch.

References:
2 Peter 2:22, 10
Numbers 28:1
Exodus 23:14, 17
Leviticus 23:1, 5, 10, 33
Deuteronomy 16:1, 9, 13-14
Luke 6:1
Acts of the Apostles 2:1; 20:16
Nehemiah 8:13-14
Ezekiel 45:21, 25
Zechariah 14:16
John 7:2, 37

In Genesis 22, the story of Abraham being commanded to sacrifice Isaac (before a reprieve) signifies the Lord's most grievous and inmost temptations when He was on earth. In reality, God tempts no one, but is instead continually releasing man from temptations as far as possible. (Arcana Coelestia 2768)

In Exodus 17:2, 7, the Israelites tempting Jehovah means that they were complaining against the Divine. "The reason why going so far as to despair of receiving aid from Him is meant is that such despair lies within what people say when they complain in temptations; for temptations consist in ever-recurring feelings of despair over salvation. Initially those feelings are slight, but in course of time they weigh heavily on a person, till finally he doubts, almost denies God's presence or the possibility of aid from Him." (Arcana Coelestia 8567)

In Luke 4:13; Mark 12:15; and Revelation 3:10, temptation signifies the extremity to which the spiritual life of regeneration is brought, in the combat against evil and falsities. (Arcana Coelestia 8567)

In Revelation 3:10, it signifies that people who are interiorly good are in truths from good from the Lord. (Apocalypse Revealed 186)