10137. 'And a drink offering of a quarter of a hin of wine' means spiritual truth, the amount needed for a joining together. This is clear from the meaning of 'wine' as truth, dealt with in 1071, 1798, 6377, at this point spiritual truth answering to the spiritual good derived from celestial good, meant by 'fine flour mixed with oil', dealt with immediately above in 10136 (where good is the subject in the Word, so too is truth, and indeed the truth belonging to the same class as the good. This is so because every single thing in heaven and also in the world has connection with good or with truth, and with both if it is to have any real existence, since good without truth is not good and truth without good is not truth, see the places referred to in 9263, 9314. This explains why when a minchah, which consisted of bread, was offered, so was a drink offering, which consisted of wine, in much the same way as in the Holy Supper. So it is that 'a drink offering of wine' is used here to mean the truth that answers to the good meant by a minchah, dealt with immediately above); and from the meaning of 'a quarter of a hin' as the amount needed for a joining together, dealt with immediately above in 10136.

[2] Everyone may see that not merely bread and wine should be understood by a minchah, which consisted of bread, and a drink offering, which consisted of wine, but something that belongs to the Church and to heaven, thus spiritual and celestial things, which are heaven's and the Church's. If this had not been so what would have been the point of putting the bread and wine on the fire on the altar? How could this have been pleasing to Jehovah, or how could it have been, as it says, an odour of rest to Him? How could it have expiated a person? Anyone who thinks reverently about the Word cannot imagine how an action so earthly could be pleasing to Jehovah unless something Divine on a deeper, more internal level was contained in it. The person who believes that the Word is Divine and spiritual throughout ought to believe completely that every detail there has some heavenly arcanum concealed within it. But the reason why no one up to now has known just where such an arcanum lies is that no one has known that an internal sense, which is spiritual and Divine, exists within every detail there. Nor has anyone known that angels are present with each person, perceiving his thoughts and understanding the Word in a spiritual manner when he reads it; that then through them a holy influence from the Lord reaches him; and that therefore through those angels heaven is linked to the person, to whom the Lord is linked by means of the heavens. It is for this reason that the kind of Word just described has been given to mankind, that Word being the sole means by which the Lord can provide for his salvation.

[3] The fact that 'minchah', consisting of bread, means the good of love and that 'drink offering', consisting of wine, means the good of faith, and that this is what the angels see in them, becomes clear from all those places in the Word which make reference to a minchah or a drink offering, such as these verses in Joel,

The minchah has been cut off, and the drink offering, from the house of Jehovah; the priests have been mourning, the ministers of Jehovah. The field has been devastated, the land has been mourning because the grain has been devastated, the new wine has dried up, the oil languishes. The vine has dried up and the fig tree languishes. Wail, O ministers of the altar, because the minchah and the drink offering have been withheld from the house of your God. For the day of Jehovah is near, and comes as destruction from Shaddai. Joel 1:9-15.

This refers to the final period of the Church, when the good of love and truth of faith are not present there any longer, meant by 'the day of Jehovah is near, and comes as destruction from Shaddai'.

[4] From this it is evident that by the minchah and drink offering which have been cut off from the house of Jehovah, the field which has been devastated, the land which mourns, the grain which too has been devastated, the new wine which has dried up, the oil which languishes, and the vine and fig which do so, such things as belong to the Church and to heaven are meant. It is the internal sense however that shows what it is they mean. From that sense it is evident that 'the field' means the Church as regards its reception of truth, see 3766, 4982, 7502, 7571, 9295; 'the land' the Church as regards [its reception of] good, see the places referred to in 9325; 'the grain' all the good that the Church has, 5295, 5410, 5959; 'the new wine' all the truth that the Church has, 3580; 'the oil' the good of love, 4582, 4638, 9780; 'the vine' the spiritual Church's interior good, 5113, 6376, 9277; and 'the fig' its exterior good, 217, 4231, 5113. From all this it is evident that 'the minchah' and 'the drink offering' mean worship springing from the good of love and from the good of faith.

[5] In Malachi,

I will not accept a minchah from your hands. For from the rising of the sun even to its setting, great is the name of Jehovah among the nations; and in every place [there will be] incense, offered to My name, and a pure minchah. Malachi 1:10-11.

It is evident that a minchah should not be understood here either by 'a minchah', nor incense by 'incense', since the subject is the Church among the gentile nations, among whom there was no minchah. For it says, 'From the rising of the sun to its setting, great is the name of Jehovah among the nations; and in every place [there will be] a pure minchah and incense', 'incense' meaning adoration springing from the good of faith, see 9475.

[6] Something similar occurs in David,

My prayers are acceptable, [as] incense before You, the lifting up of my hands, [as] the evening minchah. Psalms 141:2.

'The evening minchah' means the good of love in the external man.

[7] In Isaiah,

You inflamed yourselves among the gods under every green tree. You have also poured out a drink offering to them; you have presented a gift ¹ . You offer the king a gift in oil, and multiply your perfumes; and you debase yourself even to hell. Isaiah 57:5-6, 9.

This refers to worship based on evils and falsities which come from hell. 'The gods' in the internal sense are falsities, for although those who worshipped other gods called them by name, nevertheless falsities arising from evils were what they worshipped. Regarding the gods of the foreigner in the Word, that falsities are meant by them, see 4402(end), 8941. '[Every] green tree' means every perception, recognition, and corroboration of falsity, 2722, 2972, 4552, 7692, 'green' implying a sensory apprehension, 7691. 'Inflaming oneself' means worship that is passionate, for 'the fire' that causes such fervour is love in both senses, 5215, 6832, 7575. 'Pouring out a drink offering' is worship springing from the falsities of evil; 'offering the king a gift in oil' is the worship of Satan springing from evils, 'a gift in oil' being a minchah, and 'multiplying perfumes' is multiplying offerings of incense, by which acts of adoration are meant, 9475. Therefore it also says that he debases himself even to hell.

[8]From these considerations it becomes clear that 'a minchah', which consisted of bread, and 'a drink offering', which consisted of wine, mean things such as belong to the Church and to heaven, namely heavenly food and drink, in the same way as the bread and wine in the Holy Supper do - for the reason given above, that heaven may join itself to a person through the Word, consequently that the Lord may do so through heaven by means of the Word. Since the Divine presence in the Word consists in such things it nourishes the minds not only of people in the world but also of angels and causes heaven and the world to be one.

[9] From this it also becomes clear that all the things without exception which have been stated and commanded in the Word regarding the minchah and drink offering, or bread and wine, contain Divine arcana within them. This is so for example with the requirement that a minchah should consist of fine flour which had oil and also frankincense on it, that it should be altogether salted, and that it should be unleavened or without yeast. Then there is the requirement that there was to be one set of proportions for the mixture when a lamb was sacrificed, another when it was a ram, another when it was a young bull, and yet another in guilt- and sin-sacrifices, while the proportions in other sacrifices were different again. The proportion of wine in the drink offering varied in a similar way. Unless these specific requirements had embodied the arcana of heaven no such things would ever have been commanded in connection with the various forms of worship.

[10] To enable these different requirements to be seen alongside one another, let them be set out here in their own order, as contained in the eucharistic sacrifices and burnt offerings, in Numbers 15:4-12; 28:9-12, 20-21, 28-29; 29:3-4, 9-10, 14-15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 37,

For each lamb there was a minchah consisting of one tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with a quarter of a hin of oil; and the wine for the drink offering was a quarter of a hin.

For each ram there was a minchah consisting of two tenths [of an ephah] of fine flour, and a third of a hin of oil; and a third of a hin of wine for the drink offering.

For each young bull there was a minchah consisting of three tenths [of an ephah] of fine flour mixed with oil, a half of a hin; and half of a hin of wine for the drink offering.

The reason why the proportions of fine flour, oil, and wine for a lamb should be different from those for a ram or for a young bull was that a lamb meant the inmost good of innocence, a ram the middle good of innocence, and a young bull the lowest or external good of innocence. For there are three heavens - the inmost, the middle, and the lowest - and therefore also there are three degrees of the good of innocence. The increase of it from first to last is meant by the increase in the proportions of fine flour, oil, and wine. It should be remembered that the good of innocence is the very soul of heaven, because that good alone is the recipient of the love, charity, and faith which constitute the heavens.

'A lamb' means the inmost good of innocence, see 3994, 10132.

'A ram' means the middle or interior good of innocence, 10042.

'A young bull' means the lowest or external good of innocence, 9391, 9990.

[11] In sacrifices for thanksgiving (confessio) however there was a minchah consisting of unleavened cakes mixed with oil, unleavened wafers anointed with oil, cakes made of fried flour and mixed with oil, and in addition leavened bread cakes, Leviticus 7:11-12; and in guilt- and sin-sacrifices there was a minchah consisting of a tenth of an ephah of fine flour, but without oil or frankincense on top of it, Leviticus 5:11. The reason why no oil or frankincense should be put on top of the minchah composing a sin- or guilt-sacrifice was that 'oil' is a sign of the good of love and 'frankincense' a sign of the truth which goes with that good, and a sin- or a guilt-sacrifice is a sign of purification and expiation from evils and the falsities arising from them, which therefore were not to be mingled with good or the truth springing from it.

[12] In addition to these there were the minchah of Aaron and his sons on the day they were going to be anointed, see Leviticus 6:20-22; the minchah of the firstfruits of the harvest, Leviticus 2:14-15; 23:10, 12-13, 17; the minchah of the Nazirite, Numbers 6:13-21]; the minchah of jealousy, Numbers 5:11-31]; the minchah of one cleansed from leprosy, Leviticus 14:1-32]; and also the minchah baked in an oven, the minchah prepared in a pan, and the minchah cooked in a pot, Leviticus 2:4-7. There was was to be no yeast in a minchah, nor any honey; and the minchah had to be fully salted, Leviticus 2:11, 13. The reason why there should be no yeast in a minchah, nor any honey, was that in the spiritual sense 'yeast' means falsity arising from evil, and 'honey' external delight very much mixed with the delight belonging to love of the world, which also causes fermentation in heavenly forms of good and truths and subsequent disintegration of them. And the reason why they should be fully salted was that 'salt' was a sign of truth desiring good and so joining the two together.

'Yeast' means falsity arising from evil, see 2342, 7906, 8051, 9992.

'Honey' means external delight, thus such delight belonging to love in both senses, 5620.

'Salt' means truth desiring good, 9207.

Fotnoter:

3268. 'Nebaioth, Ishmael's firstborn, and Kedar, and Abdeel, and Mibsam; and Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa; Hadad, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah' means everything that constitutes the spiritual Church, in particular among the gentiles. This is clear from the representation of these individuals whose names are given. Some of them are mentioned again in the Word, in particular in the prophetical part, such as Nebaioth, Kedar, Dumah, and Tema. There they mean such things as constitute the spiritual Church, in particular among gentiles. This is in addition evident from the fact that there are twelve of them, and 'twelve' means all things that make up faith, and so the Church, to be dealt with below. In verse 16 below it is therefore said that they were 'twelve princes of their peoples'.

[2] That 'Nebaioth and Kedar' represent those things that constitute the spiritual Church, in particular among gentiles, that is to say, its goods and its truths derived from these, is clear in Isaiah,

A drove of camels will cover you, dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba will come. They will bring gold and frankincense, and will proclaim the praises of Jehovah. The whole flock of Kedar will be gathered to you, the rams of Nebaioth will minister to you; they will come up with acceptance on My altar. Isaiah 60:6-7.

This refers in the highest sense to the Lord, and in the relative sense to His kingdom. 'The flock of Kedar' stands for spiritual good - 'a flock' being spiritual good, see 343, 415, 2566. 'The rams of Nebaioth' stands for spiritual truth - 'a ram' being spiritual truth, 2833.

[3] Kedar is Arabia, as is evident from the places quoted below; and Arabia was named Kedar after Ishmael's son, as becomes clear from the fact that the names mentioned in these two verses are those of countries or nations which were all named after the sons and grandsons of Abraham, as Midian, Ephah, and Sheba above in verses 2-4, and so Kedar and Nebaioth here. In Ezekiel,

Arabia and all the princes of Kedar, these were the merchants of your hand in lambs, and in rams, and in he-goats. In these they were your merchants. Ezekiel 27:21.

This refers to Tyre, that is, to people who possess cognitions of good and truth - 'Tyre' being such persons, see 1201. 'Arabia' stands for spiritual good, 'the princes of Kedar' for spiritual truths. 'Lambs, rams, and he-goats' are spiritual goods and truths.

[4] In Jeremiah,

Arise, go up to Kedar, and lay waste the sons of the east. They will take their tents and their flocks, their curtains and all their vessels, and bear their camels away from them. Jeremiah 49:28-29.

This refers to the vastation of the spiritual Church meant by 'Kedar' and 'the sons of the east'. 'Tents and flocks' stands for the goods of that Church, 'curtains and vessels' for its truths. The sacred things of worship are meant by 'tents and flocks', and by 'curtains and vessels'; but the sacred things of worship are all related to good and truth.

[5] Those however who have no truth because no good resides with them are represented by Arabs and Kedarites in the wilderness, as in Isaiah,

Babel will not be dwelt in for ever, the Arab will not remain there. Isaiah 13:20.

In the same prophet,

Let the wilderness and its cities lift up [their voice], the villages which Kedar inhabits. Isaiah 42:10-11.

In Jeremiah,

By the wayside you have sat waiting for them, like an Arab in the wilderness. Jeremiah 3:2.

In David,

Woe is me, for I sojourn in Meshech; I delay among the tents of Kedar. Psalms 120:5.

In Isaiah,

In the forest in Arabia you will spend the night, O bands of Dedanites. To the thirsty bring water; O inhabitants of the land of Tema, meet with his bread the fugitive, for they will flee before the swords, before the drawn sword, before the bent bow, and before the grievousness of war. For thus said the Lord to me, Within a year, according to the year of a hireling, and all the glory of Kedar will come to an end; and the remainder of the number of the bows of the mighty men of the sons of Kedar [will be few]. Isaiah 21:13-17.

'Spending the night in the forest of Arabia' stands for being vastated as regards truth, and 'the bands of Dedanites' stands for those who possess cognitions, 3240, 3241 (end). 'The inhabitants of the land of Tema' stands for those in whom simple good is present, such as exists with upright gentiles - people, it is clear, who were descended from Ishmael's son called Tema. 'Kedar' stands for those who possess simple truth, of whom it is said that 'they are going to flee before the swords, and before the grievousness of war', which means that they will not experience the conflicts that are brought about by temptations because good does not exist with them any longer.

[6] In Jeremiah,

Pass over to the islands of the Kittians and see, and send to Kedar and examine closely, and see whether there has been such a thing, whether a nation has changed its gods, which are no gods. Jeremiah 2:10-11.

'The islands of the Kittians' stands for those who are more remote from worship, that is, for gentiles in whom simple good and consequently natural truth are present, 1156, 1158 - 'Kedar' also meaning, it is evident, such people. In the same prophet,

I took the cup from Jehovah's hand and made all the nations to whom Jehovah sent me drink it - Dedan and Tema, and Buz, and all who have cut the corners [of their hair]; and all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the west, dwelling in the wilderness. Jeremiah 25:17, 23-24.

This too refers to the vastation of the spiritual Church which among other names is called Tema and Arabia. From this it is evident that Tema, like Arabia, means those who belong to the spiritual Church. To Arabia however kings and also cities are attributed, but to Kedar princes and villages.

[7] In addition to these Dumah is also mentioned, in Isaiah 21:11-12. The reason why those nations mean the things that constitute the spiritual Church is that the Ancient Church, which was a spiritual Church, existed among them also, 1238, 2385, though their doctrinal teachings and religious observances varied. Nevertheless there was only one Church because those people made charity, not faith, the essential thing. In course of time however, as charity came to an end, that special feature of the Church which existed with them died out. Nevertheless a representative of the Church through them was maintained which differed according to that form of the Church that had once existed among them. Consequently when these nations are mentioned in the Word it is not these nations that are meant but only that form of the Church in general which had once existed there.