8926. Verses 21-23 And the people stood afar off; and Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was. And Jehovah said to Moses, Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, You have seen that I have spoken to you from heaven. You shall not make [to be] with Me gods of silver and gods of gold; you shall not make [them[ for yourselves.

'And the people stood afar off' means remoteness from inner truths. 'And Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was' means a joining even of the truth of spiritual good to God's truth. 'And Jehovah said to Moses' means further instruction. 'Thus you shall say to the children of Israel' means those belonging to the spiritual Church. 'You have seen that I have spoken to you from heaven' means all things in the Word coming through influx from God by way of heaven. 'You shall not make [to be] with Me gods of silver and gods of gold' means that they are to avoid completely things which to outward appearances look like truths and forms of good but inwardly are falsities and evils. 'You shall not make [them] for yourselves' means that utmost care must be taken to avoid them.