46. The literal meaning of the Word is symbolized by the veils and curtains of the tabernacle.

The tabernacle represented heaven and the church, which is why its form was outlined by Jehovah on Mount Sinai. Because of this, everything in the tabernacle - the lampstands, the golden altar of incense, the table for the showbread - represented and therefore referred to holy matters of heaven and the church; and the most holy place, where the ark of the covenant was, represented and therefore referred to the very heart of heaven and the church. Further, the actual law written on the two stone tablets and kept in the ark meant the Lord as the Word. Now, since outer things get their essence from inner things, and both outer and inner things get their essence from the very center, which in this instance was the law, everything in the tabernacle also represented and referred to the holy contents of the Word. It then follows that the outermost features of the tabernacle, the veils and curtains that were coverings and enclosures, meant the outermost features of the Word, which are the true and good elements of its literal meaning. Because this is what they meant, all the curtains and veils were made of fine linen tightly woven, and of blue, purple, and double-dyed scarlet [thread], [and were embroidered] with angel guardians (Exodus 26:1, 31, 36).

The general and specific symbolism and meaning of the tabernacle and everything in it has been explained in the treatment of this chapter in Secrets of Heaven [9593-9692]. It is explained there that the curtains and veils represented outward features of the church and therefore also outward features of the Word. The linen or fine linen meant truth of a spiritual origin, blue meant truth of a heavenly origin, purple meant heavenly goodness, double-dyed scarlet meant spiritual goodness, and angel guardians meant protection for the inner contents of the Word.

9593. THE INTERNAL SENSE

Verse 1 And you shall make the dwelling-place, [formed by] ten curtains; from fine twined linen and violet and purple and twice-dyed scarlet, with cherubs, with the work of a designer you shall make them.

'And you shall make the dwelling-place' means the second or middle heaven. 'Ten curtains' means all the truths of which it consists. 'From fine twined linen and violet and purple and twice-dyed scarlet' means the spiritual and celestial realities from which those truths are derived. 'With cherubs' means the Lord's watchfulness, guarding it from the approach of the hells and the harm they can do. 'With the work of a designer you shall make them' means the power of understanding.