10151. And the altar. That this signifies receptivity of the Divine from the Lord in the higher heavens, is evident from the signification of “sanctifying,” as being receptivity of the Divine from the Lord (see above, n. 10149); and from the signification of “the altar,” as being a representative of the Lord as to Divine good (n. 9964), here as to the Divine good proceeding from Him in the heavens where it is received, thus in the higher heavens, for there the Lord is received as to Divine good; but in the lower heavens the Lord is received as to Divine truth (as was shown just above, n. 10150).

[2] Be it known that whatever represented the Lord Himself also represented heaven, for the Divine that proceeds from the Lord, when received by the angels, makes heaven. Thus in respect to what is their own the angels themselves do not make heaven; but in respect to the Divine which they receive from the Lord. That this is so can be seen from the fact that each one of them there acknowledges, believes, and also perceives, that there is nothing of good from himself, but only from the Lord; and that whatever is from himself is not good; thus wholly according to the doctrine of the church, that all good comes from above. As this is so, it follows that it is the Divine of the Lord which makes the heavenly life with them, consequently heaven. From this it can be seen how it is to be understood that the Lord is the all in all of heaven; also that the Lord dwells there in His own; and likewise that by an “angel” in the Word is signified something of the Lord (as has been shown in the preceding pages throughout).

[3] So it is with the church. In respect to what is their own the men of the church do not make the church, but in respect to what is Divine which they receive from the Lord; for everyone in the church who does not acknowledge and believe that all the good of love and the truth of faith are from God, is not of the church; for he wishes to love God from himself, and to believe in God from himself, which, however, no one can do. From this also it is evident that the Divine of the Lord makes the church, as it makes heaven. Moreover, the church is the Lord’s heaven on earth; consequently the Lord is also the all in all in the church, as He is in heaven, and there dwells in His own with men, as He does with the angels in heaven. Moreover, after their life in the world, the men of the church who in this way receive what is Divine of the Lord in love and faith, become angels of heaven; and no others.

[4] That the Divine of the Lord makes His kingdom with man, that is, heaven and the church with him, the Lord also teaches in John:

The Spirit of truth shall abide with you, and shall be in you, and ye shall know that I am in My Father, and ye in Me, and I in you (John 14:17, 20).

The “Spirit of truth” denotes the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord, of which it is said that it “shall abide in you;” and afterward that “He is in the Father, and they in Him, and He in them,” whereby is signified that they would be in what is Divine of the Lord, and that what is Divine of the Lord should be in them. That the Divine Human is that which is there meant is plain. And again in the same:

Abide in Me, and I in you; as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; so neither can ye, except ye abide in Me; He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit; for without Me ye can do nothing (John 15:4-5).

10150. And I will sanctify the Tent of meeting. That this signifies the receptivity of the Lord in the lower heavens, is evident from the signification of “sanctifying,” as being receptivity of the Divine of the Lord (see just above, n. 10149); and from the signification of “the Tent of meeting,” as being the heavens (n. 3478, 9457, 9481, 9485, 9963); that the lower heavens are signified is because by “the altar” are signified the higher heavens (see just below, n. 10151). What is meant by the lower and the higher heavens shall here be briefly told. The heavens are distinguished into two kingdoms, the celestial and the spiritual; the celestial kingdom makes the higher heavens, and the spiritual kingdom the lower heavens; the essential good of the celestial kingdom is the good of love to the Lord and the good of mutual love; but the essential good of the spiritual kingdom is the good of charity toward the neighbor and the good of faith. These kingdoms differ as do the understanding and the will with a regenerate man, in general as do good and truth; but what is the nature of this difference can be seen from what was shown about these two kingdoms in the places cited in n. 9277; also in n. 9543, 9688, 9992, 10005, 10068. Moreover, the will is the inmost of man, for it is the man himself; but the understanding is adjacent and subservient, thus is exterior. That which is interior is also called higher, and that which is exterior is also called lower. (That the celestial kingdom corresponds to the will, and the spiritual kingdom to the understanding, in a regenerate man, see n. 9835.) From all this it is evident what is meant by the lower heavens, and what by the higher heavens.