9092. Then they shall sell the living ox. That this signifies that the affection of the one which has injured the affection of the other shall be alienated, is evident from the signification of “selling,” as being to alienate (see n. 4098, 4752, 4758, 5886); and from the signification of “the living ox,” as being the affection of truth which had injured the affection of truth of another (of which above, n. 9090).

8760. And Moses went up unto God. That this signifies the truth from the Divine which is beneath heaven conjoining itself with the Divine truth which is in heaven, is evident from the representation of Moses, as being truth from the Divine (see n. 6771, 6827, 7014), here truth from the Divine which is beneath heaven, for the reason that now he represents the sons of Israel as their head, thus those who are of the spiritual church, who as yet are not in heaven because not yet in good formed by truths (see n. 8753, 8754); and from the signification of “going up,” as being to conjoin oneself, for he who goes up to the Divine conjoins himself with Him; as for instance when “going up into heaven” is mentioned, there is meant being conjoined with the Lord; and the reverse is meant by “coming down from heaven.” The Divine truth in heaven, with which there is conjunction, is meant by “God,” for in the Word the Lord is called “God” from Divine truth, and “Jehovah” from Divine good (n. 2586, 2769, 2807, 2822, 3921, 4402, 7010, 7268, 7873, 8301); and because the conjunction of Divine truth with Divine good is here treated of, therefore in this verse “God” is first mentioned, and then “Jehovah,” in these words, “Moses went up unto God, and Jehovah called unto him from the mountain.”

[2] It is said, the Divine truth in heaven, and afterward, the Divine good in heaven, for the reason that the Divine Itself is far above the heavens, not only the Divine good itself, but also the Divine truth itself which proceeds immediately from the Divine good. That these are far above heaven, is because in itself the Divine is infinite, and the infinite cannot be conjoined with finite things, thus not with the angels in the heavens, except by the putting on of something finite, and thus by accommodation to reception. The Divine good itself is also in itself an infinite flame of ardor, that is, of love, and this flame no angel in heaven can bear, for he would be consumed like a man if the flame of the sun were to touch him without intermediate tempering. Moreover if the light from the flame of the Divine love, which light is Divine truth, were to flow in without abatement from its own fiery splendor, it would blind all who are in heaven. From all this it can be seen what the difference is between the Divine good and Divine truth above the heavens, and the Divine good and Divine truth in the heavens, here treated of.

7268. See, I have given thee a god to Pharaoh. That this signifies the law Divine, and its power over those who are in falsities, is evident from the signification of “giving thee a god,” as being the Divine truth, or what is the same, the Divine law, and also its power (for in the Word where truth is treated of, and also the power of truth, the name “God” is used, but where good is treated of, the name “Jehovah,” see n. 300, 2586, 2769, 2807, 2822, 3910, 3921, 4287, 4295, 4402, 7010); and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being those who are in falsities and infest (n. 6651, 6679, 6683). As to what further regards the signification of “God,” be it known that in the supreme sense “God” denotes the Divine which is above the heavens, but in the internal sense “God” denotes the Divine which is in the heavens. The Divine which is above the heavens is the Divine good, but the Divine in the heavens is the Divine truth; for from the Divine good proceeds the Divine truth, and makes heaven, and disposes it. For that which is properly called “heaven” is nothing else than the Divine formed there, because the angels who are in heaven are human forms recipient of the Divine, and constituting a common form, which is that of man.

[2] And because the Divine truth in the heavens is that which in the Word of the Old Testament is meant by “God,” in the original language God is called Elohim in the plural; and as the angels who are in the heavens are recipient of the Divine truth, they also are called “gods,” as in David:

Who in heaven shall compare himself to Jehovah? or shall be likened to Jehovah among the sons of the gods? (Psalms 89:6).

Give to Jehovah, O ye sons of the gods, give to Jehovah glory and strength (Psalms 29:1).

I said, Ye are gods, and all of you sons of the Most High (Psalms 82:6).

Jesus said, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? So He called them gods to whom the Word came (John 10:34-35).

And also in the passages where the Lord is called God of gods, and Lord of lords (Genesis 46:2-3; Deuteronomy 10:17; Numbers 16:22; Daniel 11:36; Psalms 136:2-3).

From all this it can be seen in what sense Moses is called a “god,” here a “god to Pharaoh,” and a “god to Aaron” (Exodus 4:16), namely, because Moses represented the Divine law, which is the Divine truth, and is called the “Word.” Hence also it is that Aaron is here called his “prophet,” and in a former passage his “mouth,” that is, one who utters in a form adapted to the understanding the Divine truth which proceeds immediately from the Lord, and which transcends all understanding. And as a “prophet” denotes one who teaches and utters Divine truth in a form adapted to the understanding, a “prophet” also denotes the doctrine of the church; of which in what now follows.