700# “在祂殿中现出约柜”表示神性真理，通过神性真理而有与主的结合。这从“约柜”的含义清楚可知，“约柜”是指从主发出的神性真理(对此，我们很快就会谈到)。“约柜”出现，是因为“殿”出现了，而这柜子就在耶路撒冷圣殿的中间，柜中放着两块法版，这两块法版在最普遍的意义上表示从主发出的神性真理，因而表示主自己，主是众天堂里的神性真理，故在约翰福音(1:1, 2, 14)中也被称为圣言。这就是约柜的含义，因为会幕代表三层天堂，它的院子代表最低层或第一层天堂；帐棚本身直至幔子代表中间或第二层天堂，其中有摆放陈设饼的桌子，香坛，灯台；在幔子里面、上面有施恩座与基路伯的约柜代表至内层或第三层天堂；柜子里的律法本身代表神性真理或圣言方面的主；由于通过圣言而有与主的结合，所以这柜子被称为“约柜”，“约”表示结合。帐棚或帐幕代表天堂的形式，与院子一起代表三层天堂，里面有法版的柜子所在的至圣所，也就是至内层，代表第三层或至内层天堂，律法或见证代表主自己(可参看《属天的奥秘》，3478, 9457, 9481, 9485节)。“帐幕”和“圣殿”一样，在至高意义上表示主，在相对意义上表示天堂和教会，因而敬拜的神圣或神圣原则(AC 9457, 9481, 10242, 10245, 10304, 10545节)。在圣言中，“约”表示结合，教会的一切，无论内在的还是外在的，都是约的标志，它们被称为约，是因为结合通过它们实现(AC 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021, 2037, 6804, 8767, 8778, 9396, 9416, 10632节)。因此，从西乃山颁布的律法被称为“约”，盛有律法的柜子被称为“约柜”(AC 6804, 9416节)。
柜子与封在里面的约或见证表示在属天神性，也就是至内层或第三层天堂的神性真理方面的主，这一点可从圣言论到约柜所说的清楚看出来。如摩西五经：
他们要为我造一个圣所，使我可以住在他们中间，要照我所指示你的一切，就是居所的样式来造。首先，他们要作一个皂荚木的柜子；你要用纯金包它，内外都要把它包上；要为它镶上金边；为杠子铸四个金环。你要将我所要赐给你的见证放在柜里。你要用纯金作施恩座；要造两个金基路伯，要用实金来造，安在施恩座上，使基路伯张开翅膀，用它们的翅膀遮掩施恩座；基路伯的脸要朝着施恩座。你要将见证放在柜里；我要在那里与你相会，又要从施恩座上边，见证柜上二基路伯中间和你说我所吩咐你给以色列人的一切事。(出埃及记25:8–22)
出埃及记：
你要用蓝色、紫色、染过两次的朱红色线、捻的细麻与基路伯作一幅幔子。要把它挂在四根包金的皂荚木柱子上；你要将幔子挂在钩子底下，把见证柜抬进幔子以内那里；这幔子就给你们将圣所和至圣所隔开；又要把幔子放在至圣所内的柜子前面。(出埃及记26:31–34)
前面说明，里面有约柜、灯台、摆放陈设饼的桌子、香坛的帐棚，与院子一起代表三层天堂，幔子内有盛律法或见证的柜子的地方代表第三层天堂。这个地方代表第三层天堂，是因为律法在那里，“律法”表示神性真理或圣言方面的主，这是“律法”在广泛意义上所表示的，正是从主发出的神性真理形成天堂。第三层天堂的天使以最高纯度接受这神性真理，因为他们通过对主之爱与主结合，第三层天堂的所有天使都处于对主之爱；因此，他们看见仿佛植入他们自己的神性真理，尽管它不断从主流入。因此，可以说第三层天堂比它下面的其它天堂更在主里面，因为它在从主发出的神性里面。
盛有律法，也就是主的柜子就代表第三层天堂。这就是为何这柜子内外都用金子包上，施恩座在柜子上面，施恩座上面和外面是纯金的基路伯；因为金由于对应而表示爱之良善，第三层天堂的天使就处于爱之良善。“施恩座”表示垂听并接受出于来自主的爱之良善的敬拜的一切；“基路伯”表示主的圣治和保护，免得不通过爱之良善就靠近祂。第三层天堂及其天使就是一种保护，防止除了从对主并来自祂的爱之良善发出之物外，有任何东西被提升到主自己那里。因为对神的一切敬拜都经由众天堂来到主那里，一路上被洁净，直到它抵达第三层天堂，在那里抵达主那里，蒙主垂听并接受；一路上，一切不洁之物都被清除。这就是为何金基路伯被安在约柜上的施恩座上面；又为何这个地方被称为圣所，以及至圣所，并用幔子与帐幕的外面隔开。
帐棚与院子代表三层天堂，这一点从以下事实也明显看出来：设立在以色列人中间的一切事物都代表天上的事物；因为教会本身是一个代表性教会；因此，帐幕与祭坛尤其是敬拜的最神圣代表。事实上，敬拜在祭坛上通过燔祭和祭物，在帐幕内通过香祭和日日点着的灯，以及按顺序每天摆在桌子上的陈设饼来举行。这一切代表天堂和教会里的一切敬拜，帐棚本身与柜子代表众天堂本身。因此，这帐幕被称为“耶和华神的居所”，如天堂本身所称呼的那样。帐幕代表众天堂，这一点从以下事实也明显看出来：主在西乃山上将它的样式指示给摩西，主在样式上所指示的，必须要么代表天堂，要么代表属于天堂的事物。帐幕的样式在西乃山上被指示给摩西，这一点可从对摩西所说的这些话清楚看出来：
要让他们为我造一个圣所，使我可以住在他们中间，要照我所指示你的一切，就是居所的样式来造。(后来又说)要照着在山上给你看的样式谨慎作它们。(出埃及记25:8, 9, 40)
这就是为何它被称为“圣所”，并且经上说：“使我可以住在他们中间。”这就是在柜子、它上面的施恩座、施恩座上的基路伯，以及柜子周围的金环边、为杠子所铸的四个环、幔子、钩子和其它事物方面所具体表示的，这一切可参看《属天的奥秘》(9484–9577, 9670–9680节)中的解释。
整个帐幕的神圣本身来自见证，就是上面写有律法的两块石版，因为“律法”表示神性真理，因而圣言方面的主，圣言就是神性真理。主就是圣言，这一点从约翰福音中所说的话明显看出来：
圣言与神同在，神就是圣言，圣言成了肉身，住在我们中间。(约翰福音1:1, 2, 14)
700b.被称为“见证”和“约”的律法放在柜子里，摩西所写的书也放在柜子里，这一点可从摩西五经中的这些话清楚看出来：
你要将我所要赐给你的见证放在柜里。(出埃及记25:16; 40:20)
申命记：
我将这法版放在我所作的柜中，好叫它们在那里，正如耶和华所吩咐我的。(申命记10:5)
论到摩西所写的律法书：
当摩西将这律法的话在书上写完了，到完成的时候，摩西吩咐抬柜的利未人说，把这律法书拿来，放在约柜旁，好让它在那里作见证。(申命记31:24–26)
这表明，柜子里面除了上面写有律法的两块石版外，什么都没有，摩西的书就放在它旁边。柜子里面除了两块约版外，什么都没有，这一点从《列王纪上》明显看出来：
柜子里惟有摩西在何烈山所放的两块石版，就是耶和华与以色列人所立的约。(列王纪上8:9)
放在柜旁的摩西书后来被取出来，并保存在圣殿中，这一点从以下事实明显看出来：
大祭司希勒家在耶和华房屋里发现了律法书，将书递给沙番，沙番将此事告知王，并在王面前读那书。(列王纪下22:8–11)
约柜代表神性真理方面的主，由此表示来自主的神性真理，因而表示圣言，这一点从以下事实也明显看出来，主从它那里与摩西说话，因为经上说：
你要将见证放在柜里；我要在那里与你相会，又要从见证柜上二基路伯中间和你说我所吩咐你给以色列人的一切事。(出埃及记25:21, 22)
民数记：
摩西进会幕要与耶和华说话的时候，听见见证柜的施恩座以上、二基路伯中间有与他说话的那一位的声音；就是耶和华这样与他说话。(民数记7:89)
主从那里与摩西说话，是因为律法在那里，律法在广泛意义上表示在圣言方面的主，主从圣言与人说话。这是“从施恩座以上、二基路伯中间”，因为“施恩座”表示对来自邪恶之爱的虚假的移除，同时表示接受和垂听，而“基路伯”表示保护，免得不通过爱之良善就靠近祂。
由于天堂和教会里的主就是神性真理或圣言，封在柜子里的律法就表示这神性真理或圣言，还由于主存在于律法或圣言中，所以约柜在哪里，耶和华或主就在哪里，这可从摩西五经中的这些话清楚看出来：
摩西对耶和华说，求你不要离开我们，因为你知道我们要在旷野安营，你可以当我们的眼目；你若和我们同去，将来耶和华向我们行善事，我们也必向你行同样的善事。他们从耶和华的山往前行了三天的路程，耶和华的约柜在他们前面行了三天的路程，为他们寻找安歇的地方；他们拔营起行的时候，日间有耶和华的云彩在他们上面。约柜往前行的时候，摩西说，耶和华啊，求你兴起，愿你的仇敌四散，愿恨你的人从你面前逃跑；约柜停住的时候，摩西就说，耶和华啊，求你回到以色列的万万千千。(民数记10:31–36)
从这些细节清楚可知，“约柜”在此是指耶和华或主，因为祂存在于柜里的律法中，因而存在于圣言中。由于律法、因而约柜在此是指主，所以摩西说：“耶和华啊，求你兴起，愿你的仇敌四散，愿恨你的人从你面前逃跑；约柜停住的时候，摩西就说，耶和华啊，求你回到以色列的万万千千。”但这些话涉及还要更内在的事物，即：主通过祂的神性真理引导人们，并保护他们免受来自地狱的虚假和邪恶的伤害，尤其在试探中保护他们，以色列人在旷野四十年的行程尤表这些试探。“耶和华的约柜在他们前面行了三天的路程，为他们寻找安歇的地方”表示主不断通过祂的神性真理引导人们，“耶和华的约柜”表示神性真理方面的主，“行了三天的路程”表示祂从开始到结束的保护和引导，“寻找”表示拯救，拯救是目的。
此外，“日间有耶和华的云彩在他们上面”，以及当约柜往前行时，摩西的话，即“耶和华啊，求你兴起，愿你的仇敌四散，愿恨你的人从你面前逃跑”表示保护，免受来自地狱的虚假和邪恶伤害；“日间耶和华的云彩”也表示通过终端中的神性真理，就是诸如字义上的圣言来保护，因为甚至恶人也能通过这种真理靠近主，主通过它保护圣言的内层事物，内层事物是属天和属灵的。“云”表示圣言的字义(可参看AE 594节)。“仇敌”和“恨的人”表示来自地狱的虚假和邪恶，“仇敌”表示虚假，“恨的人”表示邪恶，因此，他们也表示虚假和邪恶方面的地狱本身。“约柜停住的时候，摩西就说，耶和华啊，求你回到以色列的万万千千”表示试探之后植入人的来自良善的真理；“约柜停住”表示试探之后的状态，那时邪恶和虚假被移除了；“回”表示那时主的同在，因为在试探中，主似乎不在场；“以色列的万万千千”表示被植入的来自良善的真理，这些真理构成教会。“万万”论及真理，“千千”论及良善(参看AE 336节)。
诗篇中的这些话表示类似事物：
看哪，我们听说祂在以法他；我们在森林的田野寻见祂；我们要进祂的居所，在祂脚凳前下拜。耶和华啊，求你兴起，你和你力量的约柜同入安歇之所。愿你的祭司披上公义，愿你的圣民欢呼。(诗篇132:6–9)
显然，该诗篇论述的是主，主在此由“大卫”来表示，这可从这些话清楚看出来：“我们在以法他，在森林的田野寻见祂；他们要在祂脚凳前下拜。”“以法他”是指伯利恒，就是主出生的地方，“以法他”表示在其属世意义方面的圣言，而“伯利恒”表示在其属灵意义方面的圣言；主选择在那里出生，是因为主就是圣言；“森林的田野”表示圣言的属世意义、因而字义的事物；而“祂的居所”表示圣言的属灵意义或灵义，以及天堂，因为天堂处于属灵意义。他们要下拜所在的“脚凳”表示圣言的属世意义，因而也表示地上的教会，因为教会处于属世意义。主的“脚凳”表示地上的教会(参看AE 606节)。
耶和华要兴起所入的“安歇之所”表示主里面神性与人身的合一，以及祂与天堂并教会的结合；由于当主征服了地狱，并将地狱和天堂里的一切都带入秩序时，主，以及那些在天堂和教会里的人就有了安息和平安，所以经上说“你和你力量的约柜兴起”，“你”是指主自己，“你力量的约柜”是指从祂发出的神性真理，因为主通过这神性真理拥有神性能力。“披上公义的祭司和欢呼的圣民”，与“以色列的万万千千”具有相同的含义，“祭司”表示那些处于良善的人，“圣民”表示那些处于真理的人，因而在抽象意义上表示天堂和教会的良善和真理。“祭司”在抽象意义上表示教会的良善(可参看AE 31b节末尾)，“圣民或圣徒”在抽象意义上表示教会的真理(AE 204, 325a节)，关于该诗篇的详情，可参看前文(AE 684c节)。
700c.由于约柜因它里面的律法而表示在神性真理方面的主，主通过神性真理从神性良善那里拥有全能，所以奇迹通过约柜来施行。因此，因着约柜，约旦河的水被分开，好叫以色列人从干地过去；耶利哥的城墙被推倒；亚实突人的神大衮倒在约柜面前；亚实突人，迦特人，以革伦人，伯示麦人因约柜被灾殃击打；乌撒因触摸约柜而死；俄别以东因约柜被抬进他家中而蒙福。由于这些历史事实涉及只有通过灵义才能打开的奥秘，所以我还要解释一下，好叫人们知道约柜在严格意义上表示什么，在广泛意义上又表示什么。首先，关于约书亚记中，约旦河的水分开，好叫以色列人可以从干地过去：
约书亚和以色列众人来到约旦河；过了三天，约书亚吩咐说，你们看见耶和华的约柜，又见祭司利未人抬着它的时候，就要起行离开你们的地方，跟在它后头走；只是你们和约柜之间要有个空当，约二千肘，不可靠近约柜。祭司抬起约柜，在百姓前头走。约书亚说，你们到了约旦河水边的时候，要站在约旦河中。他对百姓说，看哪，全地之主的约柜必在你们前面过约旦河；你们现在要从以色列支派中拣选十二个人；当抬耶和华全地之主约柜的祭司，脚掌踏进约旦河水里的时候，约旦河的水必然断绝，甚至从上往下流的水站住、成为一垒。祭司到了约旦河，抬约柜的祭司的脚一入水边，约旦河就涨满，正如它在一切收割的日子所惯常的一样，那从上往下流的水站住，成了一垒，延伸到离亚当城极远之处；那往平原之海，就是盐海下流的水全然断绝，于是百姓在耶利哥的对面过去了。祭司在约旦河中间的干地上站定，众百姓都从干地上过去。后来耶和华就对约书亚说，你取十二个人，每支派一人；从这里，从约旦河中间，祭司脚站定的地方，拿起十二块石头带过去，放在你们过夜的地方。以色列人照做了；按着以色列支派的数目，他们从约旦河中间拿起十二块石头，把它们带到他们过夜的地方。然后，众百姓尽都过了河，耶和华的约柜和祭司才过去。当祭司上来，脚掌拔出来的时候，约旦河的水就流回原处。他们从约旦河中取出的那十二块石头，约书亚就立在吉甲。(约书亚记3:1–17; 4:1–20)
圣言的一切历史和预言部分一样，包含灵义，灵义不论述以色列人，也不论述各民族和人民，而是论述教会及其建立和发展，因为这是圣言的属灵之物，而历史是包含属灵之物的属世之物。因此，圣言所描述的一切奇迹，如在埃及所行的奇迹，以及后来在迦南地所行的奇迹，都涉及诸如属于天堂和教会的那类事物，因此，这些奇迹是神性。
前面所描述的奇迹表示将信徒引入教会，并通过教会引入天堂。此处“以色列人”在灵义上表示信徒，他们在经受了以色列人在旷野漂流所表示的试探之后，就被带入教会；因为以色列人被领进的“迦南地”表示教会，“约旦河”表示进入教会的第一个入口；“约旦河的水”表示引入它的真理，也就是圣言字义的真理，因为这些是首先引入的真理。但此处“约旦河”及其水表示通向地狱的邪恶之虚假，因为那时迦南地充满崇拜偶像的民族，这些民族表示构成地狱的各种邪恶和虚假；因此，这些民族必须被赶出去，好有一个建立教会的地方。由于那时“约旦河的水”表示邪恶之虚假，所以它们被分开并移除，好给要代表教会的以色列人一个通道。
由于唯独主移除并驱散来自地狱的邪恶之虚假，并通过祂的神性真理将信徒引入教会和天堂，还由于约柜和它里面所盛的律法代表神性真理方面的主，所以经上吩咐，约柜要走在百姓前面，从而引领他们。这就是为何抬约柜的祭司，脚一踏入约旦河的水，这些水就分开并流下去，百姓从干地过去，这一切完成之后，水又流回来。这时这些水表示进行引入的真理；因为约旦河是迦南地的第一个边界，当以色列人进入迦南地时，这地代表教会，这河则表示引入它。
由于约旦河的水表示进行引入的真理，所以他们被吩咐从约旦河中间拿起十二块石头，把它们带到他们过夜的第一个地方，这是因为“石头”表示真理，“按着以色列支派数目的十二块石头”表示教会的真理。约书亚把这些石头立在耶利哥东边的吉甲，因为“吉甲”表示属世真理的教义，这教义可用来引入教会。从这几件事清楚可知，这个奇迹代表天堂和教会的事物，“约柜”因其中的律法而表示神性真理方面的主，故被称为“全地之主的约柜”，意思是通过神性真理与主结合，因为“约”所表示的结合是通过神性真理实现的，正是这神性真理构成“全地”所特别表示的天堂和教会；事实上，一切事物都通过神性真理被创造和制造，正如主在约翰福音(1:1–3, 10)和大卫诗篇(33:6)中所说的，在那里，“圣言”是指神性真理。
700d.通过约柜所行的第二个奇迹就是耶利哥城墙的倒陷；对此，约书亚记如此描述：
耶利哥城紧紧关闭；耶和华对约书亚说，我已经把耶利哥和耶利哥王，以及有力量的勇士，都交在你手中。你们所有的战士要围绕这城，一天一次，连续六天。七个祭司要拿七个禧年的号角在约柜前面；到第七天，你们要绕城七次，祭司也要吹号角，这时众百姓要大声呼喊，城墙就必从它底下倒陷；百姓要冲上去。然后约书亚按照所吩咐的，让他们第一天绕城一次；绕了这次之后，他们回到营里，就在营里过夜；第二天也是这样。七个祭司拿七个禧年的号角，走在耶和华的约柜前，一边走一边吹角，战士在他们前面走，后队跟在约柜后面，一边走一边吹角。他们六日都是这样行；在第七天，他们把城绕了七次；百姓第七次呼喊。当百姓听见这角声时，城墙就从它底下倒塌了，百姓便上去进城，给城里的一切带来诅咒，从男人到女人，从少年人到老年人。他们用火将城和其中所有的焚烧了；惟有银子、金子和铜铁的器皿，都放在耶和华家的库房中。约书亚叫他们起誓说，有兴起建造这城的人，当在耶和华面前受咒诅；他立根基时必丧长子；他安门时必丧幼子。(约书亚记6:1–26)
没有人能知道包含在这个奇迹中的神性含义，除非他知道被焚烧的迦南地的“耶利哥城”、倒塌的耶利哥“城墙”、被交给诅咒的“居民”、被放在耶和华家库房中的“金、银和铜铁器皿”表示什么，以及“吹号角和呼喊”、“六天围绕这城，到第七天绕城七次”表示什么。“耶利哥城”表示在良善和真理的知识(或认知)上的引入，人通过这些知识(或认知)被带进教会；因为耶利哥是离约旦河不远的一座城，而约旦河表示引入教会，如前所述。事实上，迦南地的所有地方都表示属于教会的属天和属灵事物，这从上古时代就开始了。由于以色列人要代表教会，并且圣言将在他们当中写成，其中要提到那些表示诸如属于天堂和教会的那类事物的地方，所以以色列人被引入它，“约旦河”就表示这种引入。“耶利哥”因表示引入，故也表示生活的良善，因为除非一个人处于生活的良善，否则他无法在教义真理上接受教导。但当崇拜偶像的民族占据迦南地时，迦南地的地方和城市的含义就变成反面，这时耶利哥就表示对真理和良善的亵渎。由此可推知，这“城”本身表示虚假和邪恶的教义，这教义扭曲并亵渎教会的真理和良善，“城墙”表示捍卫这教义的邪恶之虚假，“居民”表示那些亵渎的人；由于一切亵渎都来自承认真理和良善之后的地狱之爱，所以这城被火焚烧，居民被交给诅咒，城墙也倒塌了，“火”表示地狱之爱，“诅咒”表示彻底除灭，“城墙的倒塌”表示暴露给一切邪恶和虚假。
祭司吹号角表示从神性良善宣告神性真理；百姓的呼喊和欢呼表示同意和确认；围绕这城表示来自主的神性真理的流注对虚假和邪恶的调查和驱散；抬着约柜围绕它表示这流注。祭司数目为七，城被围绕七天，第七天围绕七次，表示神圣之物，以及神性真理的神圣宣告，“七”表示神圣，在反面意义上表示亵渎，由于一方面是神圣，另一方面是亵渎，所以有七个祭司拿着七个号角，这城被围绕七次。
金、银和铜铁器皿被放在耶和华家的库房中，是因为它们表示属灵和属世的真理和良善的知识，“金和银”表示属灵真理和良善的知识，“铜铁器皿”表示属世真理和良善的知识，对那些犯亵渎罪的人来说，它们都变成可怕的虚假和邪恶；它们虽用于邪恶，但仍是知识，能通过用于良善而服务于善人，所以这些东西被放进耶和华家的库房中。这也是从恶人那里被夺走、交给善人的“锭”(或镑、弥拿)的意思；也是“不义的钱财”，以及以色列人从埃及人那里掠夺、后来献给帐幕的“金银和衣服”的意思，同样是大卫从掠夺敌人的东西中搜集，并留给所罗门建圣殿的“金银”的意思。
重建耶利哥的人必受到诅咒，他立根基时必丧长子；他安门时必丧幼子，表示如果在其它地方，而不是在耶路撒冷代表在神性真理上的教导，那么就是亵渎神性真理，从最初到最后，耶路撒冷表示在真理和良善的教义，以及来自圣言的教导方面的教会。列王纪上(16:34)记载了在亚哈王在位时，这种亵渎发生在伯特利人希伊勒身上；经上说，亚哈行耶和华眼中看为恶的事，比以色列所有的王更甚(列王纪上16:30, 33)。从通过约柜所行的这个奇迹可以看出，约柜因其中的律法而代表神性真理方面的主，因而表示从主发出的神性真理。
700e.第三个奇迹，即亚实突人的神大兖仆倒在约柜前，亚实突人、迦特人、以革伦人和伯示麦人因约柜遭受灾殃的打击；对此，撒母耳记上如此描述：
以色列出去与非利士人打仗。以色列在非利士人面前被击败，被击杀了约四千人。因此，长老说，让我们把耶和华的约柜，从示罗抬到我们这里来，好让它来到我们中间，救我们脱离敌人的手。于是他们就从那里将坐在基路伯上的万军之耶和华的约柜抬来，以利的两个儿子与约柜同来。耶和华的约柜来到营中的时候，全以色列就大声欢呼；非利士人听见，就知道耶和华的约柜到了营中，他们就惧怕起来，说，神到了他们营中；我们有祸了！谁能救我们脱离这些大能之神的手呢？这些是从前用各样灾殃击打埃及人的神。非利士人哪，你们要刚强，要作男人，免得服侍希伯来人。非利士人作战，以色列就被大大击杀，约有三万步兵；神的约柜被掳去，以利的两个儿子也死了。非利士人掳走约柜，把它抬到亚实突，带进大衮庙，放在大衮的旁边。次日清早，亚实突人起来，看哪，大衮仆倒在耶和华的约柜前，脸伏于地；他们又把大衮放回去。又次日清早起来，大衮仆倒在约柜前，脸伏于地，并且大衮的头和两手掌都在门槛上折断。耶和华的手重重加在亚实突人身上，用痔疮击打他们，亚实突及其边境都是如此。于是亚实突人就说，以色列的约柜不可留在我们这里。因此，非利士人的主人说，可以把以色列神的约柜运到迦特去。于是他们把它运到迦特。但耶和华的手攻击那城，击打那城的人，从最小的到最大的，他们都生痔疮。他们就把神的约柜送到以革伦。以革伦人就喊嚷起来说，它杀害他们。未曾死的人都遭受痔疮的打击。因此，主人说，他们要将约柜送回原处。约柜在非利士人的田地七个月，非利士人召了祭司和占卜的来，说，我们向耶和华的约柜应当怎样行？我们当怎样将它送回原处？他们说，不可空手送回，必要带上赎愆祭把它送回，然后你们可得痊愈，就是照非利士主人的数目，用五个金痔疮，五个金老鼠，因为在你们众人和你们主人的身上都是一样的灾；当制造你们痔疮的像和荒废这地老鼠的像；造一辆新车，取两只未曾负轭、有乳的母牛，把母牛套在车上，将牛犊从母牛那里带回家去，把耶和华的约柜放在车上，将金器装在匣子里放在柜旁；你们要看车是否直行过边界，上到伯示麦去。他们就这样行。然后，母牛直行大路，在往伯示麦的一条大道上，哞哞地叫着；非利士人的主人跟在它们后面走。车子到了伯示麦人约书亚的田间，就站在那里，那里有一块大石头。他们就把车木头劈开，将两只母牛献给耶和华为燔祭。利未人将耶和华的约柜和装金器的匣子拿下来，放在大石头上；伯示麦人将燔祭和祭物献给耶和华。但伯示麦人约有五万零七十个人被击杀，因为他们观看耶和华的约柜。基列·耶琳人将耶和华的约柜接上去，抬到基比亚的亚比拿达的家中，约柜留在那里二十年。撒母耳说，你们若全心回转归向耶和华，就要除掉外邦的神明和亚斯她录，预备你们的心归向耶和华，单单侍奉祂，祂必救你们脱离非利士人的手。(撒母耳记上4:1–11; 5:1–12; 6:1–21; 7:1–3)
这一切，即非利士人掳走约柜，非利士人因约柜而在亚实突、迦特和以革伦遭受痔疮的击打，以及老鼠荒废了他们的土地，在那里和伯示麦，有许多人死了表示什么，无法得知，除非知道非利士人，尤其亚实突人，迦特人，以革伦人和伯示麦人代表、因而表示什么；以及“痔疮”、“老鼠”和这些的“金像”表示什么，此外“新车”和“有乳的母牛”又表示什么。显然，这些代表诸如属于教会的那类事物，否则，为何非利士人遭受这些灾殃的击打，约柜又为何被抬回来呢？
非利士人代表、因而表示那些轻视爱与仁之良善，从而轻视生活的良善，将宗教的一切都置于知识和认知(或科学和认知)的人；因此，他们就像当今那些视唯信，也就是与仁分离之信为教会的本质和拯救的本质之人。这就是为何他们被称为“未受割礼的”，因为未受割礼表示缺乏属灵之爱，从而缺乏良善；而他们指的是教会里的人，故不是属灵的，而是纯属世的，因为凡轻视仁爱与生活的良善之人都变成纯属世的，甚至变成感官的，只爱世俗事物，不能属灵地领悟任何真理；他属世地理解的真理，他要么歪曲，要么玷污。这些人就是圣言中“非利士人”所指的人。由此清楚可知，为何非利士人经常与以色列人打仗，又为何有时非利士人得胜，有时以色列人得胜。当以色列人不遵行律例和戒律，从而背离它们时，非利士人就得胜；但当以色列人照着它们生活时，以色列人就得胜。照着戒律和律例生活就是他们的爱之良善和生活的良善。那时以色列人被非利士人战胜，是因为他们从敬拜耶和华转向了敬拜别神，尤其转向敬拜亚斯她录，这可从撒母耳对他们所说的话(撒母耳记上7:3)清楚看出来。这也是约柜被非利士人掳去的原因。
当知道非利士人代表、因而表示那些轻视爱、仁与生活的良善之人时，就能知道为何他们因约柜而遭受痔疮的击打，并因此死亡；又为何老鼠荒废了这地；因为“痔疮”表示被诸如那些缺乏良善的人身上的那种生活邪恶玷污的真理；因为“血”表示真理，而痔疮的腐败血液物质表示被玷污的真理；患痔疮的后面部分表示属世之爱，对那些不属灵的人来说，这属世之爱就是对世界的爱；而“老鼠”表示感官人的虚假，这些虚假吃光并耗尽了教会的一切，就像老鼠糟蹋了田地和庄稼，以及吃光并耗尽了地里的蔬菜一样。他们遭受这些灾殃，是因为他们具有这种性质；事实上，那些没有良善的人就玷污真理，毁坏教会的一切。这些事因约柜而发生，是因为“约柜”表示从主发出的神性真理，这真理只能在那些处于爱之良善，从而处于生活良善的人身上才是纯正的。当神性真理流入那些未处于良善的人时，它会产生对应于他们的教义虚假和生活邪恶的效果，就像当神性真理流入这些人时，在灵界所发生的那样；那时，对真理的玷污和对良善的毁灭就以痔疮和老鼠的形像出现。
亚实突人的神大衮，因约柜的接近和同在而摔在地上，后来他的头和手掌摔在大兖庙的门槛上，因为“大兖”表示他们的宗教，这宗教因没有属灵良善而完全没有聪明和能力，“头”表示聪明，“手掌”表示能力。在灵界，当神性真理从天堂流入这些人时，效果也一样，那时他们看上去既没有头，也没有手掌，因为他们没有聪明，也没有能力。
他们听从祭司和占卜者的建议，造了痔疮和老鼠的金像，把它们放在一辆新车上的约柜旁，把两头未曾负轭、有乳的母牛套在这车上，因为“金”表示爱之良善，这良善治愈并洁除“痔疮和老鼠”所表示的虚假和邪恶，还因为“车”表示属世真理的教义，“一辆新车”表示未被他们的邪恶之虚假损害和玷污的属世真理的教义，未曾负轭的“有乳的母牛”表示尚未被虚假玷污的属世良善，因为负轭表示服务，在此表示服务于玷污良善的虚假；由于这良善与“约柜”所表示的神性真理和谐一致，所以这些代表被采纳和使用；后来，利未人将这母牛献为燔祭，用车木头焚烧了。
约柜和礼物被放在母牛站在旁边的一块大石头上，因为“石头”表示在秩序终端中的神性真理。非利士人的祭司和占卜者吩咐这样做，是因为那时对应和代表的知识或对应和代表学是常识，这是他们的神学，祭司和占卜者都知道，他们是非利士人中的智慧人。但由于那时人们大部分都变成纯属世的，所以他们以偶像崇拜的方式看待这些事物，敬拜外在，却不思想外在所代表的内在。由此可见，从《撒母耳记》引用的这些细节一系列地表示什么，以及“约柜”因其中的律法而表示从主发出的神性真理。
700f.第四个，就是通过约柜所行的两个奇迹，即乌撒的死和俄别以东所受的祝福；对此，撒母耳记下如此描述：
大卫从巴拉·犹大起身率领跟随他的众人前往，要从那里将神的约柜运上来，它的名被求告，就是坐在基路伯上的万军之耶和华的名。他们把神的约柜放在一辆新车上，从基比亚的亚比拿达家里抬出来；亚比拿达的儿子乌撒和亚希约赶这新车。大卫和以色列的全家在耶和华面前弹奏各种松木制造的乐器，弹奏竖琴、瑟、鼓、钹、锣。当他们到了拿艮的禾场时，因为牛绊倒了，乌撒就伸手扶住约柜；耶和华的怒气向乌撒发作，神因他的错误就击打他，他就在那里死在神的约柜旁。大卫为此悲伤，那日，大卫惧怕耶和华，说，耶和华的约柜怎可到我这里来呢？于是大卫不肯将耶和华的约柜运进大卫的城，却转运到迦特人俄别以东的家中。耶和华的约柜留在迦特人俄别以东家中三个月，耶和华赐福给俄别以东和他的全家；有人告诉了大卫王；大卫就去欢喜地将神的约柜从俄别以东家中抬到大卫的城里；抬耶和华约柜的人走了六步，大卫就献牛与肥畜为祭；大卫束着细麻布的以弗得，在耶和华面前尽全力跳舞。大卫和以色列的全家欢呼吹角，将耶和华的约柜抬上来；他们把耶和华的约柜抬进大卫城，就是锡安，把它安放在帐棚内大卫为它寻找的地方。(撒母耳记下6:2–17)
这些历史事实在内义或灵义上涉及许多在字义，也就是历史意义上无法看到的事；如在以下事实中所涉及的事：约柜从亚比拿达家被抬到俄别以东家，最后被抬到大卫城，也就是锡安；当它被抬着时，他们弹奏并吹响各种乐器，大卫自己则跳舞；约柜被抬到一辆新车上，牛套在这车上；以及亚比拿达的儿子乌撒死了，俄别以东和他的家受到祝福。这一切事虽是历史，在其内部却隐藏着诸如属于天堂和教会的那类事物，和约柜一样，约柜因其中的律法而代表神性真理方面的主，因此被称为神的约柜，其名，就是坐在基路伯上的万军之耶和华的名被求告。现在约柜被抬出亚比拿达家，先是被抬进俄别以东家，最后被抬进大卫城，也就是锡安，这一事实涉及无人知道的奥秘或内层真理，除非他知道那里的亚比拿达所在的“基比亚”和“巴力·犹大”，还知道俄别以东所在的“迦特”表示什么，最后知道大卫所在的“锡安”表示什么。
迦南地的所有地区或部分及其城市都是代表，如在灵界，以及那里的地区和城市一样。在灵界的每个地区和每个城市，那些处于爱之良善的人住在东西一线，那些处于清晰的爱之良善的人住在东方，那些处于模糊的爱之良善的人住在西方；而那些处于真理之光的人则住在南北一线；那些处于清晰的真理之光的人住在南方，那些处于模糊的真理之光的人住在北方。这同样适用于迦南地，以及它的地区和这些地区的城市；就它们的方位而言，这些对应于灵界的地区和这些地区的城市；不同之处在于，在地上不可能像在灵界对灵人和天使所做的那样，按照爱之良善和真理之光将人们分到各个方位；因此，在迦南地及其城市，地方本身是代表，人不是代表。
情况就是这样，这一点可从迦南地被划分为产业，这些产业按照对教会的代表以拈阄的方式归给各支派，以及耶路撒冷和锡安代表教会本身，耶路撒冷代表教义真理方面的教会，锡安代表爱之良善方面的教会清楚看出来。因此，当知道亚比拿达所在的“基比亚”和“巴力·犹大”，以及俄别以东所在的“迦特”具体表示属于天堂和教会的什么东西时，就能知道把约柜从亚比拿达抬到俄别以东，最后抬到锡安表示什么。
从这些城市的含义清楚看出，约柜的转移代表人里面教会的发展过程，从它的终端直到至内层，如同从一个天堂到另一个天堂，甚至到最高天堂，也就是第三层天堂。亚比拿达所在的“巴力·犹大”表示教会的终端，被称为它的属世层，因为这属世层由巴力·犹大所在的“基比亚”来代表。但俄别以东所在的“迦特”(俄别以东因此被称为迦特人)表示教会的属灵层；在以色列人从非利士人那里夺取城邑，从以革伦直到迦特(撒母耳记上7:13–15)之后，迦得就取得这种含义；而大卫所在的“锡安”表示教会的至内层，被称为教会的属天层。
由此明显可知，约柜的转移表示人里面教会的发展过程，从它的终端直到至内层；这是因为这些发展过程是通过约柜所表示的神性真理实现的；事实上，教会之人从属世层发展到属灵层，并通过属灵层发展到属天层，这个过程从主通过祂的神性真理持续进行；属世层是生活的良善，属灵层是对邻之仁的良善，属天层是对主之爱的良善。由于三层天堂的良善有类似发展过程，所以按它们的次序通过它们上升也被代表。
当约柜被抬着时，他们弹奏并吹响各种乐器，大卫跳舞，代表由对通过“约柜”所表示的神性真理的流注从主而来的真理和良善的情感产生的快乐和喜悦；所提到的他们在从亚比拿达家到俄别以东家的第一次行程中弹奏的乐器代表由对真理的属世和属灵情感产生的心智的快乐，而大卫跳舞，以及欢呼和号角声代表由对属灵和属天良善的情感产生的内心喜悦。和谐的音乐声来自灵界，并表示情感及其快乐和喜悦(可参看AE 323, 326节)。“锡安”表示第三层天堂，并由此表示教会的至内层(也可参看AE 405b, e节)。
被抬到套上公牛的一辆新车上的“约柜”代表、因而表示来自爱之良善的真理之教义，“车”表示真理之教义，“公牛”表示爱之良善，两者都在属世人中；因为“约柜”所表示的神性真理就停靠并建立在来自良善的属世真理的教义基础上。这就是为何约柜被放在一辆车上，车前面有公牛。“车或战车”表示真理的教义(参看AE 355a, e节)；“牛”表示属世良善(参看《属天的奥秘》，2180, 2566节)。
亚比拿达的儿子乌撒因用手扶约柜而死，因为“用手摸”表示交流，与主交流通过爱之良善实现；而乌撒没有像祭司和利未人那样受膏，祭司和利未人通过受膏接受爱之良善的代表；情况就是这样(可参看AE 375d, e节)。此外，在约柜上的施恩座以上的基路伯表示保护，免得不通过爱之良善就靠近主。这样做是为了不让大卫在正在被代表的发展过程结束之前(对此，如前所述)把约柜抬到锡安，这一点可从以下事实清楚看出来：大卫为乌撒的死而悲伤，害怕将约柜抬进他的城，也就是锡安(撒母耳记下6:8–10)。
俄别以东和他的家因约柜受到祝福，因为来自世上的好东西的祝福表示来自天上的好东西的祝福，天上的好东西只通过接受约柜所表示的神性真理而从主发出；它们被赐给那些处于迦特的俄别以东所代表的属灵良善的人，如前所述。
最后，把约柜抬进锡安，抬进大卫为它所寻找的帐棚，表示升到第三层天堂，以及神性真理与爱之良善结合；因为“锡安”代表教会的至内层，因而代表天堂的至内层，也就是最高层或第三层天堂，那里的天使处于对主之爱的良善，并且那里有一种保护，免得不通过爱之良善就靠近主；这种保护由约柜上的基路伯来代表。
700g.把约柜抬进所罗门建造的圣殿的至内在部分具有同样的含义；对此，列王纪上如此描述：
所罗门在房屋中间预备了内室，在那里安放耶和华的约柜；他在内室用油木作了两个基路伯，把基路伯安在内屋的中间，它们的翅膀张开，直到两边的墙，它们的翅膀在房屋中间彼此相接；他用金子包裹基路伯。所罗门把耶和华的约柜从大卫城，就是锡安运上来。以色列众长老都来到了，祭司们就把约柜抬起来，又将耶和华的约柜，会幕和会幕的一切圣器具都带上来；所罗门和在他那里的全会众都在约柜前。祭司将耶和华的约柜抬进它的地方，进入房屋的内室，就是至圣所，放在两个基路伯的翅膀底下；因为基路伯展开翅膀在约柜所在地的上面，以致基路伯从上面遮掩了约柜和抬柜的杠，杠头从圣所、朝内室的那面就可以看见，从外面却看不见。所罗门说，我在那里为约柜立了一个地方，约柜内有耶和华的约，是祂领我们列祖出埃及地的时候，与他们所立的。(列王纪上6:19, 23, 27, 28; 8:1–8, 21)
正如会幕中的约柜代表主所在的第三层天堂，幔子之外的会幕本身代表第二层天堂，院子则代表第一层天堂，圣殿的情况也是这样；因为圣殿及其院子代表三层天堂，因此圣殿之内，或院子里的圣殿之外的东西，无不代表天堂的某种事物，这是因为那时主存在于代表中；事实上，主降临之前的教会都是代表性教会，并最终变得具有诸如在以色列人当中所建的教会那样的性质。但当主降世时，外在代表就被废除了，因为教会的代表预示并表示主自己；由于这些是外在事物，可以说是遮盖，主则在它们里面，所以当主降临时，这些遮盖就被除去，祂自己连同天堂和教会则一起显现，在天堂和教会中，主是全部中的全部。主、因而天堂和教会的主要代表是会幕和里面的桌子、灯台、香坛、约柜，以及祭坛和燔祭、祭物，后来则是圣殿；圣殿具有和会幕一样的代表，不同之处在于，会幕是主、天堂和教会的最神圣代表，超过圣殿。
由此清楚可知，圣殿的内室(或内殿)，和约柜所在的会幕一样，代表神性真理方面的主，因而表示第三层天堂，在第三层天堂，天使通过对主之爱与主结合，从而拥有铭刻在他们心上的神性真理。不过，要用几句话来解释一下圣殿中的“基路伯”，以及它们的“翅膀”和“杠子”(经上也提到它们)表示什么。“基路伯”表示保护，免得不通过爱之良善就靠近主，因此它们是用“油木”作的，“油木”表示爱之良善(参看AE 375节)；“基路伯的翅膀”表示属灵神性，属灵神性从第三层天堂所处的属天神性降至第二层天堂，并在那里被接受；这就是为何翅膀“在房屋中间彼此相接”，从而“张开，直到两边的墙”。但抬约柜的“杠子”表示神性能力，和“膀臂”一样。从这些和前面的观察可以看出圣言中的“约柜”的含义。
此外，在耶利米书，“约柜”和但以理书中要在主降世时停止的“常献的祭”一样，是指总体上的教会的代表：
我必将合我心的牧者赐给你们，让他们以知识和聪明牧养你们；将来你们在此地增多结果的时候，在那些日子，他们必不再说耶和华的约柜，约柜必不再涌上心头，他们也不提它，不觉得失掉它，它也不重新被造。(耶利米书3:15, 16)
这些话论及主的降临，以及那时对犹太教会的代表性仪式的废除。“合主心的牧者要赐下，他们要以知识和聪明牧养他们”表示那时被外在代表性仪式所掩盖的教会的内层事物会显现，然后就会有内层人或属灵人，“牧者”表示那些教导良善，并通过真理引向良善的人；“将来在那些日子，你们在此地增多结果的时候”表示真理的增多和良善的结实或繁殖；“他们必不再说耶和华的约柜”表示那时会有通过圣言的内层事物，而不是通过只代表并表示内层事物的圣言的外层事物而与主的结合；“耶和华的约柜”在此表示那时要废除的敬拜的外在，和那时要停止的“常献的祭”(参看但以理书8:13; 11:31; 12:11)一样。“约柜必不再涌上心头，他们也不提它，不觉得失掉它，它也不重新被造”表示敬拜将不再是外在的，而是内在的。由此可见，约翰在神的圣殿所看见的“约柜”，就是此处所论述的异象，是神性真理的显现，新天堂和新教会与主的结合通过神性真理实现；因此，它以这种方式被看到，是为了字面上的圣言处处都一样，字面上的圣言是由诸如是敬拜的外在，并代表内在的那些事物构成的；和前面的(但以理书8:3, 4)一样，在那里所看到的“祭坛”和“香祭”是在宝座前面；因为字面上的圣言由纯粹的对应构成，就是诸如存在于代表性教会中，并由此在写圣言时所使用的那种对应；属灵和属天的天堂和教会的内层事物就包含在这些对应中。
700. And the ark of his covenant was seen in his temple.- That this signifies Divine Truth, by means of which there is conjunction with the Lord, is evident from the signification of the ark of the covenant, as denoting the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord (of which presently). The ark of the covenant was seen, because the temple appeared; and the ark was in the midst of the temple at Jerusalem, in which were deposited the two tables of the law, which, in the most general sense, signified the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord, thus the Lord Himself, who is the Divine Truth in the heavens, and therefore He is also called the Word, in John (Arcana Coelestia 3478, 9457, 9481, 9485). And that the tabernacle equally as the temple, in the highest sense, signifies the Lord; in the relative sense, heaven and the church, and thus the holy principle of worship, see the same (n. 9457, 9481, 10242, 10245, 10304, 10545). That covenant, in the Word, signifies conjunction, and that all things pertaining to the church, both internal and external, are signs of the covenant, and that they are called a covenant, because conjunction is effected by means of them may also be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021, 2037, 6804, 8767, 8778, 9396, 9416, 10632). That therefore the law promulgated on Mount Sinai was called the covenant, and the ark containing the law, the ark of the covenant may be seen in the same (n. 6804, 9416).
[2] That the ark with the covenant, or testimony inclosed, signifies the Lord as to the celestial Divine which is the Divine Truth in the inmost or third heaven, is evident from what has been said concerning the ark in the Word.
In Moses:
"And they shall make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in the midst of them, according to all that I have shewn thee, the form of the dwelling place. Especially they shall make the ark of shittim wood; and thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it; and thou shalt make for it a border of gold; four rings of gold" for the staves. "And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee. And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold; and thou shalt make two cherubim of gold, solid shalt thou make them, out of the mercy seat, that the cherubim may stretch out their wings, and cover with their wings the mercy seat; and their faces shall be towards the mercy seat. And thou shalt put the testimony into the ark; and I will meet thee there, and I will speak with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are over the ark of the testimony, of all things that I shall give thee in commandment unto the sons of Israel" (Exodus 25:8-22).
"Thou shalt make a veil of purple and crimson, and scarlet double dyed, and fine twined linen, with cherubim; thou shalt put it upon four pillars of shittim overlaid with gold; and thou shalt place the veil under the clasps; and thou shalt bring in thither within the veil the ark of the testimony, so that the veil shall divide unto you between the holy place and the holy of holies; and thou shalt put the veil before the ark in the holy of holies" (Exodus 26:31-34).
It was said above, that the tent which contained the ark, the candlestick, the table for the loaves, and the altar for the incense, together with the court, represented the three heavens, and that the place within the veil, where the ark was, which contained the law or testimony, represented the third heaven. This heaven was represented by that place, because the law was there, and the law means the Lord as to Divine Truth, or the Word, for this is what the law signifies in a broad sense, and it is Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord that forms the heavens. This is received in the greatest purity by the angels of the third heaven, because they are in conjunction with the Lord through love to Him; for all the angels in that heaven are in love to the Lord, consequently they see Divine Truth as it were implanted in themselves, although it flows in continually from the Lord. For this reason, that heaven more than the other heavens which are below is said to be in the Lord, because in the Divine that goes forth from Him.
[3] This heaven was represented by the ark in which was the law, that is, the Lord. This is why the ark was overlaid with gold, within and without, why the mercy seat was over the ark, and why over the mercy seat and out of it were two cherubim, which were of pure gold; for gold, from correspondence, signifies the good of love, in which are the angels of the third heaven. The mercy seat signified the hearing and reception of all things of that worship which is from the good of love from the Lord; and the cherubim signified the Lord's providence and protection that He may not be approached except through the good of love. And this heaven with its angels is a protection against any thing being raised up to the Lord Himself except that which proceeds from the good of love to Him and from Him. For all worship of God passes through the heavens even unto the Lord, and is purified on its way, even until it reaches the third heaven, and there it is heard and received by the Lord, everything impure having been removed on the way. This is why cherubim of gold were placed over the mercy seat, which was over the ark; also why that place was called the sanctuary, and also the holy of holies, and was divided from the outer part of the tabernacle by the veil.
[4] That the tent, together with the court, represented the three heavens, is also evident from this fact, that all things instituted among the sons of Israel were representatives of heavenly things. For the church itself was a representative church. Thus the tabernacle, together with the altar, was in an especial manner a most holy [representative] of worship. For worship was celebrated upon the altar by burnt offerings and sacrifices, and in the tabernacle by incense offerings and by the lamps which were lighted every day, and by the loaves which were placed in order daily upon the table. All these things represented all worship in heaven, and in the church, and the tent itself with the ark represented the heavens themselves. For this reason the tabernacle was called the dwelling place of Jehovah God, as heaven itself is also called. That the heavens were represented by the tabernacle is also evident from this, that its form was shown to Moses by the Lord upon Mount Sinai; and that which is shown in form by the Lord must necessarily represent either heaven or the things belonging to heaven. That the form of the tabernacle was shown to Moses upon Mount Sinai is clear from these words spoken to Moses:
"Let them make for me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in the midst of them, according to all that I have shown thee, the form of the dwelling place;" and afterwards," See and make them in their form, which thou wast made to see in the mount" (Arcana Coelestia 9484-9577, 9670-9680).
[5] The very holiness of the whole tabernacle was from the testimony, that is, from the two tables of stone on which the law was inscribed, because the law signified the Lord as to Divine Truth, and thus as to the Word, for this is Divine Truth. That the Lord is the Word, is evident in John, where it is said,
"The Word was with God and God was the Word, and the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us" (John 1:1, 2, 14).
That the law which is called both the testimony and the covenant was placed in the ark, and also the book written by Moses is clear from these words:
"Thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee" (Exodus 25:16; 40:20):
"I put the tables of the law in the ark which I had made that they might be there, even as Jehovah had commanded me" (Deuteronomy 10:5).
And of the book of the law written by Moses:
"When Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in the book, even when he had finished them, Moses commanded the Levites that bare the ark" to take the book of the law, and put it by the side of the ark of the covenant that it might be there for a witness (Deuteronomy 31:24, 25, 26).
From this it is plain that there was nothing within the ark but the two tables of stone, on which the law was written, and that the book of Moses was by the side of it. That there was nothing in the ark but the two tables of the covenant is evident from the First Book of Kings:
"There was nothing in the ark, but the two tables of stone, which Moses put there in Horeb, the covenant which Jehovah made with the sons of Israel" (8:9).
That the book of Moses, which was laid by the side of the ark, was afterwards taken out, and preserved in the temple, is evident from the fact that Hilkiah the high priest found the book of the law in the house of Jehovah and gave it to Shaphan, who told the king of it, and read it before the king (2 Kings 22:8-11).
[6] That the ark represented the Lord as to Divine truth, and that it consequently signified Divine Truth from the Lord, thus the Word, is also evident from this, that the Lord spoke with Moses from it. For it is said,
"Thou shalt put the testimony into the ark, and I will meet thee there, and I will speak with thee from between the two cherubim, which are over the ark of the testimony, of all things that I shall give thee in commandment unto the sons of Israel" (Exodus 25:21, 22).
And elsewhere,
"When Moses entered into the Tent of meeting to speak with him, he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from above the mercy seat, which was over the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim; thus he spake unto him" (Numbers 7:89).
The Lord spoke to Moses therefrom, because the law was there, and the law, in a broad sense, signifies the Lord as to the Word; and from the Word the Lord speaks with man. It was from above the mercy seat between the two cherubim, because the mercy seat signifies the removal of falsities that are from evil loves, and at the same time reception and hearing, while the cherubim signify protection, lest He should be approached except through the good of love.
[7] Since the Lord, in heaven and in the church, is the Divine Truth, or the Word, which is meant by the law inclosed in the ark, and since the presence of the Lord is in the law, or the Word, therefore, where the ark was, there was Jehovah or the Lord, as is evident from these words in Moses:
"Moses said" unto Hobab "Leave us not, I pray, forasmuch as thou knowest how we must encamp in the wilderness, whence thou wilt be to us instead of eyes and it shall be when thou shalt go with us, yea, it shall be that the good which Jehovah shall do to us, we will also do to thee. And they went forward from the mount of Jehovah a journey of three days, and the ark of the covenant of Jehovah went before them a journey of three days to seek out a resting place for them; and the cloud of Jehovah was over them by day, when they went forward out of the camp. When the ark went forward, Moses said, Arise Jehovah, that thine enemies may be scattered, and let them that hate thee flee from before thy faces; and when it rested, he said, Return, Jehovah, the myriads of the thousands of Israel" (Numbers 10:31-36).
From these particulars it is evident that Jehovah or the Lord is there meant by the ark, because of His presence in the law, which was in the ark, thus because of His presence in the Word. Since the Lord is there meant by the law, and thus by the ark, Moses said, "Arise, Jehovah, that Thine enemies may be scattered, and let them that hate thee flee from before Thy faces;" and when it rested, he said, "Return Jehovah, the myriads of the thousands of Israel." But the same words involve things still more interior; namely, that the Lord, by means of His Divine Truth, leads men and defends them against falsities and evils, which are from hell, especially in temptations, which are specifically signified by the journeyings of the sons of Israel in the wilderness during forty years. That He leads them continually by means of His Divine Truth is signified by the ark of the covenant of Jehovah going forward before them a journey of three days to seek out a resting place for them. The ark of Jehovah means the Lord as to Divine Truth; its going forward a journey of three days means, His protection and guidance from beginning to end; and seeking out signifies salvation, which is the end.
[8] Moreover protection from falsities and evils, which are from hell, is signified by the cloud of Jehovah over them by day, as well as by the Words of Moses when the ark went forward, "Arise, Jehovah, that Thine enemies may be scattered, and let them that hate thee flee from before Thy faces." The cloud of Jehovah by day signifies defence by means of Divine Truth in ultimates, such as the Word is in the sense of the letter; for by means of this the Lord may be approached even by the evil, and by means of it He guards the interior things of the Word, which are celestial and spiritual. That this sense of the word is signified by a cloud, may be seen above (n. 594). Enemies and them that hate signify falsities and evils, which are from hell, enemies falsities, and them that hate evils, thus they also signify the hells themselves as to falsities and evils. Truths from good, which are implanted in man after temptations, are signified by Moses saying when the ark rested, "Return, Jehovah, the myriads of the thousands of Israel." The resting of the ark signifies the state after temptations, when evils and falsities are removed; to return signifies the Lord's presence at that time, for in temptations the Lord appears to be absent, and the myriads of the thousands of Israel signify truths from good implanted, which constitute the church. That myriads are predicated of truths, and thousands, of goods, may be seen above (n. 336).
[9] Similar things are signified by these words in David:
"Lo, we heard of him in Ephratah, we found him in the fields of the wood; we will enter into his habitations, we will bow ourselves down at his footstool. Arise, Jehovah, to thy rest, thou and the ark of thy strength; let thy priests be clothed with justice, and let thy saints shout for joy" (606).
[10] The rest to which Jehovah should arise signifies the union of the Divine and Human in the Lord, and His conjunction with heaven and the church. And because the Lord, and those also who are in heaven and in the church have rest and peace, when He has subjugated the hells and brought all things there and in the heavens into order, it is said, "Arise, Thou and the ark of Thy strength," Thou meaning the Lord Himself, and the ark of Thy strength, the Divine Truth proceeding from Him, for it is by means of this that the Lord has Divine Power. The priests who shall be clothed with justice, and the saints who shall shout for joy, have a similar signification to the thousands and myriads of Israel, priests meaning those who are in good, and saints, those who are in truths, thus, in an abstract sense, the goods and truths of heaven and of the church. That priests, in an abstract sense, signify the goods of the church, may be seen above (n. 31[8]), and that saints, in that sense, signify the truths of the church, also above (n. 204, 325). More about that Psalm may also be seen above (n. 684:25).
[11] Since the ark, from the law which was in it, signified the Lord as to Divine Truth, and because the Lord has omnipotence from Divine Good by means of Divine Truth, therefore by means of the ark miracles were performed. Thus the waters of Jordan were divided by it, so that the sons of Israel passed over on dry ground; the wall of the city of Jericho was over-thrown; Dagon, the god of the Ashdodites, fell down before it; the Ashdodites, the Gittites, the Ekronites, and Bethshemites were smitten with plagues on account of it; Uzzah died because he touched it, and Obed-edom, into whose house it was taken, was blessed. As these historical circumstances involve interior truths (arcana) which become plain only by means of their spiritual sense, I will explain them in order that it may be known what the ark signifies in a strict and in a broad sense.
First, concerning the dividing of the waters of Jordan so that the sons of Israel might pass over on dry ground, in Joshua. Joshua and all the sons of Israel "came unto Jordan; and at the end of three days" Joshua "commanded, saying, When ye shall see the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and the priests the Levites bearing it, ye shall also remove from your place and shall go after it, yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits; ye shall not approach unto it," And the priests "took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people;" and Joshua said, "When ye shall come to the brink of the waters of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan." And he said unto the people, "Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of the whole earth passing over before you into Jordan; and take ye twelve men of the tribes of Israel; and when the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of Jehovah the Lord of the whole earth shall rest in the waters of Jordan, the waters of Jordan shall be cut off, and the waters that come down from above shall stand in a heap. And it came to pass when the priests came unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bear the ark were dipped in the brink of the waters, and Jordan was full, as it was wont to be all the days of harvest, the waters that came down from above stood in a heap, stretching out very far from the city Adam; and those that came down upon the sea of the plain, the sea of salt, were completely cut off, so that the people could pass over towards Jericho. And the priests stood on dry ground in the midst of Jordan; and all the people passed over on dry ground. Afterwards Jehovah said unto Joshua, Take to you twelve men, one of a tribe, and take out of the midst of Jordan, from where the feet of the priests stood, twelve stones, which ye shall bring over with you, and leave in the place where ye pass the night. The sons of Israel did so; and they took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of Israel, and they carried them unto the place where they passed the night. Then, after that all the people had finished passing over, the ark of Jehovah passed over, and the priests. And it came to pass, when the priests were come up, and the soles of their feet were lifted up [out of Jordan], the waters of Jordan returned unto their place. And the twelve stones which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua set up in Gilgal" (Josh. 3:1-17; 4:1-20). All the historical, equally as the prophetical parts of the Word, contain a spiritual sense, which treats not of the sons of Israel and of nations and peoples, but of the church and its establishment and progress, for this is the Spiritual of the Word, while the history is the Natural that contains the Spiritual. Therefore also all the miracles described in the Word, as the miracles performed in Egypt, and afterwards in the land of Canaan, involve such things as pertain to heaven and the church, and for this reason those miracles are Divine.
[12] The miracle described above signifies the introduction of the faithful into the church, and through the church into heaven. The sons of Israel, in the spiritual sense, mean there the faith, who, after enduring temptations - which are signified by their wanderings in the wilderness - are brought into the church; for the land of Canaan, into which the sons of Israel were brought, signifies the church; Jordan signifies the first entrance into it. The waters of Jordan signify introductory truths, and these truths are such as those of the literal sense of the Word, for these are the truths that first introduce; but here by Jordan and its waters are signified the falsities of evil which lead to hell, because the land of Canaan was then filled with idolatrous nations, which signify the evils and falsities of every kind that constitute hell; for this reason also they had to be driven out in order that there might be a place for establishing the church. And because the waters of Jordan then signified the falsities of evil, therefore they were divided and kept back in order that a passage might be given to the sons of Israel, who, were to represent the church.
[13] Now as the Lord alone removes and disperses the falsities of evil which are from hell, and by means of His Divine truths brings the faithful into the church, and into heaven, and because the ark, and the law inclosed in it represented the Lord as to Divine Truth, it was therefore commanded that the ark should go before the people and thus lead them. For this reason it came to pass, that as soon as the priests who bore the ark dipped their feet in the waters of Jordan, those waters were divided and descended, and the people passed over on dry land, and that after this was done the waters returned. Those same waters then signified introductory truths; for Jordan was the first boundary of the land of Canaan, and that land, after the sons of Israel had entered into it, represented the church, and the river, introduction into it.
[14] Since the waters of Jordan signified introductory truths, they were therefore commanded to take up out of the midst of it twelve stones, and carry them over to the first place where they should pass the night, for the reason that stones signify truths, while twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of Israel, signified the truths of the church. Joshua set up those stones in Gilgal from the east of Jericho, because Gilgal signified the doctrine of natural truth, which is serviceable for introduction into the church. From these few things it is evident what things pertaining to heaven and the church were represented by this miracle, and that the ark, because of the law in it, signified the Lord as to Divine Truth. It is therefore also called the ark of the covenant of the Lord of the whole earth, from conjunction with the Lord by means of Divine Truth, for by its means conjunction, which is signified by covenant, is effected, and it is this that constitutes heaven and the church, which are specifically signified by the whole earth. In fact by means of Divine Truth all things were created and made, according to the Lord's words in John (1:1-3, 10); and in David (Psalm 33:6), the Word there meaning Divine Truth.
[15] The SECOND miracle performed by means of the ark was the falling down of the wall of Jericho, which is thus described in Joshua:
The city "of Jericho was shut up; and Jehovah said unto Joshua, I have given into thy hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty in strength; ye shall compass the city, all the men of war, once a day for six days. And seven priests shall carry seven trumpets of rejoicings before the ark; but the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall sound with the trumpets, and then the people shall shout with a great shouting, and the wall of the city shall fall down under itself, and the people shall go up." Then Joshua made them compass the city once on the first day, as was said; after which circuit they returned into the camp, and passed the night in the camp; in like manner the day after. "And the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rejoicings before the ark of Jehovah, went on, going and sounding the trumpets, before whom went the men of war, and also the rear company marching after the ark, going and sounding the trumpets. And so they did six days; and on the seventh day they went about the city seven times, and the seventh time the people shouted; and when the people heard this, then the wall of the city fell down under itself, and the people went up into the city, and gave to the curse all things which were in the city, from male even to female, and from a boy to an old man; and they burned the city with fire, and all things that were in it; only the silver and gold, and the vessels of brass and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of Jehovah. And Joshua charged them with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man before Jehovah, who shall rise up and build this city; with his first born he shall lay the foundations of it, and with the youngest he shall set up its gates" (Joshua 6:1-26).
No one can know the Divine meaning of this miracle, unless he knows what is signified by the city of Jericho in the land of Canaan, which was burned, by its wall which fell down, by the inhabitants who were given to the curse, by the gold and silver, and vessels of brass and iron, which were put into the treasury of the house of Jehovah, also what is signified by sounding the trumpets and shouting, and by going about it six days, and seven times on the seventh day.
The city of Jericho signifies instruction in the knowledges (cognitiones) of good and truth, by which man is brought into the church. For Jericho was a city not far from the Jordan, and this river signifies introduction into the church, as was shown above. For all the places in the land of Canaan were significative of celestial and spiritual things pertaining to the church, and this from the most ancient times. And because the sons of Israel were to represent the church, and the Word was to be written among them, in which those places, signifying such things as belong to heaven and the church, were to be mentioned, therefore the sons of Israel were introduced into it. The river Jordan signified that introduction, and Jericho instruction. And as Jericho signified instruction, it also signified the good of life, for none but those who are in the good of life can be instructed in truths of doctrine. But when the land of Canaan was held by idolatrous nations, the signification of the places and cities in that land was changed into its opposite, and therefore Jericho then signified the profanation of truth and good. From this it follows, that the city itself signified the doctrine of falsity and evil, which perverted and profaned the truths and goods of the church, that its wall signified the falsities of evil defending that doctrine, and that the inhabitants signified those who are profane. And as all profanation is from infernal love after acknowledgment of truth and good, therefore the city was burned with fire, the inhabitants given to the curse, and its wall overthrown, fire signifying infernal love, curse an utter blotting out, and the falling down of the wall, exposure to every evil and falsity.
[16] The sounding of the trumpets by the priests signified the preaching of Divine Truth from Divine Good; the shouting and acclamation of the people signified consent and confirmation; compassing the city signified an examination of falsity and evil, and their dispersion by the influx of Divine Truth from the Lord, this influx being signified by their carrying the ark about it. The priests were seven in number, and compassed the city seven days, and seven times on the seventh day, to signify what is holy, and the holy proclamation of Divine Truth; for seven signifies what is holy, and, in the opposite sense, what is profane, therefore, as holiness was on the one part, and what was profane on the other, there were seven priests with seven trumpets, and they compassed the city seven times.
[17] The gold, the silver, and vessels of brass and iron, were put into the treasury of the house of Jehovah, because they signified the knowledges of spiritual and natural truth and good, gold and silver the knowledges of spiritual truth and good, and vessels of brass and iron the knowledges of natural truth and good, which are changed into dire falsities and evils, with those who are guilty of profanation, but as they are still knowledges although applied to evils, yet they are serviceable to the good by application to goods, therefore these things were put into the treasury of the house of Jehovah. This also is what is meant by the pounds (minoe) which were taken away from the evil, and given to the good; by the unjust mammon, by the gold, silver, and raiment, which the sons of Israel took away from the Egyptians, and afterwards devoted to the tabernacle; and also by the gold and silver which David gathered from the spoils of the enemy, and left to Solomon for building the temple.
[18] That he who rebuilt Jericho should be cursed, and that he should lay the foundation of it with his first-born, and with his youngest set up the gates, signified the profanation of Divine Truth from first to last, if instruction in it were represented elsewhere than in Jerusalem, which signified the church as to the doctrine of truth and good, and as to instruction from the Word. That this profanation took place under king Ahab by Hiel the Bethelite, is recorded in the First Book of Kings (16:34); and it is said of this king that he did evil in the eyes of Jehovah above all the kings of Israel (verses 30, 33). From this miracle performed by means of the ark, it is also evident that the ark, because of the law in it, represented the Lord as to Divine Truth, and thus signified Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord.
[19] The THIRD miracle, that Dagon, the god of the Ashdodites, fell before the ark, and the Ashdodites, Gittites, Ekronites, and Bethshemites were smitten with plagues because of it, is thus described in the First Book of Samuel:
"Israel went out against the Philistines to war; and Israel was smitten before the Philistines about four thousand men. Therefore the elders said, Let us receive unto us out of Shiloh the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and let it come into the midst of us, and deliver us out of the hand of the enemy. And they brought down the ark of the covenant of Jehovah Zebaoth that sitteth upon the cherubim, and with the ark the two sons of Eli. And it came to pass, when the ark came to the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shouting; the Philistines heard and knew that the ark of Jehovah was come to the camp, and they feared for themselves, saying God is come to the camp; woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hands of these mighty gods? These are the gods who smote the Egyptians with every plague. But be strong and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye may not serve the Hebrews. And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten with a great slaughter, about thirty thousand footmen; and the ark of God was taken, and both the sons of Eli died. And the Philistines took the ark, and brought it down to Ashdod, into the house of Dagon, and they set it near Dagon. When they of Ashdod arose in the morning, behold, Dagon lay upon his faces on the earth before the ark of Jehovah; and they set up Dagon again; but when they arose the next morning, Dagon lay upon his faces on the earth before the ark, and at the same time the head of Dagon and the two palms of his hands lay cut off upon the threshold. And the hand of Jehovah was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he smote them with hemorrhoids, Ashdod, and the borders thereof. Then they of Ashdod said, The ark of Israel shall not remain with us; wherefore the lords of the Philistines said, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried over unto Gath." And they carried it over unto Gath; but the hand of Jehovah came against the city, and smote the men of the city from the least to the greatest, while they had hardened hemorrhoids. Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron; but the Ekronites cried out that it would slay them. "And the men that died not were smitten with hemorrhoids." Therefore the lords said that they would send back the ark unto its place. "When the ark had remained in the land of the Philistines seven months, the Philistines called the priests and diviners, saying, What shall we do with the ark of Jehovah, how shall we send it back to its place? And they said, Send it not again empty, but send with it a trespass-offering, then shall ye be healed, namely, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines, five hemorrhoids of gold, and five mice of gold, for one plague is upon you all, and upon your lords; ye shall make images of your hemorrhoids, and images of your mice, which vastated the land; and make a new cart, and take two milch kine upon which no yoke hath come, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them, and put the ark of Jehovah upon the cart, and the vessels of gold put into a coffer at the side thereof; and see if it go up the way of the coast to Bethshemesh; and they did so. Then the kine went in a straight way upon the way to Bethshemesh in one path, and they lowed; and the lords of the Philistines went after them. And the cart came into the field of Joshua the Bethshemite, and stood there where there was a great stone. Then they clave the wood of the cart, and offered the kine for a burnt-offering to Jehovah. And the Levites set down the ark of Jehovah, and the coffer in which were the vessels of gold, upon that great stone, and the men of Bethshemesh offered burnt-offerings, and sacrificed sacrifices to Jehovah;" but the Bethshemites were smitten, because they saw the ark of Jehovah, to the number of fifty thousand and seventy men. But the men of Kirjathjearim caused the ark of Jehovah to come up, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in Gibeah, and it remained there twenty years. Then Samuel said, "If with the whole heart ye will return to Jehovah, put ye away the gods of the stranger and Ashtaroth, and prepare your heart towards Jehovah, and serve him alone, then shall he deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines" (4:1-11; 5:1-12; 6:1-21; 7:1-3).
What is signified by these things - that the ark was taken by the Philistines, that the Philistines were smitten with hemorrhoids on account of the ark in Ashdod, Gath, and Ekron, also that mice laid waste their land and that so many died there and in Bethshemesh - cannot be known, unless it is known what the Philistines, and specifically the Ashdodites, Gittites, Ekronites, and Bethshemites represented, and thus signified also what is signified by the hemorrhoids and by the mice, and by the golden images of these, and moreover by the new cart and the milch kine. That these are representative of such things as pertain to the church is clear, for if not, why should the Philistines have been smitten with such plagues, and the ark have been thus brought back?
[20] The Philistines represented, and thus signified, those who make no account of the good of love and of charity, and thus no account of the good of life, placing everything of religion in knowledge and cognition (scientia et cognitio); therefore they were like those at the present day who make faith alone, that is, faith separated from charity, the essential of the church and the essential of salvation. For this reason they were called the uncircumcised, for to be uncircumcised signifies to be void of spiritual love, consequently of good; and whereas they had reference to those within the church, therefore they were not spiritual, but merely natural. For he who makes no account of the good of charity and of life becomes merely natural, indeed, sensual, loving only worldly things, and is unable to understand any truths spiritually; the truths which he does apprehend naturally he either falsifies or defiles.
Such are those who are meant in the Word by the Philistines. The reason why the Philistines so often fought with the sons of Israel, and why sometimes the Philistines conquered, and sometimes the sons of Israel, is therefore plain. The Philistines conquered when the sons of Israel departed from their statutes and precepts by not keeping them, and the sons of Israel conquered when they lived according to them; to live according to the precepts and statutes was their good of love and good of life. The sons of Israel were at that time conquered by the Philistines because they turned from the worship of Jehovah to the worship of other gods, and especially to the worship of Ashtaroth, as is evident from what Samuel said to them (1 Sam. 7:3). This was the cause also of the ark being taken by the Philistines.
[21] When it is known that the Philistines represented, and thus signified, those who make no account of the good of love, of charity, and of life, it can be known why they were smitten with hemorrhoids because of the ark, and died in consequence, also, why the mice laid waste their land, hemorrhoids signifying truth defiled by such evil of life, as those are in who are destitute of good; for blood signifies truth, and the corrupt matter of the hemorrhoids truth defiled, and the hinder part, where the hemorrhoids were, signifies natural love, which, with those who are not spiritual, is the love of the world; while mice signify the falsities of the sensual man, which eat up and consume all things of the church, as mice [lay waste] the fields and crops, and also eat up and consume vegetables in the earth. They suffered such plagues because they were of such a nature; for those who are without good defile truths, and also lay waste all things of the church.
These things took place on account of the ark, because the ark signified Divine Truth which proceeds from the Lord, and this can be genuine only with those who are in the good of love, and thus in the good of life. And when the Divine Truth flows in with those who are not in good, it produces effects corresponding to the falsity of their doctrine and the evils of their life, similar to that which takes place in the spiritual world, when Divine Truth flows in with such persons; the defilement of truth and the devastation of good then appear under the similitude of hemorrhoids and mice.
[22] Dagon the god of the Ashdodites, on account of the nearness and presence of the ark, was cast down to the earth, and afterwards his head and the palms of his hands were cast upon the threshold of his house, because Dagon signified their religion, which being without spiritual good, possessed neither intelligence nor power; for the head signifies intelligence, and the palms of the hands signify power. A similar effect follows in the spiritual world, when Divine Truth flows in out of heaven with such persons, for they then appear to have neither head nor palms of the hands, because they have neither intelligence nor power.
[23] By the advice of their priests and diviners, they made golden images of the hemorrhoids and mice, and set them at the side of the ark upon a new cart, and to this they tied two milch kine upon which no yoke had yet come, because gold signifies the good of love healing and purifying from the falsities and evils which are signified by hemorrhoids and mice, and because a cart signifies the doctrine of natural truth, and a new cart, the same doctrine unharmed and undefiled by the falsities of their evil. The milch kine, upon which there had yet been no yoke, signified natural good not yet defiled by falsities, for to bear a yoke signifies to serve, and in this case to serve falsities which defile good; and as such good is in harmony with Divine Truth, signified by the ark, therefore these representatives were adopted and applied; and afterwards the Levites offered the kine as a burnt-offering, which they burned with the wood of the cart.
[24] The ark with the gifts was placed upon a great stone, near which the kine stood still, because a stone signifies Divine Truth in the ultimate of order. All this was done by the advice of the priests and diviners of the Philistines, because a knowledge (scientia) of correspondences and representations was common knowledge at that time, for it was their theology, known to the priests and diviners, who were their wise men. But since men at that time had for the most part become merely natural, they regarded those things in an idolatrous manner, worshipping externals, and giving no thought to the internals which the externals represented. From these observations it is evident what the particulars quoted above from the book of Samuel connectedly signify, and that the ark, from the law in it, signifies Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord.
[25] FOURTHLY, the two miracles performed by means of the ark - the death of Uzzah and the blessing of Obed-edom - are thus described in the second Book of Samuel:
"David arose and departed, and all the people that were with him, from Baal of Judah, to bring up thence the ark of God, whose name is invoked, the name of Jehovah Zebaoth that sitteth upon the cherubim over it, and they caused the ark of God to be carried upon a new chariot, and they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which is in Gibeah, and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were leading the chariot. And David and all the house of Israel were playing before Jehovah, upon all kinds [of instruments made] of fir wood, and upon harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with dulcimers, and with cymbals. And when they came to the threshing floor of Nachon, Uzzah put forth [his hand] to the ark, and took hold of it, because the oxen stumbled; and the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Uzzah, and God smote him for his error, so that he died there by the ark of God. And David was grieved at it, and David feared Jehovah that day, saying, How shall the ark of Jehovah come unto me? And David would not remove the ark of Jehovah unto him in the city of David, but he carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. When the ark of Jehovah had remained in his house three months, Jehovah also blessed Obed-edom and all his house; and this was told to king David, and David went, and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with joy. And when they that bare the ark of Jehovah had gone forward six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling; and David danced with all his might before Jehovah, girt with a linen ephod. And David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of Jehovah with a shout and with the sound of a trumpet, and they brought the ark of Jehovah "into the city of David, which is Zion, and set it up in its place within the tent that David had spread for it" (6:2-17).
These historical details, in the internal or spiritual sense, involve many things that cannot be seen in the sense of the letter, which is the historical sense - as what is involved in the fact that the ark was brought from the house of Abinadab into the house of Obed-edom, and at length into the city of David, which is Zion; in the fact that when it was being brought, they played upon and caused to sound all kinds of musical instruments, and that David himself danced; also that the ark was brought upon a new chariot, to which oxen were tied; also that Uzzah, the son of Abinadab, died, and Obed-edom with his house was blessed. All these things, although historical, contain in their bosom such things as pertain to heaven and the church, in the same way as the ark itself, which, because of the law in it, represented the Lord as to Divine Truth, and therefore was called the ark of God, whose name is invoked, the name of Jehovah Zebaoth that sitteth upon the cherubim. That the ark was now brought out of the house of Abinadab, first into the house of Obed-edom, and at length into the city of David, which is Zion, is a fact involving interior truths (arcana) which no one can know unless he learns what was signified there by Gibeah, and by Baal of Judah, where Abinadab was, and by Gath, where Obed-edom was, and lastly by Zion, where David was.
All parts of the land of Canaan with their cities were representative, as is the case in the spiritual world with the regions there, and their cities. In every region, and in every city in the spiritual world, those who are in the good of love dwell towards the east and the west, those who are in clear good of love towards the east, and those who are in obscure good of love towards the west; while towards the south and north, dwell those who are in the light of truth; those who are in clear light of truth towards the south, and those who are in obscure light of truth towards the north. The case was similar in the land of Canaan, in its districts and their cities; these with respect to their quarters, corresponded to the regions of the spiritual world, and to the cities of those regions, but with this difference, that it is impossible to distribute men on earth into quarters according to the good of love, and to the light of truth, as is done with spirits and angels in the spiritual world, therefore in the land of Canaan and its cities the places themselves were representative, and not persons.
That this was so is evident from the partition of the land of Canaan into inheritances, which fell by lot to the tribes according to their representation of the church; also from Jerusalem and Zion which represented the church itself, Jerusalem the church as to the truth of doctrine, and Zion the church as to the good of love. When therefore it is known what that is pertaining to heaven and the church which is specially signified by Gibeah, by Baal of Judah, where Abinadab was, and by Gath where Obed-edom was, the signification of the ark being brought from Abinadab to Obed-edom, and at length into Zion, can be known.
[26] It is evident from the signification of those cities, that the carrying up of the ark represented the progress of the church in man, from its ultimate to its inmost, as from one heaven into another, even to the highest, which is the third heaven. Baal of Judah, where Abinadab was, signified the ultimate of the church, which is called its Natural, for this was represented by Gibeah, where Baal of Judah was; but Gath, where Obed-edom was, who was thence called a Gittite, signified the Spiritual of the church, and it took on this signification after the sons of Israel had taken the cities from the Philistines, from Ekron even to Gath (1 Sam, 7:13-15); while Zion, where David dwelt, signified the inmost of the church, which is called its Celestial.
[27] It is evident from these things that the carrying up of the ark signified the progress of the church in man from its ultimate to its inmost, and this because those progressions are effected by means of the Divine Truth, signified by the ark; for the man of the church advances from the Natural to the Spiritual, and through this to the Celestial, and this continually from the Lord by means of His Divine Truth, the Natural being the good of life, the Spiritual the good of charity towards the neighbour, and the Celestial the good of love to the Lord. The goods of the three heavens advance in a similar manner, and therefore also the ascent through them in their order was also represented.
[28] Their playing upon and causing all kinds of musical instruments to sound, when the ark was being brought, and David dancing, represented the gladness and joy which result from the affection for truth and good from the Lord through the influx of the Divine Truth, signified by the ark. The instruments mentioned, on which they played on the first journey from the house of Abinadab to the house of Obed-edom, represented gladness of mind resulting from natural and spiritual affection for truth, while the dancing of David, and also the shouting and the sound of the trumpet, represented joy of heart resulting from affection for spiritual and celestial good. Harmonies of musical sounds are from the spiritual world, and signify affections with their gladness and joys, as may be seen above (n. 323, 326). Zion signifies the third heaven, and thus the inmost of the church, as may also be seen above (n. 405).
[29] The ark brought upon a new chariot, to which oxen were tied, represented, and thus signified, the doctrine of truth from the good of love, the chariot signifying the doctrine of truth, and the oxen the good of love, both in the natural man; for Divine Truth, signified by the ark, rests and is founded upon the doctrine of natural truth which is from good.
It was for this reason that the ark was placed upon a chariot, with oxen before the chariot. That a chariot signifies the doctrine of truth, may be seen above (n. 355); and that an ox signifies natural good, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 2180, 2566).
[30] The reason why Uzzah, the son of Abinadab, died because he took hold of the ark with his hand, is that to touch with the hand signifies communication, and communication with the Lord takes place by means of the good of love; and Uzzah was not anointed, as the priests and Levites were, who received the representation of the good of love by means of anointing; that this was the case, see above (n. 375). Moreover the cherubim, that were over the mercy-seat which was over the ark, signified protection lest the Lord should be approached except through the good of love. That this was done, in order that David might not bring the ark into Zion before the progression - which was also represented - was finished (of which just above) is clear from this, that David was grieved at the death of Uzzah, and feared to bring the ark into Zion, his own city (verses 8-10).
[31] Obed-edom was blessed, and his house, on account of the ark, because to be blessed with the good things of the world signifies to be blessed with the good things of heaven, which proceed solely from the Lord by the reception of Divine Truth represented by the ark; these good things are given to those who are in spiritual good, which Obed-edom in Gath represented, as stated above.
[32] Lastly, the bringing of the ark into Zion, and into the tent which had been spread out for it by David, signified ascent into the third heaven, and the conjunction of Divine Truth with the good of love; for Zion represented the inmost of the church, and thus the inmost of the heavens, which is the highest or third heaven, where the angels are in the good of love to the Lord, and where there is a protection lest the Lord should be approached except through the good of love; this protection is represented by the cherubim over the ark.
[33] The bringing of the ark into the inmost part of the temple built by Solomon has a similar signification. This circumstance is thus described in the First Book of Kings:
Solomon "prepared the adytum (or oracle) in the midst of the house, to place in it the ark of the covenant of Jehovah; and he made in the adytum two cherubim of the wood of oil, and set them in the midst of the inner house, so that their wings were stretched out to the wall on each side, and their wings touched each other in the midst of the house and he overlaid the cherubim with gold." And Solomon brought up "the ark of the covenant of Jehovah from the city of David, which is Zion. And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests carried the ark, and brought up the ark of Jehovah, and the tent of meeting, and all the vessels of holiness that were in the tent; and Solomon and all the congregation with him before the ark. And the priests brought the ark of the covenant of Jehovah into its place, into the adytum (or oracle) of the house, into the holy of holies, even under the wings of the cherubim; for the cherubim spread out their wings over the place of the ark, so that the cherubim covered the ark and the staves thereof from above, and the heads of the staves were seen from the holy place, towards the faces of the adytum (or oracle), but they were not seen without." And Solomon said, "I have appointed there the place of the ark, wherein is the covenant of Jehovah, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt" (6:19, 23, 27; 8:1-8, 21).
As the ark in the tent of meeting represented the third heaven where the Lord is, and the tent itself without the veil, the second heaven, and the court the first heaven, so also was this the case with the temple; for the temple with its courts represented the three heavens. Therefore there was nothing in the temple, or outside of the temple where the courts were, that did not represent something of heaven, and this because the Lord at that time was present in representatives; for the churches which were before the Lord's coming were representative churches, and became finally of such a character as the church instituted among the sons of Israel. But when the Lord came into the world, then external representatives were abolished, because it was the Lord Himself whom the representatives of the church shadowed forth and signified; and since these were external things, and as it were coverings, within which was the Lord, therefore these coverings were taken away when He came, and He himself became manifest together with heaven and the church, in which the Lord is the all in all. The chief representatives of the Lord, and thence of heaven and the church, were the tent of meeting, and in it the table, the lampstand, the altar of incense, and the ark, also the altar with the burnt-offerings and sacrifices, and afterwards the temple, the temple having the same representation as the tent of meeting, with this difference, that the tent of meeting was a more holy representative of the Lord, of heaven, and of the church, than the temple.
[34] From these things it is evident that the adytum (or oracle) of the temple, where the ark was, in the same way as in the tent of meeting, represented the Lord as to Divine Truth, and thus also the third heaven, where the angels are conjoined with the Lord through love to Him, and consequently have Divine Truth inscribed on their hearts. But the signification of the cherubim in the temple, their wings and the staves - which are also mentioned - shall be explained in a few words. The cherubim signified protection, lest the Lord should be approached except through the good of love, therefore also they were made of the wood of oil, and this wood signifies the good of love, as may be seen in n. 375. The wings of the cherubim signify the spiritual Divine which descends from the celestial Divine, in which is the third heaven into the second, and is there received; this is the reason why the wings touched each other in the midst of the house, and were stretched forth to the wall on each side. But the staves, with which the ark was carried, signified Divine Power, in the same way as arms. From these and the foregoing observations the signification of the ark of the covenant in the Word is evident.
[35] Moreover the ark signifies a representative of the church in general, and this the continual sacrifice in Daniel, which was to cease at the Lord's coming into the world, also signifies as in Jeremiah:
"I will give you shepherds according to my heart, that they may feed you with knowledge and understanding; then it shall come to pass when ye shall be multiplied and bear fruit in the land, in those days they shall no more say, The ark of the covenant of Jehovah, neither shall it come up upon the heart, neither shall they make mention of it, neither shall they desire it, neither shall it be renewed any more" (3:15, 16).
These things are said of the coming of the Lord, and of the abolition of the representative rites of the Jewish church at that time. That the interior things of the church which had been concealed by representative external rites would be made manifest, and that then would men be interior or spiritual, is signified by shepherds being given according to the heart of the Lord, who would feed them with knowledge and understanding, shepherds meaning those who teach good and lead to it by means of truths. Then it shall come to pass, when ye shall be multiplied and bear fruit in the land in those days, signifies the multiplication of truth and the fructification of good. That then there will be conjunction with the Lord by means of the interior things of the Word and not by exterior things, which merely signified and represented interior things, is signified by, They shall no more say, The ark of the covenant of Jehovah; the ark of the covenant of Jehovah there denoting the externals of worship, which were then to be abolished, the same as the continual [sacrifice] which was to cease, as mentioned in Daniel (8:13; 11:31; 12:11). That worship was to be no longer external but internal, is signified by, It shall not come up upon the heart, neither shall they make mention of it, neither shall they desire it, neither shall it be renewed any more. It is evident from this that the ark of the covenant seen by John in the temple of God, which is the vision now treated of, was a manifestation of the Divine Truth, by means of which the conjunction of the new heaven and new church with the Lord is effected. And it was therefore seen in this manner in order that the Word in the letter might be everywhere similar, consisting of such things as being externals of worship also represented internals, just as above (8:3, 4), where the altar and the offerings of incense were seen before the throne. For the Word in the letter consists of pure correspondences, such as existed in the representative churches, and were consequently made use of in writing the Word; and in these the interior things of heaven and the church, which are spiritual and celestial, are contained.
700. And there was seen in his temple the ark of His Covenant, signifies Divine truth, by which there is conjunction with the Lord. This is evident from the signification of "the ark of the Covenant," as being Divine truth proceeding from the Lord (of which presently). "The ark of the Covenant" was seen, because "the temple" appeared, and the ark was in the midst of the temple at Jerusalem, and in it were placed the two tables of the law, which signify in a universal sense Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, thus the Lord Himself, who is Divine truth in the heavens; for which reason the Lord is called the Word, in Arcana Coelestia 3478, 9457, 9481, 9485. And that in the highest sense "the tabernacle," the same as "the temple," signifies the Lord, and in a relative sense heaven and the church, and thence the holiness of worship, n. 9457, 9481, 10242, 10245, 10304, 10545. That in the Word "covenant" signifies conjunction, and that all things of the church, both internal and external, are signs of the covenant, and that they are called covenant because conjunction is effected by means of them, n. 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021, 2037, 6804, 8767, 8778, 9396, 9416, 10632. Consequently that the law promulgated on Mount Sinai was called a "covenant," and the ark containing the law "the ark of the Covenant," n. 6804, 9416.)
[2] That the ark with the covenant or testimony inclosed, signifies the Lord in respect to the celestial Divine which is Divine truth in the inmost or third heaven, can be seen from what is said of the ark in the Word. As in Moses:
They shall make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in the midst of them, according to all that I have shown thee, the form of the habitation. First, they shall make an ark of shittim wood; and thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it; and thou shalt make for it a border of gold; four rings of gold for the staves. And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony that I will give thee. And thou shalt make a mercy-seat of pure gold; and thou shalt make two cherubim of gold, solid shalt thou make them out of the mercy-seat that the cherubim may spread out their wings, and cover the mercy-seat with their wings; and their faces shall be towards the mercy-seat. And thou shalt put the testimony into the ark; and there I will meet with thee, and I will speak with thee from above the mercy-seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the Testimony, of all things which I shall command thee unto the sons of Israel (Exodus 25:8-22).
Thou shalt make a veil of hyacinthine and purple, and scarlet double dyed, and fine twined linen, with cherubim. Thou shalt put it upon four pillars of shittim overlaid with gold; and thou shalt place the veil under the clasps; and thou shalt bring in thither within the veil the ark of the Testimony; so that the veil shall divide unto you between the holy place and the holy of holies; and thou shalt put the veil before the ark in the holy of holies (Exodus 26:31-34).
It was said above that the tent where there were the ark, the lampstand, the table for the loaves, and the altar for incense, together with the court, represented the three heavens, and that the place within the veil where the ark was that contained the law or testimony, represented the third heaven. That place represented that heaven, because the law was there, and the "law" means the Lord in relation to Divine truth or the Word, for this in a broad sense is what that "law" signifies, and it is Divine truth proceeding from the Lord that forms the heavens. This is received in the greatest purity by the angels of the third heaven, because they are in conjunction with the Lord through love to Him, since all angels in that heaven are in love to the Lord; consequently they see Divine truth in themselves, like something implanted, although it flows in continually from the Lord. For this reason that heaven more than the other heavens which are below it, is said to be in the Lord, because it is in the Divine that proceeds from Him.
[3] It was that heaven that was represented by the ark that contained the law, that is, the Lord. This is why the ark was overlaid with gold within and without, and the mercy-seat was over the ark, and over the mercy-seat and out of it were the two cherubim which were of pure gold; for gold signifies from correspondence the good of love, in which are the angels of the third heaven. The "mercy-seat" signified the hearing and reception of all things of the worship that is from the good of love from the Lord; and the "cherubim" signified the Lord's providence and guard that He be not approached except through the good of love. That heaven with its angels is a guard against anything being elevated to the Lord Himself except what proceeds from the good of love to Him and from Him. For all worship of God passes through the heavens even to the Lord, and is purified in the way, until it is elevated to the third heaven, and there it reaches 1the Lord and is received by Him; everything else, being impure, is removed on the way. This is why cherubim of gold were placed over the mercy-seat, which was over the ark; also why that place was called a sanctuary, and also the holy of holies, and was divided from the outer part of the tabernacle by the veil.
[4] That the tent with the court represented the three heavens is evident also from this, that all things instituted among the sons of Israel were representatives of heavenly things; for the church itself was a representative church; thus especially the tabernacle with the altar was the most holy thing of worship; for worship was celebrated upon the altar by burnt-offerings and sacrifices, and in the tabernacle by incense offerings, and by the lamps that were lighted every day, and by the loaves that were placed in order daily upon the table. All these represented all worship in heaven and in the church, and the tent itself with the ark represented the heavens themselves. For this reason that tabernacle was called "the dwelling place of Jehovah God," as heaven itself is called. That the heavens were represented by the tabernacle is evident also from this, that the form of it was shown to Moses by the Lord upon Mount Sinai, and what is shown in form by the Lord must represent either heaven or the things belonging to heaven. That the form of the tabernacle was shown to Moses upon Mount Sinai, can be seen from what was said to Moses:
Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell In the midst of them, according to all that I have shown thee, the form of the habitation. [And afterwards:] See and make them in their form which thou wast made to see in the mount (Arcana Coelestia 9484-9577, 9670-9680).
[5] The holiness itself of the whole tabernacle was from the testimony, that is, from the two tables of stone on which the law was written, because "the law" signified the Lord in relation to Divine truth, and thus in relation to the Word, for that is Divine truth. That the Lord is the Word is evident from what is said in John:
The Word was with God, and God was the Word, and the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (John 1:1, 2, 14).
That the law, which is called both "the testimony" and "the covenant," was placed in the ark, likewise the book written by Moses, can be seen from these words in Moses:
Thou shalt put into the ark the testimony that I shall give thee (Exodus 25:16; 40:20).
I put the tables of the law in the ark that I had made, that they might be there, even as Jehovah commanded me (Deuteronomy 10:5).
And of the book of the law written by Moses:
When Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law upon the book, even when he had finished them, Moses commanded the Levites that bare the ark to take the book of the law, and put it by the side of the ark of the Covenant, that it might be there for a witness (Deuteronomy 31:24-26).
This shows that there was nothing inside of the ark except the two tables of stone on which the law was written, and that the book of Moses was by the side of it. That there was nothing in the ark except the two tables of the covenant is evident from the first book of Kings:
There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, the covenant which Jehovah made with the sons of Israel (1 Kings 8:9).
That the book of Moses which was laid by the side of the ark was afterwards taken out and preserved in the temple is shown by the fact:
That Hilkiah the high priest found the book of the law in the house of Jehovah and gave it to Shaphan, who told it unto the king, and read it before the king (2 Kings 22:8-11).
[6] That the ark represented the Lord in relation to Divine truth, and consequently signified Divine truth from the Lord, thus the Word, is shown by the fact that from it the Lord spoke with Moses, for it is said:
Thou shalt put the testimony into the ark; and there I will meet thee, and I will speak with thee from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the Testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the sons of Israel (Exodus 25:21, 22);
and elsewhere:
When Moses went into the Tent of meeting to speak with Him he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from above the mercy-seat that was upon the ark of the Testimony, from between the two cherubim; thus He spake unto him (Numbers 7:89).
The Lord spoke to Moses therefrom because the law was there, and that law signifies in a broad sense the Lord in relation to the Word, and from the Word the Lord speaks with man; it was "from above the mercy-seat between the two cherubim," because "the mercy-seat" signifies the removal of falsities that are from evil loves, and at the same time reception and hearing, and "the cherubim" signify a guard that there be no approach except through the good of love.
[7] Because the Lord in heaven and in the church is Divine truth or the Word, which is meant by the law inclosed in the ark, and because the Lord is present in the law or the Word, so where the ark was, there was Jehovah or the Lord, as can be seen from these words in Moses:
Moses said to Jehovah, 2Leave us not, I pray; forasmuch as thou knowest how we must encamp in the wilderness, therefore thou wilt be to us instead of eyes; and it shall be when thou shalt go with us, yea, it shall be that the good that Jehovah shall do unto us, the same good we will do unto thee. And they journeyed from the mount of Jehovah a way of three days, and the ark of the Covenant of Jehovah journeyed before them a way of three days to search out a resting place for them; and the cloud of Jehovah was over them by day, when they journeyed from the camp. When the ark journeyed Moses said, Arise, O Jehovah, let Thine enemies be scattered, and let them that hate Thee flee from before Thy faces; and when it rested he said, Return, O Jehovah, to the myriads of the thousands of Israel (Numbers 10:31-36).
It is clear from these particulars that Jehovah or the Lord is here meant by "the ark" because of His presence in the law that was in the ark, thus because of His presence in the Word. Since the Lord is here meant by the law, and thus by the ark, "Moses said, Arise, O Jehovah, that Thine enemies be scattered, and let them that hate Thee flee from before Thy faces; and when it rested he said, Return, O Jehovah, to the myriads of the thousands of Israel." But still more interior things are involved in these words, namely, that the Lord by His Divine truth leads men and defends them against falsities and evils, which are from hell, especially in temptations, which are signified in particular by the journeyings of the sons of Israel in the wilderness forty years. That the Lord leads men continually by His Divine truth is signified by "the ark of the Covenant of Jehovah journeyed before them a way of three days to search out a resting place for them," "the ark of Jehovah" meaning the Lord in relation to Divine truth, "journeying a way of three days" meaning His auspices and leading from beginning to end, and "searching out" signifying salvation, which is the end.
[8] Moreover, protection from falsities and evils which are from hell is signified by "the cloud of Jehovah over them by day," as well as by the words of Moses when the ark journeyed, "Arise, O Jehovah, let Thine enemies be scattered, and let them that hate Thee flee from before Thy faces;" "the cloud of Jehovah by day" signifies also protection by Divine truth in ultimates, such as the Word is in the sense of the letter, for by such truth the Lord can be approached even by the evil, and by it He defends the interior things of the Word, which are celestial and spiritual. (That this sense of the Word is signified by a "cloud" may be seen above, n. 594.) "Enemies" and "them that hate" signify falsities and evils that are from hell, "enemies" falsities, and "them that hate" evils, thus they signify the hells in respect to falsities and evils. Truths from good, which are implanted in man after temptations, are signified by "when the ark rested Moses said, Return, O Jehovah, to the myriads of the thousands of Israel;" "the resting of the ark" signifies the state after temptations, when evils and falsities have been removed; "to return" signifies the Lord's presence at that time, for in temptations the Lord appears to be absent; "the myriads of the thousands of Israel" signify the truths from good implanted, which constitute the church. (That "myriads" are predicated of truths, and "thousands" of goods, see above, n. 336.)
[9] There is a like significance in these words in David:
Lo, we have heard of Him in Ephrathah, we have found Him in the fields of the forest; we will come into His habitations, we will bow ourselves down at His footstool. Arise, O Jehovah, to Thy resting place, Thou and the ark of Thy strength. Let Thy priests be clothed with righteousness and let Thy saints shout for joy (606.)
[10] The "resting place" to which Jehovah should arise signifies the union of the Divine and the Human in the Lord, and His conjunction with heaven and the church; and because the Lord, and also those who are in heaven and in the church, have rest and peace when He has subjugated the hells and has brought all things there and in the heavens into order, it is said, "Arise, Thou and the ark of Thy strength," "Thou" meaning the Lord Himself, and "the ark of Thy strength" Divine truth proceeding from Him, for through this the Lord has Divine power. The "priests who shall be clothed with righteousness" and the "saints who shall shout for joy," have a similar signification as "the thousands and myriads of Israel," "priests" meaning those who are in good, and "saints" those who are in truths, thus in an abstract sense the goods and truths of heaven and the church. (That "priests" in an abstract sense signify the goods of the church may be seen above, n. 31 at the end, and that "saints" in that sense signify the truths of the church, n. 204, 325.) More about this Psalm may be seen above n. 684.
[11] Because the ark, from the law that was in it, signified the Lord in relation to Divine truth, and the Lord has omnipotence from Divine good through Divine truth, therefore by means of the ark miracles were wrought. Thus by means of it the waters of Jordan were divided, so that the sons of Israel passed over on dry ground; the wall of the city of Jericho was overthrown; Dagon, the god of the Ashdodites, fell down before it; the Ashdodites, the Gittites, the Ekronites, and the Bethshemites, were smitten with plagues on account of it; Uzzah died because he touched it; Obed-edom, into whose house it was brought, was blessed. As these historical facts involve arcana that can be opened only by the spiritual sense I also will explain them, that it may be known what the ark signifies in a strict sense and in a broad sense. First, respecting the division of the waters of Jordan that the sons of Israel might pass through on dry ground, in Joshua:
Joshua and all the sons of Israel came to Jordan; and at the end of three days Joshua commanded, saying, When ye shall see the ark of the Covenant of Jehovah, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, ye shall journey from your place and shall go after it; yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits; ye shall not draw near unto it. And the priests lifted up the ark of the Covenant and went before the people. And Joshua said, When ye shall come to the brink of the waters of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan. And he said unto the people, Behold, the ark of the Covenant of the Lord of the whole earth passing over before you into Jordan; and take ye twelve men of the tribes of Israel; and when the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of Jehovah the Lord of the whole earth shall rest in the waters of Jordan, the waters of Jordan shall be cut off, even the waters that come down from above shall stand in one heap. And it came to pass when the priests came unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bear the ark were dipped in the brink of the waters, and Jordan was full, as it was wont to be all the days of harvest, the waters that came down from above stood in one heap, stretching out very far from the city Adam; and those that came down upon the sea of the plain, the sea of salt, were completely cut off, so that the people could pass over towards Jericho. And the priests stood on the dry ground in the midst of Jordan; and all the people passed over on dry ground. Afterwards Jehovah said unto Joshua, Take to you twelve men, one of a tribe; and lift up out of the midst of Jordan, from where the priests' feet stood, twelve stones, which ye shall bring over with you, and leave in the place where ye pass the night. And the sons of Israel did so; and they lifted up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, according to the numbers of the tribes of Israel, and they carried them over unto the place where they passed the night. Then after that all the people had finished passing over, the ark of Jehovah passed over, and the priests. And it came to pass when the priests were come up and the soles of their feet were plucked out, the waters of Jordan returned into their place. And the twelve stones which they took out of Jordan did Joshua set up in Gilgal (Joshua 3:1-17; 4:1-20).
All the historicals of the Word, as well as its prophetical parts, contain a spiritual sense that treats, not of the sons of Israel and of nations and peoples, but of the church and its establishment and progress, for this is the spiritual of the Word, while the history is the natural that contains the spiritual. Therefore also all the miracles described in the Word, as the miracles done in Egypt and afterwards in the land of Canaan, involve such things as belong to heaven and the church, and for this reason also these miracles are Divine.
[12] The miracle described above signifies the introduction of the faithful into the church, and through the church into heaven. "The sons of Israel" mean here in the spiritual sense the faithful, who after enduring temptations, which are signified by their wanderings in the wilderness, are brought into the church; for "the land of Canaan," into which the sons of Israel were brought, signifies the church, and "Jordan" signifies the first entrance into it; and "the waters of Jordan" signify truths that introduce into it, which are such as those of the literal sense of the Word, for those are what first introduce. But here "Jordan" and its waters signify the falsities of evil which conduct towards hell, since the land of Canaan was then filled with idolatrous nations, which signify evils and falsities of every kind, which constitute hell; for this reason these were to be driven out, that there might be a place for establishing the church. Because "the waters of Jordan" then signified the falsities of evil, they were parted and removed, to give a passage to the sons of Israel, who were to represent the church.
[13] Now as the Lord alone removes and scatters the falsities of evil that are from hell, and by His Divine truths introduces the faithful into the church and into heaven, and as the ark and the law inclosed in it represented the Lord in relation to Divine truth, it was commanded that the ark should go before the people and thus lead them. This is why it came to pass that as soon as the priests bearing the ark dipped their feet in the waters of Jordan those waters were divided and went down, and the people passed over on dry land, and after this was done the waters returned. Then these same waters signified truths that introduce; for Jordan was the first boundary of the land of Canaan, and that land, when the sons of Israel had entered into it, represented the church, and that river introduction into it.
[14] As the waters of Jordan signified truths that introduce they were commanded to take up out of the midst of it twelve stones, and carry them over to the first place where they passed the night, and this because "stones" signify truths, and "twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of Israel" signified the truths of the church. Joshua set up those stones in Gilgal to the east of Jericho, because "Gilgal" signified the doctrine of natural truth, which is serviceable for introduction into the church. From these few things it is clear what things of heaven and the church were represented by this miracle, also that the "ark," because of the law in it, signified the Lord in relation to Divine truth, therefore it is called "the ark of the Covenant of the Lord of the whole earth," as meaning conjunction with the Lord through Divine truth, since conjunction, which is signified by "covenant," is effected through Divine truth, and that is what constitutes heaven and the church, which are signified in particular by "the whole earth;" in fact, through Divine truth all things were made and created, according to the Lord's words (in John 1:1-3, 10; and in David, Psalms 33:6), "the Word" there meaning Divine truth.
[15] The second miracle done by means of the ark was the overthrow of the wall of Jericho, which is thus described in Joshua:
The city of Jericho was shut up; and Jehovah said unto Joshua, I have given into thy hand Jericho and the king thereof, and the mighty in valor. Ye shall compass the city, all the men of war, once a day for six days. And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of jubilee before the ark; but the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall sound with the trumpets, and then the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city shall fall down from beneath itself; and the people shall go up. Then Joshua made them go round the city once the first day, as it had been said; after which circuit they returned into the camp, and passed the night in the camp; in like manner the day after. And the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of jubilee before the ark of Jehovah went on, going, and sounded the trumpets, before whom went the men of war, and the rear marching after the ark, going and sounding the trumpets. And so they did six days; and the seventh day they compassed the city seven times; and the seventh time the people shouted. And when the people heard this, then the wall of the city fell down beneath itself, and the people went up into the city, and gave to the curse all things which were in the city, from man even to woman, and from the boy to the old man. And they burned up the city with fire, and all things that were in it; only the silver and gold, and the vessels of brass and iron they put into the treasury of the house of Jehovah. And Joshua adjured them, saying, Cursed be the man before Jehovah that shall rise up and build this city; with his firstborn he shall lay the foundations of it, and with the youngest he shall set up its folding doors (Joshua 6:1-26).
No one can know the Divine meaning contained in this miracle, unless he knows what is signified by "the city of Jericho" in the land of Canaan, which was burned up, by "its wall" which fell, by the "inhabitants" who were given to the curse, by "the gold and silver, and the vessels of brass and iron," that were put into the treasury of the house of Jehovah, also by "sounding the trumpets and shouting," and by "compassing it six days, and seven times on the seventh day." The "city of Jericho" signifies instruction in the knowledges of good and truth, by which man is introduced into the church; for Jericho was a city not far from the Jordan, and that river signified introduction into the church (as has been said above). For all places in the land of Canaan were significative of things celestial and spiritual belonging to the church, and this from the most ancient times; and as the sons of Israel were to represent the church, and among them the Word was written, in which those places were to be mentioned signifying such things as are of heaven and the church, therefore the sons of Israel were introduced into it, and their introduction was signified by "the river Jordan," and their instruction by "Jericho." And as "Jericho" signified instruction it signified also the good of life, because unless one is in the good of life he cannot be instructed in the truths of doctrine. But when the land of Canaan was held by idolatrous nations the signification of the places and cities in that land was changed into the opposite, Jericho then signifying the profanation of truth and good. From this it follows that the "city" itself signified the doctrine of falsity and evil, which perverted and profaned the truths and goods of the church, its "wall" signifying falsities of evil defending that doctrine, and the "inhabitants" those who are profane; and as all profaneness is from infernal love after the acknowledgment of truth and good, therefore the city was burned with fire, the inhabitants given to the curse, and its wall fell down, "fire" signifying infernal love, "curse" a total blotting out, and "the falling down of the wall" exposure to every evil and falsity.
[16] The sounding of the trumpets by the priests signified the proclamation of Divine truth from Divine good; the shouting and acclamation of the people signified consent and confirmation; compassing the city signified a survey of falsity and evil and their dispersion by the influx of Divine truth from the Lord; this influx was signified by carrying the ark about it. The priests were seven in number, and the city was compassed seven days, and seven times on the seventh day, to signify what is holy, and the holy proclamation of Divine truth, "seven" signifying holiness, and in the contrary sense profaneness, and as there was holiness on the one part and profaneness on the other, there were seven priests with seven trumpets, and the city was compassed seven times.
[17] The gold, the silver, and the vessels of brass and iron, were put into the treasury of the house of Jehovah, because these signified the knowledges of spiritual and natural truth and good, "gold and silver" the knowledges of spiritual truth and good, and "the vessels of brass and iron" knowledges of natural truth and good, which with those who profane are changed into direful falsities and evils; but as they continue to be knowledges, although applied to evils, they are serviceable to use with the good by application to what is good, and therefore these things were put into the treasury of the house of Jehovah. This also is what is meant by the "pounds" [minae] that were taken away from the evil and given to the good; likewise by the "unrighteous mammon;" also by "the gold, silver, and raiment," that the sons of Israel took away from the Egyptians and afterwards devoted to the tabernacle; and also by "the gold and silver" that David gathered from the spoils of enemies, and left to Solomon for building the temple.
[18] That he who rebuilt Jericho would be cursed, and that "he would lay the foundation of it with his firstborn, and set up its folding-doors with his youngest," signified the profanation of Divine truth from its first to its last, if instruction in it should be represented elsewhere than in Jerusalem, by which the church was signified in respect to the doctrine of truth and good, and in respect to instruction from the Word. That this profanation took place under King Ahab by Hiel the Bethelite is recorded in 1 Kings 16:34; and Ahab is said to have done evil in the eyes of Jehovah above all the kings of Israel (verses 1 Kings 16:30, 33). From this miracle done by means of the ark it can be seen that the ark, because of the law in it, represented the Lord in relation to Divine truth, and thence signified the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord.
[19] The third miracle, that Dagon, the god of the Ashdodites, fell down before the ark, and the Ashdodites, Gittites, Ekronites, and Bethshemites were smitten with plagues because of it, is thus described in the first book of Samuel:
Israel went out against the Philistines to war. And Israel was beaten before the Philistines about four thousand men. Therefore the elders said, Let us take unto us out of Shiloh the ark of the Covenant of Jehovah, and let it come into the midst of us, and deliver us out of the hand of the enemy. And they brought from thence the ark of the Covenant of Jehovah of Hosts sitting above the cherubim, and with the ark the two sons of Eli. And it came to pass when the ark came to the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout; the Philistines heard, and knew that the ark of Jehovah was come to the camp, and they feared for themselves, saying, God is come to the camp; woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hands of these mighty gods? These are the gods that smote the Egyptians with every plague. But be strong and be men, O ye Philistines, that ye may not serve the Hebrews. And the Philistines fought, and Israel was beaten with a great slaughter, about thirty thousand footmen; and the ark of God was taken, and both the sons of Eli died. And the Philistines took the ark, and brought it down to Ashdod, into the house of Dagon, and they set it beside Dagon. When they of Ashdod rose in the morning, behold, Dagon lay upon his faces on the earth before the ark of Jehovah; and they put back Dagon again. But when they arose in the morning, Dagon lay upon his faces on the earth before the ark, and both the head of Dagon and the two palms of his hands lay cut off upon the threshold. And the hand of Jehovah was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and He smote them with emerods, Ashdod and the borders thereof. Then the men of Ashdod said, The ark of Israel shall not abide with us. Therefore the lords of the Philistines said, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried over unto Gath. And they carried it over unto Gath. But the hand of Jehovah was against the city, and smote the men of the city from the least to the greatest, and emerods brake out upon them. So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. But the Ekronites cried out that they should be slain. And the men that died not were smitten with emerods. Therefore the lords said that they would send back the ark into its place. When the ark had remained in the field of the Philistines seven months, the Philistines called the priests and diviners, saying, What shall we do with the ark of Jehovah; how shall we send it back to its place? And they said, Send it not empty, but send it back with a guilt-offering, then shall ye be healed, namely, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines, five emerods of gold and five mice of gold, for one plague is upon you all and upon your lords; ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice, that have laid waste the land; and make a new cart, and two milch kine upon which there hath come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring back their calves from them to the house, and put the ark of Jehovah upon the cart, and the vessels of gold put into a coffer at the side thereof; and see if it goeth up the way of the border to Bethshemesh. And they did so. Then the kine went straightway upon the way to Bethshemesh in the one highway, and they lowed; and the lords of the Philistines went after them. And the cart came into the field of Joshua the Bethshemite, and stood there, where there was a great stone. Then they clave the wood of the cart, and offered the kine for a burnt-offering to Jehovah. And the Levites set down the ark of Jehovah, and the coffer in which were the vessels of gold, upon that great stone; and the men of Bethshemesh offered burnt-offerings, and sacrificed sacrifices to Jehovah. But the Bethshemites were smitten because they saw the ark of Jehovah, about fifty thousand and seventy men. But the men of Kiriath-jearim caused the ark of Jehovah to come up, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in Gibeah, and it remained there twenty years. Then Samuel said, If with the whole heart ye will return to Jehovah, put ye away the gods of the alien and Ashtaroth, and prepare your heart towards Jehovah, and serve Him only, then will He deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines (1 Samuel 4:1-11; 5:1-12; 6:1-21; 7:1-3).
What is signified by all this-that the ark was taken by the Philistines, and the Philistines were smitten with emerods on account of the ark in Ashdod, Gath, and Ekron, also that mice laid waste their land, and that so many died there and in Bethshemesh-cannot be known unless it is known what the Philistines, and in particular the Ashdodites, Gittites, Ekronites, and Bethshemites, represented and thence signified; also what is signified by "emerods" and by "mice," and by "the golden images" of these, and besides by the "new cart" and "the milch kine." Evidently these are representatives of such things as belong to the church, for otherwise why should the Philistines have been smitten with such plagues, and the ark have been so brought back?
[20] The Philistines represented, and thence signified, those who make no account of the good of love and charity, and thus no account of the good of life; placing everything of religion in knowledge and cognition; therefore they were like those at the present day who make faith alone, that is, faith separated from charity, the essential of the church and the essential of salvation. This is why they were called "the uncircumcised," for to be uncircumcised signifies to be destitute of spiritual love, thus of good; and because they had reference to those within the church they were not spiritual, but merely natural, since he who makes no account of the good of charity and of life becomes merely natural, and even sensual, loving only worldly things, and is unable to understand any truths spiritually, and the truths he apprehends naturally he either falsifies or defiles. Such are they who are meant in the Word by the "Philistines." Thence it is evident why the Philistines so frequently fought with the sons of Israel, and that sometimes the Philistines conquered, and sometimes the sons of Israel. The Philistines conquered when the sons of Israel departed from the statutes and precepts in not doing them; but when the sons of Israel lived according to these they conquered. To live according to the precepts and statutes was their good of love and good of life. At this time the sons of Israel were conquered by the Philistines because they had departed from the worship of Jehovah to the worship of other gods, especially to the worship of Ashtaroth, as can be seen from what Samuel said to them (1 Samuel 7:3). For the same reason also the ark had been taken by the Philistines.
[21] When it is known that the Philistines represented and thence signified those who make no account of the good of love, charity, and life, it can be known why because of the ark they were smitten with emerods and died in consequence; also why mice laid waste the land; for "emerods" signify truth defiled by such evil of life as is with those who are destitute of good; since "blood" signifies truth, and the corrupted blood from emerods truth defiled; and the hinder part, where the emerods were, signifies natural love, which with those not spiritual is the love of the world, while "mice" signify the falsities of the sensual man, which eat up and consume all things of the church, as mice lay waste fields and crops, and also the vegetables underground. Such were their plagues, because they were such, since those who are without good defile truths and also lay waste all things of the church. This was done on account of the ark, because the "ark" signified the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord, and this cannot be genuine truth but with those who are in the good of love, and thence in the good of life; and when Divine truth flows in with those who are not in good it produces effects that correspond to their falsities of doctrine and evils of life, just as in the spiritual world, when Divine truth flows into such, the defilement of truth and devastation of good are manifested in a likeness of emerods and mice.
[22] Dagon the god of the Ashdodites, because of the nearness and presence of the ark, was cast down to the earth, and afterwards his head and the palms of his hands were cast upon the threshold of his temple, because "Dagon" signified their religion, which was wholly without intelligence and without power, because it was without spiritual good, "head" signifying intelligence, and "palms of the hands" power. It is similar in the spiritual world, when Divine truth inflows out of heaven with such persons, for they then appear as if they were without a head and without palms of the hands because they are without intelligence or power.
[23] By the advice of their priests and diviners they made golden images of the emerods and mice, and set them at the side of the ark upon a new cart, to which they tied two milch kine on which no yoke had come, because "gold" signifies the good of love, which heals and purifies from falsities and evils, which are signified by the "emerods and mice," also because a "cart" signifies the doctrine of natural truth, and a "new cart" that doctrine untouched and unpolluted by the falsities of their evil, and the "milch kine" on which no yoke had come signify natural good not yet defiled by falsities, for to bear a yoke signifies to serve, here to serve falsities which defile good; and as such good agrees with the Divine truth, which was signified by the "ark," therefore these representatives were adapted and applied; and afterwards the Levites offered the kine as a burnt-offering, which they burned with the wood of the cart.
[24] The ark with the gifts was put on a great stone, near which the kine stood still, because a "stone" signifies Divine truth in the ultimate of order. The priests and diviners of the Philistines recommended this to be done because a knowledge of correspondences and representations was a common knowledge at that time, since it was their theology, known to the priests and diviners, who were their wise men. But because men at that time had become for the most part merely natural, they regarded these things in an idolatrous way, worshiping the externals, and giving no thought to the internals that the externals represented. From this it can be seen what the particulars here cited from the book of Samuel signify in series, also that the "ark," because of the law in it, signifies Divine truth proceeding from the Lord.
[25] Fourth, the two miracles wrought by means of the ark, the death of Uzzah and the blessing of Obed-edom, are thus described in the second book of Samuel:
David arose and went, and all the people that were with him, from Baal-Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called upon, the name of Jehovah of Hosts that sitteth upon the cherubim. And they caused the ark of God to be carried upon a new cart, and they brought it up out of the house of Abinadab, which was in Gibeah; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were leading the cart. And David and all the house of Israel were playing before Jehovah, upon instruments of fir-wood of every kind, and upon harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with sistra, and with cymbals. And when they came to the threshing floor of Nachon, Uzzah put forth unto the ark and seized upon it, because the oxen stumbled; and the anger of Jehovah glowed against Uzzah, and God smote him for his error, so that he died there by the ark of God. And David was grieved at it, and David feared Jehovah that day, and he said, How shall the ark of Jehovah come unto me? And David would not remove the ark of Jehovah unto him in the city of David, but he turned it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. And the ark of Jehovah remained in his house three months, and Jehovah blessed Obed-edom and all his house; and it was told to King David; and David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with joy; and when they that bare the ark of Jehovah had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling; and David danced with all his strength before Jehovah, girt with a linen ephod. And David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of Jehovah with a shout and with the sound of a trumpet; and they brought the ark of Jehovah into the city of David, which is Zion, and set it up in its place within the tent that David had stretched out for it (2 Samuel 6:1-17).
These historical facts in the internal or spiritual sense involve many things that cannot come into view in the sense of the letter, which is the historical sense; as what is involved in the fact that the ark was brought from the house of Abinadab into the house of Obed-edom, and at length into the city of David, which is Zion; in the fact that when it was brought they played and sounded all kinds of musical instruments, and David himself danced; that the ark was brought upon a new cart, to which oxen were tied; also that Uzzah, the son of Abinadab, died, and Obed-edom with his house was blessed. All these things, although historical, have concealed in their bosom such things as pertain to heaven and the church, in like manner as the ark itself, which, on account of the law in it, represented the Lord as to the Divine truth; therefore it is called "the ark of God whose name is called upon, the name of Jehovah of hosts that sitteth upon the cherubim." That the ark was now brought out of the house of Abinadab, first into the house of Obed-edom and at length into the city of David, which is Zion, involves arcana that no one can know unless he knows what was signified by "Gibeah" and by "Baal-Judah" there, where Abinadab was, and by "Gath" where Obed-edom was, and finally by "Zion" where David was. All the regions and the cities in them in the land of Canaan were representative, as it is in the spiritual world with the regions there and their cities. In the spiritual world in every region and also in every city those who are in the good of love dwell toward the east and the west, those who are in a bright good of love toward the east, and those who are in an obscure good of love toward the west; while toward the south and the north there those dwell who are in the light of truth; those who are in a bright light of truth toward the south and those who are in an obscure light of truth toward the north. The like is true of the land of Canaan and its regions and the cities of those regions; in reference to their quarters these corresponded to the regions of the spiritual world and to the cities of those regions; but with this difference, that on earth it is impossible so to arrange men in their quarters in respect to the good of love and the light of truth, as the spirits and angels are arranged in the spiritual world; consequently in the land of Canaan and its cities the places themselves represented, and not the persons. That this was so can be seen from the partition of the land of Canaan into inheritances, which fell by lot to the tribes according to their representation of the church; also from the representation of the church itself by Jerusalem and Zion, Jerusalem representing the church in respect to the truth of doctrine and Zion the church in respect to the good of love. When, therefore, it is known what pertaining to heaven and the church is signified by "Gibeah," and by "Baal-Judah" there, where Abinadab was, and what by "Gath" where Obed-edom was, it can be known what is signified by bringing the ark from Abinadab to Obed-edom, and at length into Zion.
[26] From the signification of these cities it can be seen that the transference of the ark represented the progress of the church with man, from its ultimate to its inmost, as from one heaven into another, even to the highest, which is the third heaven. "Baal-Judah," where Abinadab was, signified the ultimate of the church, which is called its natural, for this was represented by "Gibeah," where "Baal-Judah" was. But "Gath," where Obed-edom was, who was therefore called a Gittite, signified the spiritual of the church; and this signification it took on after the sons of Israel had taken from the Philistines the cities from Ekron even to Gath (1 Samuel 7:13-15); while "Zion," where David was, signified the inmost of the church, which is called its celestial.
[27] From this it is evident that the transference of the ark signified the progress of the church with man from its ultimate to its inmost; and this because such progressions are effected by means of Divine truth, which was signified by the ark; for the man of the church progresses from the natural to the spiritual, and through that to the celestial, and this continually from the Lord by means of His Divine truth; the natural is the good of life, the spiritual is the good of charity toward the neighbor, and the celestial is the good of love to the Lord. As the goods of the three heavens have a like progression, so the ascent through them in their order is also represented.
[28] Their playing and sounding all kinds of musical instruments, and David's dancing when the ark was brought up, represented the gladness and joy that result from the affection of truth and good from the Lord through the influx of Divine truth, which was signified by the "ark;" the instruments mentioned, on which they played in the first journey from the house of Abinadab to the house of Obed-edom, represented gladness of mind from a natural and spiritual affection of truth; and the dancing of David, also the shouting and sound of the trumpet represented joy of heart from the affection of spiritual and celestial good. Harmonies of musical sound are from the spiritual world, and signify the affections with their gladnesses and joys (as may be seen above, n. 323, 326). "Zion" signifies the third heaven, and thence the inmost of the church (See also above, n. 405.
[29] "The ark" brought on a new cart to which oxen were tied represented and thence signified the doctrine of truth from the good of love, "cart" signifying the doctrine of truth, and "oxen" the good of love, both in the natural man; for Divine truth, which is signified by the "ark," rests and is founded upon the doctrine of natural truth which is from good; this is why the ark was set upon a cart before which were oxen. (That a "chariot" [or cart] signifies the doctrine of truth, see above, n. 355); that an "ox" signifies the natural good, see Arcana Coelestia 2180, 2566.)
[30] Uzzah the son of Abinadab died because he seized upon the ark with his hand, because "to touch with the hand" signifies communication, and communication with the Lord is effected through the good of love, and yet Uzzah was not anointed, as the priests and Levites were, to whom the representation of the good of love was given by anointing (that this was given by anointing, see n. 375. Moreover, the cherubim that were over the mercy-seat which was upon the ark, signified the guard that the Lord be not approached except through the good of love. That this was also done that David might not bring the ark into Zion before the progression which was being represented was finished (of which above) can be seen from this, that David grieved at the death of Uzzah, and feared to bring the ark into his city, which was Zion (verses 8-10).
[31] Obed-edom was blessed, and his house, on account of the ark, because a blessing from the good things of the world signifies blessing from the good things of heaven, which proceed solely from the Lord by the reception of the Divine truth represented by the ark, and these good things those have who are in spiritual good, which Obed-edom in Gath represented, as has been said above.
[32] Finally, bringing the ark into Zion and into the tent that David had stretched out for it, signified the ascent into the third heaven, and the conjunction of the Divine truth with the good of love, for "Zion" represented the inmost of the church, and thence the inmost of the heavens, which is the highest or third heaven, in which the angels are in the good of love to the Lord, and where there is a guard that the Lord be not approached except through the good of love, which guard was represented by the cherubim over the ark.
[33] Bringing the ark into the inmost part of the temple built by Solomon has a like signification; this is thus described in the first book of Kings:
Solomon prepared an adytum in the midst of the house, to set there the ark of the covenant of Jehovah; and in the adytum he made two cherubim of wood of oil, and he set the cherubim in the midst of the inner house, so that their wings were spread forth to the wall on each side, and their wings touched one another in the midst of the house; and he overlaid the cherubim with gold. And Solomon brought up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of the city of David, which is Zion. And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests lifted up the ark, and brought up the ark of Jehovah, and the tent of meeting, and all the vessels of holiness that were in the tent; and Solomon and all the congregation with him before the ark. And the priests brought the ark of the covenant of Jehovah into its place, into the adytum of the house, into the holy of holies, even under the wings of the cherubim; for the cherubim spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, so that the cherubim covered the ark and the staves thereof from above, and the heads of the staves were seen from the holy place, toward the faces of the adytum, but they were not seen without. And Solomon said, There have I set a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of Jehovah, which He made with our fathers when He brought them forth out of the land of Egypt (1 Kings 6:19, 23, 27, 28; 8:1-8, 21).
As the ark in the tent of meeting represented the third heaven where the Lord is, and the tent itself without the veil the second heaven, and the court the first heaven, so was it with the temple; for the temple with its courts represented the three heavens, therefore there was nothing in the temple or outside of the temple within the courts, that did not represent something of heaven, and this for the reason that the Lord at that time was present in representatives; for the churches before the Lord's coming were representative churches, and finally such as the church was that was instituted with the sons of Israel. But when the Lord came into the world, the externals that represented were abolished, for it was the Lord Himself that the representatives of the church shadowed forth and signified; and as these were external things, and as it were veilings, within which was the Lord, so when He came these veilings were taken away, and He was manifested, with heaven and the church, in which the Lord is the all in all. The primary representatives of the Lord, and thence of heaven and the church, were the tent of meeting with the table, the lamp stand, the altar of incense, and the ark there, also the altar with the burnt offerings and sacrifices, and afterwards the temple; the temple having a similar representation as the tent of meeting, with the difference that the tent of meeting was a more holy representative of the Lord, of heaven, and of the church, than the temple.
[34] From this it can be seen that the adytum in the temple, where, like as in the tent of meeting, the ark was, represented the Lord in relation to the Divine truth, and thence the third heaven, where angels are conjoined to the Lord by love to Him, and consequently have Divine truth inscribed on their hearts. But what was signified by "the cherubim" in the temple, and their "wings," and the "staves" which are also mentioned, shall be told in a few words. "The cherubim" signified a guard that the Lord be not approached except through the good of love, consequently they were made of the "wood of oil," which wood signified the good of love (See above, n. 375; "the wings of the cherubim" signify the spiritual Divine, which descends from the celestial Divine, in which is the third heaven, into the second heaven, and is there received; this is why the wings "touched one another in the midst of the house," and were thence "stretched forth to the wall on each side." But the "staves" by which the ark was carried, signified Divine power, the same as "arms." From this and what precedes the signification of "the ark of the Covenant" in the Word can be seen.
[35] By the "ark," moreover, the same as by "the continual sacrifice" in Daniel, which was to cease at the Lord's coming into the world, a representative of the church in general is meant, in Jeremiah:
I will give you shepherds according to My heart, that they may feed you with knowledge and intelligence; and it shall come to pass when ye shall be multiplied and bear fruit in the land, in those days they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of Jehovah, neither shall it come up upon the heart, neither shall they make mention of it, neither shall they miss it, neither shall it be renewed anymore (Jeremiah 3:15, 16).
This is said of the Lord's coming, and of the abolition of the representative rites of the Jewish Church at that time. That the interior things of the church that had been veiled over by external representative rites would then be manifested and there would then be interior or spiritual men, is signified by "shepherds would be given according to the heart of the Lord, and they shall feed them with knowledge and intelligence," "shepherds" meaning those who teach good and lead to it by means of truths; the multiplication of truth and fructification of good are signified by "Then it shall come to pass when ye shall be multiplied and bear fruit in the land in those days;" that there will then be conjunction with the Lord through the interiors of the Word and not through its exteriors, which merely represented and signified things interior, is signified by, "they shall say no more, The ark of the Covenant of Jehovah;" "the ark of the Covenant of Jehovah" here signifying the externals of worship that were then to be abolished, the same as "the continual sacrifice" that was to cease (See Daniel 8:13; 11:31; 12:11). That worship was to be no longer external but internal is signified by, "it shall not come up upon the heart, neither shall they make mention of it, neither shall they miss it, neither shall it be renewed anymore." From this, too, it can be seen that "the ark of the Covenant" seen by John in the temple of God, which is the vision here treated of, was an appearing of the Divine truth, by which there is a conjunction of the new heaven and the New Church with the Lord, and that this was so seen that the Word in the letter might be similar throughout, consisting of things that were externals of worship and represented internals; the like as above (Daniel 8:3, 4), where "the altar" and "incense offerings" were seen "before the throne;" for the Word in the letter consists of pure correspondences, such as existed in the representative churches, and were taken therefrom for use in the Word, and in these the interior things of heaven and the church, which are spiritual and celestial, are contained.
Footnotes:
1. The photolithograph has "aditur," probably for "auditur," is heard.
2. "Jehovah," in the Hebrew "to Chobab."
700. "Et visa est arca foederis ipsius in templo ipsius." - Quod significet Divinum Verum, per quod conjunctio est cum Domino, constat ex significatione "arcae foederis", quod sit Divinum Verum procede1is a Domino (de qua sequitur).
Quod "arca foederis" visa sit, erat quia apparuit "templum"; et in medio Templi Hierosolymae fuit arca, in qua repositae fuerunt binae tabulae Legis, per quas in universali sensu significabatur Divinum Verum procedens a Domino, ita Ipse Dominus, qui est Divinum Verum in caelis, ex quo etiam Dominus vocatur Verbum apud Johannem (1:1, 2, 14).
Quod "arca" hoc significet, erat quia Tentorium conventus repraesentabat tres caelos; atrium ejus ultimum seu primum caelum; ipsum Tentorium usque ad velum, ubi erant mensa pro panibus, altare suffitus et candelabrum, repraesentabat medium seu secundum caelum; et arca quae erat intra velum, super qua erat propitiatorium cum cherubis, repraesentabat intimum seu tertium caelum; et ipsa Lex, quae erat in arca, repraesentabat Dominum quoad Divinum Verum seu Verbum: et quia conjunctio cum Domino est per Verbum, ideo arca illa vocabatur "arca foederis"; "foedus" enim significat conjunctionem. (Quod Tentorium seu Tabernaculum repraesentaverit formam caeli, et quod una cum atrio repraesentaverit tres caelos, et quod sanctum sanctorum, quod erat intimum, ubi arca, in qua tabulae Legis, repraesentaverit tertium seu intimum caelum, et quod Lex seu Testimonium Ipsum Dominum, videatur in Arcanis Caelestibus, n. 3478, 9457, 9481, 9485. Et quod "tabernaculum" aeque ac "templum" in supremo sensu significaverit Dominum, in sensu respectivo caelum et ecclesiam, et inde sanctum cultus etiam ibi, n. 9457, 9481, 10242, 10245, 1
Quod "foedus" in Verbo significet conjunctionem; et quod omnia ecclesiae tam interna quam externa sint signa foederis, et quod dicantur "foedus" quia per illa conjunctio, etiam in Arcanis Caelestibus, n. 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021, 2037, 6804, 8767, 8778, 9396, 9416, 10632. Quod inde Lex promulgata in Monte Sinai dicta sit "foedus", et arca in qua illa Lex, "arca foederis", etiam ibi, n. 6804, 9416.)
[2] Quod arca cum foedere seu cum Testimonio incluso, significet Dominum quoad Divinum caeleste, quod est Divinum Verum in intimo seu tertio caelo, constare potest ex illis quae de arca dicuntur in Verbo:
– Ut apud Mosen,
"Facient Mihi sanctuarium, ut habitem in medio eorum, juxta omne quod Ego monstravi tibi, formam Habitaculi:.... imprimis facient arcam ex lignis schittim, .... et obduces eam auro puro, intus et foris obduces eam: et facies ei limbum auri.... ; quatuor annulos auri" pro vectibus;.... et dabis in arcam Testimonium quod dabo tibi: et facies propitiatorium ex auro puro, .... et facies duos cherubos ex auro, solidum facies eos.... ex propitiatorio, .... ita ut cherubi expandant alas.., et obtegant alis suis propitiatorium, et facies eorum.... versus propitiatorium:.... et in arcam dabis Testimonium, .... et conveniam te ibi, et loquar tecum desuper propitiatorio ab inter duos cherubos, qui super arca Testimonii, omne quod praecepturus tibi ad filios Israelis" (Exodus 25:8-22).
"Facies velum ex hyacinthino et purpura et coccineo dibapho et xylino intertexto.... cum cherubis: dabis illud super quatuor columnas ex schittim obductas auro;.... et dabis velum sub ansulas, et inferes eo intra velum arcam Testimonii, ita ut velum discrimen faciat vobis inter sanctum et inter sanctum sanctorum; et dabis velum ante arcam..in sancto sanctorum" (Exod 26:31-34):
supra dictum est quod Tentorium, ubi arca, candelabrum, mensa pro panibus, et altare pro suffitu, una cum atrio, repraesentaverit tres caelos, et quod locus intra velum, ubi erat arca in qua Lex seu Testimonium, repraesentaverit tertium caelum; quod is locus repraesentaverit id caelum, fuit quia ibi erat Lex, per quam intelligitur Dominus quoad Divinum Verum seu quoad Verbum, nam "Lex" illa in lato sensu id Significat, ac Divinum Verum procedens a Domino format caelos. Hoc recipitur valde pure ab angelis tertii caeli, quia in conjunctione cum Domino sunt per amorem in Ipsum; sunt enim omnes angeli in illo caelo in amore in Dominum; quapropter vident Divinum Verum in se sicut insitum, tametsi continue influit a Domino; inde est quod id caelum prae reliquis caelis, qui inferiores sunt, dicatur in Domino esse, quia in Divino quod procedit ab Ipso.
[3] Hoc caelum repraesentatum est per arcam in qua Lex, hoc est, Dominus: inde erat quod arca esset obducta auro intus et foris, et quod propitiatorium esset supra arcam, et super propitiatorio et ex illo duo cherubi qui fuerunt ex puro auro; "aurum" enim ex correspondentia significat bonum amoris, in quo sunt angeli tertii caeli; per "propitiatorium" significabatur auditio et receptio omnium cultus qui ex bono amoris a Domino, et per "cherubos" significabatur providentia Domini ac tutela, ne adeatur nisi quam per bonum amoris; et id caelum cum angelis ibi tutatur, ne aliquid ad Ipsum Dominum elevetur nisi quod ex bono amoris in Ipsum ab Ipso procedit: omnis enim cultus Dei transit per caelos usque ad Dominum, ac in via purificatur, usque dum elevatur ad tertium caelum, ac ibi 2
aditur et recipitur a Domino; reliqua, quae impura sunt, in via absterguntur: inde est quod cherubi ex auro super propitiatorio, quod super arca, positi fuerint: et inde est quod ille locus dictus fuerit "sanctuarium", et quoque "sanctum sanctorum", et quod discriminatum fuerit ab exteriore parte Tabernaculi per velum.
[4] Quod Tentorium una cum atrio repraesentaverit tres caelos, constare etiam ex eo potest, quod omnia quae apud filios Israelis instituta erant, repraesentativa caelestium fuerint; nam ipsa ecclesia fuit ecclesia repraesentativa; ita imprimis Tabernaculum una cum altari fuit sanctissimum cultus, super altari enim peragebatur cultus per holocausta et sacrificia, et in Tabernaculo per suffitiones, perque lucernas quae ibi cottidie accendebantur, et per panes qui etiam super mensa cottidie ordinabantur; haec omnia repraesentabant omnem cultum in caelo et in ecclesia, et ipsum Tentorium cum arca ipsos caelos: inde erat quod Tabernaculum illud vocaretur "Habitaculum Jehovae Dei", sicut vocatur ipsum caelum. Quod repraesentati sint caeli per Tabernaculum, etiam constare potest ex eo, quod forma ejus monstrata sit Mosi a Domino super Monte Sinai; et quod monstratur in forma a Domino, hoc repraesentat vel caelum vel illa quae caeli sunt. Quod forma Tabernaculi monstrata sit Mosi super Monte Sinai, constat ex his quae dicta sunt Mosi,
"Faciant Mihi sanctuarium, ut habitem in medio eorum, juxta omne quod monstravi tibi, formam habitaculi"; et postea, "Vide et fac in forma eorum quam videre factus es in monte" (Exodus 25:8, 9, 40):
inde est quod dicatur "sanctuarium", et dicatur "ut habitem in medio eorum." Quod in specie concernit arcam, quid nempe illa, tum "propitiatorium" super ea, ut et "cherubi" super propitiatorio, significant, tum quid "limbus aureus" circum arcam, quidve "quatuor annuli pro vectibus", tum quid "velum", "ansulae", cum reliquis ibi, 3
significant, in Arcanis Caelestibus (a n. 4
9484 ad 9577, 9670 ad 9680) videatur explicata.
[5] Ipsa sanctitas totius Tabernaculi fuit ex Testimonio, hoc est, ex duabus tabulis lapidum quibus Lex inscripta fuit, ex causa quia "Lex" significabat Dominum quoad Divinum Verum, et inde quoad Verbum, nam hoc est Divinum Verum. Quod Dominus sit Verbum, constat apud Johannem, ubi dicitur,
"Verbum erat apud Deum, et Deus erat Verbum, .... et Verbum Caro factum est, et habitavit inter nos" (cap. 1:1, 2, 14).
Quod Lex, quae vocatur et "Testimonium" et "Foedus", data fuerit in arcam, et similiter Liber a Mose scriptus, constat ex his apud illum,
"Dabis in arcam Testimonium quod dabo tibi" (Exod 25:16; 40:20);
"Posui tabulas" Legis "in arca quam feceram, ut essent ibi, quemadmodum praeceperat mihi Jehovah" (Deuteronomius 10:5):
et de Libro Legis a Mose scripto,
"Cum absolvit Moses scribere verba Legis hujus super librum usque dum consummavit ea, praecepit Moses Levitis portantibus arcam", .... ut acciperent Librum Legis, et ponerent a latere arcae foederis, ut sit ibi in testem (Deutr. 31 [24,] 25, 26):
ex quo patet quod intus in arca non fuerint nisi quam duae tabulae lapidum, quibus inscripta fuit Lex, et quod a latere ejus esset Liber Mosis. Quod non nisi quam binae tabulae foederis fuerint in arca, constat ex Libro Primo Regum,
"Non in arca nisi duae tabulae lapidum, quas reposuit ibi Moses in Chorebo, foedus quod pepigit Jehovah cum filiis Israelis" (8:9).
Quod Liber Mosis qui a latere arcae repositus fuerat, postea exemptus et conservatus sit in Templo, constare potest ex eo, quod
Chilkia sacerdos magnus invenerit Librum Legis in domo Jehovae, et dederit Schaphani, qui dixit id 5
ad regem, et legit eum coram rege (2 Regnum 22:8-11).
[6] Quod per arcam repraesentatus sit Dominus quoad Divinum Verum, et inde significatum Divinum Verum quod a Domino, ita Verbum, etiam constare potest ex eo, quod inde locutus sit Dominus cum Mose; nam dicitur,
"In arcam dabis Testimonium et conveniam te ibi, et loquar tecum ab inter duos cherubos qui super arca Testimonii, omne quod praecepturus sum tibi ad filios Israelis" (Exodus 25:21, 22);
et alibi,
"Quando ingressus est Moses in Tentorium conventus, ut loqueretur cum Ipso, audivit vocem loquentis ad illum desuper propitiatorio, quod super arca Testimonii, ab inter duos cherubos; ita locutus est ad illum" (Numeri 7:89):
quod Dominus inde locutus sit ad Mosen, erat quia Lex erat ibi; et per "Legem" illam in sensu lato significatur Dominus quoad Verbum, et Dominus ex Verbo loquitur cum homine; quod "desuper propitiatorio inter duos cherubos", erat quia per "propitiatorium" significatur remotio falsitatum ex amoribus malis, et tunc receptio et auditio, et per "cherubos" tutela ne adeatur nisi quam per bonum amoris.
[7] Quoniam Dominus in caelo et in ecclesia est Divinum Verum seu Verbum, et hoc intelligitur per "Legem" inclusam arcae, et quia praesentia Domini est in Lege seu Verbo, ideo ubi fuit arca ibi fuit Jehovah seu Dominus, ut constare potest ex his apud Mosen,
"Dixit Moses" ad 6
Chobabum, "Ne quaeso relinque nos, quia novisti quomodo castrametandum nobis est in deserto, unde eris nobis [pro] oculis, et fiet quando iveris nobiscum, et fiet bonum illud quo benefaciet Jehovah nobis, benefaciemus etiam Tibi. Et profecti sunt a Monte Jehovae itinere trium dierum, et arca foederis Jehovae proficiscens coram illis itinere trium dierum ad investigandum illis requiem; et nubes Jehovae super illis interdiu, cum proficiscebantur e castris. Quando proficiscebatur arca, dixit Moses, Surge, Jehovah, ut 7
dispergantur inimici tui, et fugiant osores tui a coram faciebus tuis: et quando quiescebat illa, dixit, Redi, Jehovah, myriades chiliadum Israelis" (Numeri 10:31-36):
ex singulis his patet quod Jehovah seu Dominus ibi intelligatur per "arcam", propter praesentiam Ipsius in Lege quae in arca, ita propter praesentiam Ipsius in Verbo. Quia Dominus ibi intelligitur per "Legem", et inde per arcam", dixit Moses, "Surge, Jehovah, ut dispergantur inimici tui, et fugiant osores tui a coram faciebus tuis"; et cum quiescebat, dixit, "Redi, Jehovah, myriades chiliadum Israelis": sed eadem illa verba involvunt adhuc interiora, nempe quod Dominus per Divinum suum Verum ducat homines ac tutetur illos contra falsa et mala quae ab inferno, imprimis in tentationibus, quae in specie significantur per "profectiones filiorum Israelis in deserto quadraginta annis": quod ducat illos continue per Divinum suum Verum, significatur per quod "arca foederis Jehovae profecta sit coram illis itinere trium dierum ad investigandum illis requiem"; per "arcam Jehovae" intelligitur Dominus quoad Divinum Verum, per "proficisci itinere trium dierum" intelligitur auspicium et ductus a principio ad finem;
[8] et per "investigationem" significatur salvatio quae finis: tutatio autem a falsis et malis quae ab inferno, significatur per "nubem Jehovae super illis interdiu"; tum per verba Mosis cum proficiscebatur arca, "Surge, Jehovah, ut dispergantur inimici tui, et fugiant osores tui a coram faciebus tuis"; per "nubem Jehovae interdiu" significatur etiam tutela per Divinum Verum in ultimis quale est Verbum in sensu litterae; Dominus enim per hoc adiri etiam potest a malis, ac tutatur interiora Verbi, quae sunt caelestia et spiritualia; (quod "nubes" illud Verbi significet, videatur supra, n. 594): per "inimicos et osores" significantur falsa et mala quae ab inferno (per "inimicos" falsa, et per "osores" mala); ita quoque significantur inferna quoad illa: vera ex bono, quae post tentationes homini implantata sunt, significantur per "Quando quiescebat arca, dixit Moses, Redi, Jehovah, 8
myriades chiliadum Israelis"; "quiescentia arcae" significabat statum post tentationes, quando mala et falsa remota sunt; per "redire" significatur praesentia Domini tunc, nam in tentationibus apparet Dominus sicut absens; et per "myriades chiliadum Israelis" significantur vera ex bono implantata, ex quibus ecclesia.
(Quod "myriades" dicantur de veris, ac "chiliades" de bonis, videatur supra, n. 336.)
[9] Similia significantur per haec apud Davidem,
"Ecce audivimus de Ipso in Ephrata, invenimus Ipsum in agris silvae; intrabimus in habitacula Ipsius, incurvabimus nos scabello pedum Ipsius. Surge, Jehovah, ad requiem tuam, Tu et arca fortitudinis tuae: sacerdotes tui induantur justitia, et sancti tui jubilent" (Psalms 132:6-9):
agitur in eo psalmo manifeste de Domino, qui etiam ibi intelligitur per "Davidem", ut constare potest ex eo quod dicatur, "Invenimus Ipsum in Ephrata, et in agris silvae"; tum quod "incurvarent se scabello pedum Ipsius"; "Ephratah" est Bethlechem ubi Dominus natus est, et per "Ephratam" significatur Verbum quoad sensum ejus naturalem, ac per "Bethlechem" Verbum quoad sensum ejus spiritualem, ac ibi voluit nasci quia Dominus est Verbum; per "agros silvae" significantur illa quae sensus naturalis Verbi sunt, ita quae sensus litterae; sensus spiritualis Verbi etiam significatur per "habitacula Ipsius", et inde etiam caelum, quia caelum in illo sensu est; ac per "scabellum pedum", cui se incurvabunt, significatur sensus naturalis Verbi, et inde etiam ecclesia in terris, quia haec in illo sensu est; (quod "scabellum pedum" Domini sit ecclesia in terris, videatur supra, n. 606):
[10] per "requiem", ad quam surgeret Jehovah, significatur unitio Divini ac Humani in Domino, ac conjunctio Ipsius cum caelo et ecclesia; et quia Domino quies et pax, et quoque illis qui in caelo et in ecclesia sunt, quando subjugavit inferna ac disposuit omnia ibi et in caelis in ordinem, dicitur, "Surge, Tu et arca fortitudinis tuae"; per "Tu" intelligitur Ipse Dominus, et per "arcam fortitudinis tuae" intelligitur Divinum Verum procedens ab Ipso, nam per hoc est Domino Divina potentia: per "sacerdotes" qui induentur justitia, et per "sanctos" qui jubilabunt, significantur similia quae per "chiliades et myriades Israelis", per "sacerdotes" illi qui in bono sunt, et per "sanctos" qui in veris, ita abstracte bona et vera caeli et ecclesiae. (Quod per "sacerdotes" in sensu abstracto significentur bona ecclesiae, videatur supra, n. 31 [b] fin. ; et quod per "sanctos" in illo sensu vera ecclesiae, etiam supra, n. 204, 9
325 [a] ; plura ex illo psalmo videantur supra, n. 684 [c] .)
[11] Quoniam "arca", ex Lege quae in ea significabat Dominum quoad Divinum Verum, et quia omnipotentia est Domino ex Divino Bono per Divinum Verum, inde per arcam facta sunt miracula: ut quod per illam aquae Jordanis discissae sint, ut transirent filii Israelis in sicco; quod murus urbis Jerichuntis conciderit; quod Dago, deus Aschdodaeorum, deciderit coram illa, quodque Aschdodaei, Gittitae, Ekronitae, et Bethschemitae percussi fuerint plagis propter illam; quod Usa, quia tetigit illam, mortuus sit; quod ObedEdom, in cujus domum introducta est, benedictus sit: et quoniam historica illa involvunt arcana, quae per sensum illorum spiritualem unice patent, velim etiam illa explicare, ob finem ut sciatur quid arca in stricto et in lato sensu 10
significat. Primum, De aquis Jordanis discissis ut transirent filii Israelis in sicco; apud Joschuam,
Joschua et omnes filii Israelis "venerunt ad Jordanem usque; et a fine trium dierum.... praecipiebat..Joschua, dicendo, Quum videritis arcam foederis Jehovae..., et sacerdotes Levitas portantes illam, vos etiam proficiscemini e loco vestro, et ibitis post eam; sed spatium erit inter vos et inter eam quasi bis mille ulnarum; non appropinquabitis ad eam.".... Et sacerdotes "sustulerunt arcam foederis, et iverunt coram populo"; et dixit Joschua, "Quum veneritis usque ad extremitatem aquarum Jordanis, in Jordane subsistetis." Et dixit ad populum, "Ecce arca foederis Domini totius terrae, transiens coram vobis in Jordanem, et sumite vobis duodecim viros de tribubus Israelis;.... et quando quieverint plantae pedum sacerdotum portantium arcam Jehovae Domini totius terrae in aquis Jordanis, aquae Jordanis exscindentur, et aquae descendentes desuper consistent cumulo uno: et factum est, cum" sacerdotes "venerunt ad Jordanem, et pedes sacerdotum portantium arcam intincti essent in extremitate aquarum, et Jordan plenus erat, ut esse solebat...omnibus diebus messis, steterunt aquae descendentes desuper cumulo uno, elongando se valde ab Adam urbe, .... et descendentes super mare planitiei, mare salis, consumptae excisae sunt, ita ut populus transire posset versus Jerichuntem. Et steterunt sacerdotes.... in sicco in medio Jordanis, .... et universus" populus "transivit in sicco. .... Dein dixit Jehovah ad Joschuam, Accipite vobis... duodecim viros, unum..de tribu, et.... tollite e medio Jordanis de statione pedum sacerdotum duodecim lapides, quos transferetis vobiscum, et relinquetis in loco pernoctationis.... : fecerunt sic filii Israelis, et sustulerunt duodecim lapides e medio Jordanis.... juxta numerum tribuum Israelis, et transtulerunt eos in locum pernoctationis. .... Tunc postquam absolvit universus populus transire, transibat arca Jehovae et sacerdotes et factum est cum ascenderint sacerdotes, .... et avellerentur plantae pedum" illorum..., "redierunt aquae Jordanis in locum suum. .... Et Joschua duodecim lapides, quos sumpserunt ex Jordane, erexit in Gilgale" (Joshua 3:1-17; 4:1-20).
Omnia historica Verbi, aeque ac prophetica ejus, continent sensum spiritualem, in quo non agitur de filiis Israelis et de gentibus ac populis, sed de ecclesia et de ejus instauratione et progressione; nam hoc spirituale Verbi est, et historicum est naturale continens spirituale. Inde quoque omnia miracula quae in Verbo describuntur, ut miracula in Aegypto et postea in terra Canaane facta, involvunt talia quae caeli et ecclesiae sunt; per id etiam miracula illa sunt Divina.
[12] Per hoc miraculum significatur introductio fidelium in ecclesiam, et per ecclesiam in caelum. Per "filios Israelis" ibi in sensu spirituali intelliguntur fideles, qui postquam tentationes passi sunt, quae significantur per "errores illorum in deserto", introducuntur in ecclesiam; per "terram" enim "Canaanem", in quam filii Israelis introducti sunt, significatur ecclesia; et per "Jordanem" significatur primus ingressus in illam; et per "aquas Jordanis" significantur vera introducentia, quae vera sunt qualia vera sensus litteralis Verbi; nam illa etiam primum introducunt: ibi autem per "Jordanem" et ejus aquas significantur falsa mali quae ferunt ad infernum, ex causa quia terra Canaan tunc oppleta fuit gentibus idololatris, per quas significantur omnis generis mala et falsa, quae faciunt infernum; ob quam causam etiam expellendae erant, ut locus daretur instaurandae ecclesiae: et quia "aquae Jordanis" nunc falsa mali significabant, ideo discissae sunt et remotae, ut daretur filiis Israelis, per quos repraesentaretur ecclesia, transitus.
[13] Nunc quoniam Dominus solus removet et dissipat falsa mali quae ab inferno, et per Divina sua vera introducit fideles in ecclesiam et in caelum, et quia per arcam et Legem ei inclusam repraesentatus est Dominus quoad Divinum Verum, ideo jussum est ut arca praeiret populo, et sic duceret illum. Quare factum est, quod, "ut primum sacerdotes portantes arcam intingerent pedes in aquis Jordanis, aquae illae discinderentur et descenderent, ac populus in sicco transiret", et quod, postquam hoc factum est, aquae redirent: at tunc eaedem illae aquae significabant vera introducentia; erat enim Jordanes primus terminus terrae Canaanis, per quam, postquam filii Israelis in illam ingressi sunt, repraesentabatur ecclesia, et per illum fluvium introductio in illam.
[14] Quoniam per "aquas Jordanis" significabantur vera introducentia, ideo etiam mandatum est ut ex medio ejus tollerent duodecim lapides, et illos transferrent in primum locum ubi pernoctarent; et hoc quia "lapides" significant vera, et "duodecim lapides secundum numerum tribuum Israelis" significabant vera ecclesiae.
Quod "Joschua erexerit illos lapides in Gilgale ab oriente Jerichuntis", erat quia "Gilgal" significabat doctrinam veri naturalis inservientis pro introductione in ecclesiam. Ex his paucis patet quid caeli et ecclesiae per id miraculum repraesentatum est, et quod arca ex Lege in illa significaverit Dominum quoad Divinum Verum; quare etiam vocatur "Arca foederis Domini totius terrae", ex conjunctione cum Domino per Divinum Verum, nam per illud est conjunctio, quae significatur per "foedus"; et illud est quod facit caelum et ecclesiam, quae in specie per "totam terram" significantur, immo per quod "omnia facta et creata sunt" secundum Domini verba (Apud Johannem, cap. 1:1-3, 10; et apud Davidem, 33:6); per "Verbum" ibi intelligitur Divinum Verum.
[15] Secundum Miraculum, quod per arcam factum est, erat delapsus muri Jerichuntis, quod ita describitur apud Joschuam,
Urbs "Jericho erat clausa;.... et dixit Jehovah ad Joschuam, ..Dedi in manum tuam Jerichuntem et regem ejus, et fortes robore: circumibitis urbem omnes viri belli...vice una in die in sex diebus: et septem sacerdotes portabunt septem buccinas jubilantium coram arca: sed die septimo circumibitis urbem septem vicibus, et sacerdotes clangent buccinis;.... et tunc vociferabitur populus vociferatione magna, et cadet murus urbis subter se, et ascendet populus".... Dein Joschua circumire fecit urbem primo die una vice, sicut dictum est, post quam circumitionem redierunt in castra et pernoctarunt in castris; postridie similiter, "et septem sacerdotes portantes septem buccinas jubilantium ante arcam Jehovae, incedentes eundo et clanxerunt buccinis, ante quos vir belli incedens, et quoque claudens agmen incedens post arcam.., eundo et clangendo buccinis;.... sic fecerunt sex diebus;.... et septimo.... circumiverunt urbem septem vicibus; et vice septima.... populus vociferabatur;.... et cum audiret" hoc "populus, tunc murus urbis concidit sub se, et ascendit populus in urbem, .... et devotioni dedit omnia quae in urbe a mare usque ad feminam, a puero usque ad senem;.... et urbem combusserunt igne, et omnia quae in illa; tantummodo argentum et aurum, et vasa aeris et ferri dederunt in thesaurum domus Jehovae. Et adjuravit Joschua, dicendo, Maledictus vir contra Jehovam, qui surget et aedificabit urbem hanc..; pro suo primogenito fundabit eam, et pro minimo statuet valvas ejus" (Joshua 6:1-26).
Nemo scire potest Divinum quod huic miraculo inest, nisi sciat quid in terra Canaane significabat "urbs Jericho" quae combusta, quid "murus ejus" qui concidit, quid "habitatores" qui devotioni dati sunt, tum quid "aurum", "argentum", "vasa aeris et ferri", quae data in thesaurum domus Jehovae; insuper quid "clangere buccinis" et "vociferari", ut et quid "circumire sex diebus, et septies septimo die." Per "urbem Jericho" significatur instructio in cognitionibus boni et veri, per quas homo introducitur in ecclesiam; nam Jericho erat urbs non procul a Jordane, per quem fluvium significatur introductio in ecclesiam (ut supra dictum est); omnia enim loca in terra Canaane significativa caelestium et spiritualium, quae sunt ecclesiae, fuerunt, et hoc ab antiquissimis temporibus; et quia filii Israelis repraesentaturi erant ecclesiam, et Verbum apud illos conscriberetur, in quo loca illa nominanda erant, et significarent talia quae caeli et ecclesiae sunt, ideo filii Israelis illuc introducti sunt; [et inde fuit] quod "Jordanes fluvius" significaret introductionem illam, et "Jericho" instructionem: et quia "Jericho" significabat instructionem, etiam significabat bonum vitae, quia nemo instrui potest in veris doctrinae nisi qui in bono vitae est: sed cum terra Canaan possessa fuit a gentibus idololatris, significatio locorum et urbium in illa terra mutata est in contrarium, et inde tunc "Jericho" significabat profanationem veri et boni: ex his sequitur quod ipsa "urbs" significaverit doctrinam falsi et mali, quae pervertit vera et bona ecclesiae et profanavit illa, quod "murus" ejus falsa mali tutantia illam, et quod "habitatores" significaverint profanos; et quia omne profanum est ex amore infernali post agnitionem veri et boni, ideo urbs illa igne combusta est, habitatores ejus devotioni dati sunt, et murus ejus concidit; "ignis" enim significat amorem infernalem, "devotio" deletionem totalem, et "concidentia muri" nudationem pro omni malo et falso:
[16] per "sacerdotes clangentes buccinis" significabatur praedicatio Divini Veri a Divino Bono; per "vociferationem et acclamationem populi" significabatur consensus et confirmatio; per "circumitionem urbis" significabatur lustratio falsi et mali et ejus dissipatio per influxum Divini Veri a Domino, qui influxus significabatur per "circumlationem arcae": quod "sacerdotes numero septem essent", et quod "circumiretur urbs septem diebus, ac septies septimo die", significabat sanctum et sanctam praedicationem Divini Veri, nam "septem" significant sanctum et in opposito sensu profanum; quare quia sanctum ab una parte erat et profanum ab altera, "septem erant sacerdotes" cum "Septem buccinis", et "septies circumibatur urbs."
[17] Quod aurum, argentum, vasa aeris et ferri, data sint in thesaurum domus Jehovae", erat quia significabant cognitiones veri et boni spiritualis et naturalis; "aurum et argentum" cognitiones veri et boni spiritualis, ac "vasa aeris et ferri" cognitiones veri et boni naturalis, quae apud illos qui profanant vertuntur in dira falsa et mala; sed quia usque sunt cognitiones, tametsi applicatae ad mala, inserviunt usui apud bonos per applicationem ad bona; ideo illa "data sunt in thesaurum domus Jehovae." Hoc etiam est quod intelligitur per "minas" quae 11
auferrentur malis et darentur bonis, tum per "injustum mammona"; ut et per "aurum, argentum et vestes", quae filii Israelis abstulerunt Aegyptiis, et dein impenderunt Tabernaculo; et quoque per "aurum et argentum", quae David ex spoliis hostium congessit, et reliquit Salomoni ad aedificandum Templum.
[18] Quod "maledictus esset qui reaedificaret Jerichuntem", et quod "fundaret illam pro suo primogenito, et poneret valvas pro suo minimo", significabat profanationem Divini Veri a primo ejus ad ultimum, si alibi repraesentaretur instructio in eo quam in Hierosolyma, per quam significaretur ecclesia quoad doctrinam veri et boni, et quoad instructionem ex Verbo: quod illa profanatio facta sit sub rege Achabo a Chielo Bethelita, legitur in Libro Primo Regum (cap. 16:34); de quo rege dicitur quod malum fecerit in oculis Jehovae prae omnibus regibus Israelis (vers. 30, 33, ibi). Ex miraculo illo per arcam facto, etiam constare potest quod per eam, ex Lege in ea, repraesentatus sit Dominus quoad Divinum Verum, et inde per illam significatum sit Divinum Verum procedens a Domino.
[19] Tertium Miraculum, quod Dagon deus Aschdodaeorum deciderit coram arca, et quod Aschdodaei, Gittitae, Ekronitae et Bethschemitae percussi fuerint plagis propter illam, describitur ita in Libro Primo Samuelis,
"Exivit Israel contra Philisthaeos in bellum, .... et percussus est Israel coram Philisthaeis.... ad quatuor millia virorum;.... quare dixerunt seniores, Recipiamus ad nos e Schilunte arcam foederis Jehovae, et veniat in medio nostrorum, et liberet nos e manu hostium [nostrorum] :.... et deportarunt [inde] arcam foederis Jehovae Zebaoth sedentis super cherubis; et cum arca duo filii Eli.... .Et factum est cum veniret arca ad castra, acclamaret totus Israel acclamatione magna.... ; audiverunt Philisthaei.... , et cognoverunt quod arca Jehovae venisset ad castra, ac timuerunt sibi.., dicentes, Venit Deus ad castra;.... vae nobis, quis liberabit nos e manu deorum magnificorum horum? Hi dii qui percusserunt Aegyptios omni plaga...; sed fortes vos praestate, et estote in viros, Philisthaei, ne serviatis Hebraeis.... .Et pugnarunt Philisthaei et percussus est Israel. ...clade magna.... ad triginta millia peditum, et arca Dei capta est, et ambo filii Eli mortui.... .Ac Philisthaei sumpserunt arcam.., et deduxerunt eam...Aschdodum, .... in aedem Dagonis, et posuerunt eam juxta Dagonem. Cum mane surgerent Aschdodaei, ecce Dagon jacebat super faciebus suis in terra ante arcam Jehovae, .... et reposuerunt" Dagonem.... ; sed cum mane surgerent.... , Dagon jacebat super faciebus suis in terra ante arcam.., et simul caput Dagonis, et duae volae manuum ejus abscissae super limine. .... Et gravis facta est manus Jehovae super Aschdodaeos, .... et percussit eos haemorrhoidibus, Aschdodum et terminos ejus:.... tunc dixerunt Aschdodaei, Non manebit arca..Israelis apud nos:.... quare dixerunt satrapae Philisthaeorum, .... Ad Gath transferatur arca Dei Israelis", et transtulerunt illam ad Gath: "sed facta est manus Jehovae in urbe, .... et percussit viros urbis a minimo usque ad maximum, dum obturatae sunt illis haemorrhoides: quare miserunt arcam Dei Ekronem;.... sed clamaverunt Ekronitae", quod occidet eos;.... "et viri qui non mortui sunt, percussi sunt haemorrhoidibus;".... quare dixerunt satrapae, quod remitterent arcam in locum suum.... ."Cum manserat arca..in agro Philisthaeorum septem mensibus, vocarunt Philisthaei sacerdotes et divinatores, dicendo, Quid faciemus arcae Jehovae?...quomodo dimittemus eam in locum suum? Et dixerunt, .... Ne dimittite eam vacue, sed remittetis ei reatum, tunc sanabimini;.... nempe ad numerum satraparum Philisthaeorum, quinque haemorrhoides auri et quinque mures auri, quia plaga una omnibus, et satrapis vestris; facietis imagines haemorrhoidum vestrarum, et imagines murium vestrorum qui vastarunt terram;.... et facite plaustrum novum, et duas vaccas lactantes super quas non ascendit jugum, et alligate vaccas plaustro, et abducite filios earum domum, ...ac ponite arcam Jehovae super plaustro, et vasa auri.... ponite in capsa ad latus ejus.... ; et videte si via termini ascendat ad Bethschemesch:.... et fecerunt ita. .... Tunc recta incesserunt vaccae in via super via Bethschemesch in tramite uno..., et boarunt;.... et satrapae Philisthaeorum [euntes] post eas:.... et venit plaustrum in agrum Jehoschuae Bethschemitae, et stetit ibi, et ibi lapis magnus: tunc dissecuerunt ligna plaustri, et vaccas obtulerunt in holocaustum Jehovae. Et Levitae deposuerunt arcam Jehovae, et capsam...in qua vasa auri, ..super lapide illo magno; et viri Bethschemitae obtulerunt holocausta et sacrificarunt sacrificia.... Jehovae:.... sed percussi sunt Bethschemitae, quia viderunt arcam Jehovae, .... ad quinquagies mille et septuaginta viros. .... Sed viri Kiriathjearim ascendere fecerunt arcam Jehovae, et introduxerunt eam in domum Abinadabi in Gibea et mansit ibi viginti annis. .... Tunc dixit Samuel.... , Si toto corde vos revertimini ad Jehovam, removete deos alienigenae et Aschtharoth, et praeparate cor vestrum erga Jehovam, et servite Ipsi soli, tunc liberabit vos e manu Philisthaeorum" (cap. 4:1-11; 5:1-12; 6:1-21; et cap. 7:1-3).
Quod arca capta fuerit a Philisthaeis, et quod Philisthaei propter arcam in Aschdod, Gath et Ekrone, percussi fuerint haemorrhoidibus, et quod mures devastaverint terram eorum, et quod ibi et in Bethschemesh tot mortui sint, non sciri potest quid significant, nisi sciatur quid repraesentaverunt et inde significaverunt Philisthaei, et quid in specie Aschdodaei, Gittitae, Ekronitae, et Bethschemitae; tum quid significant "haemorrhoides", et quoque "mures", ut et "imagines eorum ex auro", et insuper quid "plaustrum novum", et "vaccae lactantes"; quod repraesentativa talium sint quae ecclesiae sunt, patet; nam quid alioqui foret quod Philisthaei percuterentur talibus plagis, et quod arca ita reduceretur
[20] Philisthaei repraesentarunt et inde significarunt illos qui nihili faciunt bonum amoris et charitatis, et inde nihili bonum vitae, ponendo omne religionis in scientia et cognitione; inde similes fuerunt illis hodie qui fidem solam, hoc est, fidem separatam a charitate, faciunt essentiale ecclesiae et essentiale salutis: inde erat quod vocati sint "praeputiati", nam "praeputiatus" significat expertem amoris spiritualis, ita boni; et quia illos intra ecclesiam referebant, ideo non fuerunt spirituales, sed mere naturales; nam qui bonum charitatis et vitae nihili facit, is fit mere naturalis, immo sensualis, et non amat nisi mundana; nec aliqua vera potest spiritualiter intelligere; vera quae naturaliter capit vel falsificat vel conspurcat; qui tales sunt, intelliguntur in Verbo per "Philisthaeos." Inde constare potest unde erat quod Philisthaei toties pugnaverint cum filiis Israelis, et quod nunc vicerint Philisthaei, et nunc filii Israelis. Vicerunt Philisthaei quando filii Israelis recesserunt a statutis et praeceptis, non faciendo illa; et vicerunt filii Israelis quando vixerunt secundum illa: vivere secundum praecepta et statuta erat illorum bonum amoris et bonum vitae. Quod filii Israelis nunc victi fuerint a Philisthaeis, fuit causa quia recesserunt a cultu Jehovae ad cultum aliorum deorum, et imprimis ad cultum Aschtharoth, ut constare potest ex verbis Samuelis ad illos (1 Samuelis 7:3); illa causa etiam fuit quod arca a Philisthaeis nunc capta fuerit.
[21] Dum scitur quod per Philisthaeos repraesentati sint et inde significati qui nihili faciunt bonum amoris, charitatis et vitae, sciri potest cur propter arcam percussi sint haemorrhoidibus, ac inde mortui, tum etiam cur mures devastarunt terram eorum; "haemorrhoides" enim significant verum conspurcatum malo vitae, quale est apud illos qui absque bono sunt; nam "sanguis" significat verum, et "sanies haemorrhoidum" verum conspurcatum, et "pars posterior", ubi haemorrhois, significat amorem naturalem, qui, apud illos qui non spirituales sunt, est amor mundi; ac "mures" significant falsa sensualis hominis, qui omnia ecclesiae, sicut mures agros et messes, et quoque olera sub terra, depascunt et consumunt: hae plagae illis fuerunt, quia tales fuerunt; qui enim absque bono sunt, illi vera conspurcant, et quoque omnia ecclesiae devastant. Quod haec facta sint propter arcam; erat quia "arca" significabat Divinum Verum quod procedit a Domino, et id non datur genuinum nisi apud illos qui in bono amoris et inde in bono vitae sunt; et cum Divinum Verum influit apud illos qui non in bono sunt, producit effectus qui correspondent falsis doctrinae et malis vitae eorum, similiter ac fit in mundo spirituali, cum Divinum Verum influit apud tales; tunc apparet conspurcatio veri et devastatio boni in similitudine haemorrhoidum et murium.
[22] Quod Dagon deus Aschdodaeorum, ex vicinia et praesentia arcae, dejectus sit in terram, et dein caput ejus ac volae manuum ejus conjectae sint super limen aedis ejus, erat quia "Dagon" significabat religiosum eorum, quod, quia erat absque spirituali bono, etiam erat absque omni intelligentia et absque omni potentia; "caput" enim significat intelligentiam, et "volae manuum" significant potentiam. Simile etiam fit in mundo spirituali, quando Divinum Verum influit e caelo apud tales; apparent enim tunc tanquam absque capite et absque volis manuum sint, quia absque intelligentia et potentia.
[23] Quod ex suasu sacerdotum et divinatorum fecerint imagines haemorrhoidum et murium ex auro, et illas posuerint ad latus arcae super plaustro novo, cui alligarunt duas vaccas lactantes, super quas non ascenderat jugum, erat causa quia "aurum" significat bonum amoris, quod sanat et purificat a falsis et malis quae per "haemorrhoides" et "mures" significantur; et quia "plaustrum" significat doctrinam veri naturalis, et "plaustrum novum illam illibatam et non a falsis mali illorum inquinatam; et "vacca lactans, super qua nondum fuerat jugum", bonum naturale nondum a falsis conspurcatum, nam "portare jugum" significat servire, hic falsis quae bonum conspurcant; et quia illa concordabant cum Divino Vero, quod per "arcam" significabatur, ideo repraesentativa illa adhibuerunt et applicuerunt, et postea Levitae illa obtulerunt in holocaustum, et id per ligna ex plaustro combusserunt.
[24] Quod arca cum donis deposita sit super lapide magno, juxta quam vaccae substiterunt, erat quia "lapis" significat Divinum Verum in ultimo ordinis. Quod sacerdotes et divinatores Philisthaeorum suaserint ut ita fieret, erat quia scientia correspondentiarum et repraesentationum fuit scientia communis eo tempore, erat enim theologia eorum, nota sacerdotibus et divinatoribus, qui erant eorum sapientes; sed quia plerique tunc mere naturales facti sunt, spectabant illa idololatrice colendo externa et non cogitando interna quae repraesentabantur. Ex his constare potest quid singula, quae supra ex Libro Samuelis allata sunt, in serie significant, et quod arca, ex Lege in illa, significet Divinum Verum procedens a Domino.
[25] Quarto, De binis miraculis per arcam, quod Usa mortuus sit, et quod ObedEdomus benedictus sit, ita memoratur in Libro Secundo Samuelis,
"Surrexit et abivit David, et universus populus qui cum illo e Baale Jehudae ad ascendere faciendum inde arcam Dei, cujus invocatur nomen, Nomen Jehovae Zebaoth insidentis cherubis super illa, et vehi fecerunt arcam Dei super curru novo, et deportarunt eam e domo Abinadabi quae in Gibea, atque Usa et Achjo filii Abinadabi ducentes currum... .... Et David et universa domus Israelis ludentes coram Jehovah super omnis generis lignis abietum, et citharis, et cum nabliis, et cum tympanis, et cum dulciariis, et cum cymbalis. Et cum venerunt ad aream Nachonis, emisit Usa in arcam, et apprehendit eam, eo quod declinassent boves: et exarsit ira Jehovae contra Usam, et percussit eum Deus propter errorem, ut mortuus sit ibi apud arcam Dei; et doluit Davidi super eo, .... et timuit David Jehovam in die illo, et dixit, Quomodo veniet ad me arca Jehovae? et non voluit David seponere apud se arcam Jehovae in urbe Davidis, sed declinavit eam in domum ObedEdomi Gittitae. Cum manserat arca Jehovae in domo" ejus "tribus mensibus, et benedixit Jehovah ObedEdomo et omni domui ejus, et hoc nuntiatum est regi Davidi, .... et ivit David et ascendere fecit arcam Dei e domo ObedEdomi in urbem Davidis cum gaudio: et... quando progressi sunt portantes arcam Jehovae sex passus, sacrificavit bovem et saginatum; et David saltavit ex omnibus viribus coram Jehovah, ...cinctus ephodo lini: et David et omnis domus Israelis ascendere facientes arcam Jehovae cum jubilo et cum sono buccinae et introduxerunt arcam Jehovae" in urbem Davidis, quae Zion, "et statuerunt eam in loco suo intra Tentorium, quod expanderat ei David" (6:1-17):
haec historica in sensu interno seu spirituali involvunt plura, quae exstare ad visum non possunt in sensu litterae, qui historicus: ut quid involvit quod arca deducta sit ex domo Abinadabi in domum ObedEdomi, et demum in urbem Davidis quae Zion; quod cum deduceretur luserint et clanxerint omnis generis instrumentis musicis, et quod ipse David saltaverit; tum quod arca deducta sit super curru novo, cui alligati fuerunt boves; ut et quod Usa filius Abinadabi mortuus sit, et quod ObedEdomus cum domo sua benedictus sit. Omnia illa, tametsi historica, in sinu suo recondunt talia quae caeli et ecclesiae sunt, similiter ac ipsa arca, quae, propter Legem in illa, repraesentabat Dominum quoad Divinum Verum; quare vocatur "Arca Dei, cujus invocatur nomen, nomen Jehovae Zebaoth insidentis cherubis": quod nunc deducta sit e domo Abinadabi, primum in domum ObedEdomi, et tandem in urbem Davidis quae Zion, involvit arcana, quae nemo scire potest nisi qui scit quid significavit "Gibea" et ibi "BaalJehudae", ubi fuit Abinadabus, et quid "Gath" ubi ObedEdomus, et tandem quid "Sion" ubi David. Omnes tractus cum urbibus in illis in terra Canaane fuerunt repraesentativi, sicut in mundo spirituali in regionibus ibi ac in urbibus earum. In qualibet regione et quoque in qualibet urbe in mundo spirituali, ad orientem et occidentem habitant qui in bono amoris sunt, ad orientem qui in bono amoris claro, et ad occidentem qui in bono amoris obscuro; ac ad meridiem et septentrionem ibi, habitant qui in luce veri sunt, ad meridiem qui. in luce veri clara, et ad septentrionem qui in luce veri obscura: similiter in terra, Canaane, in tractibus ejus et in urbibus tractuum; hi respective ad plagas correspondebant regionibus in mundo spirituali et urbibus regionum ibi; sed cum differentia, quod homines in terris quoad bonum amoris et quoad lucem veri in plagis suis non ita ordinari possint sicut spiritus et angeli in mundo spirituali; quare in terra Canaane ac in urbibus ejus ipsa loca repraesentabant, et non personae: quod ita fuerit, constare potest partitione ex terrae Canaanis in hereditates quae sorte contigerunt tribubus secundum repraesentationem ecclesiae earum; tum ex Hierosolyma et Zione, quod repraesentaverint ipsam ecclesiam, Hierosolyma illam quoad verum doctrinae, et Zion illam quoad bonum amoris. Si itaque sciretur quid ecclesiae et caeli significavit "Gibea" et ibi "BaalJehudae" ubi erat Abinadabus, et quid ecclesiae et caeli significavit "Gath" ubi ObedEdomus, sciri poterit quid significavit quod "arca deduceretur ab Abinadabo ad ObedEdomum, et demum in Zionem:"
[26] ex significatione illarum urbium constare potest quod per translationem arcae repraesentata sit progressio ecclesiae apud hominem, ab ultimo ad intimum ejus, sicut ab uno caelo in alterum usque ad supremum quod est tertium caelum. "BaalJehudae", ubi erat Abinadabus, significavit ultimum ecclesiae, quod vocatur naturale ejus; "Gibea" enim, ubi erat BaalJehudae, illud repraesentavit: "Gath" autem, ubi erat ObedEdomus, qui inde vocatur "Gittita", significavit spirituale ecclesiae, quam significationem induit postquam filii Israelis ceperunt urbes ab Ekrone usque ad Gath a Philisthaeis (1 Samuelis 7:13-15): "Zion" autem, ubi erat David, significavit intimum ecclesiae, quod vocatur caeleste ejus.
[27] Ex his patet quod "translatio arcae" significaverit progressionem ecclesiae apud hominem ab ultimo ejus ad intimum ejus, et hoc quia progressiones illae fiunt per Divinum Verum, quod significatum est per "arcam"; nam progreditur homo ecclesiae a naturali ad spirituale, et per hoc ad caeleste, (naturale est bonum vitae, spirituale est bonum charitatis erga proximum, et caeleste est bonum amoris in Dominum, ) et hoc continue a Domino per Divinum Ipsius Verum: in simili progressione sunt bona trium caelorum; quare etiam ascensus per illos ordine etiam repraesentatus est.
[28] Quod cum deduceretur arca, luserint et clanxerint omnis generis instrumentis musicis, et quod David saltaverit, repraesentabat laetitiam et gaudium quae resultant ex affectione veri et boni a Domino per influxum Divini Veri, quod significabatur per "arcam"; instrumenta memorata, quibus luserunt in primo itinere a domo Abinadabi ad domum ObedEdomi, repraesentabant laetitiam animi ex affectione veri naturali et spirituali; ac saltatio Davidis, tum jubilum et sonus buccinae, repraesentabant gaudium cordis ex affectione boni spiritualis et caelestis. Quod harmoniae sonorum musicorum sint ex spirituali mundo, et significent affectiones et earum laetitias et gaudia, videatur supra (n. 323, 326); et quod "Zion" significet tertium caelum et inde intimum ecclesiae, etiam supra (n. 405 [b, e]).
[29] Quod arca deducta sit super curru novo, et quod ei alligati sint boves, repraesentabat et inde significabat doctrinam veri ex bono amoris, "currus" doctrinam veri, ac "boves" bonum amoris, utrumque in naturali homine; nam Divinum Verum, quod significatur per "arcam", subsistit et fundatur super doctrina veri naturalis quod ex bono; inde erat quod arca posita fuerit "Super curru, ante quem boves."
(Quod "currus" significet doctrinam veri, videatur supra, n. 355 [a-e] ; et quod "bos" bonum naturale, in Arcanis Caelestibus, n. 2180, 2566.)
[30] Quod Usa filius Abinadabi mortuus sit quia manu comprehendit arcam, erat quia "tangere manu" significat communicationem, quod fit cum Domino per bonum amoris; et tamen Usa non unctus fuit, sicut erant sacerdotes et Levitae, quibus per unctionem accessit repraesentatio boni amoris; (quod id accesserit per unctionem, videatur supra, n. 375 [d, e] ;) et tamen "cherubi", qui super propitiatorio quod super arca, significabant custodiam ne Dominus nisi per bonum amoris adiretur. Quod hoc etiam factum sit ne David arcam inferret in Zionem antequam absoluta esset progressio, quae etiam repraesentabatur, (de qua mox supra, ) constat ex eo, quod doluerit David super morte Usae, ac timuerit adducere arcam in suam urbem, quae Zion (vers. 8-10).
[31] Quod benedictus sit ObedEdomus propter arcam, et domus ejus, erat quia benedictio a bonis mundi significat benedictionem a bonis caeli, quae unice procedunt a Domino per receptionem Divini Veri repraesentati per arcam; quae bona illis sunt qui in spirituali bono sunt, quod repraesentabat ObedEdom in Gath, ut supra dictum est.
[32] Demum quod "arca introducta sit in Zionem, ac in Tentorium quod pro ea a Davide expansum fuit", significabat ascensum in tertium caelum, ac conjunctionem Divini Veri cum Bono Amoris; nam Zion repraesentabat intimum ecclesiae, et inde intimum caelorum, quod est supremum seu tertium caelum, ubi angeli in bono amoris in Dominum sunt, et ubi tutela ne Dominus adeatur nisi quam per bonum amoris; quae tutela repraesentabatur per cherubos super arca.
[33] Simile etiam significabatur per quod "arca introducta sit in intimum Templi a Salomone aedificati", de qua re ita legitur in Libro Primo Regum,
Salomo "adytum in domus medio praeparavit, ut poneret eo arcam foederis Jehovae;.... et fecit in adyto duos cherubos ex lignis olei, et posuit" eos "in medio domus interioris, ut expanderent se alae..ad parietem utrinque, .... ac ut alae eorum in medio domus se attingerent;..et obduxit cherubos auro." Et Salomo ascendere fecit "arcam foederis Jehovae ex urbe Davidis, haec Zion. .... Et venerunt omnes seniores Israelis, et portarunt sacerdotes arcam, et ascendere fecerunt arcam Jehovae et Tentorium conventus, et omnia vasa sanctitatis quae in Tentorio;.... et..Salomo et omnis coetus cum illo ante arcam, .... ac intulerunt sacerdotes arcam foederis Jehovae in locum ejus in adytum domus, in sanctum sanctorum, ad sub alis cheruborum: nam cherubi expandentes alas super locum arcae, ita ut obtegerent cherubi arcam, et vectes ejus desuper, et videbantur capita vectium e sancto versus facies adyti, non tamen videbantur foris.".... Et dixit Salomo, "Constitui ibi locum arcae, ubi foedus Jehovae, quod pepigit cum patribus nostris, cum educeret eos e terra Aegypti" (6:19, 23, 27 [, 28] ; 8:1-8, 21);
quoniam arca in Tentorio conventus repraesentabat tertium caelum ubi Dominus, ac ipsum Tentorium extra velum secundum caelum, ac atrium primum caelum, ita quoque Templum; nam Templum cum atriis suis repraesentabat tres caelos; quare nihil fuit in templo, nec extra templum ubi atria, nisi quod aliquid caeli repraesentavit; et hoc ob causam quia Dominus illo tempore praesens fuit in repraesentativis; erant enim ecclesiae, quae fuerunt ante Domini adventum, ecclesiae repraesentativae, et ultimo etiam talis quae apud filios Israelis instituta fuit: at cum Dominus in mundum venit, tunc externa repraesentantia abolebantur, quia Ipse Dominus erat quem repraesentativa ecclesiae adumbrabant et significabant; et quia illa erant externa, et quasi velamenta intra quae Dominus, ideo cum Ipse venit velamenta illa ablata sunt, et patuit Ipse cum caelo et cum ecclesia, in quibus Dominus est omne in omnibus. Primaria repraesentativa Domini et inde caeli et ecclesiae fuerunt Tentorium conventus, cum mensa, candelabro, altari suffitus et arca inibi; tum altare cum holocaustis et sacrificiis; ac postea Templum; et simile per Templum repraesentatum est, quod per Tentorium conventus, cum differentia quod Tentorium conventus sanctius repraesentativum Domini, caeli et ecclesiae fuerit quam Templum.
[34] Ex his constare potest quod adytum Templi, ubi arca, similiter ut in Tentorio conventus, repraesentaverit Dominum quoad Divinum Verum, et inde tertium caelum, ubi angeli conjuncti sunt Domino per amorem in Ipsum, ac inde Divinum Verum inscriptum cordibus suis habent. Quid autem significabant "cherubi" in Templo, et quid "alae" illorum, tum quid "vectes", qui etiam memorantur, paucis dicetur. Per "cherubos" significabatur tutela ne Dominus adeatur nisi quam per bonum amoris; quare etiam illi facti sunt ex "ligno olei", per quod lignum significatur bonum amoris (videatur supra, n. 375): per "alas cheruborum" significatur Divinum spirituale, quod descendit ex Divino caelesti, in quo est tertium caelum, in secundum, ac recipitur ibi; quare alae "in medio domus se attingebant", et inde "protendebantur ad parietem utrinque": per "vectes" autem, quibus portabatur arca, significabatur Divina potentia, ita simile quod per "brachia." Ex his et ex praecedentibus constare potest quid per "arcam foederis" in Verbo significatur.
[35] Praeterea per "arcam" significatur repraesentativum ecclesiae in genere, (similiter ac per "juge" apud Danielem, quod cessaturum erat cum venturus est Dominus in mundum, ) apud Jeremiam,
"Dabo vobis pastores juxta cor meum, ut pascant vos cognitione et intelligentia; tunc fiet cum multiplicaveritis vos et fructum feceritis in terra, in diebus illis, ...non dicent amplius, Arca foederis Jehovae, neque ascendet super cor, nec mentionem facient ejus, neque desiderabunt, neque reparabitur amplius" (3:15, 16):
haec dicta sunt de adventu Domini, et de abolitione rituum repraesentativorum Ecclesiae Judaicae tunc; quod manifestarentur interiora ecclesiae, quae a ritibus repraesentativis, quae erant externa, obvelabantur, et quod tunc interiores seu spirituales futuri sint, significatur per quod "darentur pastores juxta cor Domini, qui pascent illos cognitione et intelligentia"; per "pastores" intelliguntur qui docent bonum et ad id ducunt per vera: multiplicatio veri et fructificatio boni significatur per "Tunc fiet cum multiplicaveritis vos et fructum feceritis in terra diebus illis": quod tunc conjunctio Domini per interiora Verbi, et non per exteriora quae solum repraesentabant et significabant interiora, significatur per "Non dicent amplius, Arca foederis Jehovae"; per "arcam foederis Jehovae" significantur externa cultus quae tunc abolenda, simile quod per "juge" quod cessaturum, apud Danielem (cap. 8:13; 11:31; 12:11): quod externum cultus non amplius futurum sit sed internum, significatur per "Non ascendet super cor, nec mentionem facient ejus, neque desiderabunt, neque reparabitur amplius." Ex his etiam constare potest quod arca foederis visa Johanni in templo Dei, de qua visione nunc agitur, fuerit apparitio Divini Veri, per quod conjunctio est Novi Caeli et Novae Ecclesiae cum Domino; et quod ideo visa sit, ut Verbum in littera sibi ubivis simile esset, consistens ex talibus quae externa cultus fuerunt, et repraesentaverunt interna; similiter ut supra (cap. 8:3, 4), quod visum sit "altare", et quod visi sint "suffitus" coram throno: consistit enim Verbum in littera ex meris correspondentiis, talibus quae fuerunt in ecclesiis repraesentativis, et quae inde usu recepta sunt in Verbo; in quibus interiora caeli et ecclesiae, quae spiritualia et caelestia sunt, continentur.
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