Arcana Coelestia (Potts) n. 10728

Previous Number Next Number Next Translation See Latin 

10728. And said unto them, These are the words which Jehovah hath commanded, to do them. That this signifies instruction concerning the primary thing of the church, to which all things bear relation, is evident from the signification of "saying," as being instruction (of which at the places cited in n. 10280); and from the signification of "the words which Jehovah hath commanded, to do them," as being the primary truth which was by all means to be observed. This is signified because these things are said of the Sabbath, which was the primary representative of all, thus the primary truth to which all things bear relation. For the representatives of the church among the Israelitish nation were truths in the ultimate of order. The case with representatives is this. All things that appear in the three kingdoms of nature are ultimates of Divine order, because in these close all the things of heaven, which are called spiritual and celestial. Hence a representative church was instituted, and such things were commanded as, in ultimates, completely represented heaven, together with all the truths and goods there; and the things that represented were the forms of such things as are in nature; as the Tabernacle encompassed with curtains, the table therein on which were the breads of faces, the lampstand with the lamps, the altar on which incense was offered, the garments of Aaron together with the breastplate of precious stones, besides other things. What such things represented has been shown in what goes before.


This page is part of the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church