Arcana Coelestia (Potts) n. 8934

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8934. Verses 21-23.* An altar of ground thou shalt make to Me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt-offerings, and thy thank-offerings, thy flocks, and thy herds; in every place where I shall put the memory of My name, I will come unto thee and I will bless thee. And if thou make Me an altar of stones, thou shalt not build it of hewn stones; for if thou move thy tool upon it, thou wilt profane it. And thou shalt not go up on steps unto Mine altar, that thy nakedness be not uncovered upon it. "An altar of ground thou shalt make unto Me," signifies a representative of worship in general from good; "and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt-offerings, and thy thank-offerings," signifies worship specifically according to the state of the spiritual life of each one; "thy flocks, and thy herds," signifies goods internal and external; "in every place where I shall put the memory of My name," signifies a state of faith in the Lord with everyone; "I will come unto thee and I will bless thee," signifies the presence of the Divine then, and influx; "and if thou wake Me an altar of stones," signifies a representative of worship in general from truths; "thou shalt not build it of hewn stones," signifies that it must not be from self-intelligence; "for if thou move thy tool upon it," signifies if it is from one's own; "thou wilt profane it," signifies that then there will be no worship; "and thou shalt not go up on steps unto Mine altar," signifies no elevation to interior things which are celestial; "that thy nakedness be not uncovered upon it," signifies the idea of thought concerning them thus full of falsities, which idea will then be made manifest. * Verses 24-26 in the English Bible.


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