9502. They shall not be removed from it. That this signifies forever without change, is evident from the signification of "not being removed," as being the coming-forth and subsistence forever and without change. For heaven came forth and was created through the Divine sphere of good and truth that encompasses and encloses heaven in general and in particular; and through the same sphere it subsists and is preserved; for subsistence is a perpetual coming-forth, and preservation is a perpetual creation. Perpetuity without change was represented by the non-removal of the staves from the ark; and the eternal protection of heaven through the Divine sphere of good and truth from the Lord was represented by the staves being under the wings of the cherubs, and by their being "covered;" as is evident from the first book of Kings:
The cherubs spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, so that the cherubs covered the ark and the staves thereof from above. And the staves were drawn out, and the heads of the staves were seen from the holy place toward the faces of the sanctuary; but they were not seen without (1 Kings 8:7, 8).
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