Arcana Coelestia (Potts) n. 9505

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9505. Verses 17-22. And thou shalt make a propitiatory [mercy seat] of pure gold; two cubits and a half the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. And thou shalt make two cherubs, of solid gold shalt thou make them, at the two ends of the propitiatory [mercy seat]. And make one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end; out of the propitiatory [mercy seat] shall ye make the cherubs upon the two ends thereof. And the cherubs shall spread out their wings upward, covering with their wings over the propitiatory [mercy seat], and their faces a man to his brother; toward the propitiatory [mercy seat] shall be the faces of the cherubs. And thou shalt put the propitiatory [mercy seat] upon the ark from above; and into the ark thou shalt put the Testimony that I shall give unto thee. And there I will meet with thee, and I will speak with thee from above the propitiatory [mercy seat], from between the two cherubs which are over the Ark of the Testimony, all that I shall command thee for the sons of Israel. "And thou shalt make a propitiatory [mercy seat] of pure gold," signifies the hearing and reception of all things that belong to worship from the good of love; "two cubits and a half the length thereof," signifies all in respect to good; "and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof," signifies full in respect to truth; "and thou shalt make two cherubs," signifies no admission and approach to the Lord except through the good of love; "of solid gold shalt thou make them," signifies a representative of this good; "at the two ends of the propitiatory [mercy seat]," signifies celestial good and spiritual good; "and make one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end," signifies an approach for celestial good and an approach for spiritual good; "out of the propitiatory [mercy seat] shall ye make the cherubs upon the two ends thereof," signifies the reception of all things of worship from these goods; "and the cherubs shall spread out their wings upward," signifies elevation by means of the truth of faith; "covering with their wings over the propitiatory [mercy seat]," signifies the spiritual things that cover; "and their faces a man to his brother," signifies the conjunction of truth and good; "toward the propitiatory [mercy seat] shall be the faces of the cherubs," signifies the interiors continually looking to good, and thus to the Lord; "and thou shalt put the propitiatory [mercy seat] upon the ark from above," signifies thus the hearing and reception of all things of worship that are from the good of love; "and unto the ark thou shalt put the Testimony," signifies from the Lord in heaven; "that I shall give thee," signifies the representative; "and there I will meet with thee," signifies hearing and reception; "and I will speak with thee from above the propitiatory [mercy seat]," signifies conjunction; "from between the two cherubs," signifies where celestial good and spiritual good have been conjoined; "which are over the ark of the Testimony," signifies with the Lord in heaven; "all that I shall command thee for the sons of Israel," signifies the worship of the representative church.


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