Heavenly Secrets (Arcana Coelestia), Vol. XII

N. 9990] CHAPTER XXIX. VERS. 1-3

...to truth and what relates to good; and therefore when a man is to be regenerated Regeneration is the process of spiritual rebirth where a person's inner nature is changed from being self-centered to being oriented toward divine love and truth., he must be regenerated as to the external and as to the internal, and in both as to truth and as to good. But before a man can be regenerated, he must be purified from evils and falsities, for these stand in the way. The purifications of the external man The "external man" refers to our outward behaviors, sensory experiences, and natural desires. were represented by burnt-offerings and sacrifices of oxen, bullocks, and he-goats; and the purifications of the internal man The "internal man" refers to our deeper thoughts, intentions, and spiritual understanding. by burnt-offerings and sacrifices of rams, kids, and she-goats; but the purification of the internal itself, which is the inmost, by burnt-offerings and sacrifices of lambs; and therefore what particular purification or expiation Expiation: The process of being spiritually cleansed or making amends for wrongs (evils and falsities) that block divine connection. was represented can be seen from the animals themselves that were sacrificed. [3] It is said what purification or expiation was “represented,” because the burnt-offerings and sacrifices did not purify or expiate man, but only represented purification or expiation; for who is not able to know that such things do not take away anything of the evil and falsity with a man? (See the passages cited from the Word in n. 2180.) That they did not take away, but only represented, was because with the Israelitish and Jewish nation there was instituted the representative of a church, through which conjunction was effected with the heavens, and through the heavens with the Lord (on which subject see what was shown in the places cited above, n. 9320 end, 9380). But what was specifically represented by the burnt-offerings and sacrifices of bullocks, rams, and lambs, will be seen later in this chapter, for these are there treated of.

9991. And two rams without blemish. That this signifies the purification of the spiritual or internal man, is evident from the signification of a “ram,” as being the internal of man, thus his spiritual (see n. 2830); for the internal with man is called “spiritual;” and the external “natural.” Purification is signified because the burnt-offerings were of rams, and by burnt-offerings and sacrifices in general were represented purifications from evils and falsities, or expiations; and by burnt-offerings and sacrifices of rams, the purifications or expiations of the internal or spiritual man (of which below in this chapter where these are treated of).

9992. And bread of unleavened things. That this signifies the purification of the celestial In Swedenborg's theology, the "celestial" is the highest degree of the soul or heaven, characterized by pure love for the Lord, whereas the "spiritual" degree is characterized by love for truth and the neighbor. in the inmost of man, is evi-