285. And they had no rest day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy. That these words signify what is most holy proceeding from the Lord is evident from the signification of having no rest day and night, when said of the Divine providence and guardianship of the Lord signified by the four cherubim which appeared as four animals, as being universally and perpetually, because the Divine providence and guardianship of the Lord do not rest and cease to eternity; and from the signification of holy, holy, holy, as being what is most holy proceeding from the Lord; for by holy, thrice named, is signified most holy, for the reason that three in the Word signifies what is full, complete and continuous (as may be seen, Arcana Coelestia, n. 2788, 4495, 7715). The same is signified by these things in Isaiah:
"I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his skirts filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphim; each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain, he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, Jehovah Zebaoth; the whole earth is the fullness of his glory" (vi. 1-3).
By the seraphim here mentioned are signified things similar to, those meant by the cherubim; and by the throne high and lifted up is signified the proceeding Divine, from which is heaven: by the skirts which filled the temple is signified the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, in the ultimates of heaven and in the church. By the wings with which the seraphim covered their faces and their feet, and with which they did fly, is signified the spiritual Divine in first principles and in ultimates, and the extension thereof on every side, thus omnipresence. By Holy, holy, holy, is signified what is most holy; that this is the Divine truth which fills all things is signified by the whole earth is full of his glory. (That glory is the Divine truth may be seen above, n. 33, and that the Lord is alone holy, and that holy is said of the Divine truth which proceeds from Him, may also be seen above, n. 204.)
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