585. 'And His tabernacle and those dwelling in heaven' signifies scandals against the Lord's celestial Church and against heaven. By 'tabernacle' nearly the same is signified as by 'temple', namely in the highest sense the Lord's Divine Human, and in a relative sense heaven and the Church (n. 191, 529). But by a 'tabernacle' is the latter sense is signified the celestial Church that is in the good of love from the Lord directed to the Lord, and by a 'temple' the spiritual Church that is in truths of wisdom from the Lord. By 'those dwelling in heaven' heaven is signified. The celestial Church is signified by a 'tabernacle' because the Most Ancient Church, which was celestial because in love directed to the Lord, held holy worship in tabernacles; and the Ancient Church, which was a spiritual Church, held holy worship in temples. The tabernacles were of wood, and the temples of stone, 'wood' signifying good, and 'stone' truth. [2] That by a 'tabernacle' is signified the Lord's Divine Human as to Divine Love, also the heaven and Church that is in love directed to the Lord, can be established from the following passages:-
Jehovah, who shall abide in Thy tabernacle, who shall dwell in the mountain of Thy holiness? He who walks blameless, does justice, and speaks the truth (veritas) Ps. xv 1, 2.
Jehovah shall hide me away in His tent, He shall conceal me in the secret of His tabernacle, He shall exalt me Ps. xxvii 4, 5.
I will stay in Thy tabernacle for ever Ps. lxi 4 [H.B. 5].
Look upon Zion, thine eyes shal1 see Jerusalem, a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be destroyed Isa. xxxiii 20.
Jehovah Who spreads out the heavens as a tabernacle to dwell in Isa. xl 22.
Thou hast made Jehovah the Most High thy dwelling, no plague shall come nigh thy tabernacle Ps. xci 9, 10.
Jehovah has set His tabernacle in their midst, He is going to walk in the midst of them Lev. xxvi 11, 12.
Jehovah forsook the tent of Shiloh, the tabernacle in which He dwelt among men Ps. lxxviii 60.
I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them Rev. xxi 3.
My tabernacle has been devastated Jer. iv 20; x 20.
He shall pluck thee out of the tabernacle, and root thee out of the land of the living Ps. lii 5 [H.B. 7];
besides elsewhere, as Isa. xvi 5; liv 2; Jer. xxx 18; Lam. ii 4; Hosea ix 6; xii 9; Zech. xii 7. [3] Since the Most Ancient Church, which was a celestial Church because in love directed to the Lord, and consequently in conjunction with Him, used to hold holy worship in TABERNACLES, therefore by the Lord's command the TABERNACLE was set up by Moses, in which all things of heaven and the Church were represented. This was so holy that no one was allowed to enter it except Moses, Aaron and his sons, and if one of the people did so he would die (Num. xvii 12, 13 [H.B. 27, 28]; xxiii 1, 22, 23; xix 14-19). Inmostly therein was the ark, in which were two tables, those of the Decalogue. Over this were the propitiatory and the cherubs; and, outside the veil therein, the table upon which were the bread of faces, the altar of incense, and the lampstand with seven lamps, which were all representatives of heavens and the Church. It is described (Exod. xxvi 7-16; xxxvi 8-37); and it is recorded that the pattern (forma) thereof was shown to Moses on Mount Sinai (Exod. xxv 9; xxvi 30); and whatever is given to be seen out of heaven, the same is representative of heaven and consequently of the Church. In remembrance of the holy worship of the Lord by the most ancient people in tabernacles, and of conjunction with Him through love, the FEAST OF TABERNACLES was decreed, as mentioned in Lev. xxiii 39-44; Deut. xvi 13, 14; Zech xiv 16, 18, 19.
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