1102. 'He will dwell in the tents of Shem' means so that the internal features of worship may be present in the external features. This becomes clear from all that has been stated already about Shem, to the effect that 'Shem' is the internal Church or internal worship, and that external worship is something altogether soulless or unclean if it does not have internal worship to give it life and sanctify it. That 'tents' means nothing else than the holiness of love and worship arising out of this becomes clear from the meaning of 'tents' dealt with already in 414. Among the ancients 'wandering about and dwelling in tents' was common expression, and by 'tents' in the internal sense was meant holy worship, for the reason that the most ancient people not only wandered about with tents but also dwelt in tents and used to celebrate holy worship in them. Consequently 'wandering about and dwelling' also meant in the internal sense living.
[2] In addition to the places quoted already in 414, let the following as well serve to confirm that 'tents' means holy worship: In David,
God forsook the dwelling-place at Shiloh, the tent where He dwelt with man. Ps 78:60.
Here 'tent' has a similar meaning to the Temple, in which God is said 'to dwell' when He is present with someone within love. For this reason the individual in whose life holy worship had a place was called by the ancients 'a tent', and later 'a temple'. In Isaiah,
Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out. Isa 54:1.
This stands for enlightenment in the things that belong to true worship. In Jeremiah,
The whole land has been laid waste; suddenly MY tents have been laid waste, My curtains in a moment. Jer 4:20.
Here it is quite evident that tents are not meant but holy worship. In Zechariah,
Jerusalem will dwell yet again in her own place, in Jerusalem Jehovah will save the tents of Judah. Zech 12:6, 7.
Here 'the tents of Judah' stands for worship of the Lord arising out of the holiness of love.
[3] From these quotations it now becomes clear what 'dwelling in the tents of Shem' means, namely, so that internal worship may be present in external. But because 'Japheth', the member of the external Church, has little knowledge of what internal things are, a brief description of him will be given. When a person feels or perceives within himself that he has thoughts regarding the Lord which are good and thoughts regarding the neighbor which are good, and he wishes to perform acts of kindness for him, but not for the sake of any gain or for the sake of his own position, and when he feels that he has pity for anyone who suffers misfortune, and more so for him who errs in regard to the doctrine of faith, he may then know that 'he is dwelling in the tents of Shem', that is, that there are with him things of an internal nature by means of which the Lord is working.
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