Model of the tabernacle in Timna Valley Park, Israel
8 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
3 For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.
4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:
5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount. -Hebrews 8:1-5 King James Version (KJV)
Apocalypse Explained, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1757-9], tr. by John Whitehead [1911], at sacred-texts.com
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And His tabernacle, signifies all the doctrine of the church and the worship therefrom. This is evident from the signification of "tabernacle," as being the church in respect to doctrine and worship, thus, too, the doctrine and worship of the church..."A tabernacle" signifies the church in respect to doctrine and worship, because those who were of the church in most ancient times dwelt in tabernacles and tents, and also journeyed with them, for they were then mostly shepherds of sheep; and the father of the family taught those who were born of his house the precepts of charity and thus the life of love, in tabernacles, as was done afterwards in temples; and this is why a "tabernacle" has a similar signification as "the house of God," namely, the worship of God according to doctrine, consequently also the church, since the church is a church from a life according to doctrine, and a life according to doctrine is worship. [2] Since these most ancient people[,] with whom was the church[,] worshipped God under a human form, and since God under a human form is the Lord, they worshipped the Lord; and therefore their church was the celestial church, which is distinguished from the spiritual church in this, that the celestial church is in love to the Lord and in worship from that love, while the spiritual church is in love towards the neighbor and in worship from that love. And as the church with the most ancient people was such, and the doctrine of love to the Lord was then taught in tabernacles, and thence tabernacles were more loved by the Lord than temples, therefore by command of the Lord on Mount Sinai a tabernacle was built in which the Israelitish nation might have holy worship; and afterwards, in commemoration of the most holy worship in tabernacles, the feast of tabernacles was instituted. From this it is clear why a "tabernacle" signifies the doctrine of the church, and worship therefrom. [3] This signification of "tabernacle" is evident from the following passages. In Moses: How good are thy tabernacles O Jacob, thy tents O Israel (Num. 24:5). Here and elsewhere in the Word both tabernacles and tents are mentioned; and a "tabernacle" signifies the church consisting of those who are in the good of love to the Lord; and the "tent" signifies the church consisting of those who are in truths from that good; and as doctrine and worship therefrom constitute the church, a "tabernacle" signifies the doctrine of the good of love, and a "tent" the doctrine of truth from that good. So, too, "tabernacles," in the plural, signify the goods of the church and of doctrine, and "tents" the truths of the church and of doctrine... [20] Since a tabernacle signified heaven and the church in respect to the doctrine of the good of love, and a tent the same in respect to the doctrine of truth from that good, and this because of the holy worship of the Lord by the most ancient men, as has been said at the beginning of this article, it pleased the Lord that a tabernacle should be set up by Moses, in which representative worship should be performed; and this is described in Exodus (26:7-15; 36:8-37); and it was afterwards commanded: That all the tribes of Israel should encamp about it, and the Levites who were to keep charge of it should be beside it (Num. 1:10-54; 3:7-39); Also that they should journey with it (Num. 9:15, seq.). That this tabernacle was a representative of heaven and the church is clearly evident from this: That the form of it was shown to Moses upon Mount Sinai (Exod. 25:9; 26:30). And whatever is presented in a form to be seen in heaven and from heaven is representative. That the tabernacle was a representative of heaven itself, where the Lord is, and thence also of the church, is evident from its holiness: In that no one was permitted to enter into it except Aaron and his sons, and if the people drew near they would die (Num. 17:12, 13; 18:1, 22, 23; 19:14-19). Likewise that there was a cloud upon it by day, and the appearance of fire by night (Exod. 40:38; Num. 9:15; Isa. 4:5, 6). And afterwards that a feast was celebrated, which was called the Feast of Tabernacles, and they were to be glad because of the produce of the threshing-floor and of the wine press (Lev. 23:39-44; Deut. 16:13, 14; Zech. 14:16, 18, 19). [21] "The produce of the threshing-floor," like as "bread" and "corn," signified all the good of the church; and the "produce of the wine-press," like as "wine," signified all the truth of good of the church; and "to be glad" at that time signified the delight of celestial and spiritual love from good and truth. That all things belonging to the tabernacle, as the ark, the mercy-seat with the cherubim over it, the veil, the table upon which was the bread, the altar of incense, the lamp-stand, the curtains, the coverings, the boards and pillars, the cords, the stakes, and all other things, were representatives of heaven and the church, can be seen in the Arcana Coelestia treating of Exodus, in which all these things are explained. It is also shown there that the holiness of all these things came from the Law that was placed in the ark; for "the Law" signified the Word, and represented the Lord, who is the Word.
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