324. And golden vials full of incense. That this signifies confession from spiritual goods, is evident from the signification of golden vials which are also called censers, as denoting truths from good: for vials, like all containing vessels, signify truths, and the gold of which they were made signifies good, hence golden vials denote truths from good (that vessels signify truths because they serve good for recipient and containing vessels, may be seen, n. 3068, 3079, 3316, 3318: and also the vessels of the altars, of the burnt-offering, and the incense, n. 9723, 9724; and that gold signifies good, see above, n. 242); and from the signification of incense, as denoting those things of worship that are done from spiritual good, or from the good of charity, and thence are pleasurably perceived. Such things are signified by incense, because all things instituted in the Israelitish nation were representative of celestial and spiritual things, whence also odorous things, which were of a pleasant smell, represented pleasant perception, but those of an unpleasant smell, an unpleasant perception. It was on this account that incense was made of fragrant spices, with myrrh, onycha, galbanum, and frankincense. Moreover, there is a correspondence of odour with perception, which is evident from this fact, that in the spiritual world, where all things perceived by the senses are correspondences, the perceptivity of good and truth is perceived by the senses as fragrance from pleasant smells, and vice versa (concerning which fact see what is shown from experience in the Arcana Coelestia, n. 1514, 1517-1519, 1631, 4626, 4628, 4630, 4631, 5711-5717). Hence it is, that, in common discourse, to smell signifies to perceive: for such expressions, and many others, came into human speech from correspondence: for a man's spirit is actually in the spiritual world, although a man does not know it. Also a man's perceptive faculty is the cause of his bodily sense of smell, and this also is from correspondence. But this is an arcanum which is believed with difficulty, because hitherto unknown. It should be known that the good of love and of charity produces that sweet smelling or fragrance, but by truth, but not from itself without truth, still less by truth which is called that of faith without good: for good without truth has nothing perceptive, neither has truth without good.
[2] Incense signifies those things of worship which are done from spiritual good, because spiritual good derives its origin and existence from celestial good, and this good is the good of love to the Lord from the Lord, and hence it is the very good of heaven. For that good is directly from the Lord, and the Lord is in that good with the angels as in His own, even to such a degree that whether you say that the Lord is in them, and they in the Lord, or you say that the Lord is with them in that good, and they in the Lord when in that good, it is the same thing. Spiritual good, which derives its origin and existence from celestial good, is the good of charity towards the neighbour;
the worship from this good is signified by incense. Because all worship of the Lord is effected from good, although by means of truths, and because there are two universal goods that make the heavens, and distinguish them into two kingdoms, namely celestial good, which is the good of love to the Lord, and spiritual good, which is the good of charity towards the neighbour, therefore with the children of Israel there were two altars, one for the burnt-offerings, the other for the incense: and by the altar of burnt-offering was signified worship from the good of celestial love, and by the altar of incense, worship from the good of spiritual love; hence it is evident what was represented by incense.
[3] That this is the case is evident from the passages in the Word where it is mentioned. As in Moses:
"Thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon; and thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and thou shalt put it before the veil that is upon the ark of the testimony, before the mercy-seat. And Aaron shall burn thereon incense of spices every morning; in trimming the lamps he shall burn it, and in making the lamps to ascend at even he shall burn it, a perpetual incense before Jehovah throughout your generations. Ye shall make no strange incense to ascend thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat-offering, nor drink-offering" (Exod. xxx. 1-10).
That by this altar and by the burning of the incense upon it was signified the worship which is from spiritual good, is evident from the fact of its being placed in the tent of the assembly without the veil, where also were the lamps; and by the tent was signified the Lord's spiritual kingdom; but by that part of the tent which was within the veil was signified the Lord's celestial kingdom, as is evident from what is shown in the Arcana Coelestia, n. 9457, 9481, 9485, concerning the tent, where was the table upon which was the bread of faces, also where the altar of incense and the candlestick were: and from what is shown concerning the ark, in which was the testimony, and upon which was the mercy-seat (n. 9457, 9481, 9485, 10,545). Hence it is clear, that by the things that were in the tent without the veil, namely, the candlestick, the altar of incense, the table for the bread, were signified such things as pertain to the spiritual kingdom, all which have reference to spiritual good, and to its truth. By the table, upon which was the bread of faces, was signified the reception of celestial good in spiritual good (as may be seen, n. 9527). By the candlestick with the lamps was signified the Spiritual itself of that kingdom (n. 9548, 9551, 9556, 9561, 9572, 9783). And by the altar of incense was signified worship from spiritual good; and because worship from spiritual good was signified by the burning of incense upon that altar, and by the candlestick the Spiritual itself, therefore it was commanded that Aaron should burn the incense upon it every morning and evening, when he trimmed the lamps; but these things are more fully explained in the Arcana Coelestia, n. 10,176-10,213, where they are treated of as to each particular.
[4] Because spiritual good derives its origin and existence from celestial good, as has been said above, therefore that altar was not only placed near the veil which was upon the ark, but it was also commanded that when Aaron should make atonement for himself and for his house, he should bring the incense within the veil, by which is signified the influx, communication, and conjunction of celestial good and spiritual good. Concerning this it is thus written in Moses:
"And Aaron shall make an atonement for himself and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin-offering; and he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before Jehovah, and his hands full of incense of spices, and he shall bring it within the veil, so that he may put the incense upon the fire before Jehovah; and the cloud of the incense shall cover the mercy-seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not " (Lev. xvi. 11-13).
That he should take the fire from off the altar of burnt-offering, upon which he should put the incense, also signified that spiritual good, which is the good of charity, exists and proceeds from celestial good, which is the good of love to the Lord (that the fire of the altar signified that good, may be seen, n. 4489, 6314, 6832, 9714, and elsewhere). On this account it was that the fire for burning the incense was taken only from the altar of burnt-offering. The reason why Aaron, when he made atonement for himself and his house, burned the incense within the veil, was, because Aaron as chief priest represented the Lord as to the good of love, and by his functions he represented those things that proceed from that good, all of which have reference to spiritual good. Unless spiritual good is from celestial good, it is not good, therefore neither would its function be from the Divine, nor would it represent anything of the Divine: therefore death was threatened to him unless he did so.
[5] This is why Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, were consumed by fire from heaven, because they burnt incense from other fire than the fire of the altar of burnt-offering, consequently they performed worship from another love than that of love to the Lord. Concerning this circumstance, it is thus written in Moses:
"Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took each of them his censer and put strange fire therein, and put incense thereon; therefore fire went out from before Jehovah, and devoured them, and they died, and afterwards they were borne out of the camp" (Lev. x. 1-5).
Their being carried without the camp, signified that their worship was not from heaven, because not from love to the Lord: for by the camp of the sons of Israel heaven and the church were represented (see n. 4236, 10,038).
[6] The reason why Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, with their company, were swallowed up by the earth, although they took the fire from the altar and burnt incense, was, because by their murmuring against Moses and Aaron profanation of the good of celestial love was signified; for Moses and Aaron represented the Lord: and to murmur, that is, to rebel against the Lord, and engage in holy offices, is profanation: but because they took the fire from the altar, that fire was cast out and their censers were made into a covering for the altar. Concerning this fact, it is thus written:
"Moses said unto them that they should take fire, and put it into their censers: which also was done, but they were swallowed up" (Num. xvi. 1 to end).
But afterwards it was commanded
"That they should collect the censers, and scatter the fire towards this place; and of the censers which were of brass, they should make broad plates, a covering to the altar, because they were hallowed" (Num. xvi. 37, 38).
They were sanctified by the fire of the altar, which signified Divine celestial love.
[7] Because spiritual good, which is the good of charity towards the neighbour, derives its essence and soul from celestial good, which is the good of love to the Lord, therefore also the frankincense, by which spiritual good is signified, was put -upon the bread of faces, by which was signified celestial good: as is evident from these words in Moses:
"Frankincense shall also be put upon the bread of faces, which is upon the table in the tent of the assembly, that the bread may be for a memorial" (Lev. xxiv. 7).
That the bread may be for a memorial, signifies, that it may be received and heard by the Lord; for all worship of the Lord, that is truly worship, is from celestial good by means of spiritual good, for spiritual good, which is charity towards the neighbour, is the effect of celestial good: for charity towards the neighbour is to perform uses and to lead a moral life from a heavenly origin (concerning which see the work concerning Heaven and Hell, n. 390, 484, 529, 530-535, and the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, n. 84-107). This therefore is spiritual good: and celestial good is to look to the Lord, and [to acknowledge] that all good and truth are from Him, and that from man, or his proprium, there is nothing, but evil.
[8] That the incense was burned from no other fire than that of the altar of burnt-offering, by which was signified celestial good, which is the good of love to the Lord, appears also from other passages; as in Moses
"When the congregation murmured against Moses and Aaron, and they were attacked by the plague, then Aaron took fire from the altar, and [put it] in a censer, and put incense in it, and he ran into the midst of them; and the plague was stayed" (Num. xvi. 41, 46-48, and also in Rev. viii. 3-5).
[9] That incense and frankincense signify spiritual good, and the burning thereof the worship that is grateful from that good, and therefore hearing and reception by the Lord, is evident from the following passages. In Isaiah:
"A troop of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah: all they from Sheba shall come; they shall bring gold and frankincense; and they shall show forth the praises of Jehovah" (lx. 5).
The subject here treated of is the Lord's advent. By the troop of camels and the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah are signified the knowledges of truth and good in abundance: that all they from Sheba shall come," signifies from the knowledges of genuine truth and good, Sheba signifying such knowledges (see n. 1171, 3240). By the gold and frankincense which they shall bring, is signified worship from spiritual good, that is from celestial good: gold signifying celestial good, and frankincense spiritual good. Because worship from these is signified, it is therefore said, "and they shall show forth the praises of Jehovah"; by showing forth the praises of Jehovah is signified the preaching of the gospel concerning the Lord, and the worship of Him.
[10] In Matthew:
The wise men from the east opened their treasures, and presented to the new-born Lord gifts, "gold, frankincense, and myrrh" (ii. 11).
By the wise men from the east are also signified those who are in the knowledges of truth and good; their worship from celestial good, spiritual good, and natural good, is signified by their offering gold, frankincense, and myrrh: for by gold is signified celestial good, by frankincense spiritual good, and by myrrh natural good. That such things are signified by these, was also still known to many in the east, whence also they were called the sons of the east, by whom in the Word are meant those who are in the knowledges of truth and good (see n. 3249, 3762), for knowledge of correspondences still remained with them: wherefore that they might testify the joy of their heart, they offered such things as signified every good from first to last; and this is what was prophesied in Isaiah, that they should come from Sheba and bring gold and frankincense, and show forth the praises of Jehovah, concerning which we have treated just above.
[11]In Malachi:
"From the rising of the sun even unto the setting my name shall be great among the nations; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a clean meat-offering" (i. 11).
"From the rising of the sun even unto the setting my name shall be great among the nations," signifies, that the church and worship of the Lord shall be everywhere with those who are in good; from the rising of the sun to the setting, signifying every place where there is good; "My name shall be great," signifying the acknowledgment and worship of the Lord; and nations signifying those who are in good. "Incense shall be offered unto my name, and a clean meat-offering," signifies the worship of the Lord from spiritual good, which is the good of charity towards the neighbour, and from celestial good, which is the good of love to the Lord; worship from spiritual good being signified by incense, and from celestial good by a meat-offering. (That a meat-offering signifies that good, may be seen, n. 4581, 10,079, 10,137.)
[12] The same is signified by incense and meat-offering in David:
"Give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee. Let my prayers be accepted as incense before thee: and the lifting up of my hands as the meat-offering of the evening" (Ps cxli. 1, 2).
And in Isaiah:
"Thou hast not brought to me the cattle of thy burnt-offerings, and thou hast not honoured me with thy sacrifices. I have not made thee to serve by a meat-offering, nor wearied thee by frankincense" (xliii. 23).
Because all worship of the Lord is done from spiritual good, which is from celestial good, therefore both the meat-offering and frankincense are mentioned in the letter separately, which, notwithstanding, in the internal or spiritual sense are conjointly understood, but the one from the other.
[13] Similarly in Jeremiah:
"They shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the circuits of Jerusalem, bringing burnt-offering and sacrifice, and meat-offering and frankincense" (xvii. 26).
By Judah and Jerusalem here are not meant Judah and Jerusalem, but the Lord's church which is in the good of love and in the doctrine of charity therefrom, worship from these is signified by burnt-offering and sacrifice, also by meat-offering and frankincense.
[14] Because meat-offering signified the good of celestial love, and frankincense the good of spiritual love, therefore upon the meat-offering of fine flour were put oil and frankincense; as appears in Moses:
"When the soul willeth to offer a gift of meat-offering unto Jehovah, fine flour shall be the gift thereof, upon which he, shall pour oil, and shall put upon it frankincense: and the priest shall take a handful of the fine flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, together with all the frankincense thereof, and he shall burn it for a memorial upon the altar" (Lev. ii. 1, 2).
The reason why this meat-offering was instituted, was, because fine flour signifies genuine truth (as may be seen, n. 9995), because this is from good, namely, from celestial good, and thence from spiritual good, therefore oil and frankincense were put upon it: oil signifying the good of celestial love, and frankincense the good of spiritual love: in the internal sense, the one from the other. There were also other kinds of meat-offering, which were prepared with oil, by which similar things were signified.
[15] In Ezekiel:
"Thou hast taken the garments of thy embroidery, and hast covered images of a male, with which thou didst commit whoredom; and my oil and my incense thou hast given before them" (xvi. 18, 19).
These things are said concerning Jerusalem, which signifies the church as to doctrine, here as to doctrine entirely perverted. The images of a male which she covered with the garments of her embroidery, and with which she committed whoredom, signify the falsities which, by perverse interpretation, they made to appear as truths, thus falsified truths. Embroidered garments denote the knowledges of truth from the Word; and to commit whoredom denotes to falsify. To give my oil and my incense before them, signifies to adulterate both the good of celestial love and the good of spiritual love, which are adulterated when the Word is applied to the loves of self and of the world.
[16] In Moses:
"They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law; they shall put incense to thy nose, and burnt sacrifice upon thine altar" (Deut. xxxiii. 10).
This is the prophecy of Moses concerning Levi, by whom is signified the priesthood. And because the priesthood was representative of the Lord as to the good of love, both celestial and spiritual, therefore it is said, "they shall put incense to thy nose, and burnt sacrifice upon thine altar." By incense is signified worship from spiritual good, and by the burnt sacrifice upon the altar is signified worship from celestial good; to the nose, signifies, to the perception.
[17] In David:
"I will go into thy house with burnt-offerings; I will pay my vows unto thee. I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings, rams together with incense" (Ps. lxvi. 13, 15).
To offer burnt-offerings of fatlings, signifies worship from the good of celestial love: to offer rams together with incense, signifies worship from the good of spiritual love; incense and also a ram signify that good.
[18] In the Apocalypse:
"And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he might offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, ascended up out of the angel's hand to the sight of God. Afterwards, the angel took the censer, and filled it with the fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth" (viii. 3-5).
The signification of these things will be stated in the explanation of those words in the following [verses]: here only that, incense signifies worship from spiritual good, which is the good of charity towards the neighbour. That worship is also signified by the prayers of the saints: therefore it is said, "there was given unto him much incense, that he might offer it with the prayers of the saints"; and after that, the smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, ascended up in the sight of God. That the prayers of the saints signify worship from spiritual good, will be seen in the article immediately following, likewise what is meant by worship from spiritual good or from the good of charity.
[19] In Isaiah:
"A people that provoke me to anger continually before my faces; that sacrifice in gardens, and burn incense upon the sides " (lxv. 3).
Here, by sacrificing and burning incense are signified opposite things, namely, worship from falsities of doctrine, which is from man's intelligence; gardens signify intelligence, here man's own intelligence, and altars of brick signify the falsities thence: to sacrifice and burn incense signify worship. That the ancients performed Divine worship in gardens and groves according to the significations of the trees therein, but that this was forbidden the Israelitish nation, lest they should contrive a worship from the proprium, may be seen, n. 2722, 4552.
[20] In Hosea:
"They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under the oak, and the poplar, and the elm, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters commit whoredom, and your daughters-in-law commit adultery" (iv. 13).
By these words is described worship from the love of self and from the love of the world, and thence from falsities of doctrine: worship from the love of self, by sacrificing upon the tops of the mountains; worship from the love of the world, by burning incense upon the hills: and worship from falsities of doctrine, by sacrificing and burning incense under the oak, the poplar, and the elm. The top of the mountains signifies celestial love, here the love of self: hills signify spiritual love, here the love of the world: for the love of self is the opposite of celestial love, and the love of the world is the opposite of spiritual love. The oak, the poplar, and the elm, signify the lowest goods of truth and truths of good of the natural man, here his evils of falsity and falsities of evil. "Because the shadow thereof is good," signifies complacence; the falsifications of spiritual good thence are signified by, "therefore your daughters commit whoredom," and the adulteration of celestial good by, "therefore your daughters-in-law commit adultery."
[21] In Jeremiah:
"The number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and even as the number [of the streets] of Jerusalem have ye set up altars, altars to burn incense unto Baal" (xi. 13, 17).
By cities here are not signified cities, nor by gods, gods, neither by the streets of Jerusalem streets there: but by cities are signified the doctrinals of falsity by gods, the falsities themselves; and by the streets of Jerusalem, the falsities of the doctrine of the church. By setting up altars, altars to burn incense unto Baal, is signified worship from the love of self and from the love of the world (as above). This nation did set up altars, and burn incense to Baal; but because all things of their worship were representative, those things which were done according to the statutes were representative of things celestial and spiritual; therefore those things which were done contrary to the statutes were representative of infernal things: consequently, by the altars set up to [their] gods, and by the incense given to Baal, are signified things opposite.
[22] In the same:
"I will speak judgments with them upon all their wickedness, that they have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, and have bowed themselves down to the works of their own hands" (i. 16).
To burn incense to other gods, and to bow themselves down to the works of their own hands, signify worship from falsities which are from man's own intelligence; other gods denoting falsities, and the works of [their own] hands denoting the things that are from man's own intelligence.
[23] The same is signified by burning incense to gods, in Jeremiah (xi. 12: xliv. 3, 5, 8, 15, 18): also by burning incense to graven images, in Hosea (xi. 2): and by burning incense to vanity, in Jeremiah (xviii. 15). The same also as above by burning incense to Baal, in Jeremiah (vii. 9): and in Hosea (ii. 13); and in like manner by burning incense to Melecheth or the queen of the heavens, in Jeremiah (xliv. 17-19, 21, 25). Melecheth of the heavens signifies falsities in the aggregate.
[24] Further, the burning of incense signifies those things of worship which are perceived as grateful, and incense spiritual good, because all things that were instituted in the Israelitish nation were representative of celestial and spiritual things: for the church with them was not internal, as the church at this day, but external: and externals represented and thence signified the internals of the church, such as were unfolded by the Lord in the Word of the New Testament; hence their church was called a representative church. The externals of this church consisted of such things in the world of nature as corresponded to the affections of good and truth in the spiritual world; hence it was that when those who belonged to that church were in externals as to worship, those who were in the spiritual world or in heaven, were in internals, and conjoined themselves with those who were in externals; in this manner, at that time, heaven made one with the men of the earth.
[25] From these things it is evident why there was a table in the tent of the assembly for the bread, why there was the candlestick with the lamps, and the altar of incense. For the bread represented, and thence signified, the good of love proceeding from the Lord, or celestial good, the candlestick with the lamps represented, and thence signified, spiritual good and truth: and the incense represented, and thence signified, worship; and because all Divine worship that is gratefully perceived is from spiritual good, therefore that good was signified by the incense. In order that what is grateful might be represented, the incense was made from fragrant spices, and this also from correspondence; for fragrant odours correspond to the pleasures and delights that inhere in the thoughts and perceptions from the delight of spiritual love, consequently, the incense corresponded to such things as are gratefully received by the Lord, and as are perceived gratefully by the angels. This grateful quality is entirely from spiritual good, or from the good of charity towards the neighbour; for this good is celestial good, which is the good of love to the Lord in effect, for celestial good, which is the good of love to the Lord, is fixed in effect solely by spiritual good, which is the good of charity towards the neighbour: therefore to be in this good and to exercise it, is to love and worship the Lord. The nature of charity towards the neighbour, and its exercise, may be seen in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, n. 84-107.
[26] Because the oil by which anointings were performed signified celestial good, or the good of love to the Lord, and the incense signified spiritual good, or the good of charity towards the neighbour, and because the latter is from the former (as has been said above), therefore in Exodus (xxx.) the preparation of the anointing oil is first treated of, and the preparation of the incense immediately afterwards; the preparation of the anointing oil from verse 23-33, and the preparation of the incense from verse 34-38. And as incense is here treated of, I will here adduce what is there commanded concerning the preparation of the incense, namely:
"Take unto thee fragrant spices, myrrh, onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices, with pure frankincense, shall be of equal weight. And thou shalt make it a perfume, an unguent the work of the perfumer, salted, pure, holy; and thou shalt beat of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the assembly, where I will meet thee: it shall be unto you the holy of holies. And the perfume which thou makest unto yourselves ye shall not make after the quality thereof; it shall be unto thee holy for Jehovah. The man who shall make like unto that, to make an odour to him, shall be cut off from his people" (Exod. xxx. 34-38).
But what each of these particulars signifies may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia, n. 10,289, 10,310, where they are explained in order. Here this may be said, that the frankincense was the primary, and the other three were added for the gratefulness of their odour: therefore it is said concerning the frankincense, that of each there shall be an equal part, or the same proportion of one as of the other: the same as with the anointing oil, in which the oil of the olive was the primary, and the other things therein signifying (Exod. xxx. 23-33). Hence it is evident why frankincense signifies the same as incense in the compound, namely, spiritual good.
[27] Because the fragrances belonging to odour correspond to spiritual pleasantnesses, or to the pleasantnesses arising from spiritual good, therefore also the most grateful reception by the Lord is called an odour of rest (Exod. xxix. 18, 25, 41; Lev. i. 9, 13, 17; ii. 2, 9, 12: iii. 5: iv. 31: vi. 8, 14: viii. 28; xxiii. 8, 13, 18; Num. xv. 3: xxviii. 6, 8, 13: xxix. 2, 6, 8, 13, 36).
And in Ezekiel:
"By the odour of rest I will be reconciled unto you (xx. 41).
In Moses:
"If ye will not walk in my precepts, but will go contrary to me, I will not smell his odour of your rest" (Lev. xxvi. 31).
And in Hosea:
"His branches shall go, and he shall be as the honour of the olive, and his odour as of Lebanon" (xiv. 6).
This is said concerning Israel; the honour of the olive signifies celestial good, and the odour of Lebanon spiritual good, from its gratefulness (see above, n. 288). (That the olive also signifies that good, see Arcana Coelestia, n. 9277, 10,261: that odour signifies the perceptive faculty of what is grateful according to the quality of love and faith, n. 1514-1519, 3577, 4624-4634, 4748, 5621, 10,292: that an odour of rest signifies the perceptive faculty of peace, n. 925, 10,054: the nature of the perceptive faculty of peace may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell, n. 284-290.)