because the Ten Commandments are the most basic thing in the
Word. The “angel guardians” meant protection, which is why the Lord
spoke with Moses from between the angel guardians (Exodus 25 : 22 ;
37 : 9 ; Numbers 7 : 89 ). Further, the Lord spoke to Moses in the earthly
meaning because he does not speak with us unless he speaks in a com-
plete way, and divine truth has its complete form in the literal mean-
ing (see §§ 214 – 224 above).
The angel guardianson the curtains and the veil in the tabernacle
(Exodus 26 : 31 ) had a similar meaning. The curtains and the veil in the
tabernacle meant the outermost aspects of heaven and the church;
therefore they meant the outermost aspects of the Word as well (see
§ 220 above).
The same applies to the angel guardianscarved on the walls and
doors of the Temple in Jerusalem ( 1 Kings 6 : 29 , 32 , 35 ); see § 221 above.
Likewise, the angel guardiansin the new temple (Ezekiel 41 : 18 , 19 , 20 ).
[ 3 ] Angel guardians mean the protection that prevents people from
going directly to the Lord, heaven, and the divine truth in the form it
takes inside the Word, and steers them instead to go indirectly through
the [Word’s] outermost level. For this reason we read the following state-
ments about the king of Tyre:
You who seal up your measurement; full of wisdom and perfect in
beauty, you were in the Garden of Eden. Every precious stone was your
covering. You, O angel guardian,were the stretching out of a covering. I
lost you, O protecting angel guardian,in the midst of the stones of fire.
(Ezekiel 28 : 12 , 13 , 14 , 16 )
“Tyre” means the church’s knowledge of goodness and truth. “The
king of Tyre” means the Word where that knowledge exists and origi-
nates. The king clearly means the Word on its outermost level and the
angel guardian means protection, because it says, “You who seal up your
measurement,” “every precious stone is your covering,” “you, O angel
guardian, were the stretching out of a covering,” and “O protecting
angel guardian.” On the precious stones listed in that passage as referring
to aspects of the literal meaning, see §§ 217 , 218 above. Since “angel
guardians” mean the Word at the outermost level and protection as well,
therefore we read the following phrases in David:
Jehovah bowed down the heavens and came down. He rode upon an
angel guardian. (Psalms 18 : 9 , 10 )§260 sacred scripture 327