1. 前言:新天國與新教會的信仰

首先, 將本書中所講述的真實的基督徒信仰, 也就是新天國和新教會的信仰, 分別以總體和具體的形式概要地說明。作為接下來全書的引言, 或作為進入聖殿的大門, 又或作為詳細內容的概要。此信仰被稱為新天國和新教會的信仰, 因為天人(angel)組成的天國和世人組成的教會, 如同一個人的靈魂與肉體, 內外一致,行動如一。因此, 若教會之人活在良善與真理之中, 對於思想內在而言, 他就是天國的一名天人。在肉身死後, 他便進入天國, 照著良善與真理在他裡面聯合的狀態在那裡安享極樂。當知道, 在主現在正建立的新天國中, 這樣的信仰是新天國的引言,入門和概要。

10535. 'And the people heard this bad news, and mourned' means their grief because they do not occupy a position above others. This is clear from the meaning of 'hearing this bad news and mourning' as grief. The fact that it is grief because they do not occupy a position above others is evident from what has been shown previously regarding that nation. That is to say, it has been shown that they insisted on the Church's being established among themselves. But they insisted on this with no other end in view than that they might occupy a position above all nations throughout the entire world; for they were ruled by self-love more than others were, and could not be raised to a position above those nations unless Jehovah, and therefore also the Church, was with them; for where Jehovah - that is, the Lord - is, so is the Church. That such was their end in view is clear from a large number of places in the Word, and also from the following verse in the present chapter,

Moses said, How will it ever be made known that I have found grace in Your eyes, I and Your people? Will it not be in Your going with us? And I and Your people will be made more distinguished than all the people who are on the face of the earth. Exodus 33:16.

It was not because they were chosen, rather because they were allowed to have the Church established among them; yet the Church did not reside within the actual nation, only that which was representative of the Church did so, see in the places referred to in 10396(end).