Jerusalem, on Mount Zion, signifies the doctrine of love to the Lord, and how it governs your life. Jerusalem first comes to our attention in 2 Samuel 5, when King David takes the city from the Jebusites and makes it his capital. In the next chapter he brings the Ark of the Covenant there, and later it is where Solomon builds the temple, and his own palace. From then on Jerusalem is the center of worship of the Israelitish church. It is the place where the Lord was presented in the temple as a baby, where He tarried to talk to the priests at age twelve, where He cleansed the temple, had the last supper, was crucified and then rose. It is a central place in both the old and new Testaments. The city was built on Mount Zion, the highest point of the mountains of Judea. A city, in the Word, represents doctrine, the organized knowledge of the truths of the church. Mountains represent love of the Lord and the consequent worship. If you put those things together, Jerusalem on Mount Zion signifies the doctrine of love to the Lord, and how it governs your life. This is why David was led to make Jerusalem the most important city of the land, and why all worship was conducted there. And this is also why Jeroboam was condemned for introducing idol worship in Samaria. In the Book of Revelation, John's vision of the city New Jerusalem descending from God is a prophecy of a new dispensation of doctrine coming from the Lord.

(Odkazy: Arcana Coelestia 4539, 8938; The Apocalypse Explained 365 [35-38])

7926. “使灾殃临到埃及” 表因此诅咒临到那些属于教会, 却陷入与仁分离之信的人身上. 这从 “灾殃” 的含义清楚可知, “灾殃”, 此处即长子的死, 是指对那些属于教会, 却陷入与仁分离之信之人的诅咒 (参看7766, 7778节. 因为 “埃及” 或 “埃及人” 表示那些拥有关于属教会的那类事物的记忆知识, 却将生活与教义分离, 也就是将仁与信分离的人. 此外, 埃及人就具有这种性质, 因为他们拥有关于属那时教会的事物的一种记忆知识, 这个教会是代表性的. 他们熟悉属灵事物通过属世事物的代表. 那时这些属世事物构成教会的仪式; 因此, 他们熟悉对应关系, 这从他们的象形文字明显看出来, 这些象形文字都是代表属灵事物的属世事物的形像. 这解释了为何 “埃及人” 也表示那些拥有关于信之事物的记忆知识, 却过着一种邪恶生活的人. 在来世, 这种人会在信的一切事物, 或教会的一切事物方面经历荒凉, 最终受到诅咒. 这种诅咒就是在埃及长子的死亡在内义上所表示的.

由于经上说 “耶和华要巡行, 使灾殃临到埃及”, 这句话表示神性的出现, 诅咒因此临到那些属于教会, 却陷入与仁分离之信的人身上, 故必须解释一下这是怎么回事. 耶和华或主不会使自己出现在地狱里的人当中, 以带来诅咒; 然而, 正是祂的出现导致诅咒. 因为地狱不断渴望侵扰善人, 还不断奋力升入天堂, 驱赶那里的人; 不过, 他们的努力无法让他们强行越过那些住在天堂最外面部分的人. 因为他们里面有一个不断散发敌意和暴力的敌对之灵. 但主不断规定, 那些住在天堂最外面部分的人安然无恙, 不受扰乱. 祂通过出现在他们当中而做到这一点, 当属于地狱的人把自己带到主出现的地方, 也就是带到祂面前时, 他们就把自己扔进荒凉的灾祸中, 最终扔进诅咒中; 因为如各处所示, 他们冲到主面前就会产生这种效果. 由此明显可知, 主不使自己出现在他们当中, 给他们带来惩罚的灾祸; 相反, 是他们把自己扔进这些灾祸中. 由此明显可知, 除了良善之外, 没有什么东西来自主, 一切邪恶皆来自那些陷入邪恶的人; 因此, 是恶人自己把自己带入荒凉, 诅咒和地狱中. 这一切表明当如何理解 “耶和华要巡行, 使灾殃临到埃及” 这句话.