Apocalypse Revealed # 898
898. 21:12 It had a great and high wall. This symbolizes the Word in its literal sense from which the doctrine of the New Church comes.
Since the holy city Jerusalem means the Lord's New Church in respect to its doctrine, its wall can only mean the Word in its literal sense, from which its doctrine comes; for the literal sense protects the spiritual meaning that lies within, as a wall protects a city and its inhabitants.
That the literal sense is the foundation, containing vessel, and buttress of the Word's spiritual meaning may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Sacred Scripture, nos. 27-36; and that the literal sense serves as a safeguard to keep the Divine truths within from being injured - truths which constitute the Word's spiritual meaning - may be seen in no. 97 of the same work. Also, that the church's doctrine is to be drawn from the Word's literal sense and verified by it, in nos. 50-61 there.
The wall is said to be great and high because it means the Word in respect to its Divine goodness and Divine truth, for greatness is predicated of goodness, and height of truth, as in no. 896 above.
[2] A wall symbolizes something that protects, and when mentioned in reference to the church, it symbolizes the Word in its literal sense, as it does also in the following places:
I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they shall not keep silent day or night, who make mention of Jehovah... (Isaiah 62:6)
They shall call you the City of Jehovah, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel... And you shall call your walls salvation, and your gates praise. (Isaiah 60:14, 18)
(Jehovah) will be a wall of fire all around her, and... the glory in her midst. (Zechariah 2:5)
Men of Arvad... were on your walls..., and the men of Gammad... hung their shields on your walls all around, and made your beauty perfect. (Ezekiel 27:11)
The last is said of Tyre, which symbolizes the church in respect to its concepts of truth from the Word.
Run about through the streets of Jerusalem, and see... if there is anyone who... seeks the truth... Go up on her walls and cast them down. (Jeremiah 5:1, 10)
Jehovah has purposed to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion... ...He has caused the rampart and wall... to lament, to languish together... The Law and her prophets are no more... (Lamentations 2:8-9)
They will run about in the city, they will run on the wall; they will climb up into the houses, they will enter through the windows... (Joel 2:9)
These passages refer to falsifications of truth.
Day and night (the impious) go around (in the city) on its walls... Destructions are in their midst. (Psalms 55:10-11)
And so on elsewhere, as in Isaiah 22:5; 56:5; Jeremiah 1:15; Ezekiel 27:11; Lamentations 2:7.
That a wall symbolizes the Word in its literal sense is clearly apparent from the following verses in the present chapter, which describe at some length the wall of the city and its gates, foundations and dimensions. That is because the doctrine of the New Church, which the city symbolizes, comes only from the Word's literal sense.
耶利米书 25
1
犹大王约西亚的儿子约雅敬第四年,就是巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒的元年,耶和华论犹大众民的话临到耶利米。
3
从犹大王亚们的儿子约西亚十三年直到今日,这二十三年之内,常有耶和华的话临到我;我也对你们传说,就是从早起来传说,只是你们没有听从。
4
耶和华也从早起来,差遣他的仆人众先知到你们这里来(只是你们没有听从,也没有侧耳而听),
5
说:你们各人当回头,离开恶道和所作的恶,便可居住耶和华古时所赐给你们和你们列祖之地,直到永远。
6
不可随从别神事奉敬拜,以你们手所作的惹我发怒;这样,我就不加害与你们。
7
然而你们没有听从我,竟以手所做的惹我发怒,陷害自己。这是耶和华说的。
9
我必召北方的众族和我仆人巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒来攻击这地和这地的居民,并四围一切的国民。我要将他们尽行灭绝,以致他们令人惊骇、嗤笑,并且永久荒凉。这是耶和华说的。
10
我又要使欢喜和快乐的声音,新郎和新妇的声音,推磨的声音和灯的亮光,从他们中间止息。
11
这全地必然荒凉,令人惊骇。这些国民要服事巴比伦王七十年。
12
七十年满了以後,我必刑罚巴比伦王和那国民,并迦勒底人之地,因他们的罪孽使那地永远荒凉。这是耶和华说的。
13
我也必使我向那地所说的话,就是记在这书上的话,是耶利米向这些国民说的预言,都临到那地。
14
因为有多国和大君王必使迦勒底人作奴仆;我也必照他们的行为,按他们手所做的报应他们。
15
耶和华─以色列的神对我如此说:你从我手中接这杯忿怒的酒,使我所差遣你去的各国的民喝。
16
他们喝了就要东倒西歪,并要发狂,因我使刀剑临到他们中间。
17
我就从耶和华的手中接了这杯,给耶和华所差遣我去的各国的民喝,
18
就是耶路撒冷和犹大的城邑,并耶路撒冷的君王与首领,使这城邑荒凉,令人惊骇、嗤笑、咒诅,正如今日一样。
20
并杂族的人民和乌斯地的诸王,与非利士地的诸王(亚实基伦、迦萨、以革伦,以及亚实突剩下的人);
23
底但、提玛、布斯,和一切剃周围头发的;
26
北方远近的诸王,以及天下地上的万国喝了,以後示沙克(就是巴比伦)王也要喝。
27
你要对他们说:万军之耶和华─以色列的神如此说:你们要喝,且要喝醉,要呕吐,且要跌倒,不得再起来,都因我使刀剑临到你们中间。
28
他们若不肯从你手接这杯喝,你就要对他们说:万军之耶和华如此说:你们一定要喝!
29
我既从称为我名下的城起首施行灾祸,你们能尽免刑罚麽?你们必不能免,因为我要命刀剑临到地上一切的居民。这是万军之耶和华说的。
30
所以你要向他们预言这一切的话,攻击他们,说:耶和华必从高天吼叫,从圣所发声,向自己的羊群大声吼叫;他要向地上一切的居民呐喊,像踹葡萄的一样。
31
必有响声达到地极,因为耶和华与列国相争;凡有血气的,他必审问;至於恶人,他必交给刀剑。这是耶和华说的。
32
万军之耶和华如此说:看哪,必有灾祸从这国发到那国,并有大暴风从地极刮起。
33
到那日,从地这边直到地那边都有耶和华所杀戮的。必无人哀哭,不得收殓,不得葬埋,必在地上成为粪土。
34
牧人哪,你们当哀号,呼喊;群众的头目啊,你们要滚在灰中;因为你们被杀戮分散的日子足足来到。你们要跌碎,好像美器打碎一样。