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Joel 3

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1 Sillä katso, niinä päivinä ja sillä ajalla, kuin minä Juudan ja Jerusalemin vankiuden palautan,

2 Tahdon minä koota kaikki pakanat, ja viedä heitä alas Josaphatin laaksoon; ja tahdon siellä heidän kanssansa riidellä, minun kansani ja minun perimiseni Israelin tähden, jonka he pakanain sekaan hajoittivat, ja jakoivat minun maani itsellensä,

3 Ja ovat minun kansastani arpaa heittäneet; ja ovat pojan porton edestä antaneet, ja piian myyneet viinan edestä, ja sen juoneet.

4 Mitä myös minun on teidän kanssanne, te Tyrosta ja Zidonista, ja te kaikki Philistealaisten rajat? vai tahdotteko te minulle kaiketi kostaa? Jos te minulle tahdotte kostaa, niin minä tahdon sen äkisti ja pian kostaa teidän päänne päälle.

5 Sillä te olette minun hopiani ja kultani ottaneet, ja minun kauniit kappaleeni teidän kirkkoihinne vieneet;

6 Ja myyneet Juudan ja Jerusalemin lapset Grekiläisille, heitä kauvas heidän rajoistansa saattaaksenne.

7 Katso, minä tahdon heidät sieltä herättää, johonka te heidät myyneet olette; ja tahdon sen kostaa teidän päänne päälle;

8 Ja tahdon myydä jälleen teidän poikanne ja tyttärenne Juudan lasten kautta; ne pitää heidät rikkaasen Arabiaan, kaukaisen maan kansalle myymän; sillä Herra on sen puhunut.

9 Julistakaat näitä pakanain seassa, pyhittäkäät sota, herättäkäät väkevät, käyköön edes, ja menköön ylös kaikki sotaväki.

10 Tehkäät vannanne miekoiksi ja viikahteenne keihäiksi. Ja joka heikko on, se sanokaan: minä olen väkevä.

11 Kootkaat teitänne, ja tulkaat tänne kaikki pakanat ympäristöltä, ja kootkaat teitänne; anna, Herra, sinun väkevät sinne astua alas.

12 Nouskaat pakanat ja menkäät ylös Josaphatin laaksoon; sillä minä tahdon siellä istua, ja tuomita kaikki pakanat ympäristöltä.

13 Sivaltakaat viikahteella, sillä elo on kypsä; tulkaat ja astukaat alas; sillä kuurnat ovat täydet, ja kuurna-astiat kuohuvat; sillä heidän pahuutensa on suuri.

14 Paljo kansaa pitää oleman ympärillä joka paikassa Tuomiolaaksossa; sillä Herran päivä on läsnä Tuomiolaaksossa.

15 Aurinko ja kuu pimenevät, ja tähdet peittävät valkeutensa.

16 Ja Herra on Zionista kiljuva, ja antaa kuulla äänensä Jerusalemista, että taivaan ja maan pitää vapiseman. Mutta Herra on kansansa turva, ja linna Israelin lapsille.

17 Ja teidän pitää tietämän, että minä Herra teidän Jumalanne asun Zionissa minun pyhällä vuorellani; silloin on Jerusalem pyhäksi tuleva, ja ei pidä muukalaisen käymän enään sen lävitse.

18 Sillä ajalla pitää vuoret makiaa viinaa tiukkuman, ja kukkulat rieskaa vuotaman, ja kaikki Juudan ojat pitää vettä täynnä oleman; ja lähde pitää Herran huoneessa käymän, ja Sittimin ojaan juokseman.

19 Vaan Egyptin pitää autioksi tuleman, ja Edom synkiäksi erämaaksi; sen vääryyden tähden, mikä Juudan lapsille tehty on, että he viattoman veren heidän maassansa vuodattaneet ovat.

20 Mutta Juudassa pitää ijankaikkisesti asuttaman, ja Jerusalemissa ijankaikkiseen aikaan.

21 Ja minä tahdon puhdistaa heidän verensä, jota en minä ennen ole puhdistanut; ja Herra on asuva Zionissa.

   

SWORD version by Tero Favorin (tero at favorin dot com)

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Apocalypse Revealed # 612

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612. REVELATION: CHAPTER 14

1. Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father's name written on their foreheads.

2. And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps.

3. They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and before the elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth.

4. These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.

5. And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.

6. Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth - to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people -

7. saying with a loud voice, "Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water."

8. And another angel followed, saying, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her licentiousness."

9. Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and its image, and receives its mark on his forehead or on his hand,

10. he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed with pure wine in the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.

11. And the smoke of their torment will ascend forever and ever; and they will have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name."

12. Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus (Christ.)

13. Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Write: 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.' " "Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, for their works follow them."

14. Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle.

15. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the hour has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth has dried."

16. So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.

17. Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.

18. And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, "Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are ripe."

19. So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vintage of the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

20. And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses' bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.

THE SPIRITUAL MEANING

The Contents of the Whole Chapter

The New Christian Heaven, described in verses 1-5. The gospel concerning the Lord's advent preached, and a new church then, verses 6, 7, 13. An exhortation for people to forsake the faith divorced from charity that grips today's church, verses 9-12. An examination and exposure of those people, revealing that their works are evil, verses 14-20.

The Contents of the Individual Verses:

Verse ContentsSpiritual Meaning
1. Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand,The Lord now present in a new heaven formed of Christians who acknowledged Him as God of heaven and earth, and had doctrinal truths received from Him through the Word.
having His Father's name written on their foreheads.The acknowledgment among them of the Lord's Divinity and of His Divine humanity.
2. And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters,The Lord speaking through the new heaven with Divine truths,
and like the voice of loud thunder.and out of Divine love.
And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps.A confession of the Lord from a glad heart by spiritual angels in the lower heavens.
3. They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and before the elders;A celebration and glorification of the Lord in His presence and in the presence of the angels of the higher heavens.
and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousandNo other Christians could understand and so acknowledge out of love and faith that the Lord alone is God of heaven and earth but those received by the Lord into this new heaven.
who were redeemed from the earth.They are people who could be regenerated by the Lord and so be redeemed in the world.
4. These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins.They did not adulterate the church's truths or defile them with the falsities of their faith, but loved the truths because they are true.
These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes.They are conjoined with the Lord through love and through faith in Him, because they lived in accordance with His commandments.
These were redeemed from among men,The same here as before [verse 3] .
being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.The commencement of a Christian heaven that acknowledges one God in whom is the Trinity, and acknowledges that the Lord is that God.
5. And in their mouth was found no deceit,They do not speak with cunning or with a purpose to persuade people of falsity and evil,
for they are without blemish before the throne of God.because they are governed by truths springing from goodness from the Lord.
6. Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earthAn announcement of the Lord's advent, and of a new church to descend from Him out of heaven,
- to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people -to all people who, owing to religion, are prompted by goods, and owing to doctrine are guided by truths.
7. saying with a loud voice, "Fear GodAn admonition not to do evil, because it is to act against the Lord.
and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come;An acknowledgment and confession that all the Word's truth comes from the Lord, and that everyone will be judged in accordance with it,
and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water."and that the Lord alone is to be worshiped, because He alone is the Creator, Savior, and Redeemer, and because the angelic heaven and the church and everything in them originate from Him alone.
8. And another angel followed, saying, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city,The Roman Catholic religion has now been dispelled with respect to its dogmas and doctrines,
because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her licentiousness."because by profanations of the Word and adulterations of the church's goodness and truth, it has led astray all the people it was able to bring under its dominion.
9. Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice,Still more from the Lord concerning people caught up in faith divorced from charity.
"If anyone worships the beast and its image, and receives its mark on his forehead or on his hand,People who acknowledge and accept the doctrine of justification and salvation by faith alone, affirm it, and live in accordance with it,
10. he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed with pure wine in the cup of His indignation.falsify the Word's goods and truths and steep themselves in a life in accordance with their falsification of them.
He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11. And the smoke of their torment will ascend forever and ever;Their love of self and the world and the ensuing lusts, and stemming from these a conceit in their own intelligence, and torment in hell because of them.
and they will have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name."The continuing state of vexations in people who acknowledge and accept that faith, affirm it, and live in accordance with it.
12. Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.By temptations or trials induced by vexations, a person belonging to the Lord's church is explored as to his character in respect to his life in accordance with the Word's commandments and to his faith in the Lord.
13. Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Write: 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.'�"A prediction by the Lord concerning the state of people after death who will belong to His New Church, that they will have eternal life and happiness.
"Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors,The Word's Divine truth teaches that people who afflict their soul therefore and crucify their flesh will have peace in the Lord,
for their works follow them."according as they have loved and believed and so have done and spoken.
14. Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man,The Lord in relation to the Word.
having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle.The Divine wisdom emanating from His Divine love, and the Divine truth in the Word.
15. And another angel came out of the temple,The angelic heaven.
crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the hour has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth has dried."A supplication by angels in heaven to the Lord to bring things to an end and execute judgment, because the church had now reached its last state.
16. So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.The end of the church, because it no longer had any Divine truth in it.
17. Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.The heavens of the Lord's spiritual kingdom, and the Word's Divine truth in them.
18. And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire,The heavens of the Lord's celestial kingdom, which are prompted by the goodness of love received from the Lord.
and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, "Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes of the vine of the earth,The Lord's operation from the goodness of His love through the Word's Divine truth into the works of charity and faith among people belonging to the Christian Church,
for her grapes are ripe."because the Christian Church has reached its last state.
19. So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vintage of the vine of the earth,The end of the present Christian Church.
and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.An examination of the character of the people's works, revealing that their works were evil.
20. And the winepress was trampled outside the city,The examination was made in accordance with Divine truths in the Word, to discover the character of the works that flowed from their church's doctrine regarding faith.
and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses' bridles,The violence done to the Word by their dreadful falsifications of truth, and the consequent understanding of it so closed up that it was scarcely possible for anyone any longer to be taught by it, and so to be led by the Lord through Divine truths,
for one thousand six hundred furlongs.being nothing but the falsities accompanying evil.

THE EXPOSITION

14:1 Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand. This symbolizes the Lord now present in a new heaven composed of people in the Christian churches who acknowledged the Lord alone as God of heaven and earth, and had doctrinal truths springing from the goodness of love received from Him through the Word.

This and the rest of what is said in this chapter is symbolically meant by "I saw." The Lamb means the Lord in respect to His Divine humanity (no. 269). Mount Zion symbolizes a heaven where the inhabitants are people impelled by love toward the Lord, as described below. One hundred and forty-four thousand symbolizes all those people who acknowledge the Lord alone as God of heaven and earth and have doctrinal truths springing from the goodness of love received from Him through the Word (nos. 348ff.).

We described these people in chapter 7, but there we were told that they were sealed on their foreheads, being thus distinguished and separated from the rest. Here we are now told that they were gathered together and a new heaven formed of them.

[2] The heaven that is the subject here is a heaven composed of Christians from the time the Lord was in the world, and formed of those who approached the Lord alone and lived in accordance with His commandments in the Word by shunning evils as sins against God.

This heaven is the new heaven from which the holy Jerusalem, or New Church, will descend on earth (Revelation 21:1-2). The heavens that existed before the Lord's advent are above it and are called the ancient heavens. The people in them also all acknowledge the Lord alone as God of heaven and earth. Those heavens communicate with this new heaven through influx.

[3] People know that the land of Canaan symbolizes the church, because the Word existed there, and by it the Lord was known. Moreover, in the middle of it was the city of Zion, and below it the city of Jerusalem, both situated on the mountain. Zion and Jerusalem symbolized, therefore, the innermost elements of the church. And because the church in the heavens goes hand in hand with the church on earth, therefore the church in both places is meant by Zion and Jerusalem - Zion meaning the church as to love, and Jerusalem the church as to its accompanying doctrine.

The mountain is called Zion, because a mountain symbolizes love (no. 336).

[4] That Mount Zion symbolizes heaven and the church where the Lord is worshiped can be seen from the following passages:

I have anointed My King on... Zion. I will declare the decree: ..."You are My Son, today I have begotten You. ...I will give You the nations for Your inheritance...." ...Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish... Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him. (Psalms 2:6-8, 12).

Get up into the high mountain, O Zion, you who bring good tidings... Say..., "Behold, the Lord Jehovih is coming with might...." (Isaiah 40:9-10)

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! ...Behold, your King is coming to you, just and having salvation... (Zechariah 9:9, cf. Matthew 21:2, 4-5)

Cry out and exult, O inhabitant of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst! (Isaiah 12:6)

The redeemed of Jehovah shall return... to Zion with singing... (Isaiah 35:10)

Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! ...behold, I am coming to dwell in your midst... (Zechariah 2:10-11)

Who shall give in Zion the salvation of Israel? (Psalms 14:7; 53:6)

(The Lord Jehovih will) lay in Zion a testing stone... And (then) your covenant with death will be annulled... (Isaiah 28:16-18)

My salvation shall not linger. I will give salvation in Zion... (Isaiah 46:13)

He will come to Zion, a Redeemer... (Isaiah 59:20)

...Jehovah Zebaoth will reign on Mount Zion... (Isaiah 24:23)

Jehovah loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things shall be proclaimed in you, O city of God! ..."This one was born there." ..."All my springs are in you." (Psalms 87:2-3, 6-7)

...Jehovah has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His dwelling place. "This is My resting place forever; there I will dwell...." (Psalms 132:13-14)

Let the children of Zion exult in their King. (Psalms 149:2-3)

(Arise, O Jehovah) and have mercy on Zion; ...the set time has come... (Declared shall be) the name of Jehovah in Zion..., when the peoples are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve Jehovah. (Psalms 102:13-16, 22-23)

Out of Zion... God will shine forth. Our God shall come, and... He shall call to heaven above, and to the earth...: "Gather My saints together to Me...." (Psalms 50:2-5)

And so on elsewhere, as Isaiah 1:27; 4:3-5; 31:4, 9; 33:5, 20; 37:22; 52:1; 64:10; Jeremiah 6:2; Lamentations 4:2; Amos 1:2; Micah 3:10, 12; 4:1-3, 7-8.

Many passages mention the daughter, or virgin, of Zion, which does not mean some daughter or virgin there, but the church in respect to its affection for goodness and truth, like the bride of the Lamb (Revelation 21:2, 9; 22:17).

The daughter, or virgin, of Zion symbolizes the Lord's church in the following places: Isaiah 1:8; 3:16-26; 4:4; 10:32; 16:1; 37:22; 52:2; 62:11; Psalms 9:14; and elsewhere.

  
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Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.

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Apocalypse Revealed # 876

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876. REVELATION: CHAPTER 21

1. Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. And there was no more sea.

2. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3. And I heard a great voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. And He Himself will be with them their God.

4. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more toil (suffering), for the former things have passed away."

5. Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful."

6. And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who thirsts I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely.

7. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.

8. But the fearful, faithless, and abominable, and murderers, the sexually licentious, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."

9. Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife."

10. And he carried me away in the spirit onto a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

11. having the glory of God; and its light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, bright as crystal.

12. It had a great and high wall, and twelve gates, and over the gates twelve angels, with names written on them, which are those of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:

13. three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west.

14. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

15. And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.

16. The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed at twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height were equal.

17. Then he measured its wall, a hundred and forty-four cubits, the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.

18. The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass.

19. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald,

20. the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.

21. The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

22. But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.

23. The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it, and the Lamb is its lamp.

24. And the nations that are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honor into it.

25. Its gates shall not be shut by day, for there shall be no night there.

26. And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it.

27. But there shall not enter it anything unclean, or that creates an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.

THE SPIRITUAL MEANING

The Contents of the Whole Chapter

This chapter has as its subject the state of heaven and the church following the Last Judgment, that through the New Heaven, a New Church will afterward emerge on earth which will worship the Lord alone (verses 1-8). Its conjunction with the Lord (verses 9, 10). A description of it as regards its intelligence gained from the Word (verse 11); as regards its consequent doctrine (verses 12-21); and as regards its whole character (verses 22-26).

The Contents of the Individual Verses:

Verse ContentsSpiritual Meaning
1. Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth,The Lord formed a new heaven out of Christians, which today is called the Christian heaven and is inhabited by people who worshiped the Lord and lived in accordance with His commandments in the Word, who consequently possess charity and faith. Found there also are all the little children of Christians.
for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.The heavens formed, not by the Lord, but by the people themselves who came into the spiritual world from the Christian world, all of which were dispersed at the time of the Last Judgment.
And there was no more sea.The outer part of the heaven composed of Christians since the church was first established was likewise dispersed, after those who were written in the Lord's Book of Life were liberated from there and saved.
2. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven,The New Church to be established by the Lord at the end of the previous one, which will be affiliated with the New Heaven and possess Divine truths in its doctrine and in its life.
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.This church conjoined with the Lord through the Word.
3. And I heard a great voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men,The Lord speaking out of love and proclaiming that He will now be present with people in His Divine humanity.
and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. And He Himself will be with them their God.Their conjunction with the Lord, which is of such a nature that the people are in Him and He in them.
4. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more toil, for the former things have passed away."The Lord will take away from them all grief of mind, all fear of damnation, all fear of evils and falsities from hell, and of temptations or trials on account of them, and they will remember them no more, because the dragon that inflicted them has been cast out.
5. Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful."The Lord assuring them all as regards the New Heaven and the New Church after the Last Judgment was completed,
6. And He said to me, "It is done!that it is the Divine truth;
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.that the Lord is God of heaven and earth, and that He formed everything in the heavens and on earth, and governs all things by His Divine providence and directs them in accordance with it.
To him who thirsts I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely.To those who desire truths for some useful spiritual purpose, the Lord will give of Himself through the Word everything conducive to that useful purpose.
7. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.People who overcome the evils, that is, the Devil, in themselves, and do not succumb when tempted by adherents of Babylon or followers of the dragon, shall enter into heaven and dwell there in the Lord and have the Lord in them.
8. But the fearful, faithless, and abominable,People who have no faith and no charity, and are consequently caught up in evils of every kind, and murderers, the sexually licentious, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars and all those who have no regard for the Ten Commandments, and do not refrain from any of the evils named there as sins, and therefore live caught up in them shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, for them hell awaits where their loves of falsities and lusts for evil reside.
which is the second death."Damnation.
9. Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife."An influx and revelation from the Lord from the inmost of heaven regarding the New Church, which will be conjoined with the Lord through the Word.
10. And he carried me away in the spirit onto a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,John transported into the third heaven and his sight opened there, and the Lord's New Church in respect to its doctrine presented to him in the form of a city.
11. having the glory of God; and its light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, bright as crystal.In that church the Word will be understood, because its spiritual sense will come shining through.
12. It had a great and high wall,The Word in its literal sense from which the doctrine of the New Church comes.
and twelve gates,All the concepts of truth and goodness by which a person is introduced into the church.
and over the gates twelve angels, with names written on them, which are those of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:The Divine truths and goods of heaven in those concepts, which are also the Divine truths and goods of the church, and safeguards to keep someone from entering into them unless he does so from the Lord.
13. three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west.Concepts of truth and goodness which have in them spiritual life from the Lord out of heaven and introduce into the New Church are provided for people who possess more or less love or affection for goodness, and for people who possess more or less wisdom or affection for truth.
14. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations,The Word in its literal sense contains all of the doctrines of the New Church.
and on them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.All of the doctrines from the Word regarding the Lord and living in accordance with His commandments.
15. And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.To people who possess the goodness of love, the Lord grants a faculty for understanding and knowing the nature of the Lord's New Church as regards its doctrine and its introductory truths, and as regards the Word from which they are drawn.
16. The city is laid out as a square;Justice in that church.
its length is as great as its breadth.Goodness and truth in that church are united, like essence and form.
And he measured the city with the reed at twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height were equal.John shown the character of that church arising from its doctrine, that every part of it arose from the goodness of love.
17. Then he measured its wall, a hundred and forty-four cubits,John shown the nature of the Word in that church, that from it come all of its truths and goods.
the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.The character of that church, as being united with heaven.
18. The construction of its wall was of jasper;With people of that church the Divine truth in the spiritual sense shines through every Divine truth in the literal sense.
and the city was pure gold, like clear glass.Therefore everything connected with that church embodies the goodness of love flowing in together with light out of heaven from the Lord.
19. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones:All of the doctrines of the New Jerusalem taken from the Word's literal sense will, among the people in that church, be seen in a state of light, in accordance with their reception of it.
the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20. the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.All of the doctrines of that church from the Word's literal sense in their order, with those who turn directly to the Lord and live in accordance with the Ten Commandments by refraining from evils as being sins; for they and no others possess a doctrine of love toward God and love for the neighbor, which are the two foundations of religion.
21. The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each gate was of one pearl.An acknowledgment and concept of the Lord join all the concepts of truth and goodness in the Word into one and introduce into the church.
And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.Every truth of that church and its doctrine embodies the goodness of love flowing in together with light from the Lord out of heaven.
22. But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.That church will have no external element divorced from an internal one, because it turns to the Lord Himself in His Divine humanity, from whom comes everything connected with the church, and worships and adores Him alone.
23. The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it, and the Lamb is its lamp.People of that church will not be caught up in self-love and their own intelligence and so possess a natural sight only, but from the Word's Divine truth will possess a spiritual light from the Lord alone.
24. And the nations that are saved shall walk in its light, All those people who live a good life and believe in the Lord will live in that church in accordance with Divine truths and will see those truths inwardly in themselves as the eye sees its objects.
and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honor into it.All those people who possess truths of wisdom springing from spiritual goodness will in that church confess the Lord and attribute to Him all the truth and all the goodness that they possess.
25. Its gates shall not be shut by day, for there shall be no night there.

The New Jerusalem continually receives into it people who possess truths that spring from the goodness of love from the Lord, because it has no falsity in its faith.
26. And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it.Those who enter the New Jerusalem will bring with them a confession, acknowledgment and faith that the Lord is God of heaven and earth, and that every truth of the church and every good of religion comes from Him.
27. But there shall not enter it anything unclean, or that creates an abomination or a lie,No one is received into the Lord's New Church who adulterates the goods in the Word and falsifies its truths, and who does evils deliberately and so also devises falsities.
but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.The only people received into the New Church, or New Jerusalem, are those who believe in the Lord and live in accordance with His commandments in the Word.

THE EXPOSITION

21:1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth. This symbolically means that the Lord formed a new heaven out of Christians, which today is called the Christian heaven and is inhabited by people who worshiped the Lord and lived in accordance with His commandments in the Word, who consequently possess charity and faith. Found in that heaven also are all the little children of Christians.

The new heaven and new earth do not mean the natural heavens that are visible to our eyes or the natural earth inhabited by the human race. Rather they mean a spiritual heaven and the land of that heaven where angels dwell. That that heaven and the land of that heaven are meant is something everyone sees and acknowledges if only he can be drawn away from a purely natural and material idea when he reads the Word.

It is apparent that an angelic heaven is meant because we are told in the very next verse that John saw the holy city Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. This does not mean some Jerusalem coming down, but the church, and the church on earth descends from the Lord out of the angelic heaven, since angels in heaven and people on earth are united in everything having to do with the church (no. 626).

It can be seen from this how naturally and materially some people have thought and continue to think who, from these words and those that follow in this verse, have fabricated for themselves the dogma regarding the destruction of the world and everything's being created anew.

[2] This new heaven was the subject several times before in the book of Revelation, especially in chapters 14, 15. It is called the Christian heaven, because it is apart from the ancient heavens which were constituted of people of the church before the Lord's advent. These ancient heavens are above the Christian heaven, for the heavens are like expanses, one above another. The same is the case with each of the heavens, for every heaven is in itself distinguished into three heavens - an inmost or third heaven, an intermediate or second heaven, and a lowest or first heaven. So with this new heaven. I have seen its inhabitants and spoken with them.

This new Christian heaven is inhabited by all those people who from the first establishment of the Christian Church have worshiped the Lord and lived in accordance with His commandments in the Word, and who consequently possess both charity and faith from the Lord through the Word, thus whose faith is not a lifeless one but a living one.

Regarding this heaven, see various mentions above, in nos. 612, 613, 626, 631, 659, 661, 845, 846, 856.

Found in that heaven likewise are all the little children of Christians, because they are brought up by angels in the two essential elements of the church, namely an acknowledgment of the Lord as God of heaven and earth, and living in accordance with the Ten Commandments.

  
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Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.

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