Apocalypse Revealed # 903
903. And on them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. This symbolizes all of the doctrines from the Word regarding the Lord and living in accordance with His commandments.
The foundations had the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb written on them because the twelve apostles symbolize the Lord's church and everything connected with it (nos. 79, 233, 790), in this case the church in respect to all of its doctrines, because their names were written on the twelve foundations, which symbolize all of the doctrines of the New Jerusalem (no. 902). The twelve names symbolize its whole character, and its whole character has to do with two elements in the doctrine and so in that church: the Lord and living in accordance with His commandments. Therefore these are what are symbolized.
All of the doctrines of the New Jerusalem relate to these two elements, because they are its universal tenets on which all of its particular ones depend, and they are the essential elements from which all of its outward expressions originate. Therefore they are, as it were, the soul and life in all of its doctrines.
They are, indeed, two elements, but one cannot be divorced from the other. For to divorce them would be like divorcing the Lord from mankind, or mankind from the Lord, and in that case there would be no church.
These two elements are joined together like the two tables of the Ten Commandments, one of which contains commandments having to do with the Lord, and the other commandments having to do with people. There they are called a covenant, and a covenant symbolizes conjunction.
Think what the case would be with the tables of the Ten Commandments if only the first were to remain and the second were to be snatched away. Or if the second were to remain and the first were to be snatched away. Would it not be as though God did not see mankind, or as though mankind did not see God? Or as though one abandoned the other?
We say this to make it known that everything connected with the doctrine of the New Jerusalem relates to love toward the Lord and love for the neighbor. To love the Lord is to have faith in the Lord and obey His commandments, and to obey His commandments is to love the neighbor, since to obey the Lord's commandments is to be of useful service to the neighbor. People who love the Lord are those who obey His commandments, as the Lord Himself teaches in John 14:21-24. And love toward the Lord and love for the neighbor are the two commandments on which hang the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 22:37-40). The Law and the Prophets mean the Word in its entirety.
Revelation 20
1
I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand.
2
He seized the dragon, the old serpent, which is the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole inhabited earth, and bound him for a thousand years,
3
and cast him into the abyss, and shut it, and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years were finished. After this, he must be freed for a short time.
4
I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God, and such as didn't worship the beast nor his image, and didn't receive the mark on their forehead and on their hand. They lived, and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
5
The rest of the dead didn't live until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6
Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over these, the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with him one thousand years.
7
And after the thousand years, Satan will be released from his prison,
8
and he will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to the war; the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
9
They went up over the breadth of the earth, and surrounded the camp of the saints, and the beloved city. Fire came down out of heaven from God, and devoured them.
10
The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are also. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
11
I saw a great white throne, and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. There was found no place for them.
12
I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13
The sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them. They were judged, each one according to his works.
14
Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
15
If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.
