171. 至於天國的事物是如何向天人顯現的, 這不是三言兩語就能說清的。在很大程度上, 它們與人間的事物相似, 只是在形式上要更完全, 也更豐富。

通過眾先知的所見所聞, 我們可推知天國有著和人間相似的事物。例如以西結對新殿和新地的描述(以西結書 40-48), 但以理的描述(但以理書 7-12), 約翰的描述(參啟示錄), 還有歷史書和先知書對種種異象的描述。當他們看到那些事物時, 經上就說天開了。所謂"天開了,"就是人的內在視覺(也就是人的心靈之眼)被打開了。因為天國的事物不能透過人的物質之眼看到, 只能透過心靈之眼觀看。當順主所願時, 人的心靈之眼就被打開。彼時, 我們便被帶出肉體感官所處的物質之光, 提升至靈魂居住的心靈之光。我就是在這樣的光中看到存于天國的事物。

305. Verses 4, 5. And I wept much, that no one was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, weep not; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath overcome to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

4. "And I wept much, that no one was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon," signifies grief of heart on account of the disorder and destruction of all things, if no one could know [scire], cognize [cognoscere], and explore all men, and all things pertaining to men (n. 306).

5. "And one of the elders," signifies a society of heaven superior in wisdom to the rest (n.307); "saith unto me, Weep not," signifies that there need be no grief on that account (n. 308); "behold, the Lion hath overcome," signifies that the Lord from His own power subjugated the hells, and reduced all things in the heavens to order (n. 309); "from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David," signifies by means of Divine good united to Divine truth in His Human (n. 310); "to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof," signifies that He knows and recognizes all and each, and the most secret things of everyone (n. 311).