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.

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

5658. “我们分量足数的银子” 表与各人的状态相称的真理. 这从 “银子” 和 “分量” 的含义清楚可知: “银子” 是指真理 (参看1551, 2954节); “分量” 是指事物在良善方面的状态 (3104节); 因此, “与各人的状态相称的真理” 就是与他们所能接受的良善相称. 圣言的许多地方都提到分量和尺寸; 然而, 就内义而言, 它们不是指分量和尺寸. 相反, 分量表示事物在良善方面的状态, 尺寸表示事物在真理方面的状态. 这同样适用于重量和空间; 自然界的重量对应于灵界的良善, 空间对应于真理. 原因在于, 天堂, 即对应关系的源头既没有重量, 也没有空间, 因为空间在那里并不存在. 诚然, 拥有这些属性的事物似乎存在于灵人中间; 但这些事物是由这些灵人之上的天堂中的良善与真理的状态所产生的表象.

“银子” 表示真理, 这在古时是众所周知的. 因此, 古人将这个世界的几个时代从初至末划分为黄金时代, 白银时代, 青铜时代和黑铁时代; 在此之上, 他们又加了一个泥土时代. 当纯真和完美存在时, 并且当人人都出于良善行良善, 出于公义行公义时, 他们就称这些时代为 “黄金时代”. 当纯真不复存在, 但仍有某种完美, 这种完美不在于出于良善行良善, 而在于出于真理行真理时, 他们就称这些时代为 “白银时代”. 他们给比白银时代更为低劣的时代起名为 “青铜时代” 和 “黑铁时代”.

他们如此命名这些时代不是出于比较, 而是出于对应. 因为古人知道 “银子” 对应于真理, “黄金” 对应于良善; 他们通过与灵人并天使交流而得知这一点. 因为当高层天堂讨论良善时, 该讨论在他们之下那些处于第一层或最低层天堂的天使当中就显为黄金; 当讨论真理时, 该讨论在那里就显为白银. 有时, 不仅他们所住房间的墙壁, 就连里面的空气都因金银而闪闪发光. 在出于良善而处于良善的第一层或最低层天堂天使的家中, 可以看见金桌子, 金灯台和许多其它物件; 而在出于真理而处于真理的天使家中, 则可以看见银制的类似物件. 然而, 如今, 有谁知道古人正是出于它们的对应关系而称这些时代为黄金和白银时代? 事实上, 如今有谁知道关于对应的任何事? 不知道这一切的人, 尤其认为快乐和智慧在于争论这种观念是真是假的人, 无法开始知道属于对应关系的无数方面.