131. Internal Meaning of Ezekiel, Chapter 8

Profanation of what is holy. (3)

1-2 The Lord is represented in respect to Divine love, (1)

3 and it is shown how the holy of the Word has been profaned, (3, 17)

5-6 namely, that they have separated themselves from the holy of the worship of the church. (3, 17)

7-10 Diabolical loves have perverted the lowest sense of the Word. (3)

11-12 They have instituted a worship in accordance with those loves, (3)

13-14 by adulterating all things of good, (3, 8)

15-16 and adoring the devil in place of the Lord. (3)

17-18 They have closed against themselves the way to all mercy. (3)

'A temple' represents heaven and the church. The sacred place where the ark was, represents the inmost, or third heaven, and the church among people in the inmost principle, called the celestial church. The temple outside the sacred place represents the middle, or second heaven, and the church with people in similar principles, called the internal spiritual church. The inner court represents the outermost or first heaven, also the church with people in outer degrees, called the internal natural church. The outer court represents entrance into heaven.

'Temple,' as in Revelation 15:8, signifies divine truth, or the Word in the natural sense, in light and power from the divine truth in the spiritual sense.

'I saw no temple in it,' as in Revelation 21:22, does not mean that in the new church, which is New Jerusalem, there will be no temple, but that externals will not be separated from internals. This is because 'a temple' signifies the church regarding worship, and in the highest sense, the Lord Himself regarding the divine humanity, who should be worshiped. Because the whole church is from the Lord, it says, 'for the Lord God Omnipotent and the Lamb is the temple thereof,' which signifies the Lord in His divine humanity.

'Temple,' as in Luke 21:5-7, signifies the church at this day, in which there is no truth left remaining, and as a result, is at an end.

'Temple' signifies the higher heavens.

'Temple' signifies the Lord's divine human with respect to divine truth.

'The temple of His body,' as in John 2:21, signifies the divine truth from the divine good.

(références: Apocalypse Explained 630)