5. Verse 1. The revelation of Jesus Christ, signifies predictions from the Lord respecting the last times of the church. This is evident from the signification of "revelation," as being predictions; and since these are from the Lord alone, it is said, "the revelation of Jesus Christ." The revelation, or predictions, are respecting the last times of the church, since those times are especially treated of. It may be supposed that in Revelation the successive states of the church from beginning to end are treated of; these, however, are not there treated of, but only the state of heaven and of the church near the end, when the Last Judgment takes place, thus the last times. The successive states of the church were foretold by the Lord Himself in Matthew 24, Matthew 25; and also in Mark 13; yet what is there given is written in the Divine prophetic style, that is, by means of correspondences; consequently it is of such a character that it can only be revealed and made evident by the internal or spiritual sense. (It has therefore been granted me from the Lord to unfold these things in the Arcana Coelestia, at the beginning of chapters Genesis 26 to Genesis 40 of Genesis; which explanations may be seen in their order, in the following places: n. Arcana Coelestia 3353-3356, 3486-3489, 3650-3655, 3751-3757, 3897-3901, 4056-4060, 4229-4231, 4332-4335, 4422-4424, 4635-4638, 4661-4664, 4807-4810, 4954-4959, 5063-5071)

4423. 几乎没有人知道当一个教会被抛弃, 一个新教会被采用时是何情形. 人若不知道人的内层及其状态, 因而不知道人死后的状态, 必断定, 那些属于旧教会, 良善与真理在里面已经被毁, 也就是不再被发自内心承认的人要么如被洪水灭亡的大洪前之人, 要么如从他们的本地被逐出的犹太人那样, 或以某种其它方式而行将灭亡. 在这种情况下, 天堂, 因而主会远离它们, 并转到其他人那里, 这些人会被吸纳以取代它们. 因为若地上某个地方没有一个教会, 天堂与人类的联系就不存在; 事实上, 教会就像大人在地上的心与肺 (参看468, 637, 931, 2054, 2853节).

那些此时属于旧教会, 因而远离天堂之人的内层就陷入一种洪水当中; 事实上, 这洪水漫过头顶. 活在肉身期间, 人对这洪水一无所知, 但死后却进入其中. 在来世, 这洪水清晰可见, 甚至就像笼罩他们, 并将其与天堂隔离的乌云. 在这乌云中的人, 其状态是这样: 他们绝无可能明白何为信之真理, 更不可能明白何为信之良善. 因为含有聪明和智慧在里面的天堂之光无法穿透这云层. 这就是教会被毁后的状态.