12. (v) This is why revelations have been made for the New Church after, and not before, the Last Judgment. After the Last Judgment brought about the restoration of communication, people have been able to be enlightened and reformed. This means that they have been able to understand the Divine truth of the Word, accept what they have understood and retain what they have accepted, because the intervening obstacles have been taken away. John therefore, after the former heaven and the former earth passed away, says that he had seen a new heaven and a new earth, and then the holy city of Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, made ready like a bride adorned for her husband. And he heard the One who sat on the throne saying, 'Look, I am making everything new' (Revelation 21:1-2, 5). Jerusalem means the church; see in THE TEACHING ABOUT THE LORD 62-64 and on its new doctrines (THE TEACHING ABOUT THE LORD 65).