1. 前言:新天國與新教會的信仰

首先, 將本書中所講述的真實的基督徒信仰, 也就是新天國和新教會的信仰, 分別以總體和具體的形式概要地說明。作為接下來全書的引言, 或作為進入聖殿的大門, 又或作為詳細內容的概要。此信仰被稱為新天國和新教會的信仰, 因為天人(angel)組成的天國和世人組成的教會, 如同一個人的靈魂與肉體, 內外一致,行動如一。因此, 若教會之人活在良善與真理之中, 對於思想內在而言, 他就是天國的一名天人。在肉身死後, 他便進入天國, 照著良善與真理在他裡面聯合的狀態在那裡安享極樂。當知道, 在主現在正建立的新天國中, 這樣的信仰是新天國的引言,入門和概要。

685. And he shall reign unto the ages of the ages, signifies His dominion by means of Divine truth to eternity. This is evident from the signification of "to reign," as being in reference to the Lord to have dominion by means of Divine truth (of which presently); also from the signification of "unto the ages of the ages," as being to eternity. "Unto the ages of the ages" means to eternity because the sense of the letter of the Word is natural, and to it the spiritual sense corresponds. The natural sense of the Word consists of such things as are in nature, which in general have reference to times and spaces and to places and persons, and "the ages of the ages" belong to times to which eternity corresponds in the spiritual sense. It is similar with "generation of generations," where the propagation of faith and charity in the church is treated of.

[2] "To reign" signifies in reference to the Lord to have dominion by means of Divine truth, because dominion is predicated of good, and to reign of truth, for the Lord is called "Lord" [Dominus] from Divine good, and "king" from Divine truth. This is why here and there in the Word, both terms, dominion and kingdom, or to have dominion and to reign, are used, as in the following passages. In Micah:

Thou, O hill of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall come and shall return the former dominion, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem (Micah 4:8).

Because "the daughter of Zion" signifies the celestial church, the essential of which is the good of love, "dominion" is predicated of it, while "kingdom" is predicated of "the daughter of Jerusalem" because that signifies the spiritual church, the essential of which is the truth of doctrine.

[3] In David:

Thy kingdom is a kingdom of all the ages, and thy dominion to every generation and generation (Psalms 145:13).

In Daniel:

To the Son of man there was given dominion, glory, and a kingdom. His dominion is a dominion of an age, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed (Daniel 7:14).

In the same-

The kingdom and the dominion and the majesty of kingdoms shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High (Daniel 7:27).

In these passages "dominion" is predicated of good, because from good the Lord is called "Lord," and "kingdom" is predicated of truth, because from truth the Lord is called "King," as in Revelation:

He who sat upon the white horse had on His garment and on His thigh a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16).

"King of kings" is said to be the name "on the garment," and "Lord of lords" the name "on the thigh," for "garment" signifies truth, here Divine truth, since the Lord is meant, and "thigh" signifies good, here the Divine good of the Divine love. The like is true as applied to men, in David:

The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers consulted together (Psalms 2:2).

From this it can be seen what is signified in particular by "reigning unto the ages of the ages." That "kingdom" signifies heaven and the church in respect to the truth of doctrine may be seen above n. 48; therefore "to reign" belongs to the Lord alone, and when it is said of men it means to be in truths from good from the Lord, and to have power therefrom to resist the falsities from evil n. 333.