4229. 第32章

最后的审判 (续)

我们从第三卷 (系指拉丁文的第3卷) 开始解释主在马太福音 24章关于最后审判的预言. 这些解释被放在了那一卷最后几章的开头部分, 目前已解释到31节 (参看3353-3356, 3486-3489, 3650-3655, 3897-3901, 4056-4060节).

概括地说, 主的这些预言的内义从所给出的解释很清楚看出来, 即祂预言了教会的逐渐毁灭和最终一个新教会的建立, 其次序如下:

⑴教会成员不再知道何为良善与真理, 反而开始彼此争论它们.

⑵他们蔑视它们.

⑶他们从心里不承认它们.

⑷他们亵渎它们.

⑸由于信之真理和爱之良善仍存留在某些被称为 “选民” 的人当中, 故经上描述了那时信之真理所具有的状态.

⑹然后描述了仁的状态.

⑺最后论述了一个新教会的开始, 由最后所解释的那些话来表示, 即:

祂要差遣祂的使者, 用号筒的大声, 将祂的选民从四风, 从天这边到天那边, 都招聚了来. (马太福音 24:31)

这些话表示一个新教会的开始 (参看4060末尾节).

910. Crying out with a great voice to Him that sat upon the cloud, signifies announcement after exploration or visitation. This is evident from the signification of "crying out with a great voice," as being announcement (of which presently). It means after visitation because it is announced "to Him who sat upon the cloud, that the hour to reap is come, because the harvest of the earth is dried up." "He that sat upon the cloud" means the Lord in the heavens (See above, n. 906). "The great voice" of this angel signifies announcement of the state of the church after visitation, because a "voice" involves the things said, which are what follows. It is said "announcement after exploration or visitation," because visitation precedes separation, and after separation the Last Judgment is accomplished. Visitation is mentioned in many passages, and it means the exploration of what the state of the church is before the judgment. Not that such visitation exists actually; but before the judgment the angels of heaven begin to lament because of the growing power of the evil from hell, and begin to pray to the Lord for help; for the Lord knows all things, because He is omniscient. Nevertheless, visitation is depicted by the sending of angels and by their announcement; as that, when the Last Judgment is at hand:

The Lord shall send His angels with a great voice of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds (Matthew 24:31).

Not that any angels are sent to gather them together, but the Lord does this by His Divine truth; for "angels," as has been said, signify Divine truths. So again:

The apostles shall sit upon twelve thrones, and shall judge the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30).

Not that the apostles shall sit upon thrones and judge, but the Lord by His Divine truth; for "apostles," the same as "angels," signify Divine truths, since they signify all things of the church. Likewise in other places.

(But respecting visitation see what has been said in the Arcana Coelestia, namely, that visitation is an inquiry into what the state of love and faith in the church is; and that this precedes judgment, 2242.

That "the day of visitation" means the last state of the church in general, 10509, 10510;

thus when the old church is laid waste and a New Church is established, 6588.

Also that it means the damnation of the unfaithful and salvation of the faithful, 6588, 10623.

That visitation means also the coming of the Lord, because the Lord then comes to judgment, 6895.)