1. Le Seigneur, parlant devant ses disciples de la consommation du Siècle, qui est le dernier temps de l'Eglise ¹ , s'exprime ainsi quant aux états successifs de l'amour et de la foi dans cette Eglise ² : Aussitôt après ces jours de détresse, le soleil s'obscurcira, la lune ne donnera plus sa lumière, les étoiles tomberont du ciel et les puissances des cieux seront ébranlées.

Alors toutes les tribus de la terre se lamenteront, et elles verront le Fils de l'Homme venir sur les nuées du ciel avec puissance et gloire. Et il enverra ses anges, avec trompette et grande voix, et ils rassembleront ses élus des quatre vents, depuis une extrémité des cieux jusqu'à l'autre extrémité (Matthieu 24:29-31).

Ceux qui comprennent ces Paroles d'après le seul sens de La lettre croient que toutes ces choses doivent arriver dans le dernier temps appelé « Jugement Dernier ». Non seulement ils croient que le soleil et la lune seront obscurcis, que les étoiles tomberont du ciel, que le signe du Seigneur apparaitra dans le ciel, et qu'on le verra lui-même dans les nuées et en même temps les anges avec les trompettes, mais encore, selon les prédictions faites ailleurs, que tout le monde visible doit périr, et qu'ensuite il y aura un nouveau ciel et une nouvelle terre. Beaucoup d'hommes aujourd'hui encore dans l'Eglise sont de cette opinion. Ceux qui croient ainsi ne connaissent par les arcanes cachés dans chaque expression de la Parole. En effet, il y a dans chaque expression de la Parole un sens interne, dans lequel sont entendues non des choses naturelles et du monde, telles que celles qui sont dans le sens de la lettre, mais des choses spirituelles et célestes, et cela non seulement quant au sens de plusieurs mots, mais quant à chaque mot ³ . La Parole a été écrite par des correspondances ⁴ afin qu'il y ait dans chaque expression un sens interne. Nous pouvons voir quel est ce sens interne d'après les Arcanes Célestes, et l'explication qui en est donnée dans l'opuscule intitulé : « Du Cheval Blanc ». C'est suivant ce même sens interne que doit être entendu ce que le Seigneur a dit de son Avènement dans les nuées du ciel : Par le soleil qui sera obscurci, est entendu le Seigneur quant à l'amour ⁵ ; par la lune, le Seigneur quant à la foi ⁶ ; par les étoiles, les connaissances du bien et du vrai, ou de l'amour et de la foi ⁷ ; par le signe du Fils de l'Homme dans le ciel, l'apparition du Divin Vrai ; par les tribus de la terre qui gémiront, tout ce qui appartient au vrai et au bien, ou à la foi et à l'amour ⁸ par l'Avènement du Seigneur sur les nuées du ciel avec puissance et gloire, Sa présence dans la Parole, et la Révélation ⁹ ; par les nuées, le sens littéral de la Parole ¹⁰ ; et par la gloire, le sens interne de la Parole ¹¹ ; par les anges avec trompette et grande voix, le ciel d'où provient le Divin Vrai ¹² .

D'après cela, on peut voir que ces Paroles du Seigneur signifient qu'à la fin de l'Eglise, quand il n'y aura plus d'amour et par conséquent plus de foi, le Seigneur ouvrira la Parole quant à son sens interne et révélera les arcanes du ciel.

Les arcanes qui sont révélés dans ce qui va suivre concernent le Ciel et l'Enfer et en même temps la vie de l'homme après la mort. L'homme de l'Eglise aujourd'hui ne possède que peu de notions sur le Ciel et l'Enfer et sur la vie après la mort, bien que toutes ces choses soient décrites dans la Parole. Un grand Nombres de ceux qui sont nés dans l'Eglise les nient, disant : Qui est revenu et en a fait un récit ?

Afin qu'une telle incompréhension, qu'une telle négation, qui règnent principalement parmi ceux qui tirent surtout leur sagesse du monde, n'infectent et ne corrompent aussi les simples de cœur et de foi, il m'a été donné d'être avec les anges et de m'entretenir avec eux, comme un homme avec un autre homme, et aussi de voir les choses qui sont dans les cieux et dans les enfers, cela depuis treize ans. Je peux maintenant les décrire d'après ce que j'ai vu et entendu, espérant ainsi que l'ignorance sera éclairée et l'incrédulité dissipée.

Si aujourd'hui une telle Révélation immédiate est donnée, c'est parce que c'est elle qui est entendue par l'Avènement du Seigneur.

Footnotes:

612. The mystery of God shall be consummated, as he hath declared in good tidings (evangelizavit) to his servants the prophets.- That this signifies prediction in the Word concerning the coming of the Lord to be fulfilled when the end of the church is at hand, is evident from the signification of to be consummated as denoting to be fulfilled; and from the signification of the mystery of God which he hath declared in good tidings, as denoting the coming of the Lord, of which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of his servants the prophets, as denoting the truths of doctrine, in the present case, the Word. That those who are in truths from good are called servants of the Lord, may be seen above (n. 6, 409); and that those who teach doctrine are called prophets, and that in the abstract sense they denote doctrines will be shown below. The reason why the Word is also denoted, is, that the Word is the doctrine of Divine Truth, and was written by the prophets, also that everything of doctrine must be from the Word. It now follows therefore, that by the mystery of God shall be consummated, as he hath declared in good tidings to his servants the prophets, is signified prediction in the Word [concerning the coming] of the Lord to be fulfilled when the end of the church is at hand. This signification of the words is evident from that which precedes and that which follows. In that which immediately precedes it is said, that this shall come to pass "in the days of the voice of the seventh angel," which means, that it shall come to pass when the end of the church is at hand; and in what follows that after the seventh angel had sounded, it is said, "the kingdoms of the world are become our Lord's and his Christ's," and afterwards, that the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple (11:15-19). The same is also further evident from this fact, that when the end of the church is at hand, the Word is opened, and a new church established. This also is meant by the coming of the Lord, for the Lord is the Word; when this therefore is opened the Lord appears. That the Word was opened when the Lord came into the world, is a well-known fact; that it is also now opened by the revelation of the spiritual sense of the Word, may be seen in the small work entitled The White Horse, and in Heaven and Hell 1); and that now is the end of the church, may be seen in the small work on the Last Judgment 33-39, and n. 45-52, and following numbers).

[2] The end of the church is also meant by evening, and the coming of the Lord by morning, in the following passage in Daniel:

"Unto the evening and the morning two thousand three hundred" (8:14, 26).

The evening signifies the end of the former church, and the morning, the coming of the Lord and the beginning of a new church. The signification of morning in these words in Ezekiel is the same:

"An evil, behold, is come. The end is come, the end is come; it hath watched over thee; behold, it is come. The morning cometh upon thee, O thou inhabitant of the land, the time is come" (7:5-7).

By the end here also is signified the end of the church, and by the morning, the coming of the Lord and the beginning of a new church are signified.

Similarly in Zechariah:

"It shall be one day which shall be known to Jehovah, not day nor night; because about the time of evening it shall be light" (14:7).

The one day which shall be known to Jehovah, means the coming of the Lord; the time of evening the end of the church, when all Divine Truth is obscured and falsified; while light signifies the Divine Truth manifested. This new light, or that morning which shall appear at the end of the church, is also here meant by the mystery of God which shall be consummated, as He hath declared in good tidings to His servants the prophets.

[3] Frequent mention is made in the Word of bringing good tidings (evangelizare) and of good tidings (evangelium), and the expressions signify the coming of the Lord, as is evident from the following passages.

Thus in Isaiah:

"O Zion, that bringest good tidings (evangelizatrix), lift up thy voice with strength, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God. Behold, the Lord Jehovih cometh in strength, and his arm shall rule for him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd" (40:9-11).

That these things are said concerning the coming of the Lord is very evident, and therefore Zion and Jerusalem are called bringers of good tidings. By Zion are meant all those who are of the celestial church, and these are they who are in love to the Lord; it is therefore said, "get thee up into the high mountain," the high mountain denoting that love (see above, n. 405). By Jerusalem are meant all those who are of the spiritual church, and these are they who are in the doctrine of genuine truth; it is therefore said, "lift up thy voice with strength which signifies confession from genuine truths. By the cities of Judah, to which it is said, "Behold your God, behold the Lord Jehovih cometh in strength," are signified doctrinals from the Word; cities, signify doctrinals; and Judah signifies the Word. That Zion and Jerusalem are called bringers of good tidings, because good tidings (evangelium), signify the coming of the Lord, is evident, for it is said, "Behold your God, behold the Lord Jehovih cometh in strength." That He will accomplish a judgment, and defend those who acknowledge Him, is signified by, His arm shall rule for him, he shall feed his flock like a shepherd.

[4] Again, in the same prophet:

"How delightful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy king shall reign, when he shall see eye to eye that Jehovah returneth to Zion" (52:7, 8).

These words also are spoken of the Lord's coming, and He is evidently meant by, thy king shall reign, and by, when he shall see eye to eye, that Jehovah returneth to Zion; similarly what follows in that chapter, this is the reason that mention is made of bringing good tidings. The rest of this verse may be seen explained above (n. 365:30).

So in Nahum:

"Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace. O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts " (1:15).

[5] And in Isaiah:

"The spirit of the Lord Jehovih is upon me; because Jehovah hath anointed me to bring good tidings unto the poor; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, to the bound, to the blind; to proclaim the year of the good pleasure of Jehovah, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn" (61:1, 2).

That these things are said concerning the Lord and His coming, is evident from what is said in Matthew (5:3, and following verses), and in Luke (4:16-22). The coming itself is meant by the year of the good pleasure of Jehovah, and the day of vengeance for our God. By the poor, the captives, the bound and the blind, to whom the Lord is said to bring good tidings, are meant the Gentiles, who are said to be such, because, not having the Word, they were in ignorance of truth. The Gentiles are also meant in Matthew by "The poor who hear the gospel" (11:4, 5).

[6] And in David:

"Sing unto Jehovah, bless his name; declare the good tidings of his salvation from day to day; for Jehovah cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth; he shall judge the world with justice, and the peoples in his truth" (Psalm 96:2, 13).

The acknowledgment and celebration of the Lord with joy of heart on account of His coming, is signified by "Sing unto Jehovah, bless his name; declare the good tidings of his salvation from day to day." The coming itself is described by "Jehovah cometh"; and because His coming is when the last judgment takes place, it is therefore said, "he cometh to judge the earth; he shall judge the world with justice, and the peoples, in his truth." The earth means the church; the world means those in the church who are in the good of charity; and the peoples, those who are in truths thence. That it is the coming of the Lord when the Last Judgment takes place, was stated above, for then the evil will be separated from the good, or the goats from the sheep, and the evil will be judged to hell, and the good to heaven. This is also signified by the words of Isaiah in the above passage, "to proclaim the day for vengeance for our God, to comfort all that mourn." This is the reason that where the Last Judgment is treated of, mention is also made of declaring good tidings; as also in the following passages in the Apocalypse:

"And I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the eternal gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and tribe, and tongue, and people, saying with a great voice, Fear God, and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come" (14:6, 7).

That when the end of the church takes place, the coming of the Lord will be proclaimed, is predicted by the Lord Himself in the gospels:

"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come" (Matthew 24:14; Mark 13:8-10).

[7] That the coming of the Lord is understood by bringing good tidings and by good tidings, is also evident from the following passages.

Thus in Luke:

The angel said to Zacharias, "I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to bring thee these good tidings" (1:19).

And again:

"The angel said to the shepherds, Fear not, for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord" (2:10, 11).

And again, in the same, it is said that John preached good tidings to the people concerning Jesus (3:16-18). And Jesus said, "the law and the prophets" were preached until John (16:16). The Lord Himself and also His disciples declared the good tidings of the kingdom of God (Matthew 4:23; 9:35; Mark 1:15; Luke 7:22; 8:1; 9:1, 2, 6). The kingdom of God, means a new heaven and a new church from the Lord.

[8] Since declaring good tidings signifies to announce the coming of the Lord, hence by the gospel (good tidings), in the highest sense, is signified the Lord Himself as to His coming, as to judgment, and as to the salvation of the faithful, in the following passages in Mark:

Jesus said, "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it" (8:35; 10:29, 30).

He said to the disciples:

"Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" (16:15).