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。

788. It was Daniel who prophesied that this church would take the place of those which had come into existence since the world began, and would last for ever and ever. It would thus be the crown of all the preceding churches. He made this prophecy first when he recounted and explained to Nebuchadnezzar his dream of the four kingdoms, which mean the four churches, represented by the statue he saw:

In the days of those kings the God of the heavens will cause a kingdom to arise which shall not perish for ever; and it will consume all those kingdoms, but itself will stand for ever, Daniel 2:44.

This was to be brought about by a stone becoming a mighty rock filling the whole earth (Daniel 2:35). Rock in the Word means the Lord in respect of Divine Truth. Elsewhere the same prophet says:

I was watching in the visions of the night, and I saw, one like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of the heavens. And to Him was given dominion, glory and the kingdom, and all peoples, nations and tongues shall worship Him. His dominion will be a dominion for ever, which will not pass away, and His kingdom one that will not perish, Daniel 7:13-14.

He says this after seeing four great beasts coming up from the sea (Daniel 7:3); these too represent the four former churches. Daniel prophesied these things about the present time, as is evident from his words at Daniel 12:4; as well as from the Lord's words, Matthew 24:15, 30. Similar things are said in Revelation:

The seventh angel sounded; and loud voices were heard in heaven saying, The kingdoms of the world are made our Lord's and His Christ's, and He shall reign for ever and ever, Revelation 11:15.