15
וְנָתַתָּ עָלֶיהָ שֶׁמֶן וְשַׂמְתָּ עָלֶיהָ לְבֹנָה מִנְחָה הִוא׃
Apocalypse Explained #699
699. Verse 19. And the temple of God was opened in heaven, signifies the appearing of the new heaven and the New Church, where there is worship of the Lord. This is evident from the signification of "temple" as being heaven and the church, here the new heaven and the New Church; the appearing of these is signified by "the temple was opened." (That "temple" signifies in the highest sense the Lord in relation to His Divine Human and Divine truth proceeding from Him, and in a relative sense heaven and the church, may be seen above, n. 220, 391, 630.)
The "temple" signifies here the new heaven and the New Church where there is worship of the Lord, because this chapter treats of the changes of state that precede the Last Judgment, namely, the separation of the evil from the good, and their removal from the places where they had been previously. When this is done, the new heaven and the New Church appear to those who are in the higher heavens. These could not appear so long as the good were conjoined with the evil, because their interiors were closed that they might not be harmed by the evil with whom they had communication in respect to externals. But when the evil had been separated and removed, then the interiors with the good, which were in themselves heavenly, were opened, and when these had been opened, heaven and the church lay open; for so far as the interiors which are heavenly and celestial are opened, what heaven is in relation to the church with those who have heaven and the church in them, becomes manifest.
[2] From self-intelligence no one can know that these things are so, for they are arcana of heaven, that must be learned from revelation. For who can know how the Last Judgment was accomplished, or what changes in the spiritual world preceded it and what followed it? But that these things might be known they have been manifested to me, wherefore it is permitted me to describe them here from revelation. It is said, the new heaven and the New Church, where there is worship of the Lord, because in the new heaven and the New Church the Lord alone is worshipped; for there the Divine is not distinguished into three persons, but into a Trine in one person. (Respecting this Trinity see what has been said in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, n.280-310). This also is what is meant in Revelation where the New Jerusalem is treated of:
I saw heaven 1 and no temple therein, for the Lord God the Almighty, and the Lamb, are the temple thereof (Revelation 21:22).
"The Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb" mean the Lord in relation to the Divine Itself and the Divine Human. It is here said that no temple was seen, because "temple" signifies in the highest sense, the Lord in relation to Divine truth and worship (See above n. 220, 391, 630), also because "the New Jerusalem" means the church in respect to doctrine, or the doctrine of the New Jerusalem. Nevertheless there are temples in heaven, in which the Lord is preached and Divine truth is taught.
Fotnoter:
1. The photolithograph has "Caelum," "Heaven;" the Latin Editor has "Ceterum," "as for the rest" or "otherwise."
1 Samuel 6
1
The ark of Yahweh was in the country of the Philistines seven months.
2
The Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, "What shall we do with the ark of Yahweh? Show us with which we shall send it to its place."
3
They said, "If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, don't send it empty; but by all means return him a trespass offering: then you shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you."
4
Then they said, "What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him?" They said, "Five golden tumors, and five golden mice, [according to] the number of the lords of the Philistines; for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.
5
Therefore you shall make images of your tumors, and images of your mice that mar the land; and you shall give glory to the God of Israel: perhaps he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.
6
Why then do you harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When he had worked wonderfully among them, didn't they let the people go, and they departed?
7
"Now therefore take and prepare yourselves a new cart, and two milk cows, on which there has come no yoke; and tie the cows to the cart, and bring their calves home from them;
8
and take the ark of Yahweh, and lay it on the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which you return him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by its side; and send it away, that it may go.
9
Behold; if it goes up by the way of its own border to Beth Shemesh, then he has done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that struck us; it was a chance that happened to us."
10
The men did so, and took two milk cows, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home;
11
and they put the ark of Yahweh on the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their tumors.
12
The cows took the straight way by the way to Beth Shemesh; they went along the highway, lowing as they went, and didn't turn aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth Shemesh.
13
They of Beth Shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley; and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.
14
The cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they split the wood of the cart, and offered up the cows for a burnt offering to Yahweh.
15
The Levites took down the ark of Yahweh, and the coffer that was with it, in which the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone: and the men of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day to Yahweh.
16
When the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.
17
These are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering to Yahweh: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;
18
and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fortified cities and of country villages, even to the great stone, whereon they set down the ark of Yahweh, [which stone remains] to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh.
19
He struck of the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of Yahweh, he struck of the people fifty thousand seventy men; and the people mourned, because Yahweh had struck the people with a great slaughter.
20
The men of Beth Shemesh said, "Who is able to stand before Yahweh, this holy God? To whom shall he go up from us?"
21
They sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath Jearim, saying, "The Philistines have brought back the ark of Yahweh; come down, and bring it up to yourselves."
