Jerusalem, on Mount Zion, signifies the doctrine of love to the Lord, and how it governs your life. Jerusalem first comes to our attention in 2 Samuel 5, when King David takes the city from the Jebusites and makes it his capital. In the next chapter he brings the Ark of the Covenant there, and later it is where Solomon builds the temple, and his own palace. From then on Jerusalem is the center of worship of the Israelitish church. It is the place where the Lord was presented in the temple as a baby, where He tarried to talk to the priests at age twelve, where He cleansed the temple, had the last supper, was crucified and then rose. It is a central place in both the old and new Testaments. The city was built on Mount Zion, the highest point of the mountains of Judea. A city, in the Word, represents doctrine, the organized knowledge of the truths of the church. Mountains represent love of the Lord and the consequent worship. If you put those things together, Jerusalem on Mount Zion signifies the doctrine of love to the Lord, and how it governs your life. This is why David was led to make Jerusalem the most important city of the land, and why all worship was conducted there. And this is also why Jeroboam was condemned for introducing idol worship in Samaria. In the Book of Revelation, John's vision of the city New Jerusalem descending from God is a prophecy of a new dispensation of doctrine coming from the Lord.

(Mga Sanggunian: Arcana Coelestia 4539, 8938; The Apocalypse Explained 365 [35-38])

6574. “好将生命赐给大民” 表生命由此被赐予那些处于良善之真理的人。这从 “生命” 和 “ (人）民” 的含义清楚可知: “生命” 是指属灵生命 (参看5890, 6032节); “ (人）民” 是指真理 (1259, 1260, 3295, 3581, 4619节), 在此是指良善之真理, 因为经上说 “大民”。事实上, 源于良善的真理大过产生良善的真理。因为前一种真理, 即源于良善的真理本身是良善, 因为它从良善形成, 因而是处于自己形式中的良善。

约瑟在此与他哥哥们所说的这些话, 即: “从前你们的意思是要害我, 但神的意思原是好的, 为要成就今日的光景, 好将生命赐给大民”, 是含有一个天堂的奥秘在里面的话。这奥秘就是: 在来世, 主允许地狱灵将善灵引入试探, 进而引入虚假和邪恶。他们也竭尽全力如此行, 因为当如此行时, 他们就处于自己的生命及其快乐中。不过, 在这种时候, 主会亲自既直接, 也间接通过天使与那些经历试探, 并通过驳斥地狱灵的虚假, 驱散他们的邪恶而进行抵制的人同在。更新、希望和胜利由此而来。对那些处于良善之真理的人来说, 信之真理和仁之良善便以这种方式被植入得越来越深, 并更牢固地得以强化。这就是赐予属灵生命的方法。

由此明显可知本节这些话在内义上表示什么, 即: 那些疏远真理与良善的人, 如带来试探的灵人, 所意图的, 无非是邪恶; 但神性会将这邪恶转变为良善, 这一切要照着自永恒就存在的秩序; 生命由此被赐予那些处于良善之真理的人。因为要知道, 被允许以这种方式攻击善灵的地狱灵所意图的, 无非是邪恶。事实上, 他们渴望竭尽全力把善灵从天堂拖下来投入地狱; 因为摧毁人的灵魂, 进而永远毁灭他正是他们生命的最大快乐。不过, 若不是为了良善能从中出来, 也就是说, 为了真理与良善在那些经历试探的人中间更牢固地得以成形, 并得以强化这个目的, 主根本不会允许他们做任何事。在整个灵界掌权的, 是从主发出的目的; 无论是什么事, 哪怕是最小的事, 若不是为了良善能从中出来, 就都不会发生。这就是为何主的国度被称为目的和功用的国度。