876. THE TWENTY-FIRST CHAPTER
1. And I saw a new heaven and a new land, for the former heaven and the former land were passed away; and the sea was no more. 2. And I John saw the holy city New Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold God's tabernacle is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and He Himself shall be with them their God. 4. And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither sorrow, nor crying, nor labour (hardship) shall be any more, for the former things have passed away. 5. And the One sitting upon the throne said, Behold I am making all things new. And He said unto me, Write, for these words are true and trustworthy. 6. And He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending. To the thirsting one I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be God to him, and he shall be a son to Me. 8. But as for the fearful, and the untrustworthy, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and enchanters, and idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake burning with fire and sulphur; which is the second death. 9. And there came unto me one of the seven angels having the seven phials full of the seven last plagues, and spoke with me saying, Come, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. 10. And he carried me away in the spirit above a great and high mountain, and showed me the great City the holy Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. 11. Having the glory of God, and the light thereof like a most precious stone, as it were a jasper stone shining crystal clear. 12. Having a great and high wall, having twelve gates, and over the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon which are those of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. 13. Towards the east three gates, towards the north three gates, towards the south three gates, towards the west three gates. 14. And the wall of the city having twelve foundations and in them the names of the Lamb's twelve apostles. 15. And the one speaking with me had a golden reed that he might measure the City, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. 16. And the city lies foursquare, and the length thereof is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand stadia*; the length and the breadth and the height of it were equal. 17. And he measured the wall thereof a hundred and forty-four cubits, the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. 18. And the construction of the wall thereof was of jasper, and the city was pure gold like unto pure glass. 19. And the foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald. 20. The fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. 21. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each one of the gates was of one pearl, and the Street of the city was of pure gold as it were transparent glass. 22. And I saw no temple therein, for the Lord God Almighty is the temple thereof, and the Lamb. 23. And the city has no need of the sun, nor of the moon, to shine in it, for the glory of God has enlightened it, and the lamp thereof is the Lamb. 24. And the nations that are being saved shall walk its the light thereof, and the kings of the land shall bring their glory and honour into it. 25. And the gates thereof shall not be closed during the day, for night shall not be there; and they shall bring the glory and the honour of the nations into it. 26. And there shall not enter into it any unclean thing nor one doing abomination and a lie; but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. * Plural of stadium=approx. one-eighth of a mile.
THE SPIRITUAL SENSE
THE CONTENT OF THE WHOLE CHAPTER
In this chapter it treats of the state of heaven and the Church after the last judgment.
That after it by means of the New Heaven there is going to come into existence a New Church on earth, which will worship the Only Lord (vers. 1-8).
Its conjunction with the Lord (vers. 9, 10).
A description of it as to intelligence derived from the Word (verse 11);
as to the doctrine thence (vers. 12-21);
and as to its every quality (vers. 22-26).
THE CONTENTS OF EACH OF THE VERSES
1. And I saw a new heaven and a new land signifies that by the Lord a new heaven has been formed out of Christians, which at this day is called the Christian heaven, where those are who had worshipped the Lord and lived in accordance with His precepts in the Word, who consequently have charity and faith; in which heaven are all the little children of Christians. For the former heaven and the former land were passed away signifies the heavens not made by the Lord but by those who came into the spiritual world out of Christendom, which were all done away with at the day of the last judgment. And the sea was no more signifies the external of the heaven composed of Christians since the first establishment of the Church likewise having been done away with, after those who were written in the Lord's book of life were taken out of it and saved. 2. And I John saw the holy city New Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven signifies the New Church going to be set up by the Lord at the end of the former one, which [New Church] in companionship with the New Heaven will be in Divine truths as to both doctrine and life. Prepared as a bride [adorned] for her husband signifies that Church conjoined with the Lord by means of the Word. 3. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold God's tabernacle is with men signifies the Lord out of love speaking and declaring the glad tidings that He Himself is now going to be present with men in His Divine Human. And He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and He Himself shall be with them their God signifies the Lord's conjunction, which is such that they are in Him, and He in them. 4. And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither sorrow, nor crying, nor labour shall be any more, for the former things have passed away signifies that the Lord will take from them all grief of mind, fear of damnation, of evils and untruths out of hell and of the temptations resulting from them, and they shall not remember them, because the dragon who had inflicted them has been cast out. 5. And the One sitting upon the throne said, Behold I am making all things new, and He said unto me, Write, for these words are true and trustworthy signifies the Lord confirming all concerning the New Heaven and the New Church after the last judgment has been completed. 6. And He said unto me, It is done signifies that it is the Divine Truth (veritas). I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending signifies that the Lord is the God of heaven and earth, and that all things in the heavens and on earth (in terris) were made by Him, and are governed by His Divine Providence, and are done in accordance therewith. To the thirsting one I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely signifies that to those who desire truths on account of any spiritual use the Lord out of Himself by means of the Word is going to give all the things that conduce to that use. 7. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be God to him, and he shall be a son to Me signifies that those who overcome the evils with themselves, that is, the devil, and do not yield when they are being tempted by the Babylonians and the dragonists, are going to come into heaven and live there in the Lord and the Lord in them. 8. But as for the fearful and the untrustworthy and the abominable signifies those who are in no faith, and in no charity, and consequently are in all kinds of evils. And murderers, and whoremongers, and enchanters, and idolaters, and [all] liars signifies all those who make the precepts of the Decalogue of no account, and do not flee from any of the evils there mentioned as sins, and therefore live in them. Their part is in the lake burning with fire and sulphur signifies theirs is the hell where are the loves of untruth and the lusts of evil. Which is the second death signifies damnation. 9. And there came unto me one of the seven angels having the seven phials full of the seven last plagues, and spoke with me saying, Come, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife signifies an influx and making manifest from the Lord out of the inmost of heaven concerning the New Church, which will be conjoined to the Lord by means of the Word. 10. And he carried me away in the spirit above a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God signifies John transported into the third heaven, and his sight opened there, before whom was made manifest the Lord's New Church as to doctrine in the form of a city. 11. Having the glory of God, and the light thereof like a most precious stone as it were a jasper stone shining crystal clear signifies that in that Church the Word will be understood, because it will be transparent by virtue of its spiritual sense. 12. Having a great and high wall signifies the Word in the sense of the letter from which the doctrine of the New Church will be derived. Having twelve gates signifies all the cognitions of truth and good there by means of which a man is introduced into the Church. And over the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon which are those of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel signifies the Divine truths and goods of heaven, which also are the Divine truths and goods of the Church, in those cognitions, and guards lest anyone should enter unless he be in them by derivation from the Lord (ex Domino). 13. Towards the east three gates, towards the north three gates, towards the south three gates, and towards the west three gates signifies that the cognitions of truth and good, in which they have spiritual life out of heaven from the Lord, by means of which introduction into the New Church is effected, are for those who are in the love or affection of good, [some] more and [some] less, and for those who are in the wisdom or affection of truth, [some] more and [some] less. 14. And the wall of the city having twelve foundations signifies that the Word in the sense of the letter contains all the things of the doctrine of the New Church. And in them the names of the Lamb's twelve apostles signifies all the things of the doctrine derived from the Word concerning the Lord and concerning a life in accordance with His precepts. 15. And the one speaking with me had a golden reed that he might measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof signifies that by the Lord there is given to those who are in the good of love the capability of understanding and knowing the quality of the Lord's New Church as to the doctrine and its introductory truths, and as to the Word from which it is derived. 16. And the city lies foursquare signifies justice in that [Church]. The length thereof is as large as the breadth signifies that the good and truth in that Church make one like essence and form. And he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand stadia*; the length and the breadth and the height of it were equal signifies the quality of that Church out of the doctrine was shown, that all the things thereof were derived from the good of love. 17. And he measured the wall thereof, a hundred and forty-four cubits signifies that it was shown what the quality of the Word is in that Church, that from it are derived all its truths and goods. The measure of a man, that is, of an angel signifies that Church's quality of making one with heaven. 18. And the construction of the wall thereof was of jasper signifies that every Divine truth in the sense of the letter with the men of that Church is transparent by virtue of the Divine Truth in the spiritual sense. And the city was pure gold like unto pure glass signifies that consequently everything of that Church is the good of love inflowing together with light out of heaven from the Lord. 19. And the foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every precious stone signifies that all the things of the doctrine of the New Jerusalem selected out of the sense of the letter of the Word with those who are there are going to appear in light according to reception. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, [20] the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysohite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst signifies all the things of that doctrine derived from the sense of the letter of the Word in their order with those who approach the Lord directly and live in accordance with the precepts of the Decalogue by fleeing from evils as sins; for these and no others are in the doctrine of love directed to God and of love towards the neighbour, which two are the foundations of religion. 21. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, and each one of the gates was of one pearl signifies that the acknowledgment and cognition of the Lord conjoins into one all the cognitions of truth and good that are derived from the Word, and introduces into the Church. And the street of the city was pure gold as it were transparent glass signifies that every truth of that Church and of its doctrine is in form the good of love inflowing together with light out of heaven from the Lord. 22. And I saw no temple therein, for the Lord God Almighty is the temple thereof, and the Lamb signifies that in this Church there will not be any external separated from what is internal, because the Lord Himself in His Divine Human, from Whom is everything of the Church, is the only One being approached, worshipped and adored. 23. And the city has no need of the sun and the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God has enlightened it, and the lamp thereof is the Lamb signifies that the men of that Church will not be in the love of self and in self-derived intelligence (in propria intelligentia), and consequently in natural light only, but in spiritual light out of the Divine truth of the Word from the Only Lord. 24. And the nations that are being saved shall walk in the light thereof signifies that all who are in good of life and believe in the Lord shall live there in accordance with Divine truths, and they shall see those truths inwardly in themselves, as the eye sees objects. And the kings of the hand shall bring their glory and honour into it signifies that all who are in truths of wisdom derived from spiritual good will confess the Lord there and ascribe to Him all the truth and all the good that are with them. 25. And the gates thereof shall not be closed during the day, for night shall not be there signifies that those who are in truths derived from the good of love from the Lord are continually being received into the New Jerusalem, because there is not anything untrue of faith there. And they shall bring the glory and the honour of the nations into it signifies that those who enter will bring with them the confession, acknowledgement and faith that the Lord is the God of heaven and earth, and that every truth of the Church and every good of religion is from Him. 26. And there shall not enter into it any unclean thing, nor one doing abomination and a lie signifies that no one is received into the Lord's New Church who adulterates the goods and falsifies the truths of the Word, and who does evils from confirmation and thus also untruths. But only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life signifies that no others are received into the New Church, which is the New Jerusalem, but those who believe in the Lord and live in accordance with His precepts in the Word. * Plural of stadium=approx. one-eighth of a mile.
THE EXPOSITION
[verse 1] 'And I saw a new heaven and a new land' signifies that by the Lord a new heaven has been formed out of Christians, which at this day is called the Christian heaven, where those are who had worshipped the Lord and lived in accordance with His precepts in the Word, who consequently have charity and faith; in which heaven are all the little children of Christians. By 'a new heaven' and by 'a new land' is understood neither the natural heaven visible before the eyes, nor the natural land inhabited by men, but a spiritual heaven and the land of that heaven, where there are angels. That this heaven and the land of this heaven is understood everyone sees and acknowledges, provided that he can be withdrawn in some measure from a purely natural and material idea when he is reading the Word. It is plain that the angelic heaven is understood, because in the verse immediately following it is said that he 'saw the holy city Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband'. By this there is not understood any Jerusalem coming down, but the Church; and the Church on earth (in terris) comes down from the Lord out of the angelic heaven because the angels of heaven and the men of the earth in all the things of the Church make one (n. 626). From these considerations it can be seen how naturally and materially those have thought and do think, who out of these words and the ones following in this verse have contrived for themselves a dogmatic tenet about the destruction of the world and about a new creation of all things. [2] This new heaven has been treated of several times in the Apocalypse, especially in chaps. xiv and xv. It is called the Christian heaven because it is distinct from the ancient heavens, which came into existence from the men of the Church before the Lord's coming. These ancient heavens are above the Christian heaven; for the heavens are like expanses, one above another. The case is similar with each heaven, for each heaven by itself is distinguished into three heavens, an inmost or third, a middle or second, and a lowest or first. Likewise in the case of this New Heaven. I have seen them and I have spoken with them. In this new Christian heaven are all those who from the first establishment of the Christian Church have worshipped the Lord and lived in accordance with His precepts in the Word, and who consequently have been in charity and faith together from the Lord by means of the Word, thus who are not in a dead but a living faith. Concerning this heaven various things may be seen above (n. 612, 613, 626, 631, 659, 661, 845, 846, 856). In that heaven there are as well all the little children of Christians, because they have been educated by angels in the two Essentials of the Church, which are the acknowledgment of the Lord as the God of heaven and earth, and a life in accordance with the precepts of the Decalogue.