289# “那坐在宝座上，活到世世代代者”表示天堂和教会的一切，以及永生都来自祂。这从“宝座”和“活到世世代代”的含义清楚可知：“宝座”当论及主时，总体上是指整个天堂，具体地是指属灵天堂，抽象地是指发出的神性真理；由于众天堂通过这神性真理而存在，所以“宝座”在此表示天堂和教会的一切(参看AE253a节)；“那坐在宝座上的”是指主(也可参看AE267, 268节)。“活到世世代代”是指永生来自祂(参看AE84节)，因为那“活的”表示唯独祂是生命，因此与天使和世人同在的生命的一切都来自祂；“到世世代代”表示到永远。“世世代代”表示永远，是因为在世界上，世世代代表示整个范围内，整个持续期间的时间；但天堂没有像世界上那样的时间，故在那里，世世代代表示永远。因为圣言的字义是由诸如存在于世界上的那类事物构成的，但它的灵义是由诸如存在于天堂里的那类事物构成的；这是为了神性可以终止于世界上的属世事物，如同终止于自己的终端，并安歇于其中，在它们上面持续存在；因此，经上说的是“到世世代代”，而不是永远。
289. To him that sitteth on the throne, who liveth unto the ages of the ages. That this signifies from whom are all things of heaven and of the church, and life eternal, is evident from the signification of throne when said of the Lord, as being in general the whole heaven, specifically the spiritual heaven, and, in the abstract, proceeding Divine truth. And because it is by means of Divine truth that the heavens exist, therefore by the throne here mentioned are signified all things of heaven and of the church (concerning which signification see what has been said above, n. 253); that He who sat upon the throne is the Lord, may be seen also above (n. 267, 268). The same is also, evident from the signification of living unto the ages of the ages, as denoting that eternal life is from Him (concerning which see above, n. 84); for by Him who liveth is signified that He alone is life, and consequently that the all of life with angels and men is from Him; and unto the ages of the ages signifies what is eternal. The reason of this signification is that the ages of the ages in the world signify times as to all the duration thereof, but in heaven, where times are not such as in the world, they signify what is eternal. For the sense of the letter of the Word consists of such things as are in the world, whereas the spiritual sense consists of such things as are in heaven, and this because the Divine terminates in the natural things of the world as in its ultimates, and rests in them and subsists upon them; hence it is that it is said, unto the ages of the ages, and not to eternity.
289. To Him that sitteth upon the throne, that liveth unto ages of ages, signifies from whom are all things of heaven and of the church and eternal life. This is evident from the signification of "throne," as being, in reference to the Lord, in general the whole heaven, in particular the spiritual heaven, and abstractly Divine truth proceeding; and as through this the heavens have existence, therefore "throne" here signifies all things of heaven and of the church (See above n. 253; that "He that sitteth upon the throne" is the Lord, see also above (n. 267, 268). This is also evident from the signification of "living unto ages of ages," as being that eternal life is from Him (See above, n. 84); for "He that liveth" signifies that He alone is life, and therefore that everything of life with angels and men is from Him; and "unto ages of ages" signifies eternity. "Unto ages of ages" signifies eternity because in the world it signifies time throughout its whole extent; but in heaven, where there is not time like that in the world, it signifies eternity; for the sense of the letter of the Word is made up of such things as are in the world, but its spiritual sense is made up of such things as are in heaven; and this in order that the Divine may close into the natural things of the world as into its ultimates, and may rest in them, and subsist upon them; therefore it is said, "ages of ages," and not eternity.
289. "Sedenti super throno, at Viventi in saecula saeculorum." Quod significet a quo omnia caeli et ecclesiae, et vita aeterna, constat ex significatione "throni", cum de Domino, quod in genere sit totum caelum, in specie caelum spirituale, et abstracte Divinum Verum procedens; et quia per hoc caeli existunt, ideo per "thronum" hic significantur omnia caeli et ecclesiae (de qua supra, n. 253 [a]); quod "Sedens super throno" sit Dominus, videatur etiam supra (n. 267, 268); et ex significatione "Viventis in saecula saeculorum", quod sit quod vita aeterna sit ab Ipso (de qua supra, n. 84); per "Viventem" enim significatur quod solus Vita, et inde quod omne vitae quod apud angelos et apud homines sit ab Ipso, et per "saecula saeculorum" significatur aeternum.
Quod "saecula saeculorum" significent aeternum, est quia illa in mundo significant tempora quoad omnem eorum durationem; in caelo autem, ubi tempora qualia in mundo non dantur, significant aeternum: sensus enim litterae Verbi est ex talibus quae in mundo sunt, sensus autem spiritualis ejus ex talibus quae in caelo sunt, et hoc ob causam ut Divinum desinat in naturalia quae mundi sunt ut in sua ultima, ac in illis quiescat et super illis subsistat: inde est quod "saecula saeculorum" dicantur, et non dicatur aeternum.