878、“海也不复存在了”表示在那些写在主生命册上的人从那里被带走或释放并得救之后，由自教会建立之初以来的基督徒构成的天堂的外在同样被驱散了。“海”表示天堂和教会的外在，那些属世地思考与教会有关的事物，很少属灵地思考它们的简单人就处于这外在；这些人所在的天堂被称为外在的(参看AR 238, 398e, 403, 404, 466, 470, 659, 661节)。此处“海”是指由自教会建立之初以来的基督徒构成的天堂的外在。但主还没有完全形成基督徒的内在天堂或天堂的内在，直到最后的审判前不久和最后的审判之后，这可从论述它的启示录14-15章，以及启20:4-5明显看出来，可参看对它们的解释。天堂的内在之所以没有早点完全形成，是因为龙及其两只兽在灵人界拥有统治权，并且燃烧着迷惑凡他们所能迷惑之人的欲望；因此，过早地将简单人召集到天堂是有危险的。许多地方，以及最后启19:20和20:10论述了善人与龙的追随者的分离，后者的定罪或诅咒，以及最后把他们扔进地狱；之后经上说“海交出其中的死人”(启20:13)，这句话是指被召集起来接受审判的教会的外在和属世人(参看AR 869节)，以及那时对那些写在主的生命册上之人的分离和拯救(参看AR 869节)；这就是此处所指的“海”。
关于新基督天堂，我们也在别的地方被告知，该天堂的外在延伸到“与火搀杂的玻璃海”(启15:2)；这“海”也表示基督徒的天堂的外在(参看解释，AR 659-661节)。由此明显可知，“海也不复存在了”表示在那些写在主生命册上的人从那里被带走或释放并得救之后，由自教会建立之初以来的基督徒构成的天堂的外在同样被驱散了。关于由自教会建立之初以来的基督徒构成的天堂的外在，我蒙允许知道许多细节，但在此引用这些细节太冗长乏味了；只说明，在最后审判之日过去的先前的天，是为了那些在外在天堂或海中的人而被允许的，因为他们通过外在，而不是通过内在被结合，关于这个主题，可参看前面的内容(AR 398节)。外在教会的人所在的天堂之所以被称为“海”，是因为他们在灵界的住所从远处看，就像在海里；事实上，属天天使，即最高层天堂的天使，可以说住在以太状的大气中；属灵天使，即中间天堂的天使，可以说住在空气状的大气中；而属世天使，即最低层天堂的天使，可以说住在水状的大气中，从远处看，这种大气就像海，如前所述。这就是为何在圣言的其它许多地方，“海”是指天堂的外在。
878. And there was no more sea. This symbolically means that the outer part of the heaven composed of Christians since the church was first established was likewise dispersed, after those who were written in the Lord's Book of Life were liberated from there and saved.
A sea symbolizes the external component of heaven and the church, where the simple are, who think naturally and not much spiritually about matters connected with the church. A heaven inhabited by these is called external, as may be seen in nos. 238, 398 at the end, 403, 404, 470, 567, 659, 661. Here the sea means the outer part of the heaven composed of Christians from the first establishment of the church. However, the inner part of the heaven of Christians was not fully formed by the Lord until shortly before the Last Judgment, and also after it, as may be seen from chapters 14 and 15, which have that heaven as their subject, and from chapter 20:4, 5, too. See the exposition in those places.
The inner part of that heaven was not fully formed sooner because the dragon and its two beasts held sway in the world of spirits, and they burned with a desire to lead astray whomever they could. It would have been dangerous, therefore, to gather together those Christians into a heaven beforehand.
The separation of the good from adherents of the dragon and the damnation of the latter, followed by their finally being cast down into hell, is the subject in many places, and lastly in chapter 19:20, and chapter 20:10. And after that we are told that "the sea gave up the dead who were in it" (chapter 20:13), which means that the external and natural people of the church were called together for judgment, as may be seen in no. 869 above, and that those who were written in the Lord's Book of Life were then liberated and saved, as indicated also in the same number. This is the sea that is meant here.
[2] We are also told elsewhere regarding the New Christian Heaven that the outer part of the heaven of Christians extended to a sea of glass mixed with fire (Revelation 15:2), and the sea there also symbolizes the outer part of the heaven of Christians. See the exposition in nos. 659-661.
It can be seen from this that there being no more sea means, symbolically, that the outer part of the heaven composed of Christians since the church was first established was likewise dispersed, after those who were written in the Lord's Book of Life were liberated from there and saved.
Regarding the outer part of the heaven composed of Christians from the first establishment of the church, I have been granted to learn many things - too many, however, to present them here. I will say only that the previous heavens which passed away at the time of the Last Judgment were permitted for the sake of those Christians who were in that outer part of heaven or sea, because they were conjoined by external concerns and not by internal ones - on which subject something may be seen in no. 398 above.
The heaven where external people of the church dwell is called a sea because their dwelling place in the spiritual world appears from a distance as being in a sea. For celestial angels, or angels of the highest heaven, dwell as though in an ethereal atmosphere. Spiritual angels, or angels of the intermediate heaven, dwell as though in an airy atmosphere. And spiritually natural angels, or angels of the lowest heaven, dwell as though in a watery atmosphere, which, as we said, from a distance looks like a sea.
For this reason the outer part of heaven is meant by the sea also in many other places in the Word.
878. '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. By 'the sea' is signified the external of heaven and the Church, in which are the simple who have thought naturally but little spiritually about the things of the Church. The heaven in which these are is called external, as may be seen (238, 398, 403-404, 466, 470, 659, 661). Here by 'the sea' is understood the external of the heaven composed of Christians since the first establishment of the Church. But the internal of the heaven of Christians was not fully formed by the Lord until some time before the last judgment, and also after it, as can be established from chapters 14; 15, where it is treated of, and from chapter 20:4-5. The expositions may be seen. The reason why it was not sooner was because the dragon and his two beasts were exercising dominion in the world of spirits and were burning with the lust of leading astray everyone they could, and therefore to gather the simple into any heaven was [attended with] risk. The separation of the good from the dragonists, and the damnation of the latter, and at length the casting down into hell, is treated of in many places, and lastly in chapter 19:20 and in chapter 20:10; and after this it is said that 'the sea gave up the dead in it' (verse 13), by which is understood the external and natural men of the Church called together to judgment, as may be seen above (869), and those who were written in the Lord's book of life being taken out and saved then, this subject being treated of there.
[2] This is 'the sea' that is understood here. It is also said elsewhere, in treating of the Christian New Heaven, that it extended to 'the sea of glass mingled with fire' (chapter 15:2). By this 'sea' also the external of the heaven [composed] of Christians is signified. Let the exposition be seen (659-661). From these things it can be established that by 'the sea was no more is signified that the external of the heaven composed of Christians since the first establishment of the Church was likewise done away with, after those who were written in the Lord's book of life were taken out and saved. Concerning the external of the heaven composed of Christians since the first establishment of the Church it has been granted [me] to know many things, but there is not time to announce them here; only that the former heavens, which passed away at the day of the last judgment, were permitted for the sake of those who were in that external heaven or sea because they were conjoined by external means but not by internal, on which subject something may be seen above (398). The reason why the heaven where the external men of the Church are is termed 'the sea' is because their dwelling-place in the spiritual world appears from afar off as if in the sea; for celestial angels, who are the angels of the highest heaven, dwell as it were in an ethereal atmosphere; spiritual angels, who are the angels of the middle heaven, dwell as it were in an airy atmosphere; and natural angels, who are the angels of the lowest heaven, dwell as it were in a watery atmosphere, which from afar off appears as the sea, as was said. This is why the external of heaven is understood by 'the sea' in many other places in the Word also.
878. And the sea was no more, signifies that the external of the heaven collected from among Christians, since the first establishment of the church, was in like manner dispersed, after they who were written in the Lord's book of life were taken thence and saved. By "the sea" is signified the external of heaven and of the church, in which are the simple, who have thought naturally and but little spiritually of things relating to the church; the heaven in which these are is called external (see 238, 239, 403, 404, 420, 466, 470, 659, 661); by "the sea" here is meant the external of heaven collected from among Christians from the first establishment of the church. But the internal heaven of Christians was not fully formed by the Lord, till a little before the Last Judgment, and also after it, as may appear from chapters 14; 15, where it is treated of, and from chapter 20:4-5; see the explanations of which. The reason why this was not done before was because the dragon and his two beasts had dominion in the world of spirits and burned with the lust of seducing everyone they could, wherefore it was hazardous to collect them sooner into a heaven.
[2] The separation of the good from the dragonists, and the condemnation of the latter, and finally the casting of them into hell, are treated of in many places, and lastly in chapters 19:20; 20:10; and after this it is said, that "the sea gave up the dead which were in it" (verse 13), by which are meant the external and natural men of the church called to judgment (see above, 869), and then the separating and saving of those who were written in the Lord's book of life, concerning which see the same article; this is "the sea" which is here meant. It is also said in another place, where the New Heaven of Christians is treated of, that it extended itself to "the sea of glass mingled with fire" (Revelation 15:2); by which "sea" is also signified the external of the heaven of Christians the explanation, 659, 661). From these things it may appear that by "the sea was no more" is signified that the external of heaven collected from among Christians from the first establishment of the church, after they were taken thence and saved who were written in the Lord's book of life, was in like manner dispersed. Concerning the external of heaven collected from among Christians from the first establishment of the church, it has been granted me to know many particulars which it would be tedious to adduce in this place; save only that the former heavens, which passed away at the day of the Last Judgment, were permitted for the sake of those who were in that external heaven or sea, because they were conjoined by externals but not by internals, on which subject something may be seen above, (398). The reason why the heaven, where the men of the external church are, is called "the sea" is because their habitation in the spiritual world appears at a distance as if it were in the sea; for the celestial angels, who are angels of the highest heaven, dwell as it were in an ethereal atmosphere; the spiritual angels, who are angels of the middle heaven, dwell as it were in an aerial atmosphere; and the spiritual natural angels, who are angels of the lowest heaven, dwell as it were in a watery atmosphere, which, as was said, appears at a distance like the sea. Hence it is that the external of heaven is meant by "the sea" in many other places also in the Word.
878. "Et Mare non erat amplius," significat externum Caeli a prima Ecclesiae instauratione collecti ex Christianis, postquam inde exempti sunt et salvati qui in Libro vitae Domini scripti sunt, similiter dissipatum esse. - Per "mare" significatur externum Caeli et Ecclesiae, in quo sunt simplices, qui de rebus Ecclesiae naturaliter et perparum spiritualiter cogitaverunt; Caelum in quo hi sunt vocatur externum (videatur 238, 239, 403, 404, 420, 466, 470, 659, 661); hic per "mare" intelligitur externum Caeli a prima Ecclesiae instauratione collecti ex Christianis. Internum autem Caeli ex Christianis non prius a Domino plene formatum est, quam aliquo tempore ante Ultimum Judicium, et quoque post illud (ut constare potest ex 14 et 15, ubi de illo agitur; et ex 20:4-5; videantur Explicationes). Causa quod non prius, erat, quia Draco et binae ejus Bestiae dominabantur in Mundo spirituum, et flagrabant cupiditate seducendi quoscunque possent; quare periculum fuit prius colligere illos in aliquod Caelum. De separatione bonorum a Draconicis, et horum damnatione, et tandem dejectione in Infernum, agitur multis in locis, ac ultimo in 19:20, et in 20:10; et post hoc dicitur, quod "Mare dederit eos in illo mortuos," (vers. 13); per quod intelliguntur homines Ecclesiae externi et naturales convocati ad judicium (869), et tunc exempti et salvati qui in Libro vitae Domini scripti sunt (de qua re etiam ibi); hoc "mare" est quod hic intelligitur. Etiam alibi dicitur, ubi de Novo Caelo Christiano, quod id se extenderit ad "mare vitreum mixtum igne," (15:2), per quod "mare" etiam significatur externum Caeli ex Christianis (videatur Explicatio, 659-661). Ex his constare potest, quod per "mare non erat amplius" significetur quod externum Caeli a prima Ecclesiae instauratione collecti ex Christianis, postquam inde exempti sunt et salvati qui in Libro vitae Domini scripti sunt, similiter dissipatum sit. De externo Caeli ex Christianis a prima instauratione Ecclesiae collecto, multa scire datum est, sed illa hic afferre non vacat; solum quod priores Caeli, qui die Ultimi Judicii transiverunt, permissi fuerint propter illos qui in externo illo Caelo seu mari erant, quia per externa conjuncti erant, non autem per interna; de qua re videantur aliqua supra (398). Quod Caelum ubi externi Ecclesiae homines sunt, dicatur "mare," est quia habitatio eorum in mundo spirituali e longinquo apparet sicut in mari; angeli enim caelestes, qui sunt angeli supremi Caeli, habitant sicut in atmosphaera aetherea; angeli spirituales, qui sunt angeli medii Caeli, habitant sicut in atmosphaera aerea; et angeli spirituales naturales, qui sunt angeli ultimi Caeli, habitant sicut in atmosphaera aquea, quae e longinquo apparet sicut mare, ut dictum est: inde est, quod externum Caeli intelligatur per "mare" etiam multis aliis in locis in Verbo.