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948. (Verse 5) And after these things I saw, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened. That this signifies interior Divine truth in the Word revealed from the Lord, is evident from the signification of temple, as denoting Divine truth from the Lord; see n. 220, 391, 915; and from the signification of the tabernacle of the testimony, as also denoting Divine truth, but interior; for the same is signified by tabernacle as by temple. But when it is said the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony, interior Divine truth is signified, the revelation of which is meant by its being seen opened in heaven. By interior Divine truth revealed, is meant the Word as to the internal sense. For the Word is Divine truth; and the internal or spiritual sense is the interior of it. By the testimony is meant the law deposited in the ark, which was therefore called the ark of the testimony. What the testimony, moreover, signifies in a broad and a strict sense may be seen above (n. 10, 392, 635, 649, 749).
[2] The subject treated of, in what now follows in this chapter, is the Word interiorly revealed, before the church is entirely devastated. For in the chapter following, its full devastation is treated of, which is described by the seven angels having seven vials full of the anger of God, and by their casting them into the earth.
The reason why the Word is interiorly revealed, that is, as to the spiritual sense, before the church is fully devastated is, that a New Church will then be established, into which those who belong to the former church are invited. And interior Divine truth is revealed for the New Church, which could not be revealed before, for reasons to be mentioned in what follows. The case herein is similar to what took place at the end of the Jewish Church; for at its end, which was when the Lord came into the world, the interior Word was opened; for the Lord, when He was in the world, revealed interior Divine truths which were to be serviceable to the New Church to be established by Him, and also were serviceable. At this day also, for similar reasons, the interior Word is opened, and Divine truths still more interior are revealed therefrom for the use of the New Church, which will be called the New Jerusalem.
[3] What was the nature of the Lord's Divine Providence in revealing Divine truths may be seen from the churches successively established. There have been several churches on our earth one after another. There was the Most Ancient, which was before the deluge; there was the Ancient, which was after the deluge; then the Hebrew, and afterwards the Israelitish; after this was the Christian Church, and now commences a New [Church]. Inmost Divine truths were revealed to those who belonged to the Most Ancient Church; but exterior Divine truths to those who belonged to the Ancient Church; and last or ultimate Divine truths to the Hebrew Church, and lastly to the Israelitish, with which at length all Divine truth perished. For at last there was nothing in the Word that was not adulterated. But after its end, interior Divine truths were revealed by the Lord for the Christian Church, and now still more interior truths for the church which is to come. Those interior truths are in the spiritual or internal sense of the Word.
From these things it is evident that there has been a progression of Divine truth from things inmost to ultimates, thus from wisdom to mere ignorance; and that now its progression is from ultimates to interiors, thus from ignorance again to wisdom.
Continuation:-
[4] Religion with man consists in a life according to the Divine precepts which are summarily contained in the Decalogue. With him who does not live according to them there can be no religion, because he does not fear God, still less does he love Him; nor does he fear man, still less does he love him. Can he who steals, commits adultery, kills, bears false witness fear God or man? Nevertheless, everyone is able to live according to them; and he who is wise does so live, as a civil, a moral man, and a natural man. But he who does not live according to them as a spiritual man cannot be saved. For to live according to them as a spiritual man is to do so for the sake of the Divine in them, whereas to live according to them as a civil man is [to do so] for the sake of what is just, and also to escape the punishments of the world; and to live according to them as a moral man is to do so for the sake of what is honest, and also to avoid the loss of fame and honour. But to live according to them as a natural man is [to do so] for the sake of what is human, and also to avoid the ill report of not being of a sound mind.
All laws, civil, moral, and natural, lay it down that [a man] must not steal, commit adultery, kill, or bear false witness. But still a man is not saved if he shuns those evils from such laws only, unless he also shuns them from spiritual law; that is, shuns them as sins. For with such a man there is religion, and the belief that there is a God, a heaven and a hell, and a life after death. Indeed, also, with such a one there are civil life, moral life, and natural life. Civil life, because there is what is just; moral life, because there is what is honest; and natural life, because there is what is human. But he who does not live according to those precepts as a spiritual man, is neither a civil, a moral, nor a natural man; for he has neither what is just, nor honest, nor indeed what is human, because there is not the Divine in them. For there cannot be any good, which is good in and from itself, except from God; consequently, there cannot be anything just, truly honest, and truly human, in itself and from itself, except from God, and unless the Divine is in it. Consider whether any one in whom is hell, or who is a devil, can do what is just from what is just, or for the sake of what is just; similarly what is honest, or anything truly human. The truly human is what is from order and according to order, and what is from sound reason. And God is Order; and sound reason is from God. In a word, he who does not shun evils as sins is not a man. Every one who makes those precepts essentials of his religion becomes a citizen and inhabitant of heaven; whereas, he who does not so make them, but yet, in externals, lives according to them from natural, moral, and civil law, becomes a citizen and inhabitant of the world, but not of heaven.
[5] Most nations know those precepts, and also make them essentials of their religion, and live according to them, because God so wills and has commanded. By that means they have communication with heaven, and conjunction with God; therefore, also, they are saved. But most of those in the Christian world at this day do not make them essentials of their religion, but of their civil and moral life. They do not, however, externally act fraudulently and make unlawful gains, commit adulteries, openly persecute others from deadly hatred and revenge, nor bear false witness. But they do not refrain from these things because they are sins, and against God, but because they stand in fear of losing their life, their reputation, their function, their business, their possessions, their honour and gain, and their pleasure; wherefore if they were not restrained by those bonds, they would do these things. Because such people have formed for themselves no communication with heaven, nor conjunction with the Lord, but with the world and self only, they cannot be saved. Consider, now, when those external bonds are taken away - as is the case with every man after death - whether, if there were no internal bonds, which are the fear and love of God, thus of religion, to restrain and hold you back, you would not rush, like a devil, into thefts, adulteries, murders, false witnesses, and lusts of every kind, from the love and delight of them. That it is so, I have both seen and heard.
948. Verse 5. And after these things I saw, and behold the temple of the tabernacle of the Testimony in heaven was opened, signifies the interior Divine truth in the Word revealed by the Lord. This is evident from the signification of "temple," as being the Divine truth from the Lord (See n. 220, 391, 915); also from the signification of "the tabernacle of the Testimony," as also being the Divine truth, but interior, for "tabernacle" and "temple" have a similar signification; but when it is said "the temple of the tabernacle of the Testimony" interior Divine truth is signified. "He saw that this was opened in heaven" means that this truth has been revealed. The interior Divine truth that was revealed means the Word in its internal sense; because the Word is the Divine truth, and the internal or spiritual sense is interior Divine truth. The "Testimony" means the law that was placed in the ark, which was therefore called "the ark of the Testimony." (What "Testimony" further signifies in a broad and in a strict sense may be seen above, n. 10, 392, 635, 649, 749)
[2] What now follows in this chapter treats of the Word interiorly revealed, before the church has been wholly devastated. For the following chapter treats of its full devastation, which is described by "the seven angels having seven vials full of the anger of God," and by their "casting them unto the earth." The Word is revealed interiorly, that is, as to the spiritual sense, before the church has been fully devastated, because then the New Church will be established into which those who are of the former church are invited; and for the New Church interior Divine truth is revealed; and this could not have been revealed before for reasons that will be given in what follows. A like thing is now done as was done at the end of the Jewish Church; for at its end, which was when the Lord came into the world, the Word was opened interiorly; for when the Lord was in the world He revealed interior Divine truths that were to be for the use of a New Church about to be established by Him and that did serve that church. For like reasons the Word has been opened interiorly at this day, and still more interior Divine truths have been revealed therefrom for the use of the New Church, that will be called the New Jerusalem.
[3] What the Divine providence of the Lord was in revealing Divine truths can be seen from the successive establishment of churches. There have been several churches on our globe one after another. There was the Most Ancient, that was before the flood; there was the Ancient, that was after the flood; then the Hebrew; and then the Israelitish; after this the Christian; and now the New Church is beginning. Inmost Divine truths were revealed to those who were of the Most Ancient Church; more external Divine truths were revealed to those of the Ancient Church; and most external or ultimate Divine truths to the Hebrew Church, and afterwards to the Israelitish, with which church all Divine truth finally perished, for at last there was nothing in the Word that had not been adulterated. But after the end of the Israelitish Church interior Divine truths were revealed by the Lord for the Christian Church, and now still more interior truths for the church that is to come. These interior truths are such as are in the internal or spiritual sense of the Word. All this makes clear that there has been a progression of Divine truth from inmosts to ultimates, thus from wisdom to mere ignorance; and that now there is a progression of it from ultimates to interiors, thus from ignorance again to wisdom.
[4] Religion with man consists in a life according to the Divine commandments, which are contained in a summary in the Decalogue. He that does not live according to these can have no religion, since he does not fear God, still less does he love God; nor does he fear man, still less does he love him. Can one who steals, commits adultery, kills, bears false witness, fear God or man? Nevertheless everyone is able to live according to these commandments; and he who is wise does so live as a civil man, as a moral man, and as a natural man. And yet he who does not live according to them as a spiritual man cannot he saved; since to live according to them as a spiritual man means to so live for the sake of the Divine that is in them, while to live according to them as a civil man means for the sake of justice and to escape punishments in the world; and to live according to them as a moral man means for the sake of honesty, and to escape the loss of reputation and honor; while to live according to them as a natural man means for the sake of what is human, and to escape the repute of having an unsound mind. All laws, civil, moral, and natural, prescribe that one must not steal, must not commit adultery, must not kill, must not bear false witness; and yet a man is not saved by shunning these evils from these laws alone, unless he also shuns them from spiritual law, thus unless he shuns them as sins. For with such a man there is religion, and a belief that there is a God, a heaven and a hell, and a life after death; with such a man there is a civil life, a moral life, and a natural life; a civil life because there is justice, a moral life because there is honesty, and a natural life because there is manhood. But he who does not live according to these commandments as a spiritual man is neither a civil man, nor a moral man, nor a natural man; for he is destitute of justice, of honesty, and even of manhood, since the Divine is not in these. For there can be nothing good in and from itself, but only from God; so there can be nothing just, nothing truly honest or truly human in itself and from itself, but only from God, and only when the Divine is in it. Consider whether anyone that has hell in him, or who is a devil, can do what is just from justice or for the sake of justice; in like manner what is honest, or what is truly human. The truly human is what is from order and according to order, and what is from sound reason; and God is order, and sound reason is from God. In a word, he who does not shun evils as sins is not a man. Everyone who makes these commandments the principles of his religion becomes a citizen and an inhabitant of heaven; but he who does not make them the principles of his religion, although in externals he may live according to them from natural, moral, and civil law, becomes a citizen and an inhabitant of the world, but not of heaven.
[5] Most nations know these commandments, and make them the principles of their religion, and live according to them because God so wills and has commanded. Through this they have communication with heaven and conjunction with God, consequently they also are saved. But most in the Christian world at this day do not make them the principles of their religion, but only of their civil and moral life; and they do this that they may not appear in external form to act fraudulently and make unlawful gains, commit adulteries, manifestly pursue others from deadly hatred and revenge, and bear false witness, and do not refrain from these things because they are sins and against God, but because they have fears for their life, their reputation, their office, their business, their possessions, their honor and gain, and their pleasure; consequently if they were not restrained by these bonds they would do these things. Because, therefore, such form for themselves no communication with heaven or conjunction with the Lord, but only with the world and with self, they cannot be saved. Consider in respect to yourself, when these external bonds have been taken away, as is done with every man after death, if there are no internal bonds, which are from fear and love of God, thus from religion, to restrain and hold you back, whether you would not rush, like a devil, into thefts, adulteries, murders, false witnesses, and lusts of every kind, from a love of these thus from a delight in them. That this is the case I have both seen and heard.
948. [Vers. 5.] "Et post haec vidi, et ecce apertum est templum tabernaculi testimonii in caelo." - Quod significet Divinum Verum in Verbo interius a Domino revelatum, constat ex significatione "templi", quod sit Divinum Verum a Domino (de qua, n. 220, 391, 915); ex significatione "tabernaculi testimonii", quod etiam sit Divinum Verum sed interius; simile enim per "tabernaculum", quod per "templum" significatur; sed cum dicitur "templum tabernaculi testimonii", significatur Divinum Verum interius: quod hoc revelatum sit, intelligitur per quod "viderit quod id apertum esset in caelo." Per Divinum Verum interius revelatum, intelligitur Verbum quoad sensum internum; nam Verbum est Divinum Verum, ac sensus internus seu spiritualis est illud interius. Per "testimonium" intelligitur Lex quae in arca reposita fuit, quae ideo dicta fuit "arca testimonii." (Quid porro "testimonium" in lato et in stricto sensu significat, videatur supra, n. 10, 392, 635, 649, 749.)
[2] Agitur in nunc sequentibus in hoc capite de Verbo interius revelato antequam ecclesia prorsus devastata est; nam in sequente capite agitur de plenaria ejus devastatione, quae describitur per "septem angelos habentes septem phialas plenas ira Dei", ac per earum "projectionem in terram." Quod, antequam plene devastata est ecclesia, Verbum interius revelatum sit, hoc est, quoad sensum spiritualem, est quia tunc instaurabitur Nova Ecclesia, in quam invitantur illi qui a priori ecclesia sunt; et pro Nova Ecclesia est Divinum Verum interius revelatum; hoc non potuit prius revelari, propter causas de quibus in sequentibus. Similiter nunc factum est ut factum est in fine Ecclesiae Judaicae; in fine enim ejus, qui fuit cum Dominus in mundum venit, apertum est Verbum interius; revelata enim sunt a Domino, cum fuit in mundo, Divina vera interiora, quae novae ecclesiae ab Ipso instaurandae inservitura erant, et quoque inserviebant: hodie quoque propter similes causas Verbum interius est apertum, et inde revelata sunt Divina vera adhuc interiora, quae inservitura sunt Ecclesiae Novae, quae Nova Hierosolyma vocabitur.
[3] Qualis Divina providentia Domini fuit in revelandis Divinis veris, ab ecclesiis progressive instauratis videri potest. Fuerunt plures ecclesiae in nostra tellure una post alteram: fuit Antiquissima quae ante diluvium, fuit Antiqua quae post diluvium, tum Hebraea, et dein Israelitica, post hanc fuit Christiana, et nunc incohat Nova. Divina vera intima fuerunt revelata illis qui ab Antiquissima Ecclesia fuerunt; Divina autem vera exteriora fuerunt revelata illis qui ab Antiqua Ecclesia fuerunt; at Divina vera extrema seu ultima Ecclesiae Hebraeae, ac demum Israeliticae, cum qua ecclesia tandem omne Divinum Verum periit, nam in Verbo tandem nihil fuit quod non adulteratum; at post ejus finem revelata sunt Divina vera interiora pro Ecclesia Christiana a Domino; et nunc adhuc interiora vera pro ventura ecclesia; interiora illa vera sunt quae in sensu interno seu spirituali Verbi sunt. Ex his patet quod progressio Divini Veri fuerit ab intimis ad ultima, ita a sapientia ad meram ignorantiam, et quod nunc fiat progressio ejus ab ultimis ad interiora, ita ab ignorantia iterum ad sapientiam.
[4] (Continuatio.) [DE VITA SECUNDUM PRAECEPTA DIVINA, QUAE CONTINENTUR IN DECALOGO.]
Religio apud hominem consistit in vita secundum praecepta Divina, quae in summa continentur in decalogo.
Apud illum qui non vivit secundum illa, non potest esse religio, quia non timet Deum, minus amat illum, nec timet hominem, minus amat illum; num timet Deum aut hominem qui furatur, adulteratur, occidit, false testatur? Usque tamen quisque potest vivere secundum illa, et qui sapit ille vivit sicut homo civilis, sicut homo moralis, et sicut homo naturalis; sed qui non vivit secundum illa sicut homo spiritualis, non potest salvari; nam vivere secundum illa sicut homo spiritualis, est propter Divinum in illis; at vivere secundum illa sicut homo civilis est propter justum, ac ut fugiat poenas mundi; et vivere secundum illa sicut homo moralis est propter honestum, ac ut fugiat jacturam famae et honoris; vivere autem secundum illa ut homo naturalis, est propter humanum, ac ut fugiat diffamiam quod non sit sanae mentis. Leges tam civiles quam morales et naturales omnes dictant quod non sit furandum, non adulterandum, non occidendum, non false testandum; sed usque non salvatur homo si fugiat illa mala ex illis solis legibus, nisi etiam fugiat illa ex lege spirituali; sic fugit illa ut peccata; apud hunc enim est religio, et est fides quod Deus sit, quod caelum et infernum sint, et quod vita post mortem sit; immo etiam apud hunc est vita civilis, tum vita moralis et vita naturalis; vita civilis quia est justum, vita moralis quia est honestum, et vita naturalis quia est humanum: at non vivere secundum illa praecepta ut homo spiritualis, is nec est civilis homo, nec moralis, nec naturalis homo, nam ei non est justum, non est honestum, immo non est humanum, quia non Divinum in illis: non enim datur bonum in se et ex se, nisi quod ex Deo; ita non datur aliquod justum, aliquod vere honestum, et vere humanum, in se et ex se, nisi quod ex Deo, et nisi Divinum sit in illis. Expende num aliquis in quo est infernum, seu qui est diabolus, possit facere justum ex justo, seu propter justum, similiter honestum, aut aliquod vere humanum; vere humanum est quod est ex ordine et secundum ordinem, et quod est ex sana ratione; ac Deus est ordo, et ex Deo est sana ratio: verbo, qui non fugit mala ut peccata, non est homo. Omnis qui facit illa praecepta suae religionis, fit civis et incola caeli; at qui facit illa praecepta non suae religionis, sed usque in externis vivit secundum illa ex lege naturali, morali et civili, is fit civis et incola mundi, non autem caeli.
[5] Pleraeque gentes sciunt illa praecepta, et quoque faciunt illa suae religionis, ac vivunt secundum illa quia Deus id vult et mandavit; per id communicationem habent cum caelo, et conjunctionem cum Deo, quare etiam salvantur: at plerique in orbe Christiano hodie non faciunt illa suae religionis, sed suae vitae ciVilis et moralis; non autem in externa forma usque ut appareant, fraudulenter agunt, et illicite lucrantur, non adulteria committunt, non ex odio internecino et vindictis manifeste persequuntur alios, nec falsa testantur; sed haec non faciunt, [non] quia peccata sunt, et contra Deum, sed quia timent suae vitae, suae famae, suae functioni, suae negotiationi, suae possessioni, suo honori et lucro, et suae voluptati; quare si haec vincula non retinerent, facerent illa: hi itaque nullam communicationem sibi fecerunt cum caelo, nec conjunctionem cum Domino, sed modo cum mundo et cum semet, non possunt salvari. Cogites, dum externa illa vincula tibi auferuntur, ut fit cum omni homine post mortem, si non interna vincula, quae sunt timoris et amoris Dei, ita religionis, te detinerent et retraherent, annon in omnis generis furta, adulteria, neces, falsa testimonia et concupiscentias, ex amore eorum, ita ex jucundo eorum, sicut diabolus, rueres: quod ita sit, etiam vidi et audivi.