238. “宝座前有一个好像水晶的玻璃海”表由凭圣言的字义处于一般真理的基督徒所组成的新天堂。灵界也有大气、各种水，和我们这个世界一样；最高层天堂的天使所在的大气好比以太；中层天堂的天使所在的大气好比空气；最低层天堂的天使所在的大气好比水汽；这最后一种在天堂边界看似大海，凭圣言的字义处于一般真理的人就住在那里。“水”表示真理（参看50节）；因此“海”作为众水终止、汇集之处，就表示神性真理的边界。由于“坐宝座的”表示主（230节），“七灯”，也就是“宝座前神的七灵”表示将通过主处于神性真理的新教会（237节），故很明显，“宝座前的玻璃海”表示那些在边界之人当中的教会。
我还被恩准观看位于天堂边界的大海，与其中的人交谈，因而凭亲身经历知道这个问题的真相。在我看来，他们似乎在海里，但他们说他们不在海里，而是在大气中；我由此看出，那海是从主所发出的神性在其边界的表象。灵界有海，这一点从约翰曾多次看到它们明显可知（如此处，以及启示录5:13；7:1-3；8:8，9；10:2，8；12:12；13:1；14:7；15:2；16:3；18:17，19，21；20:13）。经上因从主所发出的神性真理的透明性而称之为“好像水晶的玻璃海”。
由于神性真理的边界在灵界引发大海的表象，故在圣言其它地方，“海”具有同样的含义，如以下经文：
那日必有活水从耶路撒冷出来，一半往东海流，一半往西海流。（撒迦利亚书14:8）
“活水从耶路撒冷出来”是指教会的神性真理从主而来，因此“海”是指神性真理所终止之处：
耶和华啊，你的道在海中，你的大路在多水中。（诗篇77:19）
耶和华如此说，在沧海中开道，在多水中开大路。（以赛亚书43:16）
耶和华把地建立在海上，安定在大水之上。（诗篇24:2）
耶和华将地立在根基上，使地永不动摇。你用深水（或海）遮盖地面，犹如衣裳。（诗篇104:5，6）
“建立在海上的地”是指教会，它由“地”来表示，建立在一般真理之上，因为这些真理是教会的基础和根基。
我必使巴比伦的海枯竭，使她的泉源干涸；祂必使大海涨起，漫过巴比伦，她被许多海浪遮盖。（耶利米书51:36，42）
“使巴比伦的海枯竭，使她的泉源干涸”表示从初到终毁灭其教会的一切真理。
他们跟随祂而行，众子必从海上恭敬而来。（何西阿书11:10）
“从海上而来的众子”是指那些处于一般或终层真理的人。
那在天上建造楼阁，召唤海水，把它们浇在地面上的耶和华。（阿摩司书9:6）
诸天藉耶和华的话而造，祂聚集海水如垒，收藏深洋在库房。（诗篇33:6，7）
我一斥责，海就干了，我使江河变为旷野。（以赛亚书50:2等）
由于“海”表示那些在天堂边界者所具有的神性真理，故靠海的“推罗和西顿”表示教会对良善与真理的认知；“海岛”则表示那些离神性敬拜更为遥远之人（34节）。所以，在希伯来语中，“海”被称为“西方”，也就是傍晚阳光退去之处，或真理转向模糊之处。“海”也表示脱离属灵层的人之属世层，因而表示地狱，这一点可见于下文。
238. Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. (4:6) This symbolizes a new heaven formed of Christians who possessed general truths taken from the literal sense of the Word.
Atmospheres are seen in the spiritual world, and also bodies of water, as in our world - ethereal atmospheres seemingly where angels of the highest heaven dwell, airy atmospheres seemingly where angels of the intermediate heaven dwell, and watery ones seemingly where angels of the lowest heaven dwell. These watery atmospheres, moreover, are seas that are seen at the borders of heaven, and the inhabitants there are people who possess general truths taken from the literal sense of the Word. To be shown that waters symbolize truths, see no. 50 above.
As the place where waters terminate and are collected, a sea therefore symbolizes Divine truth in its terminal expressions.
Accordingly, since the One sitting on the throne means the Lord (no. 230), and since the seven lamps which are the seven spirits of God before the throne mean a new church which will possess Divine truth from the Lord (no. 237), it is apparent that the sea of glass that was before the throne means the church with people who are at its peripheries.
[2] Seas at the borders of the heavens are something I have been granted to see, and it has been given me to speak with the inhabitants there and so to learn the truth of this matter through personal experience. The inhabitants appeared to me to be living in a sea, but they said that they did not live in a sea but in an atmosphere. It was apparent to me from this that a sea is an appearance of the Divine truth emanating from the Lord in its terminal expressions.
The existence of seas in the spiritual world is clearly apparent from the fact that they were often seen by John, as in the present instance, and in 5:13 verses; 7:1-3; 8:8-9; 10:2, 8; 13:1; 14:7; 15:2; 16:3; 18:17, 19, 21; 20:13.
The sea is called a sea of glass like crystal owing to the translucence of the Divine truth emanating from the Lord.
[3] Since Divine truth in its terminal expressions produces the appearance of a sea in the spiritual world, therefore a sea elsewhere in the Word has a similar symbolic meaning, as in the following passages:
On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, part of them to the eastern sea and part of them to the western sea. (Zechariah 14:8)
Living waters from Jerusalem are the church's Divine truths from the Lord. The sea is consequently where they terminate.
(Jehovah,) Your way was in the sea, and Your path in many waters. (Psalms 77:19)
Thus said Jehovah, who made a way in the sea, and a path through the many waters... (Isaiah 43:16)
(Jehovah) has founded (the world) on the seas, and established it on the rivers. (Psalms 24:2)
(Jehovah) set the earth on its foundations, so that it should not be moved to eternity. You covered it with the deep (or sea) as with a garment. (Psalms 104:5-6)
The earth was "founded on the sea" because the church, which is meant by the earth, is founded on general truths. For these are its footings and foundations.
[4] I will dry up (Babylon's) sea and make her spring dry... The sea will come up over Babylon; she will be covered with the multitude of its waves. (Jeremiah 51:36, 42)
To dry up Babylon's sea and make her spring dry means, symbolically, to extinguish all the church's truth from the firsts to the lasts of it.
They shall walk after Jehovah..., and His sons shall come with honor from the sea. (Hosea 11:10)
The sons from the sea are people who possess general truths or truths in their terminal expressions.
(Jehovah,) who builds His ascents in the heavens..., who calls the waters of the sea and pours them over the face of the earth... (Amos 9:6)
By the word of Jehovah the heavens were made... He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap, putting the depths in storehouses. (Psalms 33:6-7)
...by My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness. (Isaiah 50:2)
And so likewise in other places.
[5] Since a sea symbolizes Divine truth with people who live on the borders of heaven, therefore Tyre and Sidon, which were on the seacoast, symbolized the church in respect to its learned concepts of goodness and truth. And therefore "the islands of the sea" 1likewise symbolize people engaged in a relatively remote Divine worship (no. 34).
For the same reason, too, the word used for the sea in Hebrew is "the west," that is, the direction in which the sun's light turns into its evening state, or truth into haziness.
We will see in subsequent discussions that a sea also symbolizes the natural component of a person divorced from his spiritual one, thus also hell.
Footnotes:
1. Also called "the isles of the sea" and "the coastlands of the sea." See Isaiah 11:11; 24:15
238. [verse 6] 'And in full view of the throne a sea of glass like unto crystal' signifies the New Heaven [formed] out of Christians, who were in general truths out of the sense of the letter of the Word. In the spiritual world atmospheres and also waters appear just as in our world; atmospheres like ethers, where the angels of the highest heaven are, atmospheres like airs, where the angels of the middle heaven are, and atmospheres like waters, where the angels of the ultimate heaven are. The latter are the seas that appear in the boundaries of heaven, and those who are in general truths out of the sense of the letter of the Word are there. That waters signify truths may be seen above (n. so). Consequently a 'sea' in which waters cease [to flow] and are gathered together signifies Divine Truth in the boundaries. Since, therefore, by the 'One sitting upon the throne' is understood the Lord (230), and by 'the seven lamps, which are the seven spirits of God before the throne' is understood a New Church which will be in Divine Truth from the Lord (237), it is plain that by the 'sea of glass' that was 'in full view of the throne' is understood the Church with those who are in the boundaries.
[2] It has indeed been given me to see the seas in the boundaries of the heavens, and to speak with those who were there, and so to become acquainted with the truth (veritas) of this matter by experience. They were seen by me as if in a sea, but they said that they were not in a sea but in an atmosphere. Consequently it was plain to me that a sea is the appearance of Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord in the boundaries. That there are seas in the spiritual world is clearly evident from the fact that they were often seen by John, as here, also chapters 5:13; 7:1-3; 8:8-9; 10:2, 8; 12:18; 13:1; 14:7; 15:2; 16:3; 18:17, 19, 21; 20:13. 1It is said 'a sea of glass like unto crystal' on account of the transparency of the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord.
[3] Since the Divine Truth in the boundaries in the spiritual world presents the appearance of a sea, therefore by 'sea' elsewhere in the Word the like is signified, as in these places:
In that day living waters shall go forth out of Jerusalem, part of them toward the eastern sea, and part of them toward the hinder sea. Zechariah 14:8.
'Living waters out of Jerusalem' are Divine Truths of the Church from the Lord. The 'sea 'therefrom is where they cease [to flow].
Jehovah, Thy way is in the sea, and Thy path in many waters. Psalms 77:19; [H.B. 20].
Thus has Jehovah said, Who has put a way in the sea, and a path in many waters. Isaiah 43:16.
Jehovah has founded the world upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. Psalms 24:2.
Jehovah has founded the land upon its bases, so that to eternity it should not be moved away. With the deep or the sea as a garment hast Thou covered it. Psalms 104:5-6.
The land having been founded upon the sea is [equivalent to] the Church, which is understood by 'the land,' having been founded upon general truths; for these are its bases and foundations.
[4] I will dry up the sea of Babel, and make her spring dry; the sea shall come up upon Babel, she shall be covered with the multitude of its waves. Jeremiah 51:36, 42.
By 'dry up the sea of Babel' and 'make her spring dry' is signified to extinguish every truth of the Church thereof from firsts to ultimates.
They shall go after Jehovah, and the sons shall approach with honour from the sea. Hosea 11:9-11.
The 'sons from the sea' are they who are in general or ultimate truths.
Jehovah Who builds His steps in the heavens, and calls the waters of the sea, and pours them out upon the faces of the land. Amos 9:6.
By the Word of Jehovah were the heavens made. He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap, putting the deeps in storehouses. Psalms 33:6-7.
By My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness. Isaiah 1:2; besides in other places.
[5] Since by 'sea' is signified the Divine Truth with those who are in the boundaries of heaven, therefore by 'Tyre and Sidon,' because they were near the sea, is signified the Church as to cognitions of good and truth; and therefore also by 'islands of the sea' are signified those who are in a more remote Divine worship (34). And therefore in the Hebrew language 'sea' is 'the west,' that is, where the light of the sun declines to its evening or truth into obscurity. That 'sea 'also signifies the natural of man separated from what is spiritual, thus also hell, will be seen in the things following.
Footnotes:
1. AV chapter 13, but see text of chapter 12 below.
238. Verse 6. And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal, signifies the New Heaven from Christians who are in general truths from the literal sense of the Word. In the spiritual world there appear atmospheres, and also waters, like as in our world; the atmospheres, in which the angels of the highest heaven dwell, are as it were ethereal; the atmospheres, in which the angels of the middle heaven dwell, are as it were aerial; and the atmospheres, in which the angels of the lowest heaven dwell, are as it were aqueous; and these last appear as seas at the boundaries of heaven, where they dwell who are in general truths from the literal sense of the Word. That "waters" signify truths, may be seen above, (50); hence "the sea," in which waters terminate and are collected, signifies the Divine truth in its boundaries. Since, therefore, by "One sitting on the throne" is meant the Lord, (230), and by "the seven lamps," which are "the seven spirits of God before the throne," is meant the New Church, which will be in Divine truth from the Lord, (237), it is evident that, by "the sea of glass" which was before the throne, is meant the church among those who are at the boundaries.
[2] It has also been granted me to see the seas which are at the boundaries of the heavens, and to converse with those who were therein, and thus to know the truth of this matter from experience. They seemed to me to be in the sea, but they said that they are not in the sea, but in an atmosphere; from which it was manifest to me, that the sea is an appearance of the Divine proceeding from the Lord in its boundaries. That there are seas in the spiritual world, is fully evident from their having been seen by John frequently (as also here, in chapter 5:13; 7:1-3; 8:8-9; 10:2, 8; 12:12; 13:1; 14:7; 15:2; 16:3; 18:17, 19, 21; 20:13). It is called "a sea of glass like unto crystal," from the pellucidity of the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord.
[3] Because Divine truth at its boundaries causes the appearance of a sea in the spiritual world, therefore "sea," in other parts of the Word, has a similar signification, as in these passages:
In that day living waters shall go forth from Jerusalem, part of them toward the eastern sea, and part of them toward the hinder sea, (Zechariah 14:8).
"Living waters from Jerusalem," are the Divine truths of the church from the Lord, therefore "the sea" is where they terminate:
Thy way, O Jehovah, is in the sea, and Thy highway in many waters, (Psalms 77:19).
Thus saith Jehovah, which maketh a way in the sea, and a highway in many waters, (Isaiah 43:16).
Jehovah hath founded the world upon the seas, and established it upon the floods, (Psalms 24:2).
Jehovah hath founded the earth upon its bases that it should not be removed to eternity. Thou coveredst it with the deep [or sea] as with a garment, (Psalms 104:5-6).
"The earth is founded upon the sea," is the church, which is meant by "the earth," is founded upon general truths; for these are its bases and foundations.
[4] And I will dry up the sea of Babylon and make her springs dry; He shall make the sea to ascend over Babylon, she shall be covered with the multitude of the waves, (Jeremiah 51:36, 42).
"Drying up the sea of Babylon and making her springs dry," signifies to extinguish every truth of its church from firsts to lasts.
They shall walk after Jehovah, then the sons shall approach with honor from the sea, (Hosea 11:10).
"Sons from the sea" are they who are in general or ultimate truths.
Jehovah who buildeth His steps in the heavens, and calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the faces of the earth, (Amos 9:6).
By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made, He gathereth the waters of the sea together as a heap, giving the abysses in treasuries, (Psalms 33:6-7).
At My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness, (Isaiah 50:2 besides in other places).
[5] As by "sea" is signified the Divine truth with those who are in the borders of heaven, therefore by "Tyre and Zidon," from their being near the sea, is signified the church as to the knowledges of good and truth; and also by the "islands of the sea" are signified those who are in more remote Divine worship, (34): and therefore "the sea," in the Hebrew language, is called "the west," that is, where the light of the sun declines towards its evening, or truth into obscurity. That "sea" also signifies the natural of man separated from the spiritual, thus also hell, will be seen in what follows.
238. (Vers. 6.) "Et in conspectu Throni Mare vitreum simile crystallo," significat Novum Caelum ex Christianis, qui in communibus veris erant ex Sensu literae Verbi. - In mundo spirituali apparent atmosphaerae, et quoque aquae sicut in nostro mundo; atmosphaerae sicut aethereae ubi sunt angeli supremi Caeli, atmosphaerae sicut aereae ubi sunt angeli medii Caeli, et atmosphaerae sicut aqueae ubi sunt angeli ultimi Caeli; et hae sunt Maria quae apparent in terminis Caeli, ac ibi sunt illi qui in communibus veris ex Sensu literae Verbi sunt: quod "aquae" significent vera, videatur supra (50); inde "mare," in quod aquae desinunt et colliguntur, significat Divinum Verum in terminis. Cum itaque per "Sedentem super Throno" intelligitur Dominus (230), et per "septem lampades, quae sunt septem Spiritus Dei coram Throno," intelligitur nova Ecclesia quae in Divino Vero a Domino erit (237), patet quod per "mare vitreum, quod in conspectu Throni fuit" intelligatur Ecclesia apud illos qui in terminis sunt. Maria in terminis Caelorum etiam datum est mihi videre, et cum illis, qui ibi erant, loqui, et sic hujus rei veritatem per experientiam cognoscere; visi mihi sunt sicut in mari, sed dixerunt quod non in mari sint, verum in atmosphaera; ex quo mihi patuit, quod mare sit apparentia Divini Veri procedentis a Domino in terminis. Quod maria in mundo spirituali sint, patet clare ex eo, quod saepius visa sint Johanni (Ut hic; tum 5:13; 7:1-3; 8:8-9; 10:2, 8; 12:12; 113:1; 14:7; 15:2; 16:3; 16:17, 19, 21; 20:13).
Dicitur "mare vitreum simile crystallo," ex pellucentia Divini Veri procedentis a Domino. Quoniam Divinum Verum in terminis in mundo spirituali facit apparentiam maris, ideo per "mare" alibi in Verbo simile significatur, ut illi his locis:
"In die illo exibunt aquae vivae ex Hierosolyma, pars earum ad Mare orientale, et pars earum ad Mare posterius," (Sacharias 14:8); 2
"aquae vivae ex Hierosolyma" sunt Divina vera Ecclesiae a Domino; inde "mare" est ubi desinunt.
"Jehovah in Mari via Tua, et semita Tua in aquis multis," (Psalm 77:20 (B.A. 19));
"Sic dixit Jehovah, Qui dedi in Mari viam, et in aquis multis semitam," (Esaias 43:16);
"Jehovah super Maria fundavit orbem, et super flumina stabilivit eum," (Psalm 24:2);
"Jehovah" fundavit Terram super basibus suis, ut non dimoveatur in aeternum Abysso (seu Mari) sicut veste obvelasti eam," (Psalm 104:5-6);
quod "terra fundata sit super mari," est quod Ecclesia, quae per "terram" intelligitur, super communibus veris: haec enim sunt ejus bases et fundamenta.
"Ego exsiccabo Mare Babelis, et arefaciam scaturiginem ejus: ascendet super Babelem Mare, multitudine fluctuum ejus obtecta erit," (Jeremias 51:36, 42); 3
per "exsiccare mare Babelis, et arefacere scaturiginem ejus," significatur exstinguere omne verum Ecclesiae ejus a primis ad ultima.
"Post Jehovam ibunt, et cum honore accedent filii a Mari," (Hoschea 11:10); 4
"filii a mari" sunt qui in communibus seu ultimis veris sunt.
"Jehovah Qui aedificat in Caelis gradus Suos, et vocat aquas Maris, et effundit eas super facies terrae," (Amos 9:6);
"Per Verbum Jehovae Caeli facti sunt; colligit sicut cumulum aquas Maris, dans in thesauris Abyssos," (Psalm 33:6-7);
"Per increpationem Meam 5exsicco Mare, pono fluvios desertum," (Esaias 50:2).
(Praeter in aliis locis.)
Quoniam per "mare" significatur Divinum Verum apud illos qui in terminis Caeli sunt, ideo per "Tyrum et Zidonem," quia juxta mare erant, significatur Ecclesia quoad cognitiones boni et veri: et quoque ideo per "insulas maris" significantur illi qui in remotiori cultu Divino sunt (34); et ideo "mare" in Lingua Hebraea est "occidens," hoc est, ubi lux solis vadit in vesperam suam, aut verum in obscurum. Quod "mare" etiam significet naturale hominis separatum a spirituali, ita quoque Infernum, videbitur in sequentibus.
Footnotes:
1. 12 pro "18"
2. 8 pro "7"
3. 51:36, 42 pro "50:42."
4. 10 pro "9, 10, 11"
5. Meam pro "suam" (Vid. 405)"