476.“不再有时日了”表不可能有教会的任何状态，也不可能有任何教会，除非承认一位神，并且主就是这一位神。“时日”（times）表示状态；由于此处论述的是教会，故所表示的是教会的状态。因此，“不再有时日了”表示不会有教会的任何状态了。由此可知，这句话还表示不再有任何教会了，除非承认一位神，并且主就是这一位神。可如今是何情形呢？没有人否认存在一位神，但人们却否认主就是那一位神；然而，除了主之外，没有同时有三一体在里面的一位神。没有人否认教会来自主，主就是救主和救世主；但人们却否认当直接靠近作为救主和救世主的祂。由此明显可知，教会即将灭亡，除非一个新教会出现，这个新教会承认唯独主是天地之神，并因此直接靠近祂（参看马太福音28:18）。所以“不再有时日了”这句话，也就是不会有教会了，便和本章接下来的内容（第7节）连贯起来；而第7节又和第11章15节所写的内容连贯起来；那里说到将有一个唯独来自主的教会。
“时日”（times，经上有时译为节期）表示状态，因为在灵界，时间不是以日、周、月、年，而是以状态，也就是那里居民的生命进程来衡量的，他们通过状态回想过去的事；关于这个主题，可参看1758年于伦敦出版的《天堂与地狱》（162-169节）一书，那里论述了天上的时间。“时日”在此之所以表示教会的状态，是因为日夜、早晚、夏冬构成这个世界的时间，当以灵义来理解时，它们构成教会的状态；因此，当这些状态不复存在时，教会也就不复存在了；当良善与真理不复存在，因而当真理之光成为幽暗，良善之热成为寒冷时，也就没有教会了；这就是“不再有时日了”所表示的。以下圣言经文表示类似事物：
第四个兽必想改变节期（times）。（但以理书7:25）
那日必是耶和华所知道的，不是白昼，也不是黑夜（因而没有时日）。（撒迦利亚书14:7）
我必使日头在午间落下，使地在白昼黑暗（因而没有时日）。（阿摩司书8:9）
看哪，有一灾临到了，结局来了，结局来了！这地的居民哪，早晨临到你，时候到了。（以西结书7:5-7）
“早晨”是指一个新教会的开始（151节），故经上说“时候到了”。
476. That there should be no more time. This symbolically means that there will be no church or any state of the church unless people acknowledge one God, and that the Lord is that God.
Time symbolizes state, and because the church is the subject here, it symbolizes a state of the church. Consequently, that there should be no more time means, symbolically, that there should be no state of the church.
It follows also that it means there would be no church unless people acknowledge one God, and that the Lord is that God. But what is the case today? No one denies that there is one God, but people do deny that the Lord is that God. And yet there cannot be one God in whom there is at the same time a Trinity unless that God is the Lord. No one denies that the church originates from Him who is the Savior and Redeemer, but people do deny that they should turn to Him directly as their Savior and Redeemer.
It is apparent from this that the church will die unless a new one arises, one that acknowledges the Lord alone as God of heaven and earth and accordingly turns to Him directly (see Matthew 28:18 1). Consequently the statement here that there should be no more time, that is to say, no church, is related to what is said in verse 7 of this chapter, 2and verse 7 in turn is related to what is said in chapter 11:15, 3where we are told that there would be a church which would be the Lord's alone.
[2] Time symbolizes state because in the spiritual world time is not measured by days, weeks, months and years, but instead by states which are progressions of the inhabitants' lives, by which they recall the past. (On which subject, see the book Heaven and Hell, published in London in 1758, nos. 162-169, where we dealt with time in heaven.)
The state of the church is meant here by time because although day and night, morning and evening, summer and winter mark periods of time in the world, when interpreted in the spiritual sense they mark states of the church. Consequently, when these states come to an end, there is no church; and that is the case when there is no longer any good and truth, thus when the light of truth has become dark, and the warmth of goodness cold. That is what is meant by the statement that there should be no more time.
The following passages in the Word have similar meanings:
(The fourth beast) shall think to change times... (Daniel 7:25)
There shall be one day which is known to Jehovah - neither day nor night (and so not a period of time). (Zechariah 14:7)
...I will make the sun go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in broad daylight (and so not in a period of time). (Amos 8:9)
...a single evil, behold, it has come! An end has come, the end has come... The morning has come upon you, who dwell in the land; the time has come... (Ezekiel 7:5-7)
The morning is the commencement of the New Church (no. 151), which is why it says, "The time has come."
Footnotes:
1. "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth."
2. ."..in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, as He declared to His servants the prophets."
3. "Then the seventh angel sounded: and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, 'The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!'"
476. 'That time shall not be any more' signifies that there shall not be any state of the Church, or any Church, unless the one God is acknowledged, and that the Lord is He. By 'time' is signified state, and because it treats here of the Church it signifies the state of the Church. Consequently by 'time shall not be any more' is signified that there shall not be any state of the Church. That it is also understood that there shall not be any Church unless the one God is acknowledged, follows. But what is the case at this day? That God is one is not denied; but that the Lord is He, is denied. Nevertheless there cannot be one God in Whom at the same time there is the Trinity, unless it is the Lord. That the Church exists from Him Who is the Saviour and Redeemer is not denied; but that He as Saviour and Redeemer must be approached directly, is denied. Consequently it is plain that the Church is going to expire unless the New one comes into existence, which acknowledges the Lord Only as the God of heaven and earth, and on that account approaches Him directly. Let. Matthew 28:18 be seen. This statement, therefore, that 'time shall not be any more,' that is, that there shall be no Church, has reference to the things that follow in this chapter (verse 7), and they refer to those that are in chapter 11 (verse 15), where it is said that there is going to be a Church which shall be the Only Lord's.
[2] State is signified by 'time' because in the spiritual world times are not measured by days, weeks, months, and years, but by the states that are the progressions of the life of those [who are there], by virtue of which there is a remembering of things gone by. On this subject the work concerning HEAVEN AND HELL, published at London in the year 1758, may be seen (162-169), where it treats of time in heaven. The state of the Church is understood here by 'time,' because day and night, morning and evening, summer and winter, make time in the world, and when understood in a spiritual sense they make the state of the Church. When, therefore, these states no longer exist, there is not any Church; and there is none at the precise time when there no longer is good and truth, thus when the light of truth is darkness, and the heat of good is cold. These are the things that are understood by the statement 'that time shall not be any more.' Similar things are understood by these passages in the Word:
The fourth beast shall think to change times. Daniel 7:25.
It shall be one day, which shall be known to Jehovah, not day nor night (thus not time) Zechariah 14:7.
I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the land in the day of light (thus not time) Amos 8:9.
Behold one evil is coming, an end is coming, the end is coming, the morning is coming upon thee, the inhabitant of the land, the time is coming. Ezekiel 7:5-7.
'The morning' is the beginning of the New Church (151), and therefore it is said 'the time is coming.
476. That there should be time no longer, signifies that there cannot be any state of the church, nor any church, unless one God be acknowledged, and that the Lord is He. By "time" is signified state; and, because the church is here treated of, the state of the church is signified. Therefore "there shall be time no longer," signifies that there will not be any state of the church. That it also means that there is not any church, unless one God be acknowledged, and that the Lord is He, follows as a consequence. But what is the case at this day? That there is one God is not denied, but that the Lord is He is denied; and yet there is not one God, in whom is the Trinity at the same time, but the Lord. That the church is from Him, who is the Savior and Redeemer, is not denied; but that He, as the Savior and Redeemer, ought to be approached immediately, is denied. Hence it is evident, that the church is about to expire, unless a new one comes into existence, which acknowledges the Lord alone to be the God of heaven and earth, and, for this reason, immediately approaches Him (see Matthew 28:18). Therefore these words, "there shall be time no longer," that is, there shall be no church, relate to what follows in this chapter (verse 7); and this again, to what is written in chapter 11 (verse 15); where it is said there will be a church which will be from the Lord alone .
[2] By "time" is signified state, because in the spiritual world time is not measured by days, weeks, months, and years, but by states, which are progressions of the life of those who are there, from which they remember things past; on which subject see the work on Heaven and Hell, published at London in the year 1758 (162-169), where time in heaven is treated of. The reason why the state of the church is here meant by "time," is because day and night, morning and evening, summer and winter, constitute time in this world, and when understood in the spiritual sense, they constitute the states of the church; therefore when these states no longer exist, there is no church; and there is then no church, when there is no longer any good and truth, thus when the light of truth is thick darkness, and the heat of good is cold; this is what is meant by "there is time no longer." Something similar is meant by the following passages in the Word:
The fourth beast will think to change the times, (Daniel 7:25).
But it shall be one day which is known to Jehovah, not day nor night (thus there would be no time) (Zechariah 14:7).
I will cause the sun to set at noon, and I will darken the earth in the day of light (thus there would be no time) (Amos 8:9).
Behold, one evil is come, the end is come, the end is come, the morning is come upon thee, O thou that dwellest in the land, the time is come, (Ezekiel 7:5-7).
"The morning" is the beginning of a new church, (151[1-3]), therefore it is said "the time is come."
476. "Quod tempus non erit amplius," significat quod non aliquis status Ecclesiae, seu aliqua Ecclesia, nisi agnoscitur unus Deus, et quod Dominus sit Ille. - Per "tempus" significatur status, et quia hic de Ecclesia agitur, significatur status Ecclesiae; inde per quod "tempus non erit amplius" significatur quod non aliquis status Ecclesiae: quod etiam intelligatur, quod non aliqua Ecclesia sit, nisi agnoscitur unus Deus, et quod Dominus sit Ille, sequitur. At quid hodie: quod Deus Sit unus, non negatur, sed quod Dominus Sit Ille, negatur; et tamen non datur unus Deus, et simul Trinitas in Quo, nisi Dominus: quod Ecclesia sit ab Ipso Qui est Salvator et Redemptor, non negatur, at quod Ipse ut Salvator et Redemptor immediate adeundus sit, negatur: inde patet, quod Ecclesia exspiratura sit, nisi Nova existat, quae Dominum Solum pro Deo Caeli et Terrae agnoscit, et propterea Ipsum immediate adit (videatur Matthaeus 28:18); quare hoc, quod "tempus non erit amplius," hoc est, quod non Ecclesia, se refert ad illa quae in hoc capite Sequuntur (vers. 7), et haec ad illa quae in cap. 11 (vers. 15), ubi dicitur quod futura sit Ecclesia, quae Solius Domini erit. Quod per "tempus" significetur status, est quia in mundo spirituali non metiuntur tempora per dies. Septimanas, menses et annos, sed per status, qui sunt progressiones vitae eorum, ex quibus recordantur praeteritorum; de quibus videatur Opus de Caelo et Inferno Londini anno 1758 editum (162-169), ubi de Tempore in Caelo actum est. Quod status Ecclesiae hic per "tempus" intelligatur, est quia dies et nox, mane et vespera, aestas et hyems, faciunt tempus in mundo, et illa in spirituali Sensu intellecta faciunt status Ecclesiae; quare dum hi status non amplius sunt, non est aliqua Ecclesia; et tunc non est, quando non bonum et verum est amplius, ita quando lux veri est caligo, et calor boni est frigus; haec sunt quae intelliguntur per quod "non tempus amplius." Similia intelliguntur per haec in Verbo:
Bestia quarta "cogitabit immutare Tempora," (Daniel 7:25);
"Erit dies unus qui notus Jehovae, non dies nec nox," ita non tempus, (Sacharias 14:7);
"Occidere faciam solem in meridie, et obtenebrabo terram in die lucis," ita nec tempus, (Amos 8:9);
"Malum unum ecce venit, finis venit, venit finis, venit mane super te habitator terrae, venit Tempus," (Ezechiel 7:5-7);
"mane" est principium Ecclesiae Novae (151), quare dicitur "venit tempus."