700.“河水就干了，要给那从日出之地所来的众王预备道路”表那些处于来自主源于良善的真理，将要被引入新教会之人所推理的虚假被除去。“河水就干了”表示他们内在推理的虚假被除去；“干了”表示它们被除去，“水”表示真理，在反面意义上表示虚假（50，614节），在此表示内在推理的虚假，因为这水是幼发拉底河的水，该河就表示这类推理（699节）。要为其预备道路的“众王”表示那些处于来自主源于良善的真理之人（20，483节）。“日出之地”表示来自主的新教会的开始，“早晨”所表相同（151节）。“预备道路”表示预备引入。从这些事明显可知，“河水就干了，要给那从日出之地所来的众王预备道路”表示那些处于来自主源于良善的真理，将要被引入新教会之人所推理的虚假被除去。
这一系列主题就在于此：此处论述了现教会的完结或终结和新教会的建立或开始，以及争辩。现教会当中那些陷入唯信的人以“龙”、“兽”和下面所提到的“假先知”来表示。他与那些将属于新教会之人的争辩以“聚集地上的众王去争战”来表示；而他们要与之争辩的那些将属于新教会的人，则以“幼发拉底河的水就干了，要给那从日出之地所来的众王预备道路”所指的那些人来表示。这一切与以色列人被引入迦南地的情形很相似，不同之处在于：为前者而干了的是约旦河，为后者而干了的是幼发拉底河。幼发拉底河之所以为后者而干了，是因为此处他们凭内在推理而争辩，在引入（新教会）之前，这些内在推理要干了，也就是被除去；这也是为何本书揭露他们的内在推理的原因；若不揭露出来，不认识这些内在推理的人，即使很聪明，也很容易被迷惑。
700. And its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the rising of the sun might be made ready. This symbolically means that the falsities in those reasonings were removed in the case of people who possess truths from the Lord that spring from goodness, and who are to be introduced into the New Church.
That the water was dried up means symbolically that the falsities in those interior reasonings were removed. Its being dried up symbolizes their removal - water symbolizing truths, and in an opposite sense falsities (nos. 50, 614), here the falsities in people's interior reasonings, because the water was the water of the river Euphrates, which symbolizes those reasonings (no. 699). The kings for whom the way was made ready symbolize people who possess truths from the Lord that spring from goodness (nos. 18, 483). The rising of the sun symbolizes the beginning of the New Church from the Lord, the same as morning (no. 151). Preparing the way symbolizes a preparation to introduce.
It is apparent from this that the water's being dried up, so that the way of the kings from the rising of the sun might be made ready, symbolically means that the falsities in their interior reasonings were removed in the case of people who possess truths from the Lord that spring from goodness, and who are to be introduced into the New Church.
[2] The context of this is as follows: The subject here is the final period or end of the present church and the establishment or beginning of a new church and its struggles. The people of the present church caught up in faith alone are meant by the dragon, beast, and false prophet, spoken of next, and their conflicts with people who will belong to the New Church are meant by the gathering of the kings of the earth to do battle. Those people who will belong to the New Church, on the other hand, with whom they will conflict, are meant by those for whom the water of the river Euphrates was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the rising of the sun might be made ready.
This involves an occurrence similar to one in the introduction of the children of Israel into the land of Canaan, with the difference that for the Israelites the river Jordan was dried up, while for the people here it is the river Euphrates. It is the river Euphrates for the people here because they use interior reasonings to carry on the conflict, reasonings that must be dried up, that is, removed, before the introduction can occur. This is also the reason that their interior reasonings are being exposed in this book. If they were not exposed, an unwitting person, no matter how intelligent, might easily be led astray.
700. 'And its water was dried up, that the way of kings from the rising of the sun might be prepared' signifies that the untruths of those reasonings have been removed with those who from the Lord are in truths derived from good, and are to be introduced into the New Church. By the 'water' having been 'dried up' is signified that the untruths of those interior reasonings were removed. By 'was dried up' is signified that they were removed, and by 'water' truths are signified, and in the opposite sense untruths (50, 614), here the untruths of the interior reasonings because it was the water of the river Euphrates, by which those reasonings are signified (699). By the 'kings' for whom the way was prepared are signified those who from the Lord are in truths derived from good (20, 483). By 'the rising of the sun' is signified the beginning of the New Church from the Lord, the like as by 'morning' (151). By 'to prepare the way' is signified to prepare for introduction. It is plain from these considerations that by 'the water was dried up, that the way of kings from the rising of the sun might be prepared' is signified that the untruths of the interior reasonings have been removed with those who from the Lord are in truths derived from good, and are to be introduced into the New Church.
[2] The series of subjects is this: it treats here of the consummation or end of the present Church, and of the setting up or beginning of the New Church, and of contentions. Those belonging to the present Church who are in faith alone are understood by 'the dragon,' 'the beast' and 'the false prophet,' concerning which something follows. And the contentions thereof with those who will belong to the New Church are understood by 'the gathering together of the kings of the land to battle.' But those who will be of the New Church, with whom they contend, are understood by 'the water of the river Euphrates was dried up, that the way might be prepared for kings from the rising of the sun.' This involves something similar to the introduction of the sons of Israel into the land of Canaan, with the difference that for them the river Jordan was dried up, but for those [who will belong to the New Church it is] the river Euphrates. The reason why the river Euphrates [is dried up] for the latter is because here they contend by means of interior reasonings, which are to be dried up, that is, removed, before the introduction is effected. This is also the reason why their interior reasonings are discovered in this work. Unless they were discovered, a man not acquainted with them, even if intelligent, might easily be led astray.
700. And the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings from the rising of the sun might be prepared, signifies that the falsities of those reasonings were removed with those who are in truths from good from the Lord, and are to be introduced into the New Church. By "the water was dried up," is signified that the falsities of their interior reasonings were removed; by "being dried up" is signified that they were removed, and by "water" is signified truths, and, in the opposite sense, falsities, (50, 614); here the falsities of interior reasonings, because it was the water of the river Euphrates, by which river such reasonings are signified, (699). By "the kings" for whom a way was to be prepared, are signified they who are in truths derived from good from the Lord, (20, 483). By "the rising of the sun" is signified the beginning of the New Church from the Lord, the same as by "morning" (151[1-3]). By "preparing the way" is signified to prepare for introduction. From these things it is evident, that by "the water was dried up, that the way of the kings from the rising of the sun might be prepared," is signified that the falsities of their interior reasonings were removed with those who are in truths from good from the Lord, and are to be introduced into the New Church.
[2] This is the series of the subjects under consideration: It treats here of the consummation or end of the present church, and of the establishment or beginning of the New Church, and of contentions. They of the present church who are in faith alone, are meant by "the dragon," "the beast" and "the false prophet," of which mention is made below. And his contentions with those who will be of the New Church, are meant by "the gathering together of the kings of the earth to battle;" but they who will be of the New Church, with whom they will contend, are meant by those for whom "the water of the river Euphrates was dried up, that the way might be prepared for the kings from the rising of the sun." This involves something similar to the introduction of the sons of Israel into the land of Canaan, with this difference, that for the former the river Jordan was dried up, but for the latter the river Euphrates. The reason why the river Euphrates was dried up for the latter, is, because, here they contend by interior reasonings, which are to be dried up, that is, removed, before introduction can be effected; which also is the cause why their interior reasonings are disclosed in this work; and unless they were disclosed a man unacquainted with them, though intelligent, might easily be seduced.
700. "Et exsiccata est aqua ejus, ut pararetur via regum ab ortu solis," significat quod remota sint falsa ratiociniorum istorum, apud illos qui a Domino in veris ex bono sunt, ac in novam Ecclesiam introducendi. - Per quod "exsiccata sit aqua," significatur quod remota sint falsa ratiociniorum interiorum istorum; per quod "exsiccata sit" significatur quod remota sint, et per "aquam" significantur vera, et in opposito sensu falsa (50, 614), hic falsa ratiociniorum interiorum, quia erat aqua fluvii Euphratis, per quem significantur ratiocinia illa (699); per "reges" quibus pararetur via significantur qui a Domino in veris ex bono sunt (20, 483); 1per "ortum solis" significatur principium Novae Ecclesiae a Domino, simile quod per "mane (151); per "parare viam" significatur praeparare ad introducendum: ex his patet, quod per quod "exsiccata sit aqua, ut pararetur via regum ab ortu solis," significetur quod remota sint falsa ratiociniorum interiorum apud illos qui a Domino in veris ex bono sunt, et in Novam Ecclesiam introducendi sunt. Haec est series rerum: agitur hic de consummatione seu fine Ecclesiae hodiernae, et de instauratione seu principio Ecclesiae Novae, et de contentionibus. Illi qui ab Ecclesia hodierna in sola Fide sunt, intelliguntur per "Draconem," "Bestiam" et "Pseudoprophetam," de quibus sequitur; et ejus contentiones cum illis qui ab Ecclesia Nova erunt, intelliguntur per "congregationem regum terrae ad proelium;" illi autem qui e Nova Ecclesia erunt, cum quibus contendent, intelliguntur per illos pro quibus "exsiccata est aqua fluvii Euphratis, ut pararetur via regibus ab ortu solis." Hoc involvit simile cum introductione filiorum Israelis in Terram Canaanem, cum discrimine, quod pro illis exsiccatus sit fluvius Jordanes, at pro his fluvius Euphrates. Causa quod pro his fluvius Euphrates, est, quia hic contendunt per ratiocinia interiora, quae exsiccanda, hoc est, removenda sunt, antequam fit introductio; quae etiam causa est, quod ratiocinia eorum interiora in hoc Opere detegantur; quae nisi detegerentur, homo ignarus, tametsi intelligens, facile posset seduci.
Footnotes:
1. 20 pro "28"