845.启20:4.“我又看见几个宝座，他们坐在上面，并有审判的权柄赐给他们”表所有人照之受审判的圣言真理被打开，然后那些被主所隐藏的人从低地被提升上去，免得他们被那“龙”及其“兽”所迷惑。这些话之所以表示这些事，是因为他们所坐的“宝座”并非表示宝座，而是表示依照圣言真理的审判。在天上所看到的“宝座”表示审判（参看229节）。“二十四长老”所坐，以及“十二使徒”所将要坐的“宝座”并非代表别的，所有人都照圣言真理受审判（参看233节）。由此明显可知，“并有审判的权柄赐给他们”表示审判的权柄赐给圣言真理。
这些人就是被主从低地接升天堂的人，在此期间被藏在那里，以免被“龙”及其“兽”所迷惑。这是因为这是指着“被斧头斩首者的灵魂”和“死人”（如接下来所述）说的；不是说他们对自己而言是死的，而是对其他人而言是死的。他们被藏之地被称为低地，低地就在附近地狱之上、灵人界之下；他们在那里通过与天堂相通并与主结合而处于安全状态。这种地方有很多，他们在那里彼此生活愉快，敬拜主，对地狱则毫不知情。最后审判之后，那里的人不时地被主接升上天堂，当他们被主接升天堂时，“龙”所指的那些人就被移除。我常蒙允许看到他们被接升上去，并被引入与天上天使的联系中。这就是圣言中所说“坟墓开了”和“死人起来”的意思。
845. 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was entrusted to them. This symbolically means that the Word's truths were laid open, in accordance with which all people are judged, and those in the lower earth were then raised up, who had been hidden away by the Lord to keep the dragon and its beasts from leading them astray.
This is the symbolic meaning of these words because the thrones on which they sat do not mean thrones, but judgment in accordance with the Word's truths. That thrones seen in heaven represent judgment may be seen in no. 229 above. That nothing else is meant by the thrones on which the twenty-four elders sat, 1and on which the twelve apostles would sit, 2and that all people are judged in accordance with the Word's truths, may be seen in no. 233 above. It is apparent therefore that the judgment entrusted to them symbolizes a judgment given to the Word's truths.
[2] The people are those who were raised by the Lord from the lower earth into heaven, who in the meantime were hidden away there to keep the dragon and its beasts from leading them astray, because the reference is to the souls of those who had been beheaded, and to the dead, as mentioned next. Not that they seemed dead to themselves, but that they so appeared to others.
The place where they were hidden away is called a lower earth, which exists just above the hells, below the world of spirits, and there, by a communication with heaven and by a conjunction with the Lord, they lived in safety. There are many such places, and the people there live happily with each other and worship the Lord. Nor do they have any knowledge of hell. After a last judgment the people who are there are from time to time raised by the Lord into heaven, and when they are being raised, those meant by the dragon are removed.
I have often been given to see them raised into the company of angels in heaven. This is what is meant in the Word by graves being opened and the dead rising again.
Footnotes:
1. Revelation 4:4; 11:16.
845. [verse 4] 'And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them' signifies that the truths of the Word in accordance with which all are judged were opened, and that then those who had been hidden by the Lord were taken up out of the lower land lest they should be led astray by 'the dragon' and his 'beasts.' These things are signified by these words because by the 'thrones' upon which they sat are not signified thrones but judgment in accordance with the truths of the Word. That by the 'thrones' seen in heaven judgment was represented may be seen above (229). That nothing else was represented by the 'thrones' upon which the twenty-four elders sat, and upon which the twelve apostles are going to sit, and that all are judged in accordance with the truths of the Word, may also be seen above (233). From this it is plain that by 'judgment' being 'given unto them' is signified that judgment was given to the truths of the Word.
[2] The reason why those are [meant] who, having meanwhile been hidden there, were taken up out of the lower land into heaven by the Lord lest they should be led astray by 'the dragon' and his 'beasts,' is because it is said of 'the souls of those beheaded with the axe' and of 'the dead' (as it follows on); not that they had been dead to themselves but to others. The place where they were hidden is called the lower land, which is next above hell under the world of spirits, and there by means of a communication with heaven and conjunction with the Lord they are in safety. There are many such places where they live cheerfully on their own and worship the Lord, not knowing anything about hell. Those who are there, when their turn comes after the last judgment, are raised up into heaven by the Lord, and when they are being raised up those who are understood by 'the dragon' are removed. It has quite often been given [me] to see that they were taken up and brought into association with the angels in heaven. This is understood in the Word by [the statement] that 'the graves were opened' and 'the dead were raised up' [Matthew 27:52-53].
845. Verse 4. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them, signifies that the truths of the Word, according to which all are judged, were opened, and that then they were taken up from the lower earth, who had been concealed by the Lord, lest they should be seduced by the dragon and his beasts. The reason why this is the signification of these words, is because by "the thrones" upon which they sat, are not signified thrones, but judgment according to the truths of the Word; that by "the thrones" seen in heaven is represented judgment, may be seen above, (229). That nothing else is signified by "the thrones," upon which the twenty-four elders sat, and upon which the twelve apostles are to sit, and that all are judged according to the truths of the Word, may also be seen above, (233); from which it is plain, that by "judgment was given unto them," is signified that judgment was given to the truths of the Word.
[2] The reason why they are meant who were taken up by the Lord from the lower earth into heaven, and who in the meanwhile had been concealed there lest they should be seduced by the dragon and his beasts, is because this is said of "the souls which had been beheaded," and of "the dead," afterwards mentioned, not that they were dead to themselves, but to others. The place where they were concealed is called the lower earth, which is next above hell, under the world or spirits, and there by communication with heaven and by conjunction with the Lord, they are in safety. There are many such places, and there they live cheerfully with one another, and worship the Lord, nor do they know anything about hell. They who are there are at times elevated by the Lord into heaven after the Last Judgment, and when they are elevated those who are meant by the dragon are removed. It has been frequently granted me to see them taken up and consociated with the angels in heaven. This is what is meant in the Word by "the graves were opened," and "the dead were raised up."
845. (Vers. 4.) "Et vidi thronos, et consederunt super iis, et judicium datum est illis," significat quod vera Verbi, secundum quae omnes judicantur, aperta sint, et quod tunc sublati sint ex inferiore terra, qui a Domino reconditi fuerunt, ne a Dracone et ejus Bestiis seducerentur. -Quod haec significentur per haec verba, est quia per "thronos" super quibus consederunt non significantur throni, sed judicium secundum vera Verbi; quod per "thronos" visos in Caelo repraesentetur judicium, videatur supra (229); quod non aliud per "thronos," super quibus consederunt viginti quatuor Seniores, et super quibus sessuri sunt duodecim Apostoli, et quod omnes judicentur secundum vera Verbi, videatur etiam supra (233); inde patet, quod per "judicium datum est illis" significetur quod judicium datum sit veris Verbi. Quod sint qui ex inferiore terra a Domino sublati sunt in Caelum, qui interea ibi reconditi sunt, ne a Dracone et ejus Bestiis seducerentur, est quia dicitur de "animabus securi percussorum" et de "mortuis," ut sequitur; non quod mortui essent sibi, sed aliis. Locus ubi reconditi sunt, vocatur Terra inferior, quae proxime supra inferna est, sub Mundo spirituum, et ibi per communicationem cum Caelo et per conjunctionem cum Domino sunt in tuto. Talia loca sunt plura, et ibi inter se vivunt hilariter, et colunt Dominum, nec sciunt aliquid de Inferno. Illi qui ibi sunt, post Ultimum Judicium per vices elevantur in Caelum a Domino; et quando elevantur, removentur illi qui per "Draconem" intelliguntur. Datum est saepius videre quod sublati sint, et consociati angelis in Caelo. Hoc intelligitur in Verbo per quod "sepulchra aperta sint," et quod "mortui resurrexerint."