866.启20:12.“我又看见死了的人，无论大小，都站在神面前”表所有从地上死亡，如今在那些身处灵人界之人当中的人，无论状态和性质如何，都被主聚集起来受审判。“死了的人”表示所有离世，或肉身死亡的人，下文将详述他们。“大小”表示无论状态和性质如何（604节）。“都站在神面前”，也就是站在“坐宝座的”面前，表示出现并聚集起来受审判。在圣言中，“死人”和“死”所表相同，“死”表示各种事物；因为“死”不仅表示属世生命的消亡，也就是死亡，还表示属灵生命的消亡，也就是被罚下地狱。“死”还表示身体之爱或肉体欲望的消亡，之后生命便有一个新开始。“死”同样表示复活，因为人死后立即复活。“死”还表示被世界忽视、不承认和弃绝。不过，就最普遍的意义而言说，“死”和“魔鬼”所表相同，因此“魔鬼”也被称为“死”，并且“魔鬼”表示地狱，就是那些被称为“魔鬼”的人所在之地。
所以，“死”也表示使人成为魔鬼的意愿之邪恶。在接下来两节经文中，“死”就表示后一种意义，即意愿的邪恶，在那里，经上说“死亡和阴间也交出其中的死人”，并且“死亡和阴间也被扔在火湖里”。由此明显可知，“死人”在各种意义指的是谁。他们在此表示所有离世，或从地上死亡，然后在灵人界的人。
之所以说在灵人界，是因为所有人死后首先进入灵人界，在那里，善者预备上天堂，恶者预备下地狱；有的仅在此停留一个月，或一年，有的则停留十年，直至三十年；那些为自己仿造天堂的人曾被允许停留数个世纪；但如今没有人在此逗留超过二十年。那里人数庞大，也有如天堂和地狱中那样的社群。关于灵人界的相关内容，可参看前文（784，791节）。最后的审判在那些处于灵人界的人，而非那些处于天堂或地狱的人身上施行，因为天堂里的人此前就已得救，而地狱里的人此前就已罚入地狱。由此可见，那些以为最后的审判将发生在地上，届时人们将带着肉身复活的人受了何等大的欺骗。事实上，从世界最初被造时起，所有人曾活着的人都在灵界，并披上灵体。在那些属灵的人眼里，他们的形态和世人一样，正如世人看世人的样子。
866. 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God. This symbolizes all people of every condition and character, who had died from earthly lands and were now among those in the world of spirits, gathered by the Lord for judgment.
The dead symbolize all who had departed from earthly lands, or who had died physically. More on this below. Small and great symbolize people of every condition and character, as in no. 604. To stand before God, that is, before Him who sat on the throne, symbolically means to be gathered and presented for judgment.
The dead in the Word have the same symbolic meaning as their deaths, and deaths have various symbolic meanings. For death symbolizes not only the extinction of natural life, which is its demise, but also the extinction of spiritual life, which is a state of damnation. Death also symbolizes the extinction of physical loves or lusts of the flesh, which is followed by a renewal of life. Death likewise symbolizes resurrection, because after death a person immediately rises again. Death also symbolizes a state of being ignored, disregarded and rejected by the world.
In its most general sense, however, death has the same symbolic meaning as the Devil, which is why the Devil is also called Death, 1and the Devil means the hell where the inhabitants are called devils. Consequently death means evil of will as well, which makes a person to be a devil. It is in this last sense that Death is referred to in the next two verses, where we are told that Death and Hell delivered up their dead and that these were cast into the lake of fire.
It can be seen from this who are symbolically meant by the dead in the various senses of the term. Symbolized here are all those people who had departed from the world or died from earthly lands, and were then in the world of spirits.
[2] We say, in the world of spirits, because all people come first into that world after their demise, and are there prepared, the good for heaven and the evil for hell, and some remain there for only a month or a year, and some for as much as ten to thirty years. And those who were granted to form for themselves pseudo-heavens remained there for several centuries. People today, however, remain no more than twenty years. There is a huge multitude of them, and they form societies there as in the heavens and hells. Regarding this world, see nos. 784, 791 above.
It was on these people in the world of spirits that the Last Judgment was executed, and not on those in heaven or those in hell. For those who were in heaven had already been saved, and those who were in hell had already been damned.
It can be seen from this how deluded those people are who believe that the Last Judgment will take place on earth, and that people will then rise again with their bodies. For all who have lived from the first creation of the world are together in the spiritual world, and all are clothed with a spiritual body, so that to the eyes of spiritual people they appear in the same human form as people do in the natural world to the eyes of natural people.
Footnotes:
1. As in Revelation 6:8; 20:13, 14
866. [verse 52] 'And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God' signifies all those of whatever condition and quality from on earth who, having died, were now among those who were in the world of spirits, gathered together by the Lord for judgment. By 'the dead' are signified all who have departed from on earth, or who have died as to the body, concerning whom more [is said] below. By 'small and great' are signified of whatever condition and quality (as 604). By 'to stand before God,' that is, before 'the One sitting upon the throne' is signified to be present and gathered together for judgment. By 'the dead' in the Word the same is signified as by deaths, and by 'deaths' various things are signified; for 'death' not only signifies the extinction of natural life, which is decease, but also the extinction of spiritual life, which is damnation. By 'death' is signified also the extinction of the body's loves or the lusts of the flesh, after which there is a new beginning (innovatio) of life. In like manner by 'death' is signified resurrection, because a man after death immediately rises again. Also by 'death' is signified neglect, non-acknowledgment and rejection by the world. But in the most general sense by 'death' is signified the same as by the Devil, and therefore also the Devil is called 'Death,' and by 'the Devil' is understood the hell where are those who are called devils. Consequently also by 'death' is understood the evil of the will that causes a man to be a devil. 'Death' is understood in this last sense in the following verse[s] where it is said that 'death and hell gave up their dead' and that 'they were cast into the lake of fire.' From these things it can be established who are signified by 'the dead' in every sense (in vario sensu). Here they signify all those who had departed out of the world or who had died from on earth, and were then in the world of spirits.
[2] It is said in the world of spirits because all come at first into that world after their decease, and there the good are prepared for heaven and the evil for hell; and some stay there only for a month or for a year and others for ten years up to thirty years; and those who had been allowed to make as it were heavens for themselves [stayed] for several centuries; but at this day no [one stays] longer than twenty years. The crowd there is enormous, and there are societies there as in the heavens and in the hells. Concerning this world [something] may be seen above (784, 791). The last judgment was executed upon those who were in that world and not upon those who were in heaven nor upon those who were in hell, for those who were in heaven were saved before and those in hell were damned before. From these things it can be seen how much they are deceived who believe that the last judgment is going to take place on earth, and that then men are going to be raised again as to their bodies. For from the world's first creation all who have lived are together in the spiritual world and are clothed with a spiritual body. In the sight of those who are spiritual they appear as men in a similar form, just as those who are in the natural world do in the sight of those who are natural.
866. Verse 12. And I saw the dead small and great standing before God, signifies all who had died from the earth, and were now among those who were in the world of spirits, of whatever condition and quality, gathered together by the Lord for judgment. By "the dead" are signified all who had departed from the earth, or who were dead as to the body, concerning whom more will be said below; by "small and great" are signified of every condition and quality (as at 604); by "standing before God," that is, before Him who sat upon the throne, is signified to be present and gathered together to judgment. By "the dead" in the Word the same thing is signified as by deaths, and "deaths" signify various things; for "death" not only signifies the extinction of natural life or decease, but also the extinction of spiritual life, which is damnation; by "death" is also signified the extinction of the loves of the body or the lusts of the flesh, after which there is a renewal of life; in like manner by "death" is signified resurrection, because man rises again immediately after death; by "death" is also signified neglect, non-acknowledgment, and rejection by the world, but in the most general sense by "death" the same is signified as by "the Devil," wherefore also the Devil is called "death," and by "the Devil" is meant hell where they are who are called devils, hence also by "death" the evil of the will is meant which causes man to be a devil. "Death" is used in this last sense in the next verse, where it is said that "death and hell gave up their dead," and that "they were cast into the lake of fire." From these things it may appear who are meant by "the dead" in the variety of senses; here are signified all those who had departed out of the world, or who had died from the earth, and were then in the world of spirits.
[2] It is said in the world of spirits, because all come into that world immediately after their decease, and are there prepared, the good for heaven, and the evil for hell; and some stay there only a month or a year, and others from ten to thirty years; and they to whom it was granted to make as it were heavens to themselves, several centuries; but at this day not longer than twenty years. There is there a vast multitude, and societies there as in the heavens and in the hells, concerning this world see above, (784, 791). Upon those who were in that world, the Last Judgment was executed, and not upon those who were in heaven, nor upon those who were in hell; for they who were in heaven were saved before, and they who were in hell were condemned before. From these considerations it may be seen, how much they are deceived who believe that the Last Judgment is to take place upon earth, and that then men are to rise again as to their bodies, for all who have lived from the first creation of the world are together in the spiritual world; and all are clothed with a spiritual body, which before the eyes of those who are spiritual appear as men in a similar form, just as they who are in the natural world appear before the eyes of those who are natural.
866. (Vers. 12.) "Et vidi mortuos, parvos et magnos, stantes coram Deo," significat omnes qui e terris mortui sunt, et nunc inter illos qui in Mundo spirituum, ex quacunque conditione et qualitate, a Domino congregatos ad judicium. - Per "mortuos" significantur omnes qui e terris excesserunt, seu qui quoad corpus mortui sunt, de quibus plura infra; per "parvos et magnos" significantur ex quacunque conditione et qualitate (ut 604); per "stare coram Deo," hoc est, coram Sedente super Throno, significatur sisti et congregari ad judicium. Per "mortuos" in Verbo significatur idem quod per mortes, et per "mortes" significantur varia: per "mortem" enim non modo significatur exstinctio vitae naturalis, quae est obitus, sed etiam exstinctio vitae spiritualis quae est damnatio; per "mortem" etiam significatur exstinctio amorum corporis seu concupiscentiarum carnis, post quam innovatio vitae; pariter per "mortem" significatur resurrectio, quia homo post mortem statim resurgit; tum per "mortem" significatur neglectus, non agnitio, et rejectio a mundo: in communissimo autem sensu per "mortem" significatur idem quod per "Diabolum," quare etiam Diabolus vocatur "Mors;" et per "Diabolum" intelligitur Infernum; ubi sunt qui vocantur diaboli inde etiam per "mortem" intelligitur malum voluntatis, quod facit ut homo sit diabolus: in hoc ultimo sensu intelligitur "Mors" in sequente versu, ubi dicitur quod "Mors et Infernus dederint suos mortuos," et quod "conjecti sint in stagnum ignis." Ex his constare potest, quinam per "mortuos" in vario sensu significantur: hic significantur omnes illi qui e mundo excesserunt, seu e terris mortui erant, et tunc in Mundo spirituum. Dicitur in Mundo spirituum, quia in illum omnes post obitum primum veniunt, et ibi praeparantur boni ad Caelum et mali ad Infernum; et morantur ibi quidam modo per mensem, aut per annum, et quidam per decem annos usque ad triginta; et illi, quibus concessum fuit sibi sicut caelos facere, ad aliquot saecula, hodie vero non ultra viginti annos est ingens ibi multitudo, et ibi sunt Societatem sicut in Caelis et in Infernis: de hoc mundo videatur supra (784, 791). Supra his qui in illo mundo erant, factum est Ultimum Judicium, et non factum est super illis qui in Caelo erant, nec super illis qui in Inferno; qui enim in Caelo erant prius salvati sunt, et qui in Inferno prius damnati sunt. Ex his videri potest quantum hallucinantur qui credunt quod Ultimum Judicium exstiturum sit in terris, et quod tunc homines quoad sua corpora resurrecturi sint: sunt enim omnes, qui a prima creatione mundi vixerunt, in mundo spirituali simul; et omnes induti corpore spirituali, qui coram oculis illorum, qui spirituales sunt, apparent in simili forma homines, sicut qui in mundo naturali sunt coram oculis eorum qui naturales sunt.