3.迄今为止，人们还不知道“新地”表示地上的一个新教会，因为人人都将圣言中的“地”理解为大地；而事实上，它表示教会；就属世意义而言，“地”是指大地，但就属灵意义而言，它是指教会，因为那些明白灵义的人，也就是属灵之人，如天使那样，当地在圣言中被提及时，不是理解为实际的大地，而是理解为住在那里的民族及其神性敬拜；这就是为何“地”表示教会。这一事实可见于《属天的奥秘》一书，可参看下文。我在此从圣言引用一两处经文，好叫大家在某种程度上明白，“地”表示教会：
高处的闸门都开了，地的根基也震动了；地必全然打破，尽都崩裂，地大大地震动了；地要摇摇晃晃，好像醉酒的人；又如小屋子摇来摇去；罪过在其上沉重。（以赛亚书24:18-20）
我要使人比纯金更少；因此在耶和华烈怒的日子，我必使天震动，地必摇撼，离其本位。（以赛亚书13:12-13）
在祂面前，地震天动，日月昏暗，星辰收回其光辉。（约珥书2:10）
地就摇撼战抖，山的根基也震动摇撼。（诗篇18:7-8）
还有其它许多类似经文。
3. Until now, people have not realized that “a new earth” means a new church on earth, for the simple reason that they have thought “earth” in the Word means earth, when in fact it means the church. In a nonspiritual sense it does mean the earth, but spiritually understood it means the church. This is because if we are focused on the spiritual meaning-that is, if we ourselves are as spiritual as angels-when it says “earth” in the Word we do not understand it to mean the earth itself but the people who live on it and their worship of God. That is why “earth” means the church (on this point see the references from Secrets of Heaven cited in the footnote). 1*
I would like to cite a few passages from the Word here that may offer some help in understanding that “earth” means the church.
The flood gates from on high are open and the foundations of the earth are shaken. The earth is violently broken; the earth is shaken exceedingly. The earth reels to and fro like a drunkard, it totters like a hut, and its transgression is heavy upon it. (Isaiah 24:18, 19, 20)
I will render a human more rare than pure gold. Because of this I will violently move heaven, and the earth will be moved from its place, in the day of the raging of Jehovah's anger. 2(Isaiah 13:12, 13)
The earth quaked before him, and the heavens trembled; the sun and the moon were darkened, and the stars withheld their light. (Joel 2:10)
The earth shook and trembled, and the foundations of the mountains quaked and were shaken. (Psalms 18:7, 8)
There are many other such passages.
Footnotes:
1. [Swedenborg note] “Earth” in the Word means the Lord's kingdom and the church: 662, 1066, 1068, 1262, 1413, 1607, 2928, 3355, 4447, 4535, 5577, 8011, 9325, 9643. This is primarily because “the earth” is used to mean the land of Canaan, and that is where the church was from the earliest times, which is also why heaven is called “the heavenly Canaan”: 567, 3686, 4447, 4454, 4516, 4517, 5136, 6516, 9325, 9327. But also because spiritually understood “the earth” means the people who are there and their worship: 1262. Consequently, “earth” means various things that have to do with the church: 620, 636, 1066, 2571, 3368, 3379, 3404, 8732. “The people of the earth” means those who make up the spiritual church: 2928. An “earthquake” is a change in the state of the church: 3355. “A new heaven and a new earth” means a [new] church: 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118, 3355, 4535, 10373.
The earliest church, which existed before the Flood, and the ancient church, which existed after the Flood, were in the land of Canaan: 567, 3686, 4447, 4454, 4516, 4517, 5136, 6516, 9325. At that time, all the places there were given symbolic meanings related to the Lord's kingdom and the church: 1585, 3686, 4447, 5136. That is why Abraham was commanded to go there—because a symbolic church was to be set up among his descendants through Jacob, and a Word was to be composed whose outermost meaning would be founded on the representative and symbolic meanings of the names and places in that land: 3686, 4447, 5136, 6516. That is why “the earth” and “the land of Canaan” mean the church: 3038, 3481, 3705, 4447, 4517, 5757, 10568.
2. For a discussion of Jehovah, one of the names of God, see note 1 in New Jerusalem 201. [Editors]
3. Thus far it has remained unknown that a new earth means a new church on earth, because everyone has understood earth in the Word as meaning the earth, when it really means the church. In the natural sense earth is the earth, but in the spiritual sense the church. The reason is that those who grasp the spiritual sense, those, that is, who are spiritual like the angels, do not understand the actual earth when earth is mentioned in the Word, but the people on it, and their worship of God. That is why earth means the church. Proof of this is to be found in ARCANA CAELESTIA; see below. 1I should like to quote one or two passages from the Word, which allow one to grasp to some extent that earth means the church:
The flood-gates on high have been opened, and the foundations of the earth have been shaken. The earth was utterly shattered, the earth quaked exceedingly. The earth reels to and fro like a drunken man; it sways like a hut; and its transgression weighs heavy on it. Isaiah 24:18-20.
I will make mankind scarcer than pure gold. Therefore I shall shake the heaven, and the earth will be shaken from its place on the day when Jehovah's anger is kindled. Isaiah 13:12-13.
The earth quaked before Him; the heavens trembled, the sun and the moon were darkened, and the stars withdrew their shining. Joel 2:10.
The earth was shaken and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains trembled and were shaken. Psalms 18:7-8.
There are very many other such passages.
Footnotes:
1. Earth in the Word means the Lord's kingdom and the church: (662, 1066, 1067, 1262, 1413, 1607, 2928, 3355, 4447, 4535, 5577, 8011, 9325, 9643). In particular, because earth means the land of Canaan and from the earliest times the church was there, this too is why heaven is called the heavenly Canaan (567, 3686, 4447, 4454, 4516, 4517, 5136, 6516, 9325, 9327). Also because earth in the spiritual sense means the people on it and their worship (1262). As a result earth means a number of things connected with the church (620, 636, 1066, 2571, 3368, 3379, 3404, 8732). The people of the earth means those who belong to the spiritual church (2928). An earthquake is a change in the condition of the church (3355). A New heaven and a new earth means a new church (1733, 1850, 2117, 2118, 3355, 4535, 10373). The Most Ancient church, which existed before the flood, and the Ancient church which followed the flood, were in the land of Canaan (567, 3686, 4447, 4454, 4516, 4517, 5136, 6516, 9327). At that time all the places there became representative of things in the Lord's kingdom and in the church (1585, 3686, 4447, 5136). Abraham was therefore ordered to go there, since a representative church was to be set up among his descendants starting from Jacob, and among them the Word was to be written; the last sense of this was to be composed of the things there which represented and stood for spiritual ideas (3686, 4447, 5176, 6516). Thus it is that earth and the land of Canaan mean the church (3038, 3481, 3705, 4447, 4517, 5757, 10568).
3. That by "the new earth" is meant a New Church on earth, has hitherto been unknown, for every one by "earth" in the Word has understood the earth, when yet by it is meant the church; in the natural sense, earth is the earth, but in the spiritual sense it is the church, because they who are in the spiritual sense, that is, who are spiritual, as the angels are, when "the earth" is named in the Word, do not understand the earth itself, but the nation which is there, and its Divine worship; hence it is that by "earth" is signified the church; that it is so, may be seen in the Arcana Caelestia, as quoted below. 1
I will here adduce one or two passages from the Word, by which in some measure it may be comprehended, that "earth" [land] signifies the church:
The cataracts from on high were opened, and the foundations of the earth were shaken; in breaking, the earth is broken; in agitating, the earth is agitated; in reeling, the earth reels like a drunkard; it moves to and fro like a cottage; and heavy upon it is the transgression thereof (Isaiah 24:18-20).
I will cause a man to be more rare than pure gold; therefore I will remove the heaven, and the earth shall be removed out of her place, in the day of the fierce anger of Jehovah (Isaiah 13:12, 13).
The earth was agitated before Him, the heavens have trembled, the sun and the moon are become black, and the stars have withdrawn their splendor (Joel 2:10).
The land was shaken and agitated, and the foundations of the mountains trembled and were shaken (Psalm 18:7, 8, and in many other places).
Footnotes:
1. FROM THE ARCANA COELESTIA.
By "earth" (land) in the Word is signified the kingdom of the Lord and the church (662, 1066, 1067, 1262, 1413, 1607, 2928, 3355, 4447, 4535, 5577, 8011, 9325, 9643). Chiefly for this reason, because by "earth" is meant the land of Canaan, and the church was there from the most ancient times hence also it is, that heaven is called the heavenly Canaan (567, 3686, 4447, 4454, 4516, 4517, 5136, 6516, 9325, 9327). And because in the spiritual sense by "earth" is understood the nation which is there, and its worship (1262). Hence the "earth" signifies various things pertaining to the church (620, 636, 1066, 2571, 3368, 3379, 3404, 8732). The people of the "earth" are they who are of the spiritual church (2928). "An earthquake" is a change of the state of the church (3355). "A New Heaven and a New Earth" signify the church (1733, 1850, 2117, 2118, 3355, 4535, 10373).
The Most Ancient Church, which was before the flood, and the Ancient Church, which was after the flood, were in the land of Canaan (567, 3686, 4447, 4454, 4516, 4517, 5136, 6516, 9327). Thence all the places there became representative of such things as are in the Lord's kingdom and in the church (1585, 3686, 4447, 5136). Therefore Abraham was commanded to go thither, since with his posterity from Jacob, a representative church was to be instituted, and the word written, the ultimate sense of which should consist of the representatives and significatives which were there (3686, 4447, 5136, 6516). Hence it is that by "earth" and by "the land of Canaan" is signified the church (3085, 3481, 3705, 4447, 4517, 5757, 10559).
3. Quod per "novam terram" intelligatur nova ecclesia in terris, hactenus ignotum fuit, quoniam unusquisque per "terram" in Verbo intellexerat terram, cum tamen per illam intelligitur ecclesia; in sensu naturali "terra" est terra, sed in sensu spirituali est ecclesia: causa est, quia 1illi qui in spirituali sensu sunt, hoc est, qui spirituales sunt prout sunt angeli, cum nominatur "terra" in Verbo, non intelligunt ipsam terram, sed gentem quae ibi, et ejus Divinum cultum; inde est quod per "terram" significetur ecclesia; quod ita sit videatur in Arcanis Caelestibus infra. 2Unum alterumve locum ex Verbo velim adducere, ex quibus comprehendi aliquatenus potest, quod per "terram" significetur ecclesia.
"Cataractae ab alto apertae sunt, et concussa sunt fundamenta terrae; confringendo confracta est terra;... commovendo commota est terra; nutando nutat terra sicut ebrius; vacillat sicut tugurium; et gravis super illam praevaricatio ejus" (Esaiam 24:18-20);
"Rarum reddam hominem prae auro puro;... propterea commovebo caelum, et commovebitur terra e loco suo, in die excandescentiae irae" Jehovae (Esaiam 13:12-13);
"Coram Ipso commota est terra; contremuerunt caeli, sol et luna atrati sunt, et stellae contraxerunt splendorem suum" (Joel 2:10);
"Concussa et commota est terra, et fundamenta montium trepidarunt, et concussa sunt" (Psalm 18:7-8).
(Et in perpluribus aliis locis.)
(EX ARCANI CAELESTIBUS.)
Footnotes:
"1. quia pro ""qui"""
"2. Quod per ""terram"" in Verbo significetur regnum Domini et ecclesia ("662, 1066-1067, 1262, 1413, 1607, 2928, 3355, 4447, 4535, 5577, 8011, 9325, 9643).
Ex causa imprimis, quia per "terram" intelligitur terra Canaan, et ibi fuerat ecclesia ab antiquissimis temporibus; inde quoque est quod caelum dicatur caelestis Canaan (567, 3686, 4447, 4454, 4516-4517, 5136, 6516, 9325, 9327).
Et quia in spirituali sensu per "terram" intelligitur gens quae ibi, et ejus cultus (1262).
Quod inde "terra" significet Varia quae sunt ecclesiae (620, 636, 1067 (1066?), 2571, 3368, 3379, 3404, 8732).
"Populus terrae" quod sint qui ab ecclesia spirituali (2928).
"Terrae motus" quod sit mutatio status ecclesiae (3355). Quod "novum caelum et nova terra" significet ecclesiam (1733, 1850, 2117-2118, 3355, 4535, 10373).
Quod Antiquissima Ecclesia, quae fuit ante diluvium, et Antiqua Ecclesia quae fuit post diluvium, fuerint in terra Canaane (567, 3686, 4447, 4454, 4516-4517, 5136, 6516, 9327).
Quod tunc omnia loca ibi facta sint repraesentativa talium quae in regno Domini et ecclesia (1505 (1585?) 3686, 4447, 5136).
Quod ideo Abraham illuc ire jusSus sit, quoniam apud posteros ejus ex Jacobo ecclesia repraesentativa institueretur, ac Verbum conscriberetur, cujus sensus ultimus constaret ex repraesentativis et significativis quae ibi (3686, 4447, 5136, 6516).
Inde est quod per "terram" et per "terram Canaanem" significetur ecclesia (3038, 3481, 3705, 4447, 4517, 5757, 10658(10559?)).