Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 397Judah hath mourned, and the gates thereof have been made tolanguish (14:2).In the book of Judges:The villages have ceased in Israel; he hath chosen new gods; therewas fighting at the gates (5:7, 8).In Ezekiel:Tyre hath said about Jerusalem, Aha, she is broken, the doors ofthe peoples; she is brought around unto me (26:2).Here also the destruction of the church is treated of; “Tyre’ signifiesthe knowledges of truth and good, which are introductory truths;and “Jerusalem” the church in respect to the doctrine of truth; thisshows why Jerusalem is here called the “doors of the people;” alsowhat this signifies, “Tyre says, Aha, Jerusalem is broken, the doorsof the people; she is brought around unto me, I shall be filled.”[12] Since, as was said above, “doors” and “gates” signifyadmission, and in particular, introductory truths, which are truthsfrom good from the Lord, it is clear what “doors” and “gates”signify in the following passage. In David:Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lifted up, ye everlastingportals, that the King of glory may come in (Ps. 24:7, 9).Recount the praises of Jehovah in the gates of the daughter of Zion(Ps. 9:14).Jehovah loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings ofJacob (Ps. 87:2).By “Zion” and “the daughter of Zion” the celestial church ismeant. In Isaiah: