Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 429These words describe the total vastation of the church, untilnothing of the truth of doctrine shall remain. In the same:Behold, waters rising up out of the north, which shall become anoverflowing brook, and shall overflow the land, the city and them thatdwell therein (47:2).Vastation also is signified by “an overflowing brook.” In the same:If ye hallow the day of the sabbath, there shall enter in through thegates of this city kings and princes, riding in chariot and on horses, andthis city shall be inhabited to eternity (17:24, 25).“Hallowing the sabbath” in the spiritual sense signifies holyacknowledgment of the Lord’s Divine Human and of Hisconjunction with heaven and the church; “kings and princesentering in through the gates of the city” signify the truths of thechurch; “their riding in a chariot and on horses” signifies that theyshall be in the truths of doctrine and in intelligence; “the city,”which here is Jerusalem, is the church in respect to doctrine. Suchis the spiritual sense of these words; such therefore is the sense inheaven.[9] In Zechariah:Thus said Jehovah; I will return to Zion, and will dwell in themidst of Jerusalem; whence Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth. Andthe streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets(8:3–5).Here “Zion” does not mean Zion, nor “Jerusalem” Jerusalem; but“Zion” means the celestial church, and “Jerusalem” that church inrespect to the doctrine of truth; therefore it is called “a city oftruth;” “the streets of the city” signify the truths of doctrine; “boysand girls playing in the streets” signify the affections of truth andgood. (That “Zion” signifies the celestial church, see ArcanaCoelestia, n. 2362, 9055; that “Jerusalem” signifies the church inrespect to doctrine, n. 402, 3654,9166; and in the small work onThe New Jerusalem, n. 6; that “streets” signify the truths of