Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 432the Lord, Divine truth proceeding from Him (see above, n. 31).From this then it is that Jerusalem is called “the city of truth”(Zechariah 8:3).[12] In Isaiah:Thus saith Jehovah, thy Redeemer and Former from the womb, Imake void the signs of liars; turning wise men backward, and makingtheir knowledge foolish; saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited;and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up thedesolate places thereof (44:24–26).This treats of the rejection of the church whose doctrine is fromself-intelligence, and of the establishment of a new church, whosedoctrine is from the Lord. Doctrine from self-intelligence is meantby “I make void the signs of liars, turning wise men backward, andmaking their knowledge foolish,” and doctrine that is from theLord by “saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to thecities of Judah, Ye shall be built.”[13] In Jeremiah:Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streetsof Jerusalem? I will cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from thestreets of Jerusalem, the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voiceof the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, for the land shall become awaste (7:17, 34).Here also “the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem” signifythe truths of doctrine; “the voice of joy and the voice of gladness” isdelight from the affection of good and truth; “the voice of thebridegroom and the voice of the bride” are those affectionsthemselves; and that these are to cease is meant by “the land shallbecome a waste;” the “lad” is the church.[14] In Isaiah:I will commingle Egypt with Egypt that they may fight a managainst his brother, and a man against his companion; city against city,kingdom against kingdom. In that day there shall be five cities in the