Apocalypse Explained (Tansley) n. 956

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956. And none could enter into the temple. That this signifies its being in obscurity as to the understanding of it, is evident from the signification of the temple, as denoting the Word; see above. Hence by not being able to enter the temple by reason of the smoke, is signified that the Word is in obscurity as to the understanding of it.

The reason why the Word is in obscurity, and therefore not understood is, that at the end of the church there are no truths; and therefore all things of the Word are falsified. Therefore before genuine truths are discovered, the Word is in obscurity before the understanding.

Continuation concerning the First Precept:-

[2] Because a man, from the general influx out of heaven, sees, in his spirit, that God is a man, it follows that those who belong to the church where the Word is, if they shun evils and turn away from them as sins, from the light of heaven in which they then are, see the Divine in the Lord's Human, and the Trine in Him; and Himself as the God of heaven and earth. But those cannot see this, who, by intelligence from the proprium, have destroyed in themselves the idea of God as a man; nor do they see that God is one from the Trinity which they think of; they call Him one with their lips only.

Those, however, who are not purified from evils, and, therefore, are not in the light of heaven, do not, in their spirit, see the Lord as the God of heaven and earth, but some other instead. Some of them regard some one whom they believe to be God the Father; others, one whom they call God, because He prevails in power; others, some devil whom they fear because he can bring evil upon them; others, nature, as in the world; and others, no God at all.

It is said, in their spirit, because such are they when they become spirits after death, therefore what lay concealed in their spirit, in the world, is then made manifest. But all those who are in heaven acknowledge the Lord only. For the whole heaven is from the Divine which proceeds from Him, and has reference to Him as a man.

No one, therefore, can enter heaven unless he is in the Lord; for he enters into Him when he enters heaven. Others, if they enter, become mentally impotent and fall backwards.


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