Apocalypse Revealed (Whitehead) n. 915

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915. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald (verse 20), the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprasus, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst, signifies all things of that doctrine in their order, from the sense of the letter of the Word, with those who immediately approach the Lord, and live according to the commandments of the Decalogue by shunning evils as sins; for these and no others are in the doctrine of love to God, and of love towards the neighbor, which two loves are the fundamentals of religion. That by "the twelve foundations of the wall" are signified all things of the doctrine of the New Jerusalem from the sense of the letter of the Word, may be seen above (n. 902, 914). That by "precious stones" in general are signified all the truths of doctrine from the Word translucent through the spiritual sense (above n. 231, 540, 726, 911, 914); here by each stone is signified some truth in particular thus translucent. That the Word in the sense of the letter as to its doctrinal corresponds to precious stones of every kind, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture (n. 43-45). [2] There are two colors in general, which shine forth in precious stones, the color red and the color bright white; the other colors, as green, yellow, blue, and many others, are composed of them, by means of black; and by the color red is signified the good of love, and by the color bright white is signified the truth of wisdom. The reason why red signifies the good of love is because it derives its origin from the fire of the sun, and the fire of the sun of the spiritual world is in its essence the Divine love of the Lord, this the good of love; and the reason why the color bright white signifies the truth of wisdom, is because it derives its origin from the light which proceeds from the fire of that sun, and that proceeding light is in its essence the Divine wisdom, thus the truth of wisdom. [3] And black derives its origin from their shade, which is ignorance. But to explain what particular of good or of truth is signified by each stone, would be too prolix; but yet that it may be known what particular good and truth each stone in this order signifies, see what is explained above (chapter 7 verses 5-8, n. 349-361), where the twelve tribes of Israel are treated of; for the like is here signified by each stone, as by each tribe there named, because by the twelve tribes there described are signified in like manner all the goods and truths of the church and of its doctrine in their order; therefore it is also said in this chapter (verse 14), that in these twelve foundations were written the "names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb," and by "the twelve apostles" are signified all things of doctrine concerning the Lord, and concerning a life according to His commandments (n. 903). The same is also signified by these twelve stones, as by the twelve precious stones in the breastplate of Aaron, which was called Urim and Thummim (see Exod. 28:15-21, the explanation of which is given in The Arcana Coelestia, n. 9856-9882), with this difference, that upon the latter were the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, but upon the former the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. [4] That the foundations are of precious stones is also said in Isaiah:

Oh, thou afflicted, behold, I will lay thy stones with stibium, and lay thy foundations with sapphires, and thy gates of stones of carbuncles; all thy sons shall be taught of Jehovah (Isa. 54:11-13). By "the afflicted" is meant the church to be established by the Lord with the Gentiles. In the same:

Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; judgment also I will make a rule, and justice a plummet (Isa. 28:16-17). [5] Since all the truth of doctrine from the Word must be founded upon the acknowledgment of the Lord, therefore the Lord is called:

The stone of Israel (Gen. 49:24). Also the cornerstone which the builders rejected (Matt. 21:42; Mark 12:10-11; Luke 20:17-18). That the cornerstone is the foundation stone, appears from Jeremiah 51:26. The Lord also in the Word in many places is called a "Rock," wherefore by the "Rock" He meant Himself, when He said:

Upon this rock I will build My church (Matt. 16:18, 19);

And also when He said:

Whosoever heareth My words and doeth them, is compared to a prudent man who buildeth a house and layeth the foundation upon a rock (Luke 6:47-48; Matt. 7:24-25). By "a rock" is signified the Lord as to the Divine truth of the Word. That all things of the church and of its doctrine relate to these two: that the Lord is to be approached immediately and that man must live a life according to the commandments of the Decalogue by shunning evils as sins; and that thus all things of doctrine relate to love to God, and to love towards the neighbor, will be seen in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning Charity, where these things will be set forth in their order.


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