896. [verse 10] 'And he carried me away in the spirit above a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God' signifies John transported into the third heaven, and his sight opened there, before whom was made manifest the Lord's New Church as to doctrine in the form of a city. By 'he carried me away in the spirit above a great and high mountain' is signified that John was transported into the third heaven, where are those who are in love from the Lord and in the doctrine of genuine truth from Him; 'great' being predicated of the good of love, and 'high' of truths. The reason why by to be carried away 'into a mountain' is signified into the third heaven is because it is said 'in the spirit', and he who is 'in the spirit' is as to his mind and sight in the spiritual world, and there the angels of the third heaven dwell upon mountains, the angels of the second heaven upon hills, and the angels of the ultimate heaven in the valleys between the hills and mountains. When, therefore, anyone is carried away in the spirit into a mountain, there is signified [his being taken up] into the third heaven. This carrying away is effected in a moment because it is effected by means of a change of state of the mind. By 'he showed me' is signified the sight then opened, and a making manifest. By 'the great city the holy Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God' is signified the Lord's New Church, as above (n. 879, 880), where it has also been expounded, which is the reason why it is termed 'holy' and is said to be descending out of heaven from God. Its being seen in the form of a city is because 'a city' signifies doctrine (n. 194, 712), and the Church is a Church by virtue of doctrine and a life in accordance therewith. It was also seen as a city so that it might be described as to its every quality, and this is described by its wall, gates, foundations, and by the various measurements. The Church is described in a similar manner in Ezekiel, where it is also said that the prophet:-
In visions of God was brought upon a very high mountain [and] saw a city on the south, which an angel also measured as to the wall and gates, and as to the breadth and height Ezek. xl 2 seq.
A similar thing is understood by these words in Zechariah:-
I said unto the angel, Where art thou going? He said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, that I may see what is the breadth thereof and what is the length thereof Zech. ii 2 [H.B. 6].
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