902. Verse 14. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, signifies that the Word, in the sense of the letter contains all things of the doctrine of the New Church. By "the wall of the city" is signified the Word in the sense of the letter (n. 898); and by "twelve foundations" are signified all things of the doctrine of the church; by "foundations" are signified doctrinals, and by "twelve" all. The church also is founded upon doctrine, for doctrine teaches how we are to believe, and how we are to live, and doctrine is to be drawn from no other source than the Word; that it is from the sense of the letter of the Word, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture (n. 50-61). Since all things of doctrine are signified by "the twelve foundations of the wall of the city New Jerusalem," and as the church is a church from doctrine, therefore its foundations are particularly treated of below (verses 19-20). In the Word "foundations of the earth" are sometimes named, and by them are not meant the foundations of the earth, but the foundations of the church, for "the earth" signifies the church (n. 285), and the foundations of the church are no other than what are from the Word, and are called doctrinals; for it is the Word itself which founds the church. [2] Doctrinals from the Word are also signified by "foundations" in the following passages:
Do ye not understand the foundations of the earth? (Isa. 40:21) I will put my words into thy mouth, to plant the heavens and to found the earth (Isa. 51:16). They do not acknowledge, they do not understand, they walk in darkness, all the foundations of the earth totter (Ps. 82:5). The Word of Jehovah stretcheth forth the heavens and foundeth the earth, and formeth the spirit of man in the midst of him (Zech. 12:1). Jehovah hath kindled a fire in Zion, which hath devoured the foundations thereof (Lam. 4:11). The wicked shoot in darkness at the upright in heart, because the foundations are undermined (Ps. 11:2, 3). Hear ye, O mountains, the controversy of Jehovah, the strength, the foundations of the earth, for Jehovah hath a controversy with His people (Micah 6:2). The cataracts from on high were opened, and the foundations of the earth were shaken, the earth is broken in pieces, the earth is rent, the earth is moved (Isa. 24:18-20). Besides other places (as Isa. 14:32; 48:13; 51:13; Ps. 24:2; 102:25; 104:5, 6; 2 Sam. 22:8, 16). He who does not think that "the earth" signifies the church, can think no otherwise here than merely naturally, yea materially, when he reads of "the foundations of the earth;" the same as it would be, if he did not think that the city Jerusalem here signifies the church, while he reads of its wall, gates, foundations, streets, measures, and other particulars, which are described in this chapter as relating to a city; when yet they relate to the church, and thus are not to be understood materially, but spiritually.
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