43. That the truths of the Word's sense of the letter are meant by the foundations of the wall of the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21), follows from the fact that the "New Jerusalem" means the New Church as to doctrine (as has been shown in Doctrine of the Lord, n. 62-63); so that its "wall," and the "foundations of the wall," can mean nothing but the external of the Word which is the sense of the letter, for this is the source of doctrine, and through doctrine of the church, and this sense is like a wall with its foundations that encloses and protects a city. Concerning the wall of the New Jerusalem and its foundations we read in Revelation:
The angel measured the wall thereof, a hundred and forty and four cubits, which was the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. And the wall had twelve foundations, adorned with every precious stone. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst (Rev. 21:17-20). The number "144" signifies all the truths and goods of the church derived from doctrine that is drawn from the sense of the letter of the Word. The like is signified by "12." A "man" signifies intelligence; an "angel," Divine truth the source of intelligence; "measure," the quality of these; the "wall" and its "foundations," the sense of the letter of the Word; and the "precious stones," the truths and goods of the Word in their order, which are the source of doctrine, and through doctrine of the church.
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