True Christianity: The Portable New Century Edition, Volume 1

[ 5 ] Since this is the nature of the Word in its literal meaning, it follows

that if we have divine truths and we have faith that the Word is divinely

holy at heart, and better still if we have faith that the Word is divinely holy

because of its spiritual and heavenly meanings, then as we read the Word

in enlightenment from the Lord we see divine truths in earthly light. The

light of heaven in which the Word’s spiritual meaning exists then flows

into the earthly light in which the Word’s literal meaning exists and lights

up the intellectual faculty in us that is called rationality. It causes our

rationality to see and acknowledge divine truths both where they stand

out and where they are hidden. For some people, divine truths flow in

with heaven’s light even when they are not aware of it.

216 Because of its heavenly meaning, the Word at the inmost part of its
core is like a gentle flame that kindles us. Because of its spiritual mean-
ing, the Word at the mid-part of its core is like a light that enlightens.
Because of its earthly meaning, then, the Word on the outermost level is
like a translucent object that receives both of the above. The flame makes
it fiery red and the light makes it shining white, like snow. Therefore it is
either like a ruby or a diamond. Because of the heavenly flame it is like a
ruby. Because of the spiritual light it is like a diamond.
Since this is the nature of the Word in its literal meaning, therefore
the Word in this meaning is represented

1. by the precious stones that constituted the foundations of the New
   Jerusalem;


2. by the Urim and Thummim on Aaron’s ephod;


3. by the precious stones from the garden of Eden that the king of Tyre
   is said to have worn;


4. by the curtains, veils, and pillars in the tabernacle;


5. and by the exteriors of the Temple in Jerusalem.


6. When the Lord was transfigured he represented the Word in its glory.


7. The Nazirites represented the power of the Word in its outermost
   form.


8. The Word has indescribable power.

These points need individual explanations.

217 1. The precious stones that constituted the foundations of the New Jeru -
salem (Revelation 21 : 17 – 21 ) mean the truths in the Word’s literal meaning.In
§ 209 above I mentioned that precious stones exist in the spiritual world
just as they do in the physical world; their spiritual origin is the truths in
the Word’s literal meaning. This seems unbelievable, but it is nevertheless

294 TRUE CHRISTIANIT Y §215