Arcana Coelestia, Vol. VI

GENESIS [N. 4230]

4230. When the end of an old church and the beginning of a new church is at hand, then is the Last JudgmentIn this context, the "Last Judgment" is not the physical destruction of the world, but a spiritual transition where an old way of life ends and a new spiritual era begins.. This is the time that is meant in the Word by the “Last Judgment” (see n. 2117–2133, 3353, 4057), and also by the “coming of the Son of manA title for Jesus Christ, here representing Divine Truth appearing to the human mind..” It is this very Coming that is now the subject before us, as referred to in the question addressed to the Lord by the disciples:—

Tell us when shall these things be, especially what is the sign of Thy coming, and of the consummation of the ageOften translated as "the end of the world," but more accurately the end of a specific religious or spiritual cycle.? (Matthew xxiv. 3).

It remains therefore to unfold the things predicted by the Lord concerning this very time of His Coming and of the Consummation of the age which is the Last Judgment; but in the preface to this chapter only those contained in verses 32 to 35:—

Now learn a parable from the fig-tree. When her branch is now become tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that the summer is nigh. So also ye, when ye see all these things, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away till all these things be accomplished. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away.

The internal senseThe deeper, symbolic meaning of the Bible that lies beneath the literal stories. of these words is as follows.

4231. Now learn a parable from the fig-tree. When her branch is now become tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that the summer is nigh;

signifies the first of a new church; the “fig-tree” is the good of the naturalThis refers to basic, everyday kindness and moral goodness that a person expresses in their outward life.; her “branch” is the affection of this; and the “leaves” are truths. The “parable from which they should learn” is that these things are signified. He who is not acquainted with the internal sense of the Word, cannot possibly know what is involved in the comparison of the Lord’s coming to a fig-tree and its branch and leaves; but as all the comparisons in the Word are also significative (n. 3579), it may be known from this signification what is meant. A “fig-tree” wherever mentioned in the Word signifies in the internal sense the good of the natural (n. 217); that her “branch” is the affection of this, is because affection springs forth from good as a branch from its trunk; and that “leaves” are truths may be seen above (n. 885). From all this it is now evident what the parable involves, namely, that when a new church is being cre-