2. [verse 1] 'The Revelation of Jesus Christ' signifies predictions by the Lord concerning Himself and concerning His Church, what this will be like at its end, and what it is going to be like afterwards, in the heavens as well as on earth (in terris). By 'the Revelation of Jesus Christ' are signified all the predictions, and because these are from the Lord, it is said, 'the Revelation of Jesus Christ'. That they are concerning the Lord and concerning His Church will be plain from the expositions. In the Apocalypse it does not treat of the successive states of the Church, still less of the successive states of kingdoms, as some have believed until now; but there from beginning to end it treats of the last state of the Church in the heavens and on earth (in terris), and then of the last judgment, and after this of the New Church, which is the New Jerusalem. That this New Church is the final purpose of this work is clear. The things therefore that precede treat of what the state of the Church is like immediately beforehand. But in what series it treats of those matters can be seen from the contents of each of the chapters, and more distinctly from the exposition of each of the verses.