43. 'And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands' signifies the New Church, which will be in enlightenment from the Lord out of the Word. That the 'seven lampstands' are the seven Churches is stated in the last verse of this chapter; and that by 'the seven Churches' are understood all who are in Christendom and who accede to the Church may be seen above (n. 10); and specifically in accordance with the state of reception of each one (n. 41). The New Church is understood by the 'seven lampstands' because the Lord is in it, and in the midst of it; for it is said that in the midst of the seven lampstands he saw One like unto the SON OF MAN, and by the 'Son of Man' is understood the Lord as to the Word. The lampstands were seen 'golden' because gold signifies good, and every Church is a Church by virtue of the good that is formed by means of truths. That 'gold' signifies good will be seen in the following [pages]. [2] The lampstands were not placed close to one another, or in contact, but standing apart making a kind of ring, as is plain from these words in the following chapter:-
These things says He Who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands Rev. ii 1.
Nothing is said about the lamps of these lampstands, but in the things following it is said that:-
the holy Jerusalem (that is, the New Church) has no need of the sun, neither of the moon, for the Lamp thereof is the Lamb, and the nations that are being saved shall walk in His Light Rev. xxi 23, 24;
and further:-
They need no lamp, for the Lord God enlightens them Rev. xxii 5.
In fact those who will be of the Lord's New Church (erunt e Nova Ecclesia Domini) are only lampstands that will shine from the Lord. [3] By the 'golden lampstand' in the tabernacle nothing else was represented than the Church as to enlightenment from the Lord, concerning which lampstand see Exod. xxv 31-end, xxxvii 17-24; Lev. xxiv 3, 4; Num. viii 2-4. That it represented the Lord's Church as to spiritual Divine love, which is love towards the neighbour, may be seen in ARCANA CAELESTIA published at London (n. 9548, 9555, 9558, 9561, 9570, 9783); also below (n. 493). In Zechariah chapter iv, by the 'lampstand' is signified the New Church about to be set up by the Lord, since it signifies the new house of God or the new temple as is plain from the things following there, and by 'the house of God' or 'the temple' is signified the Church, and in the supreme sense the Lord's Divine Human, as He Himself teaches (John ii 19-21, and elsewhere). It will, however, be stated what is signified in order in chapter iv in the case of Zechariah when the 'lampstand' was seen by him.
[4] 'By the things that are contained from verses 1 to 7 is signified the enlightenment of the New Church by the Lord out of the good of love by means of truth. The olive trees there signify the Church as to the good of love. By the things from verses 8 to 10 there is signified that these things are from the Lord. The Lord is represented by Zerubbabel there, who is going to build the house, thus the Church. By the things from verses 11 to 14 is signified that in that Church there will also be truths out of a heavenly source. The exposition of that chapter has been given to me by the Lord through heaven.'
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