New Church Life May/June 2017 | Page 10

n e w c h u r c h l i f e : m ay / j u n e 2 0 1 7 heaven. (Conjugial Love 183.7) One particular day in June, the 19th, has special significance for New Church people, for it was on that date in 1770 that the Lord sent His disciples out to preach to the whole spiritual world that “the LORD GOD JESUS CHRIST reigns.” (True Christian Religion 791) This marked the second coming of the Lord and the beginning of the New Church in heaven. We might call this proclamation a “wedding invitation” because, we are told, it fulfilled the prophecy in the Book of Revelation that says: “Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!” (Revelation 19:9) “The Lamb,” signifying innocence, is the Lord; and the “marriage” is that which exists between the Lord and His Church, which is represented by “the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” (Revelation 21:2, 9, 10) It is called a “supper” because feasts are joyful occasions when members of a community get together to celebrate something. A supper is an evening meal, which is also significant because the former church’s day had come to an end. The New Church would follow as the morning of a new spiritual day. Heaven . . . the Church . . . marriage. These are connected at the deepest level, united by their Divine source. They go together, and not one of them can exist alone, apart from God, for it is the presence of the Divine in them that makes them what they are. Holy. Living. Beautiful. Fruitful. Joyful. This sounds very idealistic, but it is also profoundly realistic. True ideals represent the truest realities. The essence or soul of a thing is not less real than the outward manifestation of it, but more real. Life is real; “lifestyles” are more or less benef