487. Verse 2. But the court which is without the temple cast out, and measure it not, signifies that the state of the church on earth, such as it is at present, is to be removed, and not to be known. By "the court without the temple" is signified the church on earth, this being out of heaven, that is, out of "the temple" (n. 486). By "casting it out" is signified to remove it, in this instance, from heaven, because such is its state; and by "not measuring" is signified not to scrutinize and know its quality (n. 486). The reason follows; "because it is given unto the Gentiles, and the holy city shall they trample forty-two months." That by "the court out of the temple" is here signified the church on earth such as it still is, appears from what follows in this chapter, where it is described by "the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt," in which the Lord's two witnesses lay killed, and which afterwards fell in a great earthquake, wherein were killed the names of men seven thousand; besides other circumstances.
[2] By "a court" in the Word in other places, is signified the external of the church; for there were two courts, through which it was necessary to pass, in order to go into the temple itself at Jerusalem; and because by "the temple" was signified the church as to its internal, therefore by "the courts" was signified the church as to its external; wherefore the strangers, who were from the Gentiles, were admitted into the courts, but not into the temple itself. And as the external of the church is signified by "a court," therefore also the church on earth is signified thereby, and also heaven in ultimates, because the church on earth is the entrance to heaven, and likewise heaven in ultimates.
[3] That is what is signified by "the court" in these passages:
Happy is he whom Thou choosest, he shall dwell in Thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of Thy house, with the holiness of Thy temple (Ps. 65:4).
Praise ye the name of Jehovah, ye who stand in His house, in the courts of the house of our God (Ps. 135:1, 2).
How lovely are Thy habitations, O Jehovah; yea, my soul is consumed for the courts of Jehovah (Ps. 84:1, 2).
Enter into His gates with confession, into His courts with praise (Ps. 100:4).
The just shall flourish like the palm tree; they that be planted in the house of Jehovah shall spring up in the courts of our God (Ps. 92:12, 13).
A day in Thy courts is better than a thousand; I have chosen to stand at the door in the house of my God (Ps. 84:10).
(Besides other places, as Ps. 96:8; 116:19; Isa. 1:12; 62:9; Zech. 3:7; Ezek. 10:3-5).
Concerning the courts of the temple of Jerusalem (1 Kings 6:3, 36). Concerning the courts of the new temple (Ezek. 40:17-44; 42:1-14; 43:4-7).
And the court without the tabernacle (Exod. 27:9-18).