813. And His Wife hath made herself ready, signifies that they who will be of this church, which is the New Jerusalem, are collected together, inaugurated, and instructed. By "the Wife" the Lord's New Church is signified, which is the New Jerusalem; which is clearly manifest from chap. 21, following, where are these words:
I saw the holy city, the New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband (Rev. 21:2).
An angel came unto me, saying, Come, I will show thee the Bride, the Lamb's Wife; and he showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God (Rev. 21:9-10).
By "His Wife hath made herself ready" is signified that they who will be of that New Church of the Lord are collected together, inaugurated, and instructed; and because these things are signified by "she hath made herself ready," it therefore follows that the Wife "was arrayed in fine linen clean and bright;" by which is signified inauguration by instruction; and therefore there also follows the account of "the white horse," by which is signified the understanding of the Word from the Lord for them.