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676. Revelation 16
1. And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go and pour out the vials of the anger of God into the earth.
2. And the first went forth and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there came an evil and noxious sore on the men that had the mark of the beast, and that adored his image.
3. And the second angel poured out his vial into the sea; and it became blood as of one dead, and every living soul in the sea died.
4. And the third angel poured out his vial into the rivers and into the fountains of waters; and they became blood.
5. And I heard the angel of the waters saying, Thou art just, O Lord, who art, and who wast, and art holy, because Thou hast judged these things.
6. Because they have poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and Thou hast given them blood to drink, for they are worthy.
7. And I heard another out of the altar saying, Yea, O Lord God Almighty, true and just art Thy judgments.
8. And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and it was given him to scorch men with fire.
9. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God who hath authority over these plagues, and they repented not to give Him glory.
10. And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the throne of the beast; and his kingdom became dark, and they gnawed their tongues for distress.
11. And they blasphemed the God of heaven for their distresses and for their sores, and repented not of their works.
12. And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates, and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings from the rising of the sun might be prepared.
13. And I saw out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs.
14. For they are spirits of demons, doing signs, to go away unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them together to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
15. Behold, I come as a thief; happy is he that is awake and keepeth his garments, that he may not walk naked, and they see his shame.
16. And he gathered them together into a place called in Hebrew Armageddon.
17. And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there went forth a great voice out of the temple of heaven from the throne, saying, It is done.
18. And there were voices, and lightnings, and thunders; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, such an earthquake, so great.
19. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell; and great Babylon came into remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the wrath of His anger.
20. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
21. And great hail as of the weight of a talent cometh down from heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of hail: for the plague thereof was exceeding great.
THE SPIRITUAL SENSE
The contents of the whole chapter
In this chapter the evils and falsities in the church of the Reformed are disclosed by influx out of heaven (verse 1): Into the clergy (verse 2): Into the laity (verse 3): Into their understanding of the Word (verses 4-7): Into their love (verses 8-9): Into their faith (verses 10-11): Into their interior reasonings (verses 12-15): Into all things of them together (verses 17-21).
The contents of each verse
Verse 1. “And I heard a great voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels, Go, and pour out the vials of the anger of God into the earth,” signifies influx from the Lord from the inmost of heaven into the church of the Reformed, where they are who are in faith separated from charity as to doctrine and as to life (n. 676). Verse 2. “And the first went forth, and poured out his vial on the earth,” signifies into those who are in the interiors of the church of the Reformed, and study the doctrine of justification by faith alone, and are called the clergy (n. 677). “And there came an evil and noxious sore,” signifies interior evils and falsities destructive of all good and truth in the church (n. 678). “Upon the men that had the mark of the beast, and that adore his image,” signifies in those who live faith alone and receive the doctrine of it (n. 679). Verse 3. “And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea” signifies influx among those there who are in its externals, and in that faith, and are called the laity (n. 680). “And it became blood as of one dead, and every living soul died in the sea,” signifies infernal falsity with them, by which every truth of the Word and thence of the church and of faith was extinguished (n. 681). Verse 4. “And the third angel poured out his vial into the rivers and the fountains of waters,” signifies influx into the understanding of the Word with them (n. 683). “And they became blood,” signifies the truths of the Word falsified (n. 684). Verse 5. “And I heard the angel of the waters saying,” signifies the Divine truth of the Word (n. 685). “Thou art just, O Lord, who art, and who wast, and art holy, because Thou hast judged these things,” signifies that this is from the Divine Providence of the Lord, who is and who was the Word, which otherwise would be profaned (n. 686). Verse 6. “Because they have poured out the blood of saints and prophets,” signifies that this is for the reason, that this alone, that faith alone without the works of the law saves, being received, perverts all doctrinal truths from the Word (n. 687). “And Thou hast given them blood to drink, for they are worthy,” signifies that it was permitted those who have confirmed themselves in faith alone in doctrine and in life, to falsify the truths of the Word, and to imbue their life from falsified things (n. 688). Verse 7. “And I heard another out of the altar, saying, Yea, O Lord God Almighty, true and just are Thy judgments,” signifies the Divine good of the Word confirming that Divine truth (n. 689). Verse 8. “And the fourth angel poured out his vial into the sun,” signifies influx into their love (n. 690). “And it was given him to scorch men with fire,” signifies that love to the Lord tortured them, because they were in the lusts of evils from the delight of their love (n. 691). Verse 9. “And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who hath authority over these plagues,” signifies that on account of the delight of the love of self arising from vehement lusts of evils they did not acknowledge the Divinity of the Lord’s Human, from which nevertheless flows all good of love and truth of faith (n. 692). “And they repented not to give Him glory,” signifies that on that account they cannot receive with any faith that the Lord is the God of heaven and earth as to His Human also, although the Word teaches it (n. 693). Verse 10. “And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the throne of the beast,” signifies influx into their faith (n. 694). “And his kingdom became dark,” signifies that nothing but falsities appeared (n. 695). Verse 11. “And they gnawed their tongues for distress,” signifies that they could not endure truths (n. 696). “And they blasphemed the God of heaven for their distresses and for their sores,” signifies that they could not acknowledge the Lord alone to be the God of heaven and earth on account of resistance from interior falsities and evils (n. 697). “And repented not of their works,” signifies that though instructed from the Word, they still do not recede from falsities of faith and the evils of life thence (n. 698). Verse 12. “And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates,” signifies influx into their interior reasonings, by which they confirm justification by faith alone (n. 699). “And the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings from the rising of the sun might be prepared,” signifies that the falsities of their reasonings were removed with those who are in truths from good from the Lord, and are to be introduced into the New Church (n. 700). Verse 13. “And I saw out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet,” signifies the perception that from a theology founded upon the doctrine of the Trinity of Persons in the Divinity, and upon the doctrine of justification by faith alone without the works of the law (n. 701). “Three unclean spirits like frogs,” signifies that there arose mere reasonings and lusts of falsifying truths (n. 702). Verse 14. “For they are spirits of demons,” signifies that they were the lusts of falsifying truths and of reasoning from falsities (n. 703). “Doing signs, to go away unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them together to the battle of that great day of God Almighty,” signifies attestations that their falsities are truths, and the stirring up of all in the whole of that church who are in the same falsities, to attack the truths of the New Church (n. 704). Verse 15. “Behold, I come as a thief; happy is he that is awake and keepeth his garments,” signifies the Lord’s coming, and heaven then for those who look to Him, and remain steadfast in a life according to His precepts, which are the truths of the Word (n. 705). “That he may not walk naked, and they see his shame,” signifies lest they should be with those who are in no truths, and their infernal loves should appear (n. 706). Verse 16. “And he gathered them together into a place called in Hebrew Armageddon,” signifies the state of combat from falsities against truths, and the disposition of destroying the New Church, arising from the love of dominion and supereminence (n. 707). Verse 17. “And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air,” signifies influx into all things together with them (n. 708). “And there went forth a great voice out of the temple of heaven from the throne, saying, It is done,” signifies that it was thus made manifest by the Lord, that all the things of the church were devastated, and that now the Last Judgment is at hand (n. 709). Verse 18. “And there were voices, and lightnings and thunders,” signifies reasonings, falsifications of truth, and arguments from the falsities of evil (n. 710). “And there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, such an earthquake, so great,” signifies as it were shakings, convulsions, overturnings, and the drawing down from heaven of all the things of the church (n. 711). Verse 19. “And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell,” signifies that the church as to doctrine was altogether destroyed by them, and so too all the heresies which have emanated from it (n. 712). “And great Babylon came into remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the wrath of His anger,” signifies the destruction also at that time of the dogmas of the Roman Catholic religion (n. 713). Verse 20. “And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found,” signifies that there was no longer any truth of faith, nor any good of love (n. 714a). Verse 21. “And great hail as of the weight of a talent cometh down from heaven upon men,” signifies direful and atrocious falsities, by which every truth of the Word and thence of the church was destroyed (n. 714b). “And they blasphemed God because of the plague of hail, for the plague thereof was exceeding great,” signifies that because they confirmed such falsities with themselves, they denied truths to such a degree that they could not know them, on account of repugnances arising from their interior falsities and evils (n. 715).
THE EXPLANATION
Verse 1. And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go and pour out the vials of the anger of God into the earth, signifies influx from the Lord out of the inmost heaven into the church of the Reformed, where they are who are in faith separated from charity as to doctrine and as to life, to deprive them of truths and goods, and lay open the falsities and evils in which they are, and thus to separate them from those who believe in the Lord, and are in charity and its faith from him. This is a summary of what is contained in this chapter. By “the temple” is signified the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony, mentioned in the foregoing chapter (Rev. 15:5), whereby is signified the inmost of heaven, where the Lord is in His holiness in the Word, and in the Law which is the Decalogue (n. 669). By “a great voice” thence, is signified a divine mandate to go and pour out the vials. By “the seven angels” the Lord is meant, as above (n. 657). By “pouring out the vials upon the earth,” which contained the plagues, is signified influx into the church of the Reformed; by “pouring out the vials” is signified the influx, and by “the earth” is signified the church (n. 285).
[2] The church with the Reformed is still treated of; but in the next chapter the subject is concerning the Roman Catholic church, and afterwards concerning the Last Judgment, and finally concerning the New Church, which is the New Jerusalem (see the preface and n. 2). Chapters 8 and 9 treat of “the seven angels who had the seven trumpets,” which they sounded, and since many similar things occur there, it shall here be said what is signified by those seven angels, and what by these. By “the seven trumpets,” which the seven angels sounded, is signified the exploration and manifestation of the falsities and evils, in which they are who are in faith separated from charity; but by “the seven vials full of the seven last plagues,” is signified their devastation and consummation, for the Last Judgment is not executed upon them until they are devastated.
[3] Devastation and consummation in the spiritual world take place in this manner: From those who are in falsities as to doctrine, and thence in evils as to life, are taken away all the goods and truths which they possessed only in the natural man, and from which they simulated Christian men; on being deprived of which, they are separated from heaven, and conjoined with hell. And then they are arranged into societies in the world of spirits according to the varieties of lusts, and afterwards these societies sink down.
[4] They are deprived of goods and truths by an influx from heaven. The influx is effected from genuine truths and goods, by which they are tortured and tormented; scarcely otherwise than as a serpent when put near a fire, or thrown upon an ant hill. Therefore they reject from themselves the goods and truths of heaven, which are also the goods and truths of the church, and at last they condemn them because they feel as if infernal torment proceeded from them. When this has come to pass, they enter into their own evils and falsities, and are separated from the good. These are the things which are described and signified in this chapter by “the pouring out of the vials, wherein were the seven last plagues.” The vials did not contain the evils and falsities signified by “the plagues,” but they were genuine truths and goods, the effect of which was such as has been described. For the angels went out of “the temple of the tabernacle of testimony,” by which is meant the inmost of heaven, where there are nothing but truths and goods in Divine holiness (Rev. 15:6).
[5] Of this devastation and consummation the Lord speaks in these words:
Unto everyone that hath, to him shall be given, that he may have more abundantly; but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath (Matt. 13:12; Mark 4:25).
Take the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents; for unto everyone that hath shall be given, that he may abound, but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that he hath (Matt. 25:28-29; Luke 19:24-26).
677. Verse 2. And the first went and poured out his vial upon the earth, signifies influx into those who are in the interiors of the church of the Reformed and study the doctrine of justification by faith alone, who are called the clergy. By “pouring out his vial” is signified influx, as above (n. 676). By “the earth” is signified the church (n. 285), here those therein who are in its interiors who are such as study the doctrine of justification by faith alone. These also say that they know its interior things; but these interior things are only confirmations of this single position, that faith alone justifies without the works of the Law. Other interior things they do not know; and as these are chiefly priests, professors of theology, and lecturers in colleges, in short doctors and pastors, therefore this first influx was into them, who are called the clergy. The reason why they are meant, is because it is said that the first angel poured out his vial into “the earth” and the second angel into “the sea,” and then by “the earth,” is meant the church with those who are in its internals, and by “the sea” is meant the church with those who are in its externals, as above (n. 398, 403, 420, 470); that these are meant, is also evident from its being said that there came “a sore” upon them.
678. And there came an evil and noxious sore, signifies interior evils and falsities destructive of all good and truth in the church. By “a sore,” here nothing else is signified but evil originating in a life according to this head of doctrine, that faith alone without the works of the Law justifies and saves; because it came “upon the men who had the mark of the beast, and adored his image,” by which that faith, and a life according to it, are signified; wherefore by “an evil and noxious sore” are signified interior evils and falsities, destructive of all good and truth in the church. By “noxious” is signified what is destructive, for evil cannot but destroy good, and falsity truth. “A sore” has this signification because the sores of the body originate from a corrupt state of the blood, or from some other interior malignity. It is the same with sores meant in the spiritual sense, these originate from lusts and their delights, which are interior causes. The evil itself which is signified by “a sore” and which appears in externals as delightful, conceals within it the lusts whence it originates, and of which it is composed.
[2] It should be clearly known, that the interiors of the human mind exist in successive order and in simultaneous order with everyone. They are in successive order from its higher or prior things to its lower or posterior things. They are in simultaneous order in the ultimates or postremes, but in these latter they exist from interior things to exterior, as from a center to its circumference. This is shown in many places in The Angelic Wisdom concerning the Divine Love and Wisdom (n. 173-281), where degrees are treated of; from which it is evident that the ultimate is the complex of all the prior things. Hence it follows, that all the lusts of evil exist in simultaneous order inwardly in the very evil which the man perceives in himself, every evil which a man perceives in himself being in ultimates; for which reason when a man rejects evil from himself, he at the same time rejects its lusts; but still not from himself, but from the Lord. A man can indeed of himself reject evil, but not its lusts; wherefore, when he wills to reject evil, by fighting against it, he will look up to the Lord; for the Lord operates from inmosts to ultimates, for He enters through the soul of man, and purifies him. These things are said that it may be known that “a sore” signifies the evil appearing in ultimates or extremes, and originating from internal malignity. This takes place with all who persuade themselves that faith alone saves, and therefore they do not reflect upon any evil in themselves, nor do they look to the Lord.
[3] “Ulcers” and “wounds” signify evils in the extremes, springing from interior evils, which are lusts, also in the following passages:
From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness; wound and scar, and a fresh stroke; they have not been pressed out nor bound up, nor softened with oil (Isa. 1:6).
My iniquities have gone over my head; my wounds have putrefied, they have wasted away, because of my foolishness (Ps. 38:4-5).
In the day that Jehovah shall bind up the breach of His people, and shall heal the wound of their stroke (Isa. 30:26).
If thou wilt not obey the voice of Jehovah, observing to do His commandments, Jehovah will smite thee with the sore of Egypt, with emerods and with the scab, and with the itch, and with an evil sore upon the knees and thighs, of which thou canst not be healed, from the sole of the foot even to thy crown (Deut. 28:15, 27, 35).
The sore with blains breaking out on man and on beast in Egypt (Exod. 9:8-11) signifies nothing else; for the miracles done there signify the evils and falsities in which they were. And because the Jewish nation was in the profanation of the Word, and this is signified by leprosy, therefore they had leprosy not only in their flesh, but also in their garments, houses, and vessels; and the kinds of profanation are signified by the various evils of leprosy, which were:
Tumors, ulcerous tumors, white and red pimples, abscesses, burnings, tetters, scurfs, etc. (Lev. 13:1 to the end).
For the church with that nation was a representative church, in which internal things were represented by external things which corresponded.
679. Upon the men that had the mark of the beast, and that adored his image, signified with those who live faith alone, and receive its doctrine. By “having the mark of the beast” is signified to acknowledge faith alone, to confirm it in oneself, and to live according to it; and by “adoring his image” is signified to receive its doctrine, see above (n. 602, also 634, 637). By living faith alone, and receiving its doctrine, is meant to make no account of life for the sake of salvation, nor of any truth, believing that if they only pray to God the Father, to have mercy for the Son’s sake, they will be saved. This is especially the case with those who know and acknowledge the interiors of that doctrine; such being here treated of, see above (n. 677).
680. Verse 3. And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea, signifies an influx of truth and good from the Lord with those in the church of the Reformed who are in its externals, and are in that faith, and are called the laity. By “pouring out his vial” is signified the influx of truth and good from the Lord, as above (n. 676, 677); by “the sea” is signified the external of the church, thus those who are in its externals, when “the earth” signifies the internal of the church, thus those who are in its internals (n. 398, 403, 404, 420, 470, 677); these are they who are called the laity, and are in that faith.
681. And it became blood as of one dead, and every living soul died in the sea, signifies infernal falsity with them, by which every truth of the Word, and thence of the church, and of faith, is extinguished. By “blood as of one dead,” or by gore and matter, is signified infernal falsity; for by “blood” is signified the Divine truth, and, in the opposite sense, the same falsified (n. 379); but by “blood as of one dead,” is signified infernal falsity, for by “death” is signified the extinction of spiritual life, and thence by “dead” is signified what is infernal (n. 321, 525). By “every living soul died,” is signified that every truth of the Word, of the church, and of faith was extinguished, for by “living soul” is signified the truth of faith, and by “the living soul died,” is signified the extinction of the truth of faith. By “soul” in the Word, when spoken of man, is signified his spiritual life, which also is the life of his understanding, and as the understanding is the understanding from truths, and truths are of faith, therefore by “soul” is signified the truth of faith. That this is the signification of “soul” may appear from many passages in the Word, and also from those where soul and heart are spoken of. That by “soul and heart” is meant the life of man, is evident, but his life is from the will and the understanding, or spiritually speaking, from love and wisdom, then from charity and faith; and the life of the will from the good of love, or of charity, is meant by “the heart,” and the life of the understanding from the truths of wisdom or of faith, is meant by “the soul.” This is what is meant by “soul and heart” in Matt. 22:37; Mark 12:30, 33; Luke 10:27; Deut. 6:5; 10:12; 11:13; 26:16; Jer. 32:41, and in other places. It is the same in those passages where “the heart” is mentioned by itself, and “the soul” by itself. That the reason of their being named is from the correspondence of the heart with the will and love, and of the respiration of the lungs with the understanding and wisdom, may be seen in The Angelic Wisdom concerning the Divine Love and Wisdom, chapter 5, where that correspondence is treated of.
683.* Verse 4. And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters, signifies influx into their understanding of the Word. By “the third angel pouring out his vial,” in like manner as by the former, is signified influx from the Lord from truths and goods, here into the understanding of the Word with them; for by “rivers” are signified truths in abundance, serving the rational man, thus the understanding, for doctrine and life (n. 409); and by “a fountain of waters” is signified the Lord as to the Word, thus the Word of the Lord, and therefore by “fountains of waters” are signified Divine truths thence (n. 384, 409).
* There is no number 682 in the original Latin.
684. And they became blood, signifies the truths of the Word falsified. That by “blood,” in the good sense, is signified the Divine truth, and in the opposite sense, the Divine truth falsified, see above (n. 379). The reason why Divine truth falsified and profaned is signified by “blood,” is because the Jews shed the Lord’s blood, who was the Divine truth itself, or the Word, and this they did because they had falsified and profaned all the truths of the Word. That the Lord suffered as the Word, or that the Jewish nation did the same violence to the Lord as they had done to the Word, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Lord (n. 15-17). The reason why they who are in faith alone falsify all the truths of the Word, is because the whole Word treats of life according to the commandments therein, and of the Lord that He is Jehovah and the only God, and they who are in faith alone, do not think of life according to the commandments in the Word, nor do they approach the Lord.
685. Verse 5. And I heard the angel of the waters saying signifies the Divine truth of the Word. By “the angel of the waters” nothing else is signified but the Divine truth of the Word, because “waters” signify truths (n. 50), and “an angel” signifies what is Divine from the Lord (n. 415, 631, 633), and also truth from Him (n. 170).
686. Thou art just, O Lord, Who art, and Who wast, and art holy, because Thou hast judged these things, signifies that this is of the Divine Providence of the Lord, Who is and Who was the Word, and the Divine truth itself, which otherwise would be profaned. “Thou art just, O Lord, because thou hast judged these things,” signifies that this is of the Lord’s Divine Providence, as will be seen presently. “Who art, and Who wast,” signifies the Lord as to the Word, that He is and was the Word, according to John 1:1-2, 14. The reason why the Lord is here meant by the Word, is, because it now treats of the understanding of the Word with those who are of the church. What is further signified by “Is and Was,” “the Beginning and the End,” “the First and the Last,” “the Alpha and the Omega,” when applied to the Lord, may be seen above (n. 13, 29-31, 38, 57). By “holy” is signified that He is the Divine truth itself (n. 173, 586, 666). From these things it is evident that by “Thou art just, O Lord, Who art, and Who wast, and art holy, because Thou hast judged these things,” is signified that this is of the Divine Providence of the Lord, Who is and was the Word and Divine truth itself.
[2] The reason why it is of the Lord’s Divine Providence that they who are in faith alone should falsify the truths of the Word, is because if they knew them, so as to think of them interiorly, they would profane them; for they are in evils, because they do not shun evils as sins, nor approach the Lord immediately. Wherefore if they were to receive the genuine truths of the Word, they would mix them with the evils of their life; and the result of this would be the profanation of what is holy. It is therefore one of the laws of permission, which are also laws of the Divine Providence, that they should from themselves falsify truths, and this in proportion as they are in evils of life. That it is of the Divine Providence, that they who are in evils of life should never be otherwise than in falsities of doctrine, lest the Divine truths of the Word should be profaned, may be seen in The Angelic Wisdom concerning the Divine Providence (n. 221-233, and 257 at the end).
687. Verse 6. Because they have poured out the blood of saints and prophets, signifies, this by reason that the single tenet, that faith alone saves without the works of the law, when received, perverts all true doctrinals from the Word. By “pouring out blood” is signified here, as above (n. 684), to falsify the truths of the Word, thus to pervert them. By “saints” are signified they who are in truths in the church, thus also abstractly, the truths of the church (n. 586). By “prophets” are signified they who are in doctrinals from the Word, thus also abstractly doctrinals from the Word (n. 133).
688. And thou hast given them blood to drink, for they are worthy, signifies that they who have confirmed themselves in faith alone both in doctrine and in life, have been permitted from the Divine Providence of the Lord to falsify the truths of the Word, and to imbue their lives with such falsifications. By “drinking blood” is signified not only to falsify the truths of the Word, but also to imbue their life with such falsifications; for he who drinks appropriates to himself and imbues. It is said, “because they are worthy,” by reason that they who receive faith alone, and live according to it, are in evils as to life, and evil operates that in them; and of those who are in evils, it is here said, that “they are worthy,” as it is said in the world of those who are punished for evil doing. Concerning the Divine Providence in relation to this subject, see above (n. 686).
689. Verse 7. And I heard another out of the altar saying, Lord God Almighty; true and just are Thy judgments, signifies the Divine good of the Word confirming that Divine truth. By “another” (namely an angel), is signified the Divine good of the Word; by “an angel” is signified the Divine from the Lord (n. 415, 631, 633); and by an angel out of the altar is signified the Divine good of love (n. 648); here, the Divine good of the Word, because the Word still continues to be treated of, and because by “the angel of the waters” is signified the Divine truth of the Word (n. 685). Now, since the Divine good of the Word and the Divine truth of the Word make one, therefore the signification of what was spoken by the angel of the waters is similar to that which was spoken by the angel out of the altar; for the angel of the waters said, “Thou art just, O Lord, Who art, and Who wast, and art holy, because Thou hast judged these things;” but the angel out of the altar said, “Yea, Lord God Almighty; true and just are Thy judgments.” Both these expressions have a similar signification, but with this difference, that one spoke from truth, and the other from good, and one confirmed what the other spoke, but by different words; one by words which belong to the class of truth, and the other by words which belong to the class of good; for there is a marriage of truth and good in every particular of the Word (n. 97), and there are words which relate to good, and words which relate to truth, which seem different, but nevertheless involve things which are similar.
690. Verse 8. And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun, signifies influx into their love. By “pouring out his vial” is signified here, as before, influx from goods and truths, here into their love; for by “the sun” is signified the Divine love of the Lord, and, in the opposite sense, self-love (n. 53, 382, 414), here self-love, because it follows, that men were scorched with fire, and burned with great heat, by which are signified the concupiscences of that love.
691. And it was given unto him to scorch men with fire, signifies that love to the Lord tormented them, because they were in the lusts of evils from the delight of the loves of them. Since by “pouring out his vial” is signified influx from the Lord from goods and truths, therefore by “pouring his vial upon the sun” is signified influx from the Lord from the Divine love, in order to disclose the quality of the love with the men of that church. Hence, by “it was given to the angel to scorch men with fire,” is signified that the Divine love of the Lord tormented them, and because the Divine love of the Lord does not torment any but those who are in the lusts of evils from the delight of self-love, it thence follows, that by “it was given unto him to scorch men with fire,” is signified that love to the Lord tormented them, because they were in the lusts of evils from the delight of self-love. That “heat” signifies lusts for evils and thence for falsities may be seen above (n. 382); and that “fire” signifies the Divine love, and, in the opposite sense, infernal love (n. 494). That self-love is infernal love, and that its delight is infernal delight, and that the delight of that love exists from and consists of innumerable lusts of evils, is shown in many places in The Angelic Wisdom concerning the Divine Providence, and also in The Angelic Wisdom concerning the Divine Love and Wisdom. That this is the case is not known in the Christian world, because it is not known what love to the Lord is, and this love will teach the nature of self-love.
692. Verse 9. And men were scorched with great heat and they blasphemed the name of God, who hath authority over these plagues, signifies that by reason of the delight of self-love originating in grievous lusts of evils, they did not acknowledge the Divinity of the Lord’s Human, from which nevertheless flows all the good of love and the truth of faith. By “heat” the lust of evils are signified, which are contained in self-love and its delight (n. 382, 691), therefore by “burning with great heat,” is signified to be in grievous lust, and so in the delight of love. By “blaspheming the name of God,” is signified to deny or not to acknowledge the Divinity of the Lord’s Human, nor the sanctity of the Word (n. 517, 582). “To blaspheme” is to deny or not to acknowledge, and “the name of God” is the Lord’s Divine Human, and at the same time the Word (n. 584). By “having authority over the plagues,” is signified that from Him flows every good of love and truth of faith, by which evils and falsities are removed (n. 673, 680, 690), and because the seven angels having the seven plagues went out from the tabernacle of the testimony (Rev. 15:5, 6), and by “the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony” is signified the inmost of heaven, where the Lord is in His holiness in the Word and in the Law, which is the Decalogue (n. 669), and thence was the influx, which is signified by “pouring out the plagues” (n. 676), it is evident, that by “God having authority over the plagues” is meant the Lord from whom the influx is.
[2] The nature of self-love shall be explained in a few words; the delight of it exceeds every delight in the world, for it is composed of mere lusts of evils, and each lust breathes out its delight. Every man is born into this delight, and as it compels the mind of man to think constantly of himself, it withholds it from thinking of God and of the neighbor, except from himself and concerning himself. Wherefore if God does not favor his lusts, he is angry with God, just as he is angry with the neighbor who does not favor them. This delight, when it increases, renders man unable to think above self, but under self, for it immerses his mind in the proprium of his body; thence the man becomes successively sensual, and a sensual man speaks in a high and lofty tone about worldly and civil affairs, but of God and Divine things he can only speak from the memory. If he is a person engaged in civil affairs, he acknowledges nature as the creator, and his own prudence as the governor, and he denies a God. If he is a priest, he speaks of God and of Divine things from the memory, yet in a high and lofty tone, but in his heart he has little belief in them.
693. And they repented not to give Him glory, signifies that therefore they cannot receive with any faith, that the Lord is the God of heaven and earth even as to the Human, although the Word teaches it. “Not to repent,” signifies not to depart from evils, but to abide in them; and “not giving Him glory,” signifies not to receive in faith that the Lord is the God of heaven and earth, for this is to give Him the glory. That the Lord is the God of heaven and earth He Himself teaches openly in Matt. 28:18; John 16:3; 17:2, 3; as also that the Father and He are one, John 10:30; 12:45; 14:6-11; 16:15, and in other places; and moreover, the doctrine of the church teaches, that the Divine and the Human are one Person, united like soul and body.
694. Verse 10. And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the throne of the beast, signifies influx from the Lord into their faith. By “the angel poured out his vial” is signified here, as before, influx; and by “the throne of the beast” is signified where faith alone reigns; by “a throne” is signified a kingdom, and by “the beast” faith alone (n. 567, 576, 577, 594, 601, 660). That “a throne” is also mentioned in relation to the government of evil and falsity, appears from the following passages:
The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne, and great authority (Rev. 13:2).
I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, where Satan’s throne is (Rev. 2:13).
I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of Days did sit (Dan. 7:9).
And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and the strength of the kingdoms of the nations (Hag. 2:22).
Lucifer hath said, I will exalt my throne above the stars (Isa. 14:13, and in other places).
695. And His kingdom became dark, signifies that nothing but falsities appeared. By “darkness” falsities are signified, because “light” signifies truth; that “darkness” signifies falsities, by which are evils, and “thick darkness,” falsities from evils, see above (n. 413). Therefore by “the kingdom of the beast became dark” is signified that nothing but falsities appeared. That they who have confirmed faith separated from charity, falsify the whole Word, may be seen above (n. 136, 610). That they are not in any truths (n. 489, 501, 653), but in mere falsities (n. 563, 597, 602). But the falsities of their faith do not indeed appear before themselves as darkness, that is, as falsities, but they appear to them as if they were lucid, that is, as truths, after they have confirmed them; but nevertheless while they are viewed from the light of heaven, which discloses all things, they appear as darkness. For which reason, when the light of heaven flows into their dens in hell, the darkness is such that they cannot see one another; on which account every hell is closed so as not to leave a crevice open, and then they are in their own light [lumen]. The reason why they do not appear to themselves to be in darkness but in light, although they are in falsities, is because their falsities, after confirmation, appear to them as truths, hence comes their light; but it is the light of infatuation, such as is the light of the confirmation of what is false. This light corresponds to that to which owls and bats owe their sight, to which darkness is light and light darkness, yea, to which the sun itself is thick darkness. Such eyes do they have after death, who in the world confirmed themselves in falsities to such a degree as to see falsity as truth and truth as falsity.
696. And they gnawed their tongues for distress, signifies that they could not endure truths. By distress is not meant distress from falsities, for these do not give them any distress, but distress from truths is meant, thus that they could not endure them. By “gnawing* their tongues” is signified that they would not hear truths, “the tongue” signifying the confession of truth, because the tongue serves the thought for speech, and spiritually for confession; “to gnaw the tongue” signifies to detain the thought from hearing truths. That this is the signification of “gnawing the tongue” cannot be confirmed from the Word, by reason that the expression does not occur anywhere else, but it has been granted me to know this from experience in the spiritual world, where, if anyone speaks the truths of faith, those spirits who cannot bear to hear truths keep their tongues between their teeth, and also bite their lips, and induce others likewise to press their tongues and lips with their teeth, and this to such a degree as to produce distress. From these considerations it is evident, that by “gnawing their tongues for distress,” is signified that they could not endure truths. That the tongue, as the organ of speech, signifies thought and confession, and also the doctrine of truth, see above (n. 282).
* The original Latin has “lambebant” for “mandebant.”
697. Verse 11. And they blasphemed the God of heaven, because of their distresses and their sores, signifies that they could not acknowledge the Lord alone to be the God of heaven and earth by reason of repugnances arising from the interior falsities and evils, that spring from the acknowledgment and reception of the dogma concerning faith alone. “To blaspheme the God of heaven,” signifies to deny or not to acknowledge the Lord alone to be the God of heaven and earth (n. 571, 582); by “distresses” is signified the distresses of acknowledging it, as above (n. 696), thus repugnances arising from interior falsities, for what is repugnant is a distress. Distress is predicated of falsities; by “sores” are signified interior evils, as above (n. 678); and as interior evils and falsities spring from the acknowledgment and reception of the dogma concerning faith alone, therefore this also is signified.
698. And they repented not of their works, signifies that although instructed from the Word, still they would not recede from the falsities of faith and the evils of life thence. “Not to repent” signifies not to recede from, as above (n. 693), and by “works” are here signified the falsities of faith, and evils of life thence, as above (n. 641). According to the sense of the letter, neither distresses, nor sores could compel them to repent of their falsities and evils, but it is according to the spiritual sense, that instruction from the Word could not drive them from their falsities and evils, because these are infernal. Hence it appears, that by “They repented not of their works,” is signified, that although instructed from the Word, yet they would not recede from their falsities of faith and the evils of life thence. It is said that “works” here signify the falsities of faith and evils of life thence; and it is so said because falsity of faith precedes, and the evil of life follows. For it is a falsity of faith, that evil does not condemn him who is in faith, thence man lives securely not thinking about any evil, and thus never repents, or does the work of repentance. In like manner, if he persuades himself that works contribute nothing to salvation, but faith alone without them.
699. Verse 12. And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates, signifies influx from the Lord into their interior reasonings, whereby they confirm themselves in justification by faith alone. By “the sixth angel pouring out his vial,” is here signified, as before, influx. By “the great river Euphrates” interior reasonings are signified, as above (n. 444, 445); here the interior reasonings of that church, whereby they confirm justification by faith alone, these reasonings being treated of in what now follows.
700. And the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings from the rising of the sun might be prepared, signifies that the falsities of those reasonings were removed with those who are in truths from good from the Lord, and are to be introduced into the New Church. By “the water was dried up,” is signified that the falsities of their interior reasonings were removed; by “being dried up” is signified that they were removed, and by “water” is signified truths, and, in the opposite sense, falsities (n. 50, 614); here the falsities of interior reasonings, because it was the water of the river Euphrates, by which river such reasonings are signified (n. 699). By “the kings” for whom a way was to be prepared, are signified they who are in truths derived from good from the Lord (n. 20, 483). By “the rising of the sun” is signified the beginning of the New Church from the Lord, the same as by “morning” (n. 151). By “preparing the way” is signified to prepare for introduction. From these things it is evident, that by “the water was dried up, that the way of the kings from the rising of the sun might be prepared,” is signified that the falsities of their interior reasonings were removed with those who are in truths from good from the Lord, and are to be introduced into the New Church.
[2] This is the series of the subjects under consideration: It treats here of the consummation or end of the present church, and of the establishment or beginning of the New Church, and of contentions. They of the present church who are in faith alone, are meant by “the dragon,” “the beast” and “the false prophet,” of which mention is made below. And his contentions with those who will be of the New Church, are meant by “the gathering together of the kings of the earth to battle”; but they who will be of the New Church, with whom they will contend, are meant by those for whom “the water of the river Euphrates was dried up, that the way might be prepared for the kings from the rising of the sun.” This involves something similar to the introduction of the sons of Israel into the land of Canaan, with this difference, that for the former the river Jordan was dried up, but for the latter the river Euphrates. The reason why the river Euphrates was dried up for the latter, is, because, here they contend by interior reasonings, which are to be dried up, that is, removed, before introduction can be effected; which also is the cause why their interior reasonings are disclosed in this work; and unless they were disclosed a man unacquainted with them, though intelligent, might easily be seduced.
701. Verse 13. And I saw out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, signifies the perception that from the theology founded on the doctrine of a Trinity of Persons in the Divinity, and on the doctrine of justification by faith alone without the works of the law. By “the mouth” is signified doctrine, and thence preaching and discourse (n. 453, 574). By “the dragon” is signified the acknowledgment of three Gods, and of justification by faith alone, and thence the devastation of the church (n. 537). By “the beast out of the sea,” which is here meant, the men of the external church are signified, who are in that acknowledgment and faith (n. 567, 576, 577, 601). By “the false prophet” are signified the men of the internal church, who teach theology from those doctrines; the false prophet is not mentioned before, but “the beast out of the earth” which is now so called, see above (n. 594). Now as all these things are signified by “the dragon,” “the beast out of the sea,” and “the false prophet,” which here is “the beast out of the earth,” it follows that by “I saw out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet,” is signified a perception that is from the theology founded on the doctrine of the Trinity of Persons in the Divinity, and on the doctrine of justification by faith alone without the works of the law.
702. Three unclean spirits like frogs, signifies there arise mere reasonings and cupidities of falsifying truths. By “spirits” the same is here signified as by demons, because it is presently said that they were “spirits of demons,” and by “demons,” are signified the lusts of falsifying truths (n. 458). By “three” are signified all (n. 400, 505), here therefore mere; by “frogs” are signified reasonings from lusts, because they croak, and have itching desires; hence it is plain, that by “the three unclean spirits like frogs,” are signified mere reasonings and lusts of falsifying truths. “Frogs” here have a like signification with “the frogs of Egypt,” because the devastation of the church with the Egyptians is in like manner described by the miracles performed, concerning which it is thus written in Moses:
Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up, and covered the land, and afterwards the frogs were removed, and remained in the river only (Exod. 8:5-14; Ps. 78:45; 105:30).
The reason why frogs were produced from the waters of Egypt, and remained in the river, was, because the waters in Egypt, and especially the waters of its rivers, signified the falsities of doctrine from which they reasoned.
703. Verse 14. For they are the spirits of demons, signifies that they were cupidities of falsifying truths, and of reasoning from falsities. That by “demons” are signified the cupidities of falsifying truths, see above (n. 458), and as they were “like frogs,” they were also the cupidities of reasoning from falsities, as above (n. 702).
704. Doing signs to go away unto the kings of the earth, and of the whole world, to gather them together to the battle of that great day of God Almighty, signifies attestations that their falsities are truths, and the stirring up of all in the whole of that church who are in the same falsities, to impugn the truths of the New Church. That “to do signs” is to testify and also to make attestation that a thing is true, see above (n. 598, 599), here that their falsities are truths. By “the kings of the earth and of the whole world,” are signified they who are principally in falsities from evil, here all who are in the same falsities in the whole church; for by “kings” are signified they who are in truths from good, and, in the opposite sense, they who are in falsities from evil (n. 483). By “the earth” is signified the church (n. 285); in like manner, by “the world” (n. 551). By “going away to gather them together to battle,” is signified to incite them to combat or to attack; for by “war” is signified spiritual war, which is of falsity against truth, and of truth against falsity (n. 500, 586).
The reason why it means to attack the truths of the New Church is because it is called “the great day of God Almighty,” and by that day the coming of the Lord is signified, and then the New Church; that this is the signification of “the great day” will be seen presently. It is said that “the spirits of demons” would do this, because they signify the cupidities of falsifying truths, and of reasonings from falsities, as above (n. 703). From these things it is evident, that by “spirits of demons doing signs to go away unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them together to the battle of that great day of God Almighty,” are signified attestations by those who are meant by “the dragon,” “the beast,” and “the false prophet,” as above (n 701, 702), that their falsities are truths, and the stirring up of all those in the whole church, who are in the same falsities, to attack the truths of the New Church.
[2] That “the great day of God Almighty” signifies the coming of the Lord, and then the New Church, is evident from many passages in the Word, as from these:
In that day Jehovah alone shall be exalted (Isa. 2:11).
In that day Israel shall stay upon Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, in truth (Isa. 10:20).
In that day shall the nations seek the Root of Jesse, and His rest shall be glory (Isa. 11:10).
In that day shall the eyes have respect unto the Holy One of Israel (Isa. 17:7, 9).
In that day shall they say, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him; that He should save us (Isa. 25:9).
My people shall know My name, and in that day they shall know that I am He that doth speak, behold, it is I (Isa. 52:6).
Alas, the great day of Jehovah, and there shall not be like it (Jer. 30:7).
Behold, the days come in which I will make a new covenant, and in which the city of Jehovah shall be built (Jer. 31:27, 31, 38).
In those days I will make a just Branch to grow up unto David (Jer. 33:15).
They shall not stand in the battle of the day of Jehovah (Ezek. 13:5).
In that day shall Michael the great prince rise up, who standeth for the sons of his people. In that day shall everyone who is found written in the book be delivered (Dan. 12:1).
In that day thou shalt call me, My husband. In that day I will make a covenant with them. In that day I will hear (Hos. 2:16, 18, 21).
Behold, I send Elijah before the great day of Jehovah cometh (Mal. 4:5).
In that day Jehovah shall save his people as a flock (Zech. 9:16).
In that day shall Jehovah protect the inhabitants of Jerusalem (Zech. 12:8).
Behold, the day of Jehovah cometh. One day which shall be known to Jehovah. In that day there shall be one Jehovah, and His name one. In that day shall there be a great tumult. In that day there shall be upon the bells of the horses, Holiness to Jehovah (Zech. 14:1, 4, 6-9, 13, 20-21).
Besides these places there are many more, in which the Lord’s coming and the New Church from Him at that time are meant by “the day of Jehovah”; as in these: Isa. 4:2; 19:16, 18, 21, 24; 20:6; 22:20; 25:9; 28:5; 29:18; 30:25-26; 31:7; Jer. 3:16-18; 23:5-7, 12, 20; 50:4, 20, 27; Ezek. 24:26, 27; 29:21; 34:11-12; 36:33; Hos. 3:5; 6:1, 2; Joel 2:29; 3:1, 14, 18; Obad. 15; Amos 9:11, 13; Micah. 4:6; Hab. 3:2; Zeph. 3:11, 16, 19, 20; Zech. 2:11; Ps. 72:7, 8. And that day is called “the day of Jehovah” (Joel 1:15; 2:1-2, 11; Amos 5:13, 18, 20; Zeph. 1:7, 14; 2:2-3; Zech. 14:1 and elsewhere). Since the consummation of the age, that is, the end of the old church, takes place when the coming of the Lord, and the commencement of the New Church exists, therefore by “the day of Jehovah,” in many passages, is also signified the end of the former church, and it is said that then there will be rumors, tumults, and wars, which passages are adduced in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Lord (n. 4, 5).
705. Verse 15. Behold, I come as a thief; happy is he that is awake and keepeth his garments, signifies the Lord’s coming, and then heaven to those who look to Him, and remain in a life according to His commandments, which are truths of the Word. That “to come as a thief,” when said of the Lord, signifies His advent, and then those will have heaven who have lived well, and those who have lived wickedly will have hell, see above, (n. 164). That he is called “happy” who receives eternal life (n. 639). “To watch” signifies to live spiritually, that is, to be in truths and in a life according to them, and to look to the Lord (n. 158); and “to keep his garments” signifies to remain therein even to the end of life; for “garments” signify investing truths (n. 166, 212, 328), thus the Lord’s commandments in the Word, for these are truths. Now these things follow in their order from what precedes; for what precedes relates to the Lord’s advent, and to the New Church; as also to the opposition it will meet with from those who are of the Old Church; and inasmuch as combat is at hand, they who are in truths from the Word are admonished to remain in them, lest they succumb in battle, spoken of in the next verse.
706. Lest he walk naked and they see his shame, signifies, lest they should be with those who are in no truths, and their infernal loves should appear. “To walk naked,” signifies to live without truths. “The shame of nakedness,” or the secret parts, signifies unclean loves, which are infernal loves; and inasmuch as it is said, “lest they see his shame,” it signifies lest they should appear. That by “nakedness” is signified ignorance of truth, and by “shame of nakedness” infernal love, see above (n. 213). These things are said for those who will be of the Lord’s New Church, that they may learn truths and remain in them, for without truths their connate evils, which are infernal loves, cannot be removed. A man may, indeed, live like a Christian without truths, but this only before men, but not before angels. The truths which they should learn relate to the Lord, and to the commandments according to which they should live.
707. Verse 16. And he gathered them together into the place called in Hebrew Armageddon, signifies a state of combat of falsities against truths, and a desire to destroy the New Church, springing from the love of dominion and preeminence. “To gather together into a place,” here to battle, signifies to excite to combat from falsities against truths. It is the state of combat, because “place” signifies the state of a thing. That it is from the purpose of destroying the New Church, is because combat between the Old Church and the New is meant, and the purpose of the combat is to destroy. What is signified by “Armageddon” will be told below. It has been said before, that:
The dragon went away to make war with the rest of the seed of the woman, that keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ (Rev. 12:17);
Also that:
It was given to the beast out of the sea to make war with the saints (Rev. 13:7).
And in this chapter that:
The spirits of demons that went out of the mouth of the dragon, of the beast, and of the false prophet, went away to the kings of the earth, to gather them together to the war of that great day of God Almighty (Rev. 16:13-14).
Here the battle itself is now treated of, the success of which is not described, but only its state, which is signified by “Armageddon.”
[2] By “Armageddon” is signified in heaven the love of honor, of dominion, and of supereminence; and also in the Hebrew language by Aram or Arom loftiness is signified, and love from loftiness is by “Megiddo” in the ancient Hebrew language, as is manifest from its signification in the Arabic language. The same is signified by “Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo” in Zechariah 12:11. In that chapter the coming of the Lord is also treated of, and the end of the Jewish Church at that time, and the beginning of a New Church to be established by the Lord, and also the collision between those churches; on which account the expression “in that day” so often occurs in that chapter; and by “that day” is signified the Coming of the Lord, as above (n. 704). That it may be seen, I will adduce the passages:
In that day I will make Jerusalem a stone of burden unto all peoples. In that day I will smite every horse with astonishment and his rider with madness. In that day I will make the leaders of Judah like a furnace of fire in wood. In that day Jehovah will protect the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that those driven out may be among them. In that day I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem (Zech. 12:3-4, 6, 8-9).
And lastly:
In that day there shall be a wailing in Jerusalem like the wailing in Hadradrimmon in the valley of Megiddo (Zech 12:11).
And in the following chapter:
In that day a fountain shall be opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. In that day the prophets shall be ashamed, and shall put on a garment of hair, that they may deceive (Zech. 13:1, 4).
[3] By “that day” is signified the coming of the Lord and then the end of the Old Church and the beginning of a New Church, as was said above. But what is signified there by “the valley of Megiddo” cannot be seen, unless the series of things in that chapter and the two following in that prophet be disclosed by means of the spiritual sense; which, as it has been disclosed to me, shall be explained, but in a brief summary. In the twelfth chapter of Zechariah it is described in the spiritual sense:
That the Lord is about to form a New Church (Zech. 12:1).
That there will then be nothing of doctrine in the Old Church, and that therefore they will flee from it (Zech. 12:2-3).
That there will no longer be any understanding of truth, only with those who are in the Word, and who are of the New Church (Zech. 12:4).
That these will learn the good of doctrine from the Lord (Zech. 12:5).
That the Lord will then destroy all falsities by the truths of the Word, lest the doctrine of the New Church should teach anything else but the truth (Zech. 12:6-7).
That the church will then be in doctrine concerning the Lord (Zech. 12:8).
That He will destroy all and all things that are contrary to that doctrine (Zech. 12:9);
And that then there will be a New Church from the Lord (Zech. 12:10).
And that then each and everything of the church will be in mourning (Zech. 12:10-14).
These are the contents of chapter 12 in the spiritual sense.
[4] The contents of chapter 13 are these:
That the Word will be for the New Church, and will be opened to them (Zech. 13:1).
That falsities of doctrine and worship will be altogether destroyed (Zech. 13:2-3).
That the old prophetic or doctrinal teaching is to cease, and that there will no longer be falsities of doctrine (Zech. 13:4-5).
That the Lord will be slain by those who are in the Old church, from their intention to disperse them that believe in Him (Zech. 13:6-7).
That they who are of the vastated church will perish, and that those who are of the New Church are to be purified and taught by the Lord (Zech. 13:8-9).
These are the contents of chapter 13 in the spiritual sense.
[5] The contents of chapter 14 are these:
The Lord’s combats against the evil, and their dispersion (Zech. 14:1-5).
That then there will be no truth, but there will be Divine truth from the Lord (Zech. 14:6-7).
That the Divine truth will proceed from the Lord (Zech. 14:8-9).
That truth will be multiplied in the New Church, nor will there be any falsity of evil there (Zech. 14:10-11).
That he who combats against those truths, will give himself up to falsities of every kind (Zech. 14:12).
That then will be the destruction of all things of the church (Zech. 14:13-15).
That they will then approach to the worship of the Lord, even from the Gentiles who are external natural (Zech. 14:16-19).
And that then there will be intelligence from the good of charity, from which will be their worship (Zech. 14:20-21).
These are the contents of the three chapters, 12-14 of Zechariah, in the spiritual sense, disclosed because in them also the last state of the Old Church and the first state of the New Church are treated of. And as it is said that “they are to be gathered together into a place called in Hebrew Armageddon,” it is evident that the same things were said in this prophet concerning the last state of the church of this day and the first state of the New Church. By “Armageddon” is signified, as was said, the love of honor, of dominion, and of supereminence; for from that is the combat, and from that and on account of it is lamentation which is described there (Zech. 12:11-14). The like is also signified by “Megiddo” (2 Kings 23:29-30; 2 Chron. 35:20-24); but in the spiritual sense.
708. Verse 17. And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air, signifies influx from the Lord into all things collectively with the men of the church of the Reformed. By “the seventh angel pouring out his vial” is here signified influx as before. By “the air” is signified all the things of perception and thought, thus of their faith; thence also the general quality of all those there, who are in faith separate from charity: for by “the air” their respiration is signified; and respiration corresponds to the understanding, and thus to perception and thought, and also to faith; because faith is of thought according to the perception of the understanding. That there is this correspondence, and that everyone in the spiritual world breathes according to his faith, as been fully shown in The Angelic Wisdom concerning the Divine Love and Wisdom, in chapter 5.
709. And there went forth a great voice out of the temple of heaven from the throne, saying, It is done, signifies that it was thus made manifest by the Lord, that all the things of the church were devastated, and that the Last Judgment was now at hand. By “a great voice going forth out of the temple of heaven” is signified a manifestation from the Lord out of the inmost of heaven; by “a great voice” is signified manifestation; and by “the temple of heaven” the inmost of heaven is signified, from which the influx is (n. 669). It is said “out of the throne,” because heaven is signified by “the throne,” and likewise judgment; that it signifies heaven, see n. 221, 222; and judgment, n. 229: and this because it is now made manifest that all things of the church were devastated, and thus that its end has come; and at the end of a church a judgment is executed: wherefore this is said when the last angel “poured out his vial from the temple of heaven from the throne.” By “It is done” is signified that it is consummated; that is, that all things of the church are devastated; see above (n. 676).
710. Verse 18. And there were voices and lightnings and thunders, signifies reasonings, falsifications of truth, and arguments from the falsities of evil in the church among those who are in faith alone, and refuse to reflect upon the evils in themselves, since they do not wish to recede from them if they know them. That by “voices,” “lightings,” and “thunders” are signified reasonings, falsifications of truths, and arguments from falsities, may be evident from what is said above (n. 396, 530), and from similar things there. That they who are in faith separate from the works of the Law, and thence in evils of life, refuse to reflect upon the evils in themselves, because they do not wish to recede from them if they know them, is manifest without explanation. Experience teaches this; for evils are delights because they are loves and no one wishes to recede from delights unless he looks to the life after death, and first to hell to see what it is, and afterwards to heaven, what that is, and thinks of them aside from any evil act. If he then looks to the Lord also, and thinks, “What is the temporal in comparison with the eternal? Is it not as nothing?” He can then reflect upon his evils, and wish to know them, and to recede from them. But if he had confirmed himself in faith alone, he will then say in his heart, Our theological faith, that God the Father has mercy for the sake of the Son who suffered for our sins, if I supplicate this with some confidence, it effects all things; he then does not reflect upon any evil in himself; he also says with himself from that faith, that evil does not condemn, and that salvation is pure mercy, besides other similar things: he thus remains in his evils, and delights himself in them even to the end of life. Such are the reasonings, the falsifications of truth, and the arguments from the falsities of evil, which are here signified by “the voices, the lightnings, and the thunders.”
711. And there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, such an earthquake, so great, signifies as it were shakings, convulsions, overturnings, and the drawing down from heaven, of all the things of the church. That by “an earthquake” changes in the state of the church are signified, may be seen above (n. 331): and as earthquakes are lighter and more severe, here the most severe, because it is said that such an earthquake had not occurred since men were made, it is manifest that by “the earthquake” here are signified the shakings, convulsions, and overturnings of all things in the church, and the drawing of them down from heaven. It is also said of the dragon, who is called the old serpent, the Devil, and Satan, that:
His tail drew down from heaven the third part of the stars, and cast them unto the earth (Rev. 12:4).
In like manner of the he-goat (Dan. 8:10-12). The Lord also says of the end of this church:
There shall then be great affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the world to this time, nor ever shall be (Matt. 24:21).
The end of the church is also described in the prophets by the shakings, overthrowings, and castings down, of the earth, and by other things which relate to earthquakes.
712. Verse 19. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, signifies that that Church as to doctrine was altogether destroyed by them, and likewise all the heresies which have emanated from it. That the doctrine of the church is signified by “a city,” or what is the same, the church as to doctrine, may be seen above (n. 194, 501, 502): hence by “the cities of the nations” are signified the heretical doctrines or heresies which have emanated from it, which are many. By “being divided into three parts” is signified to be altogether destroyed; for by “being divided” in the Word is signified to be dissipated, because in that case they do not cohere, and by “three” is signified all and the whole (n. 400, 505); hence by “being divided into three parts” is signified to be altogether destroyed. By “falling,” which is said of the cities of the nations, is also signified to be destroyed. It is said that “the city was divided into three parts,” and that “the cities of the nations fell,” because an earthquake was mentioned just before, in which such effects have place. By “the great city” is meant the great city spoken of above (chap. 11:8), which is there called “Sodom and Egypt,” as may be seen above (n. 501-504). The reason why “a city” signifies doctrine, and thence “cities” signify doctrinals, is, because by “land,” and particularly by “the land of Canaan,” is signified the church; and since the church is a church from doctrine and according to it, therefore by “cities” are signified doctrinals. These were also taught in cities, because in them were synagogues, and in Jerusalem was the temple; hence it is that by Jerusalem is signified the church as to doctrine in a universal sense.
713. And great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the wrath of His anger, signifies then the destruction also of the dogmas of the Roman Catholic religion. By “Babylon” as a city, as here, is signified that religious persuasion as to its dogmas and doctrinals (n. 631). By “giving her the cup of wine of the wrath of the anger of God,” is signified to devastate until there is nothing but evil and falsity; that this is meant by “the cup of the wine of the wrath of the anger of God,” see above (n. 631, 632).
714. Verse 20. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found, signifies that there was no longer any truth of faith nor any good of love.]*
714b. Verse 21. And great hail as of the weight of a talent cometh down from heaven upon men, signifies direful and atrocious falsities, by which every truth of the Word, and thence of the church, is destroyed. That “hail” signifies falsity destroying truth and good, may be seen above (n. 399); and because it is said “great hail as of the weight of a talent,” is signified direful and atrocious falsities, by which every truth and good of the Word and thence of the church is destroyed. The reason why it is said “of the weight of a talent” is because a talent was the largest weight of silver and also of gold; and by “silver” is signified truth, and by “gold” good, and in the opposite sense falsity and evil (n. 211). Its being said that “the hail cometh down from heaven upon men,” is according to the appearances from which and from correspondences is the literal sense of the Word. This is similar to what was said before of “the plagues,” that “they were poured out from heaven upon men by angels” when yet they are truths and goods sent down by the Lord, which among those who are below, are turned into falsities and evils (n. 673). In the spiritual world also, among those who are engaged in reasonings from falsities against the truths of the Word, hail sometimes appears to come down, and upon others sulphur and fire, and because these appear in the atmosphere above them, and come as it were from heaven, therefore from that appearance it is said that such hail came down from heaven.
* This verse is omitted in the original Latin, but the spiritual sense of the words is here repeated as it is given at the beginning of the chapter; the reader is referred, however, to n. 336 of this work, where nearly the same expressions occur together with their explanation.-Tr.
715. And men blasphemed God because of the plague of hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great signifies that because they had confirmed themselves in such falsities, they have denied truths to that degree as not to be able to acknowledge them, by reason of the repugnances arising from their interior falsities and evils. “To blaspheme” God signifies to deny and not to acknowledge the Lord alone to be the God of heaven and earth (n. 571, 582, 697) and in like manner the truth of the Word; “for the plague thereof was exceeding great,” signifies by reason of those direful and atrocious falsities from the confirmed dogma of justification by faith alone (n. 714). The reason why they cannot acknowledge truths on account of those falsities, is, because the confirmation of falsity is the denial of truth. It appears as if it was meant that “the plague of hail” was so great, that from torment or pain they blasphemed God when it fell upon them; but this is not meant, but that they could not acknowledge truths on account of falsities; in like manner as before in this chapter, where it is said that they blasphemed the name of God “on account of the heat” (verse 9); and that “they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their distresses and sores” (verse 11); the explanation of which may be seen (n. 692, 697).
716. To the above I will add this Relation. In the spiritual world I spoke with some English bishops concerning the small works published there at London in the year 1758, which were Concerning Heaven and Hell, Concerning the New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine, Concerning the Last Judgment, Concerning the White Horse and Concerning the Earths in the Universe; which small works were sent as a gift to all the bishops, and to many of the nobles or lords. They said that they received them, and saw them, but did not think them worthy, although skillfully written; and likewise that they persuaded as many as they could not to read them. I asked, “Why so, when yet there are there arcana concerning heaven and hell, and concerning the life after death, and more things most worthy of attention, which have been revealed by the Lord for those who will be of His New Church, which is the New Jerusalem?” But they said, “What is this to us?” and they poured out vituperations against them as formerly in the world. I heard them. And then these things were read before them from Revelation:
And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates, and the water of it was dried up, that the way of the kings from the rising of the sun might be prepared; and I saw out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet three unclean spirits like frogs; for they are spirits of demons doing signs to go away unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them together unto the battle of that great day of God Almighty; and He gathered them together unto the place called in Hebrew Armageddon (Rev. 16:12-16).
This was explained before them; and it was said that they, and similar persons elsewhere, were meant by these things.
[2] The king, grandfather* to the king now reigning, heard from heaven these things which were said to the bishops; and being somewhat indignant said, “What is this?” And then a certain one of them, who had not made one with them in the world, turned to the king, and said, “These, whom you now see with your eyes, thought in the world, and hence also think now, of the Lord’s Divine Human as of the human of a common man, and attribute all salvation and redemption to God the Father, and not to the Lord, except as a cause for the sake of which they are. For they believe in God the Father, and not in His Son, although they know from the Lord, that it is the will of the Father, that they should believe in the Son; and that they who believe in the Son should have eternal life; and that they who do not believe in the Son, will not see life. Besides this, they cast out charity, which is done by the Lord through man as by him, from the smallest part in salvation.”
[3] Speaking further with the king, he exposed the hierarchy which many of them continually affect and also exercise, which they strengthen by conjunction and combination with all of their order, by means of emissaries, internuncios, letters, and conversations, upheld by ecclesiastical and at the same time political authority; from which they almost all hold together like one bundle. And it is also effected by that hierarchy, that the above-named works for the New Jerusalem, though published at London, and sent to them as a gift, have been so shamefully rejected, that they have not even been held worthy to be named among the books of their catalogue. On hearing this the king was astonished, especially at their thinking so of the Lord, who yet is the God of heaven and earth, and of charity, which yet is religion itself. And then the interiors of their mind and faith were laid open by light let in from heaven; and the king saw, and then said, “Depart; alas, who can grow so callous against hearing anything concerning heaven and eternal life?”
[4] The king then inquired, whence so universal an obedience was paid to them by the clergy; and it was said that it was from the authority conceded to every bishop in his diocese, of nominating to the king only one candidate to the churches, and not three, as in other kingdoms. Also that from that power they had the influence to advance their dependents to higher honors and larger incomes, each one according to the obedience which he manifests. It was also disclosed how far that hierarchy might go, and that it might advance so far that dominion would be the essential, and religion formal. The ardor of these for dominion was also laid open, and viewed by the angels; and it was seen to exceed the ardor for dominion of those who are in secular authority.
* This was published in the year 1766, consequently the king here mentioned is George II.
717. Revelation 17
1. And there came one of the seven angels that had the seven vials and spoke with me, saying unto me, Come; I will show thee the judgment of the great harlot, that sitteth upon many waters;
2. With whom the kings of the earth have committed whoredom, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her whoredom.
3. And he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness; and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and inwrought with gold, and precious stones, and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand, full of abominations and uncleanness of her whoredom.
5. And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of whoredoms and abominations of the earth.
6. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus; and when I saw her, I wondered with great wonder.
7. And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou wonder? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and the ten horns.
8. The beast that thou sawest, was, and is not; and is about to come up out of the abyss, and to go into perdition; and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, seeing the beast that was and is not, and yet is.
9. This is the mind that hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, where the woman sitteth upon them.
10. And they are seven kings; five have fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he is come, he must remain a short time.
11. And the beast that was, and is not, is himself the eighth, and is of the seven; and he goeth into perdition.
12. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, who have not yet received a kingdom; but they receive authority as kings one hour with the beast.
13. These have one mind, and they shall give over their power and authority unto the beast.
14. These shall fight with the Lamb; but the Lamb shall overcome them; for He is the Lord of lords and King of kings; and they who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.
15. And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples and multitudes, and nations and tongues.
16. And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the harlot, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her up with fire.
17. For God gave into their hearts to do His mind, and to do one mind, and to give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be consummated.
18. And the woman whom thou sawest is the great city that hath a kingdom over the kings of the earth.
THE SPIRITUAL SENSE
The contents of the whole chapter
Concerning the Roman Catholic religion: It is described in what manner it had falsified the Word, and thence had perverted all the truths of the church (verses 1-7); how it had falsified and perverted them with those who were subject to its dominion (verses 8-11); that it was less with those who had not thus subjected themselves to its dominion (verses 12-15). Concerning the Reformed: That they had withdrawn themselves from the yoke of its domination (verses 16-17); concerning its domination still (verse 18).
The contents of each verse
Verse 1. “And there came one of the seven angels that had the seven vials, and spoke with me” signifies influx and revelation now from the Lord out of the inmost of heaven, concerning the Roman Catholic religion (n. 718). “Saying unto me, I will show thee the judgment of the great harlot that sitteth upon many waters,” signifies revelation concerning that religion as to its profanations and adulterations of the truths of the Word (n. 719). Verse 2. “With whom the kings of the earth committed whoredom,” signifies that it has adulterated the truths and goods of the church which are from the Word (n. 720). “And the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her whoredom,” signifies insanity in spiritual things from the adulteration of the Word with those who are in that religion (n. 721). Verse 3. “And he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness,” signifies that he was carried in a spiritual state to those with whom all things of the church were devastated (n. 722). “And I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet beast, full of names of blasphemy,” signifies that religion founded upon the Word profaned by them (n. 723). “Having seven heads and ten horns,” signifies intelligence from the Word, holy at the beginning, afterwards none, and at length insanity, and much power from the Word continually (n. 724). Verse 4. “And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet,” signifies the celestial Divine good and Divine truth, which are of the Word, among them (n. 725). “And inwrought with gold and precious stones,” signifies spiritual Divine good and Divine truth, which are of the Word, with them (n. 726). “And pearls,” signifies the knowledges of good and truth, which are of the Word, with them (n. 727). “Having a golden cup in her hand, full of abominations and uncleanness of her whoredom,” signifies that religion from the holy things of the Word profaned, and from its goods and truths defiled by direful falsities (n. 728). Verse 5. “Upon her forehead* written, Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of whoredoms and abominations of the earth,” signifies the Roman Catholic religion, as to its interior quality, which is concealed, that from its origin, from the love of dominating, from the love of self over the holy things of the church and over heaven, and thus over all things of the Lord and His Word, it has defiled and profaned the things which are of the Word and thence of the church (n. 729). Verse 6. “And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus,” signifies that religion insane from adulterated and profaned Divine truths and goods of the Lord, of the Word, and thence of the church (n. 730). “And when I saw her I wondered with great wonder,” signifies astonishment that that religion is such interiorly, when yet it appears otherwise exteriorly (n. 731). Verse 7. “And the angel said unto me, Wherefore dost thou wonder? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and the ten horns,” signifies the disclosure of what the things which precede and were seen signify (n. 732). Verse 8. “The beast which thou sawest was, and is not,” signifies the Word acknowledged as holy with them, and yet really not acknowledged (n. 733). “And is about to come up out of the abyss, and to go into perdition,” signifies deliberation at different times in the Papal Consistory respecting the reception and reading of the Word by the laity and the common people, but rejected (n. 734). “And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the Lamb’s book of life from the foundation of the world, seeing the beast which was, and is not, and yet is,” signifies the amazement of those who are of that religion, all who from its establishment have aimed at dominion over heaven and earth, that the Word, although thus rejected, still is (n. 735). Verse 9. “This is the mind that hath wisdom,” signifies that this is the interpretation in the natural sense, but for those who are in the spiritual sense from the Lord (n. 736). “The seven heads are seven mountains, where the woman sitteth upon them (verse 10): and they are seven kings,” signifies the Divine goods and Divine truths of the Word, upon which that religion is founded, destroyed in time, and at length profaned (n. 737). “Five have fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he is come, he must remain a short time,” signifies that all the Divine truths of the Word have been destroyed except this one, that all the power in heaven and in earth was given to the Lord; and except another, which has not yet come into question, but will not remain, which is, that the Lord’s Human is Divine (n. 738). Verse 11. “And the beast, that was, and is not, is himself the eighth, and is of the seven, and he goeth into perdition,” signifies that the Word, as explained above, is the Divine good itself, and that it is the Divine truth; and that it is taken away from the laity and the common people, lest the profanations and adulterations made in it by their leaders should appear, and they should on that account recede (n. 739). Verse 12. “And the ten horns** are ten kings, who have not yet received a kingdom,” signifies the Word as to power from Divine truths with those who are in the kingdom of France, and are not so much under the yoke of the Papal dominion; with whom however there has not yet been formed a church fully separated from the Roman Catholic religion (n. 740). “But they receive authority as kings one hour with the beast,” signifies that the Word has power with them, and they by the Word are as if they were in its Divine truths (n. 741). Verse 13. “These have one mind, and they shall give their power and authority to the beast,” signifies that they acknowledge unanimously that government and dominion over the church are solely through the Word (n. 742). Verse 14. “These shall fight with the Lamb, but the Lamb shall overcome them; for He is the Lord of lords and King of kings,” signifies the Lord’s combat with them concerning the acknowledgment of His Divine Human, because in it the Lord is the God of heaven and earth, and is also the Word (n. 743). “And they who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful,” signifies that they who approach and worship the Lord alone are they that come into heaven, as well they who are in the externals of the church as they that are in its internals and inmosts (n. 744). Verse 15. “And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples and multitudes, and nations and tongues,” signifies that they are under the Papal dominion, but in the truths of the Word variously adulterated and profaned by that religion, who are of its varieties of doctrine and discipline, and its varieties of religion and confession (n. 745). Verse 16. “And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the harlot,” signifies the Word as to power from Divine truths with the Protestants, who have altogether cast off from themselves the yoke of the Papal dominion (n. 746). “And shall make her desolate and naked,” signifies that they will put off from themselves its falsities and evils (n. 747). “And shall eat her flesh, and burn her up with fire,” signifies that from hatred they will condemn and destroy from among themselves the evils and falsities which are proper to that religion, and will hold that religion itself accursed, and will blot it out from among them (n. 748). Verse 17. “For God gave into their hearts to do His mind, and to do one mind, and to give their kingdom unto the beast,” signifies judgment with them from the Lord, that they should altogether repudiate and hold accursed the Roman Catholic religion, and should destroy and root it out from among themselves; and the unanimous judgment, that they should acknowledge the Word, and should found the church upon it (n. 749). “Until the words of God should be consummated,” signifies until all the things which have been foretold concerning them shall be fulfilled (n. 750). Verse 18. “And the woman whom thou sawest is the great city that hath a kingdom over the kings of the earth,” signifies that the Roman Catholic religion reigns as to doctrine in the Christian world, and also still in some measure among the Reformed, although they are not under the Papal dominion.
* The original Latin omits “name.”
** The original Latin omits “which thou sawest.”
THE EXPLANATION
Verse 1. What goes before, from chapter 7 to chapter 16, inclusive, treats of the Reformed; this chapter and the next treat of the Papists, among whom they who have claimed to themselves the power of opening and shutting heaven are meant by “Babylon.” Here therefore it shall first be said what is specifically meant by “Babylon.” By “Babylon” or “Babel” is meant the love of dominion over the holy things of the church from self-love, and because that love ascends in proportion as the reins are relaxed to it, and as the holy things of the church are also the holy things of heaven, therefore by “Babylon” or “Babel” is also signified dominion over heaven. And because this love thus acts the part of the devil, because it aspires to the same things, it cannot do otherwise than profane things holy, by adulterating the goods and truths of the Word, therefore by “Babylon” or “Babel” is also signified the profanation of what is holy, and the adulteration of the good and truth of the Word. Such is the signification of “Babylon” here in Revelation, and of “Babel” in the prophetic and historical Word, in these passages:
Concerning Babel: Behold the day of Jehovah cometh cruel; the stars of the heavens and the constellations thereof shall not shine with their light; the sun is darkened in his rising, and the moon shall not cause her light [lumen] to shine. I will cause the exaltation of the proud to cease, and I will humble the pride of the violent. Babel, the ornament of kingdoms, shall be as God’s overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah; the tziim shall lie there, their houses shall be filled with the ochim, and the daughters of the owl shall dwell there, and the satyrs shall dance there; the ijim shall answer in her palaces, and the dragons in the palaces of her delights (Isa. 13:1, 9-11, 19, 21-22).
Besides many other things in the whole of the chapter.
Thou shalt declare this parable concerning the king of Babel: Thy magnificence is brought down into hell; thou hast fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, thou hast said in thy heart, I will ascend the heavens, above the stars of God I will exalt my throne, I will ascend above the heights of the cloud, I will become like the Most High; but yet thou shalt be brought down to hell; I will rise against thee,* and will cut off from Babel the name and residue (Isa. 14:4, 11-15, 22).
Besides more things in the whole chapter.
Jehovah hath spoken against Babel: Your mother was exceedingly ashamed, she that brought you forth was suffused with shame; behold, the last end shall be a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert. Set yourselves in array against Babel round about, shoot against her, spare no arrows; how is Babel become a desolation among the nations! She acted insolently against Jehovah, against the Holy One of Israel. A drought is upon her waters, that they may dry up, because it is a land of graven images, and it glories in horrible things; therefore the ziim shall dwell there with the ijim, and the owls shall dwell therein, as God’s overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah (Jer. 50:1, 12, 14, 23, 29, 31, 38-40).
Besides many other things concerning “Babel” in that whole chapter.
Babel is a cup of gold in the hand of Jehovah, making the whole earth drunken; the nations have drunk of her wine, therefore they are mad; forsake her, for her judgment hath reached to the heavens, and hath lifted itself up even to the clouds; behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, that destroyest the whole earth. I will roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a mountain of burning. I will visit upon Bel in Babel; I will bring forth his morsel out of his mouth, that the nations may no longer flow together unto him; yea the wall of Babel shall fall. Behold the days are coming, in which I will visit upon the graven images of Babel, that her whole land may be ashamed. Though Babel should ascend into the heavens, and though she should fortify the high places of her strength, from Me shall wasters come. Yea, I will make drunk her princes and her wise ones, and her leaders, and her primates, that they may sleep the sleep of an age, and not awake (Jer. 51:1, 7, 9, 25, 44, 47, 53, 57).
Besides many other things concerning “Babel” in that whole chapter.
Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babel, sit on the earth; there is no throne; take the millstones and grind meal; uncover the thigh, pass over the streams, thy nakedness shall be uncovered, thy disgrace shall be seen. Thou hast said, I shall be mistress to eternity; thou didst not remember the end; thou hast trusted in thy wickedness; thou hast said, No one seeth me; thy wisdom and thy knowledge hath seduced thee, when thou saidst in thy heart, I, and there is none else like me; devastation shall come suddenly, thou shalt not know; persist in thy enchantments, in the multitude of thy sorceries, in which thou hast labored from thy youth, peradventure they will be able to profit, peradventure thou shalt become terrible (Isa. 47:1-3, 7, 10-12).
Besides other things concerning “Babel” in that chapter. Similar things are signified by:
The city and tower whose head was in heaven, which they that came from the east attempted to build in the valley of Shinar, whose speech Jehovah descending from heaven confounded; whence the name of the place was called “Babel” [confusion] (Gen. 11:1-9).
Similar things are signified by the following passages in Daniel:
By the statue seen by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel, the feet of which were partly iron and partly clay, which the stone cut out not by a hand smote and ground to pieces, and all the parts of the statue became as the chaff in the threshing floors; and the stone became a great rock (Dan. 2:31-47).
By the great image which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel made, and commanded that they should fall down and adore before it; and that they who would not should be cast into the furnace of fire (Dan. 3:1-7 seq.).
By the tree that grew until its height reached unto heaven, and the sight of it unto the end of the earth, which a watcher and a holy one, coming down from heaven, commanded to hew down, to cut off, to strip off, and to scatter; and because the king of Babel was represented by it, it came to pass that he was driven away from man, dwelt with the beasts, and ate the herbage like an ox (Dan. 4:1 to the end).
By Belshazzar king of Babel drinking wine with his nobles, wives, and concubines, out of the vessels of gold and silver of the temple of Jerusalem, and praising the gods of gold, silver, brass, iron, and stone; on account of which there was a writing on the wall, and the king himself was slain the same day (Dan. 5:1 to the end).
By the decree of Darius the Mede, king of Babel; that no one for thirty days should seek anything from God or man, but from the king alone; if otherwise, he should be cast into the den of lions (Dan. 6:8 to the end).
And by the four beasts seen by Daniel to come up out of the sea, of which the fourth, terrible, strong, having great teeth of iron, it devoured and crushed in pieces, and trampled the residue with his feet; and that then the judgment was set, and the books were opened, and the beast was slain, and given into the burning of fire; and that then there was seen coming with the clouds of heaven one like the Son of man, to whom was given dominion and glory and the kingdom, and all peoples, and nations and tongues shall worship Him; His dominion is the dominion of an age which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not perish (Dan. 7:1-14 seq.).
* The Hebrew has “them.”
718. And there came one of the seven angels that had the seven vials, and spoke with me, signifies influx now and revelation from the Lord, from the inmost of heaven, concerning the Roman Catholic religion. Thus far the state of the church of the Reformed at the end has been treated of; but now the state of the Roman Catholic religious persuasion at its end is treated of; and this follows in the order mentioned in the introduction. It is not called the Roman Catholic church, but the Roman Catholic religious persuasion, because they do not approach the Lord, nor read the Word, and because they invoke the dead; and a church is a church from the Lord, and from the Word, and its perfection is according to its acknowledgment of the Lord, and according to its understanding of the Word. The reason why one of the seven angels having the seven vials came and spoke with John, is because by “the seven angels who had the seven vials,” is signified influx from the Lord out of the inmost of the Christian heaven into the church, to disclose the evils and falsities therein, see above (n. 672, 676-677, 683, 690-691, 699-700); here therefore by those “seven angels” is signified the Lord speaking from the inmost of heaven, and revealing the state of the Roman Catholic religious persuasion at its end. Hence also it is, that one of those seven angels took John upon a high mountain, and showed him the Lamb’s wife, which is the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:9-10).
719. Saying unto me,* I will show unto thee the judgment of the great harlot, that sitteth upon many waters, signifies a revelation concerning that religious persuasion, as to its profanations and adulterations of the truths of the Word. “To say” and “to show” signifies revelation. By “judgment” is signified its state at its end. By “the great harlot” is signified the profanation of the holy things of the Word and church, and the adulteration of good and truth. By “many waters” are signified the truths of the Word adulterated. By “sitting upon them” is signified to be and to live in them. That by “committing whoredom” [meretricari], harlotry [moechari], scortation [scortari], and adultery [adulterari], is signified to falsify and adulterate the Word, see above (n. 134, 620, 632); and that by “waters” are signified its truths (n. 50, 563, 614, 685); here, those truths adulterated and profaned, because it says “the harlot” sat upon them. From these things it is evident, that by “saying unto me, I will show unto thee the judgment of the great harlot that sitteth upon many waters,” is signified revelation concerning that religious persuasion, as to its profanations and adulterations of the truths of the Word.
[2] The like is said of “Babel” in Jeremiah:
Jehovah hath done that which He spoke against the inhabitants of Babel; O thou that dwellest upon many waters, great in treasures, thy end is come, and the measure of thy gain (Jer. 51:12-13).
The reason why they are said to have adulterated and profaned the truths of the Word, is, because they have applied the truths of the Word to obtaining dominion over the holy things of the church and heaven, and to claiming to themselves the Divine authority of the Lord; and to apply the truths of the Word to obtaining dominion over the holy things of the church and heaven, is to adulterate them; and to apply them to the purpose of claiming to themselves the Divine authority of the Lord, is to profane them. That they have confirmed their dogmas from the Word, is known. But read them with attention, and you will see that they applied all those things taken from the Word to obtaining dominion over the souls of men, and to acquiring to themselves Divine power, authority, and majesty. It is on this account that Babylon is called “the mother of whoredoms and the abominations of the earth” (verse 5).
* The original Latin omits “Come.”
720. Verse 2. With whom the kings of the earth have committed whoredom, signifies that it has adulterated the truths and goods of the church which are from the Word. “To commit whoredom” signifies to falsify and adulterate truths, as above (n. 719); by “the kings of the earth” are signified the truths of the church which are from the Word, by “kings,” truths from good, and by “earth,” the church. That by “kings” are signified those who are in truths from good from the Lord, and thence abstractly the truths from good, may be seen above (n. 20, 664); here those truths adulterated and profaned. It is said that “the kings of the earth” committed whoredom with the great harlot, as though the truths of the church which are from the Word, which are signified by “the kings of the earth,” had so done; but this is according to the style of the Word in the sense of the letter, in which are ascribed to God and to the Divine things which are from Him, such as are the truths of the Word, the things which come nevertheless from man and his evils, as has been frequently observed above. Therefore the genuine sense, which is the spiritual sense, is that that religious persuasion adulterated, yea, profaned the truths of the church which are from the Word. He who does not know the spiritual sense of the Word may easily be misled by believing that by “the kings of the earth” are meant kings of the earth, when yet kings are not meant, but truths from good, and in the opposite sense, falsities from evil.
[2] To render it more fully evident that by “the kings of the earth” nothing else but the truths or falsities of the church are meant, and by “their whoredoms,” the truths of the church, which are from the Word, falsified, adulterated, and profaned, some passages shall be adduced from Revelation and from Daniel, from which anyone capable of reflection may see that kings are not meant, which are:
Jesus Christ hath made us kings and priests (Rev. 1:6).
And hast made us unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign over the earth (Rev. 5:10).
That ye may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of horses and of them that sit on them (Rev. 19:18).
The seven heads of the scarlet beast are seven mountains. And they are seven kings; five have fallen, and one is; and the beast is the eighth king, and is of the seven (Rev. 17:9-11).
The ten horns are ten kings, who have not yet received a kingdom (Rev. 17:12).
It is also said as here, that:
The kings of the earth committed whoredom, and lived luxuriously with the harlot (Rev. 18:3, 9).
[3] Who that is able to reflect at all, may not see that “kings” here do not mean kings? In like manner that by “the rough goat” is meant the king of Grecia, in Daniel:
And the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king; and when transgressors are come to the full, a king, hard of face and understanding subtle things, shall rise up (Dan. 8:21, 23).
That the four beasts coming out of the sea were four kings who shall arise from the earth and that the ten horns of the fourth beast were ten kings, and that another should rise after them who should humble the three kings (Dan. 7:17, 24).
In like manner, that the king of the south and the king of the north should fight with each other; and that the king of the south should send his daughter to the king of the north; and that this king should exalt himself against God, and acknowledge a strange god; and that he should honor with gold and silver, and with precious stones, and desirable things, those who acknowledged that god, and should cause them to have dominion over many, and divide the land for a price; and that he should plant the tent of his tabernacle between the seas, around the mountain of the ornament of holiness; but that he should come to his end; with much more to the same purpose (Dan. 11:1 to the end).
[4] By “the king of the south” is signified the kingdom or church of those who are in truths, and by “the king of the north” is signified the kingdom and church of those who are in falsities; for it is a prophecy concerning the churches to come, showing their quality in the beginning, and afterwards. The reason why they who are in truths from good from the Lord are called “kings,” is because they are called “the sons” of the Lord; and because they are regenerated by him, they are called “born from him,” and also “heirs”; and because the Lord is himself a king, and heaven and the church are his kingdom.
Emanuel Swedenborg · English translation by John Whitehead (1912) · Source edition · German edition.