173. Internal Meaning of Daniel, Chapter 2

1-2 The future character of Babylon foretold. (2)

3-11 This was not known to those who made common cause with Babylon. (2)

12-13 They were blinded, (2)

14-30 but it was disclosed by revelation from the Lord to those who were of the church. (2)

31-35 The progress of the Babylonish religion follows: first the rulers would learn and teach the goods and truths of heaven and the church; and afterwards they would backslide, until nothing remained except what was adulterated, thus what was merely false and evil, and then the Lord would come. (2)

36-38 First the Word will be taught there according to truths of doctrine drawn from it. (2)

39 Afterwards the church will prevail, not from spiritual good, but from natural good. (2)

40-43 Finally all good and truth will be changed by adulterations into evil and falsity, prevailing only through civil diabolic power. (3)

44-45 Then the Lord will come, and destroy that religion, and will institute a church that will be in Divine truth from Him. (1, 3)

46-49 This was the beginning of Babylon, when it worshipped the God of heaven, and magnified doctrine from the Word. (2, 11)

Chaldea was a land lying along the Euphrates river near its mouth, south of Babylon, part of what is now southern Iraq. It was a land of the Lord's second great church, the Ancient Church, which at its height had a wealth of knoweldge through its own sacred scriptures and the correspondences of nature. But as this church declined Chaldea came to represent people who use truths for evil purposes and thus profane and falsify them. Abram was born in Chaldea because of the greatness it had represented, but had to leave because of what it had become.