785. 18:16 18:17 "And saying, 'Woe, woe, that great city, clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold, precious stones and pearls,' because in one hour such great riches were laid waste." This symbolizes their grievous lamentation that their magnificence and material gains were so suddenly and completely destroyed.

"Woe, woe," symbolizes a grievous lamentation, as in no. 769 above. That great city symbolizes the Roman Catholic religion, because it is said to be clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold, precious stones and pearls, which cannot be said of a city, but can be said of a religion. Being clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold, precious stones and pearls, symbolizes the same things as in nos. 725-727 above where the same words occur, depicting in general things magnificent in outward form. Such great riches being laid waste in one hour means symbolically that their material gains were suddenly and completely destroyed - one hour meaning suddenly and completely, as in no. 769 above, because time and everything having to do with time symbolizes a state (no. 476).

It is apparent from this that the description here contains the same symbolic meanings as those reported above.

Regarding the devastation of Babylon, something similar is said in Jeremiah:

(The land of Babylon) is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel... The thoughts of Jehovah stand against (her), to make (her) a desolation... They shall not take from you a stone for a corner, nor a foundation stone, because you shall be desolate forever... Babylon shall become a heap of ruins, a habitation of dragons, an astonishment and a hissing... ...Babylon has been reduced to desolation... The sea has come up over (her), she is covered with the multitude of its waves. Her cities have become a desolation, a dry land and a wilderness... (Jeremiah 51:5, 29, 26, 37, 41-43)