50
Οι εκφυγοντες την μαχαιραν, υπαγετε, μη στεκεσθε· ενθυμηθητε τον Κυριον μακροθεν, και Ιερουσαλημ ας αναβη επι την καρδιαν σας.
Ιερεμία 51:50
Apocalypse Revealed # 915
915. 21:20 The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. This symbolizes all of the doctrines of the New Church from the Word's literal sense in their order, with those who turn directly to the Lord and live in accordance with the Ten Commandments by refraining from evils as being sins; for they and no others possess a doctrine of love toward God and love for the neighbor, which are the two foundations of religion.
The twelve foundations of the wall symbolize all the doctrines of the New Jerusalem from the literal sense of the Word, as may be seen in nos. 902, 914 above. Precious stones in general symbolize all the truths in the doctrine of the New Jerusalem from the Word with the spiritual sense shining through, as may be seen in nos. 231, 540, 726, 911, 914 above. Each of the stones here symbolizes some particular truth with the spiritual meaning thus shining through. That the Word's literal sense in respect to its doctrines corresponds to precious stones of every kind may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Sacred Scripture, nos. 43-45.
[2] Two colors in general that shine through in precious stones are the color red and the color white. The rest of the colors, such as green, yellow, blue, and many others, are composites of these, modified by shades of gray. The color red symbolizes the goodness of love, and the color white symbolizes the truth of wisdom. The color red symbolizes the goodness of love because it takes its origin from the fire of the sun, and the fire of the sun in the spiritual world is, in its essence, the Lord's Divine love, thus the goodness of love. And the color white symbolizes the truth of wisdom because it takes its origin from the light that emanates from the fire of that sun, and that emanating light is, in its essence, Divine wisdom, thus the truth of wisdom. Shades of gray take their origin from that fire and light shaded, which is ignorance.
[3] However, to explain in detail just what good and just what truth is symbolized by each stone would be too lengthy a task. Nevertheless, to learn what good and truth each stone symbolizes in this list, see the exposition of chapter 7 above, Revelation 7:5-8, nos. 349-361, where the subject was the twelve tribes of Israel. For each stone here has the same symbolism as each tribe named there, since the twelve tribes described there likewise symbolize all the goods and truths of the church and its doctrine in their order. Consequently we are also told in this chapter, verse 14, that on these twelve foundations were written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, and the twelve apostles symbolize all of the doctrines regarding the Lord and living in accordance with His commandments (no. 903).
The twelve stones here also have the same symbolism as the twelve precious stones in the breastpiece of Aaron, called the Urim and Thummim, as described in Exodus 28:15-21, which we explained one by one in Arcana Coelestia (The Secrets of Heaven), 9856-9882 with the difference that the stones there had on them the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, while these have on them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
[4] That the foundations were laid with precious stones is something we are also told in Isaiah:
O you afflicted one..., behold, I will lay your stones with antimony. I will set your foundations in sapphires..., and your gates in carbuncle stones... All your children have been taught by Jehovah... (Isaiah 54:11-13)
The afflicted one means a church to be established by the Lord among gentiles.
In Isaiah as well:
...thus said the Lord Jehovih: ."..I will lay in Zion a foundation stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation... I will make judgment the rule, and justice the plumb line...." (Isaiah 28:16-17)
[5] Since every doctrinal truth from the Word is founded on an acknowledgment of the Lord, therefore the Lord is called the Stone of Israel in Genesis 49:24, and the cornerstone which the builders rejected in Matthew 21:42, Mark 12:10-11. That the cornerstone is a foundation stone is clear from Jeremiah 51:26.
In many places in the Word the Lord is also called a rock. Thus He meant Himself by the rock when He said, "On this rock I will build My church" (Matthew 16:18-19). The rock symbolizes the Lord in respect to the Divine truth in the Word.
Everything connected with the church and its doctrine relates to these two points, that one must turn directly to the Lord, and that one must live in accordance with the Ten Commandments by refraining from evils as sins. Thus everything connected with the doctrine relates to love toward God and love for the neighbor, something that will be seen in The Doctrines of the New Jerusalem Regarding Charity, where these precepts will be expounded in turn.
Jeremiah 51
1
Thus says Yahweh: Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against those who dwell in Lebkamai, a destroying wind.
2
I will send to Babylon strangers, who shall winnow her; and they shall empty her land: for in the day of trouble they shall be against her around.
3
Against [him who] bends let the archer bend his bow, and against [him who] lifts himself up in his coat of mail: and don't spare her young men; utterly destroy all her army.
4
They shall fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans, and thrust through in her streets.
5
For Israel is not forsaken, nor Judah, of his God, of Yahweh of Armies; though their land is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel.
6
Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and save every man his life; don't be cut off in her iniquity: for it is the time of Yahweh's vengeance; he will render to her a recompense.
7
Babylon has been a golden cup in Yahweh's hand, who made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunk of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.
8
Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: wail for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed.
9
We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go everyone into his own country; for her judgment reaches to heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.
10
Yahweh has brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us declare in Zion the work of Yahweh our God.
11
Make sharp the arrows; hold firm the shields: Yahweh has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes; because his purpose is against Babylon, to destroy it: for it is the vengeance of Yahweh, the vengeance of his temple.
12
Set up a standard against the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set the watchmen, prepare the ambushes; for Yahweh has both purposed and done that which he spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.
13
You who dwell on many waters, abundant in treasures, your end has come, the measure of your covetousness.
14
Yahweh of Armies has sworn by himself, [saying], Surely I will fill you with men, as with the canker worm; and they shall lift up a shout against you.
15
He has made the earth by his power, he has established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding has he stretched out the heavens:
16
when he utters his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; he makes lightning for the rain, and brings forth the wind out of his treasuries.
17
Every man is become brutish [and is] without knowledge; every goldsmith is disappointed by his image; for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
18
They are vanity, a work of delusion: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
19
The portion of Jacob is not like these; for he is the former of all things; and [Israel] is the tribe of his inheritance: Yahweh of Armies is his name.
20
You are my battle axe and weapons of war: and with you will I break in pieces the nations; and with you will I destroy kingdoms;
21
and with you will I break in pieces the horse and his rider;
22
and with you will I break in pieces the chariot and him who rides therein; and with you will I break in pieces man and woman; and with you will I break in pieces the old man and the youth; and with you will I break in pieces the young man and the virgin;
23
and with you will I break in pieces the shepherd and his flock; and with you will I break in pieces the farmer and his yoke [of oxen]; and with you will I break in pieces governors and deputies.
24
I will render to Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, says Yahweh.
25
Behold, I am against you, destroying mountain, says Yahweh, which destroys all the earth; and I will stretch out my hand on you, and roll you down from the rocks, and will make you a burnt mountain.
26
They shall not take of you a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations; but you shall be desolate for ever, says Yahweh.
27
Set up a standard in the land, blow the trumpet among the nations, prepare the nations against her, call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz: appoint a marshal against her; cause the horses to come up as the rough canker worm.
28
Prepare against her the nations, the kings of the Medes, its governors, and all its deputies, and all the land of their dominion.
29
The land trembles and is in pain; for the purposes of Yahweh against Babylon do stand, to make the land of Babylon a desolation, without inhabitant.
30
The mighty men of Babylon have forborne to fight, they remain in their strongholds; their might has failed; they are become as women: her dwelling places are set on fire; her bars are broken.
31
One runner will run to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to show the king of Babylon that his city is taken on every quarter:
32
and the passages are seized, and the reeds they have burned with fire, and the men of war are frightened.
33
For thus says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel: The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor at the time when it is trodden; yet a little while, and the time of harvest shall come for her.
34
Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon has devoured me, he has crushed me, he has made me an empty vessel, he has, like a monster, swallowed me up, he has filled his maw with my delicacies; he has cast me out.
35
The violence done to me and to my flesh be on Babylon, shall the inhabitant of Zion say; and, My blood be on the inhabitants of Chaldea, shall Jerusalem say.
36
Therefore thus says Yahweh: Behold, I will plead your cause, and take vengeance for you; and I will dry up her sea, and make her fountain dry.
37
Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling place for jackals, an astonishment, and a hissing, without inhabitant.
38
They shall roar together like young lions; they shall growl as lions' cubs.
39
When they are heated, I will make their feast, and I will make them drunken, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, says Yahweh.
40
I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with male goats.
41
How is Sheshach taken! and the praise of the whole earth seized! how is Babylon become a desolation among the nations!
42
The sea is come up on Babylon; she is covered with the multitude of its waves.
43
Her cities are become a desolation, a dry land, and a desert, a land in which no man dwells, neither does any son of man pass thereby.
44
I will execute judgment on Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he has swallowed up; and the nations shall not flow any more to him: yes, the wall of Babylon shall fall.
45
My people, go away from the midst of her, and save yourselves every man from the fierce anger of Yahweh.
46
Don't let your heart faint, neither fear for the news that shall be heard in the land; for news shall come one year, and after that in another year [shall come] news, and violence in the land, ruler against ruler.
47
Therefore, behold, the days come, that I will execute judgment on the engraved images of Babylon; and her whole land shall be confounded; and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her.
48
Then the heavens and the earth, and all that is therein, shall sing for joy over Babylon; for the destroyers shall come to her from the north, says Yahweh.
49
As Babylon has caused the slain of Israel to fall, so at Babylon shall fall the slain of all the land.
50
You who have escaped the sword, go, don't stand still; remember Yahweh from afar, and let Jerusalem come into your mind.
51
We are confounded, because we have heard reproach; confusion has covered our faces: for strangers are come into the sanctuaries of Yahweh's house.
52
Therefore, behold, the days come, says Yahweh, that I will execute judgment on her engraved images; and through all her land the wounded shall groan.
53
Though Babylon should mount up to the sky, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet from me shall destroyers come to her, says Yahweh.
54
The sound of a cry from Babylon, and of great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans!
55
For Yahweh lays Babylon waste, and destroys out of her the great voice; and their waves roar like many waters; the noise of their voice is uttered:
56
for the destroyer is come on her, even on Babylon, and her mighty men are taken, their bows are broken in pieces; for Yahweh is a God of recompenses, he will surely requite.
57
I will make drunk her princes and her wise men, her governors and her deputies, and her mighty men; and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake up, says the King, whose name is Yahweh of Armies.
58
Thus says Yahweh of Armies: The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly overthrown, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the peoples shall labor for vanity, and the nations for the fire; and they shall be weary.
59
The word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah to Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. Now Seraiah was chief quartermaster.
60
Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that should come on Babylon, even all these words that are written concerning Babylon.
61
Jeremiah said to Seraiah, When you come to Babylon, then see that you read all these words,
62
and say, Yahweh, you have spoken concerning this place, to cut it off, that none shall dwell therein, neither man nor animal, but that it shall be desolate forever.
63
It shall be, when you have made an end of reading this book, that you shall bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates:
64
and you shall say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise again because of the evil that I will bring on her; and they shall be weary. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.
