116. Internal Meaning of Jeremiah, Chapter 50

Of those who have adulterated and falsified the goods and truths of the church, who are meant by Babylon and Chaldea. (3)

1-3 They will no longer have any good or truth. (3)

4-7 Then those who are in ignorance of good and truth, because of a lack of them, will be brought to the Lord. (11)

8 They will depart from Babylon. 11 (11)

9-10 Babylon will perish, (3)

11 because they have vastated the church. (3)

12-13 It is without any truth. (3, 4)

14-16 Their destruction at the time of judgment, (15)

17 because she has destroyed the church. (15, 3)

18-20 After Babylon has been destroyed, a new church will be established, which will be acceptable to the Lord. (3, 11)

21-24 Babylon will be destroyed because she is against the Lord. (3)

25-30 They are to be wholly destroyed, (3)

31-32 on account of the love of ruling, (3)

33-34 because they do not refrain from destroying the church which the Lord establishes and redeems. (3)

35-38 All things appertaining to them from firsts to lasts have been destroyed by means of falsities. (3)

39-40 They have horrible falsities and evils. (3)

41-46 The last judgment upon them. (15)

408. Once the Church has been so vastated that faith exists no longer a fresh start is made, that is, new light begins to shine, which in the Word is called 'the morning'. The reason new light or the morning does not shine before the Church has been vastated is that the things constituting faith and charity have been mingled with things that are unholy, and as long as they are mingled no light or charity can possibly be introduced, for tares are ruining all the good seed. But once faith is no more, it is no longer possible for faith to be profaned, since people do not believe what is said. People who do not acknowledge and believe something but merely know it are, as stated already, incapable of profaning it. A similar situation exists at the present time in the case of Jews who, because they live among Christians, cannot help knowing that the Lord is acknowledged by Christians to be the Messiah whom they, the Jews, have been waiting for and are awaiting still. Yet they are incapable of profaning because they do not acknowledge and believe these matters. Nor, in a similar way, can Moslems and gentiles who have heard about the Lord do so. This was the reason why the Lord did not come into the world until the Jewish Church had ceased to acknowledge and believe anything.