Apocalypse Explained # 1028
1028. For the plague thereof was exceeding great. That this signifies the total destruction of genuine truth, is evident from the signification of the plague of the hail, as denoting the falsification of the Word, according to what was said above. Hence by the plague thereof being exceeding great is signified a more grievous falsification, which is, that the Word is falsified, even to the destruction of all genuine truth. How the Word is falsified even to the destruction of genuine truth, and heaven thereby closed against man, may be seen (n. 719, 778, 888, 914, 916, 950).
Concerning the Precepts of the Decalogue in general:-
[2] It is said by some, that he who sins against one precept of the Decalogue sins also against the rest, thus that he who is guilty of one is guilty of all. But how this agrees with the truth shall be explained. He who transgresses one precept, by assuring himself that it is not a sin, and thus commits it without fear of God, rejects the fear of God, because he is not afraid to transgress the rest of the precepts, although he may not do so in act.
[3] As, for example, whoever does not account frauds and illicit gains, which in themselves are thefts, as sins, neither regards as sins the committing of adultery with the wife of another, the hating of a man even to murder, the lying against him, the coveting his house, and other things belonging to him. For he denies that anything is a sin, when in one precept he casts out the fear of God from his heart. Hence he is in communion with those who similarly transgress the rest of the precepts. He is as an infernal spirit who is in the hell of thieves; and although he is not an adulterer, a murderer, or a false witness, yet he is in communion with such, and may be persuaded by them to believe that such things are not evils, and may also be led to commit them. For he who becomes an infernal spirit by the transgression of one precept, no longer believes it to be a sin to do anything against God, or anything against his neighbour.
[4] But the contrary is the case with those who abstain from the evil of one precept, and shun, and afterwards turn away from it, as a sin against God. Because such fear God, they come into communion with the angels of heaven, and are led by the Lord to abstain from the evils of the other precepts, and to shun them, and at length to turn away from them as sins. And if they happen to have sinned against them, still they repent, and thus by degrees are withdrawn from them.
Jeremiah 29:1-21
1
Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the residue of the elders of the captivity, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon,
2
(after that Jeconiah the king, and the queen mother, and the eunuchs, [and] the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the craftsmen, and the smiths, were departed from Jerusalem),
3
by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), saying,
4
Thus says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, to all the captivity, whom I have caused to be carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon:
5
Build houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them.
6
Take wives, and father sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there, and don't be diminished.
7
Seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to Yahweh for it; for in its peace you shall have peace.
8
For thus says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel: Don't let your prophets who are in the midst of you, and your diviners, deceive you; neither listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed.
9
For they prophesy falsely to you in my name: I have not sent them, says Yahweh.
10
For thus says Yahweh, After seventy years are accomplished for Babylon, I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.
11
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says Yahweh, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope and a future.
12
You shall call on me, and you shall go and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
13
You shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart.
14
I will be found by you, says Yahweh, and I will turn again your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places where I have driven you, says Yahweh; and I will bring you again to the place from where I caused you to be carried away captive.
15
Because you have said, Yahweh has raised us up prophets in Babylon;
16
thus says Yahweh concerning the king who sits on the throne of David, and concerning all the people who dwell in this city, your brothers who haven't gone forth with you into captivity;
17
thus says Yahweh of Armies; Behold, I will send on them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that can't be eaten, they are so bad.
18
I will pursue after them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be tossed back and forth among all the kingdoms of the earth, to be an object of horror, and an astonishment, and a hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations where I have driven them;
19
because they have not listened to my words, says Yahweh, with which I sent to them my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but you would not hear, says Yahweh.
20
Hear therefore the word of Yahweh, all you of the captivity, whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.
21
Thus says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and concerning Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who prophesy a lie to you in my name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and he shall kill them before your eyes;
