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Jeremiah 50

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1 The word that the LORD spoke against Babylon and against the land of the Chaldeans by Jeremiah the prophet.

2 Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces.

3 For out of the north there cometh a nation against her, which shall make her land desolate, and none shall dwell in it, they shall remove, they shall depart, both man and beast.

4 In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping; they shall go, and seek the LORD their God.

5 They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces towards it, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten.

6 My people have been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their resting-place.

7 All that found them have devoured them: and their adversaries said, We offend not, because they have sinned against the LORD, the habitation of justice, even the LORD, the hope of their fathers.

8 Remove out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth from the land of the Chaldeans, and be as the he-goats before the flocks.

9 For lo, I will raise and cause to come against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves in array against her; from thence she shall be taken: their arrows shall be as of a mighty expert man; none shall return in vain.

10 And Chaldea shall be a spoil: all that spoil her shall be satisfied, saith the LORD.

11 Because ye were glad, because ye rejoiced, O ye destroyers of my heritage, because ye are grown fat as the heifer at grass, and bellow as bulls;

12 Your mother shall be greatly confounded; she that bore you shall be ashamed: behold, the hindermost of the nations shall be a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert.

13 Because of the wrath of the LORD it shall not be inhabited, but it shall be wholly desolate: every one that goeth by Babylon shall be astonished, and hiss at all her plagues.

14 Put yourselves in array against Babylon on every side: all ye that bend the bow, shoot at her, spare no arrows: for she hath sinned against the LORD.

15 Shout against her on every side; she hath given her hand: her foundations are fallen, her walls are thrown down: for it is the vengeance of the LORD: take vengeance upon her; as she hath done, do to her.

16 Cut off the sower from Babylon, and him that handleth the sickle in the time of harvest: for fear of the oppressing sword they shall turn every one to his people, and they shall flee every one to his own land.

17 Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones.

18 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria.

19 And I will bring Israel again to his habitation, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon mount Ephraim and Gilead.

20 In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve.

21 Go up against the land of Merathaim, even against it, and against the inhabitants of Pekod: waste and utterly destroy after them, saith the LORD, and do according to all that I have commanded thee.

22 A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction.

23 How is the hammer of the whole earth cut asunder and broken! how is Babylon become a desolation among the nations!

24 I have laid a snare for thee, and thou art also taken, O Babylon, and thou wast not aware: thou art found, and also caught, because thou hast striven against the LORD.

25 The LORD hath opened his armory, and hath brought forth the weapons of his indignation: for this is the work of The LORD GOD of hosts in the land of the Chaldeans.

26 Come against her from the utmost border, open her store-houses: cast her up as heaps, and destroy her utterly: let nothing of her be left.

27 Slay all her bullocks; let them go down to the slaughter: woe to them! for their day is come, the time of their visitation.

28 The voice of them that flee and escape from the land of Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God, the vengeance of his temple.

29 Call together the archers against Babylon: all ye that bend the bow, encamp against it on every side; let none thereof escape: recompense her according to her work; according to all that she hath done, do to her: for she hath been proud against the LORD, against the Holy One of Israel.

30 Therefore her young men shall fall in the streets, and all her men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD.

31 Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud, saith the Lord GOD of hosts: for thy day is come, the time that I will visit thee.

32 And the most proud shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all around him.

33 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The children of Israel and the children of Judah were oppressed together: and all that took them captives held them fast; they refused to let them go.

34 Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name: he will thoroughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.

35 A sword is upon the Chaldeans, saith the LORD, and upon the inhabitants of Babylon, and upon her princes, and upon her wise men.

36 A sword is upon the liars; and they shall be sottish: a sword is upon her mighty men; and they shall be dismayed.

37 A sword is upon their horses, and upon their chariots, and upon all the mingled people that are in the midst of her; and they shall become as women: a sword is upon her treasures; and they shall be robbed.

38 A drouth is upon her waters; and they shall be dried up: for it is the land of graven images, and they are mad upon their idols.

39 Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the isles, shall dwell there, and the owls shall dwell therein: and it shall be no more inhabited for ever; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation.

40 As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighboring cities, saith the LORD; so shall no man abide there, neither shall any son of man dwell therein.

41 Behold, a people shall come from the north, and a great nation, and many kings shall be raised up from the borders of the earth.

42 They shall hold the bow and the lance: they are cruel, and will not show mercy: their voice shall roar like the sea, and they shall ride upon horses, every one put in array, like a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Babylon.

43 The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands became feeble: anguish took hold of him, and pangs as of a woman in travail.

44 Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan to the habitation of the strong: but I will make them suddenly run away from her: and who is a chosen man, that I may appoint over her? for who is like me? and who will appoint me the time? and who is that shepherd that will stand before me?

45 Therefore hear ye the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken against Babylon; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall make their habitation desolate with them.

46 At the noise of the taking of Babylon the earth is moved, and the cry is heard among the nations.

   

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Apocalypse Revealed # 335

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335. Then the sky departed like a book rolled up. (6:14) This symbolizes the people's separation from heaven and conjunction with hell.

The text says that the sky departed like a book rolled up because a person's inner intellect and thus thought is as the sky or a kind of heaven, for his intellect can be raised into the light of heaven and can think about God, love and faith, and eternal life on the same elevated level as angels. But if his will is not raised at the same time into the warmth of heaven, the person is not yet united with the angels of heaven, thus is not a kind of heaven. The reality of this may be seen in Angelic Wisdom Regarding Divine Love and Wisdom, Part Five.

Through this faculty of the intellect, the evil people who are the subject here could be associated with angels of the lowest heaven. But when the two were separated, their heaven then departed, like a book rolled up.

A book rolled up means a parchment rolled up, since their books were scrolls of parchment, and the comparison is made with a book, since a book also means the Word (no. 256). Consequently, when it is rolled up like a scroll, whatever it contains is not visible, and it is as though gone.

Something similar is accordingly said in Isaiah:

All the host of heaven shall waste away, and the heavens shall be rolled up like a book, and... it falls down as the leaf falls... from a fig tree. (Isaiah 34:4)

The host of heaven is the church's goods and truths from the Word (no. 447).

It can be seen from this that "the sky departed like a book rolled up" symbolizes separation from heaven and conjunction with hell. That separation from heaven means conjunction with hell, is apparent.

  
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Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.

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Apocalypse Revealed # 256

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256. CHAPTER 5

1. And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals.

2. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the book and to loose its seals?"

3. And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book, or to look in it.

4. So I wept much, that no one was found worthy to open and read the book, or to look in it.

5. But one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the book and to loose its seven seals."

6. And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing as though slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

7. Then He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.

8. Now when He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a lyre, and a golden bowl full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

9. And they sang a new song, saying, "You are worthy to take the book and to open its seals, because You were slain and have redeemed us to God by Your blood, out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,

10. and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth."

11. Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,

12. saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and... honor and glory and blessing!"

13. And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying, "Blessing and honor and glory and strength be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!"

14. Then the four living creatures said, "Amen!" And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.

THE SPIRITUAL MEANING

The Contents of the Whole Chapter

The meaning is that the Lord in His Divine humanity will execute a judgment based on the Word and in accordance with it, because He embodies the Word; and that all in the three heavens acknowledge this.

The Contents of the Individual Verses:

Verse ContentsSpiritual Meaning
1. And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back,The Lord in respect to His underlying Divinity from eternity, to whom belongs omnipotence and omniscience, and who embodies the Word,
sealed with seven seals.the Word completely hidden from angel and man.
2. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice,Divine truth flowing in from the Lord deeply in angels and people.
"Who is worthy to open the book and to loose its seals?"Who has the power to know the states of life of all in heaven and on earth and to judge each one according to his state?
3. And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was ableNo one in the higher heavens or in the lower heavens [had the power]
to open the book,to know the states of life of all and to judge each one according to his state.
or to look in it.Not the least power.
4. So I wept much, that no one was found worthy to open and read the book, or to look in it.Grief of heart, that if no one could do this, all would perish.
5. But one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep.Consolation.
Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailedThe Lord, who by His own power conquered the hells and put everything into order when He was in the world, through the Divine goodness united to the Divine truth in His humanity.
to open the book and to loose its seven seals."The same here as before [verses 2, 3].
6. And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders,From the inmost elements of heaven, the Word, and the church, and so in all their constituents.
a Lamb standing as though slain,The Lord in respect to His humanity not acknowledged in the church as Divine.
having seven hornsHis omnipotence.
and seven eyes,His omniscience and Divine wisdom,
which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.that from it emanates Divine truth throughout the whole world, wherever religion is found.
7. Then He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.The Lord in respect to His Divine humanity embodies the Word, and this from His Divinity within Him, and thus He will execute judgment based on His Divine humanity.
8. Now when He had taken the book,When the Lord prepared to execute judgment, and thereby put back into order everything in heaven and on earth.
the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb,A humility and worship of the Lord on the part of the higher heavens.
each having a lyre,A confession of the Lord's Divine humanity springing from spiritual truths.
and a golden bowl full of incense,A confession of the Lord's Divine humanity springing from spiritual goods.
which are the prayers of the saints.Thoughts that are matters of faith springing from affections that are matters of charity in people who worship the Lord in accord with spiritual goods and truths.
9. And they sang a new song,An acknowledgment and glorification of the Lord as being the only judge, redeemer and savior, thus God of heaven and earth.
saying, "You are worthy to take the book and to open its seals,The same here as before [verses 2, 3].
because You were slain and have redeemed us to God by Your blood,Deliverance from hell and salvation by conjunction with Him.
out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,The Lord has redeemed those in the church or in any other religion who are impelled by truths in respect to their doctrine and by goods in respect to their life.
10. and have made us kings and priests to our God;They have from the Lord wisdom from Divine truths and love from Divine goods.
and we shall reign on the earth."And they will dwell in His kingdom, He in them and they in Him.
11. Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders;A confession and glorification of the Lord by angels of the lower heavens,
and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,all possessing truths and goods.
12. saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and... honor and gloryA confession from the heart that to the Lord in His Divine humanity belong omnipotence, omniscience, Divine good and Divine truth -
and blessing!"all these being in Him, and from Him in them.
13. And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying,A confession and glorification of the Lord by angels of the lowest heavens,
"Blessing and honor and glory and strength be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!"that present in the Lord from eternity and so in His Divine humanity is everything of heaven and the church - Divine good and truth, and Divine power - and that these are present in them from Him.
14. Then the four living creatures said, "Amen!"A Divine confirmation from the Word.
And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.Humility before the Lord on the part of all in the heavens, and out of humility worship of Him, from whom and in whom is eternal life.

THE EXPOSITION

And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back. (5:1) This symbolizes the Lord in respect to His underlying Divinity from eternity, to whom belongs omnipotence and omniscience, and who embodies the Word, who also of Himself knows the states of life of all in heaven and on earth, in every particular and in their entirety.

He who sat on the throne means the Lord in respect to His underlying Divinity from which His humanity originates, for the statement follows that the Lamb took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne (verse 7), and the Lamb means the Lord in respect to His humanity. The book written inside and on the back means the Word in every particular and in its entirety - "inside" meaning in every particular, and "on the back," in its entirety. Inside and on the back also mean the inner meaning of the Word, which is spiritual, and its outer meaning, which is natural. The right hand means the Lord in respect to His omnipotence and omniscience, because the subject is the exploration of all in heaven and on earth on whom the Last Judgment would fall, and their separation.

As the embodiment of the Word, the Lord knows of Himself the states of life of all in heaven and on earth, because He is Divine truth itself, and Divine truth itself, of itself, knows everything. This, however, is a secret which we disclosed in Angelic Wisdom Regarding Divine Love and Wisdom.

The fact that the Lord was the Word, that is to say, Divine truth, in respect to His Divinity from eternity is apparent from this statement in John:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)

And the fact that the Lord came to embody the Word even in respect to His humanity, from this statement also in John:

And the Word became flesh... (John 1:14)

It can be seen from this what is meant by the testimony that the book was in right hand of Him who sat on the throne, and that the Lamb took the book from it (verse 7).

[2] Since the Lord embodies the Word, and the Word is the Divine truth which forms heaven and the church in general, and each angel in particular so as to have heaven in him, and each person so as to have the church in him, and because the Word is here meant by the book on the basis of which and according to which all are to be judged, therefore we find references here and there to being written in the book, to being judged on the basis of the book, and to being blotted out from the book, where the subject is someone's state of eternal life, as in the following places:

(The Ancient of Days) sat in judgment, and the books were opened. (Daniel 7:10)

...your people shall be delivered, every one who is found written in the book. (Daniel 12:1)

My frame was not hidden from You... ...on Your book were written all the days..., and not one of them is missing. (Psalms 139:15-16)

(Moses said,) ."..I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written." And Jehovah said..., "He who has sinned against Me, him I will blot out of My book." (Exodus 32:32-33)

Let them be blotted out of the book of life, and not be written with the righteous. (Psalms 69:28)

I saw (that) books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to the things which were written in the Book, according to their works..., and if anyone was not found written in the Book of Life, he was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:12-15)

There shall not enter into (the New Jerusalem) anything... but those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. (Revelation 21:27)

All... will worship (the beast), whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb... (Revelation 13:8, cf. 17:8)

That the Book means the Word may be seen in the book of Psalms:

In the scroll of the book it is written of me. (Psalms 40:7)

And in Ezekiel:

I looked, and lo, there was a hand stretched out to me, and... in it the scroll of a book... written in front and in back... (Ezekiel 2:9-10)

...the book of the words of Isaiah... (Luke 3:4)

...the Book of Psalms... (Luke 20:42)

  
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Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.

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