Apocalypse Revealed # 756
756. "And it has become a dwelling place of demons." This symbolically means that the hells of these Roman Catholics are ones marked by lusts to exercise dominion from the heat of self-love, and by lusts to profane heaven's truths from the spurious zeal of that love.
Demons symbolize lusts to do evil (nos. 458), and also lusts to falsify truths. But demons, like lusts, are of many kinds. The worst are those which embody lusts from the heat of self-love to exercise dominion over the sanctities of the church and over heaven. And because this dominion is fixed in their hearts, they also embody lusts to profane heaven's truths from the spurious zeal of that love.
Moreover, because they know, when they become demons, as is the case after death, that the Lord alone has dominion over heaven and earth, they become personifications of a hatred for Him, until eventually, as much as a century later, they cannot bear to hear Him named.
It is apparent from this that Babylon's becoming a dwelling place of demons means symbolically that their hells are ones marked by lusts to exercise dominion from the heat of self-love, and by lusts to profane heaven's truths from the spurious zeal of that love.
[2] People in the world do not know that all after death become embodiments of the affections of their dominant love - embodiments of good affections if they have looked to the Lord and heaven and at the same time refrained from evils as sins, but embodiments of evil affections, namely lusts, if they have looked only to themselves and the world and have refrained from evils, not as sins, but only as damaging to their reputation and honor.
These affections are objectively seen and perceived in the spiritual world, whereas only the thoughts emanating from these affections are seen and perceived in the natural world. As a result, people do not know that hell resides in the affections of an evil love, and heaven in the affections of a good love. So it is that people do not know this and do not perceive it, because the lusts of an evil love derive from heredity that they are delightful in the will, and thus pleasant in the intellect, and people do not reflect on something that is delightful and pleasant because it carries their minds along as the current of a swift river does a boat. Consequently people who have immersed themselves in these delights and pleasant thoughts cannot approach the delights and pleasant thoughts of the affections of a love of goodness and truth otherwise than as people who with straining arms pull on the oars against the current of a swift river.
The case, however, is otherwise with people who have not so deeply immersed themselves.
Matthew 18
1
At the same time came the disciples to Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
2
And Jesus called a little child to him, and set him in the midst of them,
3
And said, Verily I say to you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
4
Whoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5
And whoever shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me.
6
But whoever shall cause one of these little ones who believe in me, to sin, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
7
Woe to the world because of offenses! for it must needs be that offenses come; but Woe to that man by whom the offense cometh!
8
Wherefore, if thy hand or thy foot causeth thee to sin, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire.
9
And if thy eye causeth thee to sin, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell-fire.
10
Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.
11
For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.
12
How think ye? if a man hath a hundred sheep, and one of them is gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and go to the mountains, and seek that which is gone astray?
13
And if he findeth it, verily I say to you, he rejoiceth more over that sheep, than over the ninety and nine which went not astray.
14
Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.
15
Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
16
But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
17
And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it to the church: but if he shall neglect to hear the church, let him be to thee as a heathen and a publican.
18
Verily I say to you, Whatever ye shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven: and whatever ye shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven.
19
Again I say to you, That if two of you shall agree on earth, concerning any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them by my Father who is in heaven.
20
For where two or three are assembled in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
21
Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
22
Jesus saith to him, I say not to thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
23
Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened to a certain king who would take account of his servants.
24
And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.
25
But as he had not ability to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26
The servant therefore fell down, and worshiped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
27
Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
28
But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him a hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me what thou owest.
29
And his fellow-servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
30
And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
31
So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told to their lord all that was done.
32
Then his lord, having called him, said to him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
33
Shouldst thou not also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant, even as I had pity on thee?
34
And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due to him.
35
So likewise shall my heavenly Father do to you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
