2243. Whether they have made a consummation according to the cry of it which is come unto Me, and if not I will know. That this signifies whether evil has arrived at its height, is evident from the signification of a “cry,” as being falsity (explained just above, n (2240). 2240). As there said (near the end) there are two kinds of falsity, namely, the falsity which is from evil, and the falsity which produces evil. The falsity which is from evil is all that which a man thinks when he is in evil, namely, all that favors his evil; as for example, when he is in adultery, that which he then thinks about adultery: that it is allowable, that it is becoming, that it is the delight of life, that the procreation of offspring is thereby promoted, and so on; all these thoughts being falsities from evil.

[2] But the falsity which produces evil takes place when from his religious belief a man conceives some principle, and consequently believes that it is good or holy, when yet in itself it is evil. For example, he who believes from his religion that there is some man who can save, and therefore worships and adores him, does evil from that falsity; and the same is true in regard to any other religious belief which in itself is false. As therefore falsity is from evil, and falsity produces evil, the expression “cry” is here used, signifying, as a kind of general expression, that which it involves, namely, evil; as is also evident from its being said, “whether they have made a consummation according to the cry of it which is come unto Me;” where “its cry” is put in the singular number, and “they have made a consummation,” in the plural.

[3] What a “consummation” is, was shown in Part First (n. 1857); and what a consummation is further, may be comprehended from the churches. The Most Ancient Church, which was called “Man,” was the most celestial of all. This in process of time so far degenerated from the good of love, that at length nothing celestial remained, and then was its consummation, which is described by the state of those just before the flood.

[4] The Ancient Church (which was after the flood and was called “Noah,” and was less celestial) also in course of time so departed from the good of charity, that nothing of charity remained, for it was turned partly into magic, partly into idolatry, and partly into a kind of dogmatic system separate from charity; and then was its consummation.

[5] Another church succeeded, called the Hebrew Church, which was still less celestial and spiritual, placing somewhat of holy worship in external rites. This in course of time was distorted in various ways, and that external worship was turned into idolatry; and then was its consummation.

[6] A fourth church was then restored among the posterity of Jacob, which had nothing celestial and spiritual, but only a representative of it; and therefore that church was a church representative of celestial and spiritual things, inasmuch as they did not know what their rites represented and signified; but it was instituted in order that there might still be some connection between man and heaven, such as there is between the representatives of good and truth, and good and truth themselves. This church at length so fell away into falsities and evils that every rite became idolatrous; and then was its consummation. Therefore, after the churches had thus successively declined-when in the last one the connection between the human race and heaven was altogether broken, insomuch that the human race would have perished because there was no church by which there could be a connection and a bond (see n. 468, 637, 931, 2054).

[7] The Lord then came into the world, and by the unition of the Divine Essence with the Human Essence in Himself, conjoined heaven with earth, and at the same time He set up again a new church, called the Christian Church, which at first was in the good of faith, and its members lived in charity with one another as brethren. But in process of time this church has departed in diverse ways, and at the present day has become such that its members do not even know that the fundamental of faith is love to the Lord and charity toward the neighbor; and although they say from doctrine that the Lord is the Saviour of the human race, that they are to rise again after death, and that there is a heaven and a hell, yet few believe it. As this church has become such, its consummation is not far off.

[8] All this shows what “consummation” is, namely, that it is when evil has come to its height. The case is similar in particular, that is, with every man; but how the case is with consummation as regards each person in particular, will of the Lord’s Divine mercy be told in what follows. Consummation is treated of in the Word in various places, and the state which precedes is described by “vastation” and “desolation,” which is followed by “visitation.”

402. That by the “city that was built” is signified all the doctrinal and heretical teaching that came from that heresy, is evident from every passage of the Word in which the name of any city occurs; for in none of them does it ever mean a city, but always something doctrinal or else heretical. The angels are altogether ignorant of what a city is, and of the name of any city; since they neither have nor can have any idea of a city, in consequence of their ideas being spiritual and celestial, as was shown above. They perceive only what a city and its name signify. Thus by the “holy city” which is also called the “holy Jerusalem” nothing else is meant than the kingdom of the Lord in general, or in each individual in particular in whom is that kingdom. The “city” and “mountain of Zion” also are similarly understood; the latter denoting the celestial of faith, and the former its spiritual.

[2] The celestial and spiritual itself is also described by “cities” “palaces” “houses” “walls” “foundations of walls” “ramparts” “gates” “bars” and the “temple” in the midst; as in Ezekiel 48; in Revelation 21:15 end, where it is also called the Holy Jerusalem, verses 2, 10; and in Jeremiah 31:38.

In David it is called “the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High” (Psalms 46:4); in Ezekiel, “the city, Jehovah there” (Ezekiel 48:35), and of which it is written in Isaiah:

The sons of the stranger shall build thy walls, all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet, and they shall call thee the city of Jehovah, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 60:10, 14).

In Zechariah:

Jerusalem shall be called the city of truth; and the mountain of Zion, the mountain of holiness (Zechariah 8:3),

where the “city of truth” or “Jerusalem” signifies the spiritual things of faith; and the “mountain of holiness” or “of Zion” the celestial things of faith.

[3] As the celestial and spiritual things of faith are represented by a city, so also are all doctrinal things signified by the cities of Judah and of Israel, each of which when named has its own specific signification of something doctrinal, but what that is no one can know except from the internal sense. As doctrinal things are signified by “cities” so also are heresies, and in this case every particular city, according to its name, signifies some particular heretical opinion. At present we shall only show from the following passages of the Word, that in general a “city” signifies something doctrinal, or else heretical.

[4] Thus we read in Isaiah:

In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt speaking with the lip of Canaan, and swearing to Jehovah Zebaoth; one shall be called the city Heres (Isaiah 19:18),

where the subject treated of is the memory-knowledge [scientia] of spiritual and celestial things at the time of the Lord’s advent. So again, when treating of the valley of vision, that is, of phantasy:

Thou art full of tumults, a tumultuous city, an exulting city (Isaiah 22:2).

In Jeremiah, speaking of those who are “in the south” that is, in the light of truth, and who extinguish it:

The cities of the south have been shut up, and none shall open them (Jeremiah 13:19).

Again:

Jehovah hath purposed to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion; therefore He maketh the rampart and the wall to lament; they languished together. Her gates are sunk into the ground; He hath destroyed and broken her bars (Lamentations 2:8-9),

where anyone may see that by a “wall” a “rampart” “gates” and “bars” doctrinal things only are meant.

[5] In like manner in Isaiah:

This song shall be sung in the land of Judah, We have a strong city; salvation will set the walls and the bulwark; open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth fidelities may enter in (Isaiah 26:1-2).

Again:

I will exalt thee, I will confess to Thy name, for Thou hast made of a city a heap, of a defensed city a ruin; a palace of strangers shall not be built of the city forever. Therefore shall the strong people honor Thee, the city of the terrible nations shall fear Thee (Isaiah 25:1-3), (Isaiah 25:3)

in which passage there is no reference to any particular city. In the prophecy of Balaam:

Edom shall be an inheritance, and out of Jacob shall one have dominion, and shall destroy the residue of the city (Numbers 24:18-19) where it must be plain to everyone that “city” here does not mean a city.

In Isaiah:

The city of emptiness is broken; every house is shut, that the cry over wine in the streets cannot enter (Isaiah 24:10-11),

where the “city of emptiness” denotes emptinesses of doctrine; and “streets” signify here as elsewhere the things which belong to the city, whether falsities or truths.

In John:

When the seventh angel poured out his vial, the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell (Revelation 16:17, 19).

That the “great city” denotes something heretical, and that the “cities of the nations” do so too, must be evident to everyone. It is also explained that the great city was the woman that John saw (Revelation 17:18); and that the woman denotes a church of that character has been shown before.