Apocalypse Explained #1045
1045. Having in her hand a golden cup, full of abominations and the uncleanness of whoredoms, signifies having doctrine from profaned goods and truths. This is evident from the signification of a "cup," as being falsity from hell, for a "cup" has a similar signification as "wine," and "wine" signifies truth from heaven, and in the contrary sense falsity from hell (See n. 887, 960, 1022). And as a "cup" signifies truth or falsity, and the doctrine of every church is either of truth or of falsity, for all truth or falsity of the church is contained in doctrine, so a "cup" also signifies doctrine, and "a golden cup" the doctrine of falsity from evil.
[2] As in Jeremiah:
Babylon is a golden cup in the hand of Jehovah, making the whole earth drunken (Jeremiah 51:7).
It is called "a golden cup" for the same reason that the woman is said to be "arrayed in purple and scarlet, and inwrought with gold, precious stones and pearls," that is, from the appearance in externals; and yet in internals it is like a cup "full of abominations and uncleanness." For it is like what the Lord says of the externals and internals with the Scribes and Pharisees:
Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, who cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. And ye make yourselves like unto whited sepulchers, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of bones of the dead and all uncleanness (Matthew 23:25-27).
The above is evident also from the signification of "abominations," as being the profanations of good (of which presently); also from the signification of "the uncleanness of whoredom," as being the profanation of truth. For "whoredom" signifies falsification of truth (See above), therefore its "uncleanness" signifies profanation.
[3] In regard to the profanations that are signified by "abominations," they are perversions of the holy things of the church, thus conversions of its goods into evils, and of its truths into falsities. They are called "abominations" because the angels abominate them; for so far as they have been holy things of the church, derived from goods and truths from the Word, they ascend into heaven; but so far as they have been applied to evils, and thus profaned, they carry with them what is infernal, which lies hidden within; and consequently they are perceived as things dead, in which there was once a living soul; and this is why heaven abominates and detests them.
[4] That this is the meaning of "abominations" in the Word is evident from the account of the abominations of Jerusalem in Ezekiel:
As that she took of the garments of her adorning which were given to her, and made for herself high places of various colors, and committed whoredom upon them;
That of the gold and silver given to her, she made herself images of a male, and committed whoredom with them;
That the oil, incense, bread, fine flour, and honey, that were given to her, she gave for an odor of rest;
That they sacrificed their sons and daughters;
That she committed whoredom first in Egypt, and afterwards with the sons of Assyria, and finally with the Chaldeans; besides other things that are there called abominations. (Ezekiel 16:2-63).
All these things signify profanations of the Word, of the church, and of worship. So in other passages where abominations are either recounted or mentioned (as Jeremiah 7:9, 10; 16:18; 32:35; Ezekiel 5:11; 7:19, 20; 8:6-18; 11:21; 14:6; 20:7, 8; Deuteronomy 7:25, 26; 12:31; 18:9, 10; Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14; Daniel 9:27; 11:31).
Mark 13
1
As he went out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Teacher, see what kind of stones and what kind of buildings!"
2
Jesus said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone on another, which will not be thrown down."
3
As he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately,
4
"Tell us, when will these things be? What is the sign that these things are all about to be fulfilled?"
5
Jesus, answering, began to tell them, "Be careful that no one leads you astray.
6
For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he!' and will lead many astray.
7
"When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, don't be troubled. For those must happen, but the end is not yet.
8
For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places. There will be famines and troubles. These things are the beginning of birth pains.
9
But watch yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils. You will be beaten in synagogues. You will stand before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them.
10
The Good News must first be preached to all the nations.
11
When they lead you away and deliver you up, don't be anxious beforehand, or premeditate what you will say, but say whatever will be given you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.
12
"Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. Children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death.
13
You will be hated by all men for my name's sake, but he who endures to the end, the same will be saved.
14
But when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains,
15
and let him who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter in, to take anything out of his house.
16
Let him who is in the field not return back to take his cloak.
17
But woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse babies in those days!
18
Pray that your flight won't be in the winter.
19
For in those days there will be oppression, such as there has not been the like from the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will be.
20
Unless the Lord had shortened the days, no flesh would have been saved; but for the sake of the chosen ones, whom he picked out, he shortened the days.
21
Then if anyone tells you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'Look, there!' don't believe it.
22
For there will arise false christs and false prophets, and will show signs and wonders, that they may lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones.
23
But you watch. "Behold, I have told you all things beforehand.
24
But in those days, after that oppression, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light,
25
the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken.
26
Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.
27
Then he will send out his angels, and will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the sky.
28
"Now from the fig tree, learn this parable. When the branch has now become tender, and puts forth its leaves, you know that the summer is near;
29
even so you also, when you see these things coming to pass, know that it is near, at the doors.
30
Most certainly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things happen.
31
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
32
But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
33
Watch, keep alert, and pray; for you don't know when the time is.
34
"It is like a man, traveling to another country, having left his house, and given authority to his servants, and to each one his work, and also commanded the doorkeeper to keep watch.
35
Watch therefore, for you don't know when the lord of the house is coming, whether at evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning;
