1029. CHAPTER 17.

1. AND there came one of the seven angels having the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:

2. With whom the kings of the earth committed whoredom, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her whoredom.

3. And he carried me away, into a wilderness, in the spirit and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

4. And the woman was arrayed in crimson and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stone and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of the abominations and uncleanness of her whoredom.

5. And upon her forehead a name written, Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of the whoredoms and abominations of the earth.

6. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus; and when I saw her, I wondered with a great wonder.

7. And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou wonder? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.

8. The beast which thou sawest was, and is not, and is about to ascend out of the abyss, and go into perdition; and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder; they whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, but yet is.

9. This is the mind that hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.

10. And they are seven kings; five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.

11. And the beast that was, and is not, he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.

12. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, who have received no kingdom as yet; but they receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

13. These have one mind, and shall deliver up their power and authority to the beast.

14. These shall fight with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings and those that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

15. And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

16. And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall devour her flesh, and burn her with fire.

17. For God hath put into their hearts to do his mind, and to come to one mind, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be consummated.

18. And the woman whom thou sawest is the great city, which hath a kingdom over the kings of the earth.

EXPLANATION.

BECAUSE in this and the following chapter the subject treated of is Babylon, therefore, before we proceed to the explanation of these chapters, it shall be shown what is meant by Babylon in general and particular; also what its quality is in the beginning, and what it becomes afterwards, by degrees.

By Babylon or Babel is meant the church consisting of those who by the holy things of the church aspire to dominion over the whole world, and this by means of dominion over the souls of men, claiming to themselves the power of saving whomsoever they will; and who at last seek and appropriate to themselves dominion over heaven and hell. And for this purpose they derive and transfer to themselves all the Lord's power, as if given to them by Him.

The church consisting of such is, in its beginning, not the same as it becomes in process of time. In the beginning they are zealous, as it were, for the Lord, the Word, for love and faith, and especially for the salvation of men. But in that zeal lies hidden the fire of ruling, which in process of time, and as dominion increases, breaks out, and in the degree in which it comes out into act, the holy things of the church become the means, and dominion itself the end. And when dominion becomes the end, then the holy things of the church are used as a means to that end, that is, to themselves. And then they not only make the salvation of souls dependent on their own power, but also appropriate to themselves all the Lord's Divine power. And when they do this, they then pervert all the good and all the truth of the church, and thus profane the holy things of the church. These things are Babylon.

[2] That this is the case has been shown me to the life. In the spiritual world there were those who affected a similar dominion. And because they knew that all power belonged to the Lord alone, they assumed, as it were, a zeal for Him, for heaven, and for the church, and laboured with all their power to worship the Lord alone, and to keep all things of the Word holy. They also arranged that sanctity and integrity should prevail in all. But it was permitted to be known that in that zeal an ardent desire to rule over all others was hidden; they believed that those things that they arranged would be accepted by the Lord. But, in fact, as soon as they obtained dominion, by degrees the end was revealed, which was not that the Lord but that they themselves might rule, and thus that the Lord might serve them, and not they the Lord; they were indignant if they were not allowed as gods to dispose everything according to their will. Indeed, it was seen that they made light of the Lord, and even rejected Him, if the power was not granted them of doing everything according to their own pleasure, and unless every decision of theirs was assented to. It was also seen that they were desirous, under any pretence, to transfer His Divine power to themselves if they dared, but they were afraid of being cast down into hell if they did so. By this it was shown how Babylon begins, and how it ends. One could, therefore, conclude, that while dominion becomes the end, and the holy things of the church the means, the worship of God is turned, under various pretences, into the worship of men, so that they themselves are actually gods, and the Lord is not really God, but is merely called so for the sake of form.

[3] Now, because dominion by means of the holy things of the church over the souls of men, over heaven, and over the Lord Himself, is inwardly profane, it follows that it is infernal. For the devils in hell covet nothing more than to exercise dominion over heaven, and over the Lord Himself; this they also attempt under various pretences. But while they are making the attempt, they are swallowed up by hell. Since, in the world, those who cast down the Lord from the seat of His kingdom, and place themselves upon it, are, in heart, like devils, it is evident that the church consisting of these must, in process of time, be devastated as to all the good and all the truth thereof; this is its end.

That they are devils is clear from the same in the spiritual world. Those who have exercised the Divine power of the Lord in the world speak, after death, in most holy terms concerning the Lord, and worship Him with every kind of external devotion. But when their interior states are seen (for these may be uncovered and seen in the spiritual world), it is seen that they are profane, because atheistical, and full of diabolical craftiness. Hence it was manifested that their holy externals served them as means to dominion as an end.

A conversation once arose among the spirits whether any devil in hell could do the same. Therefore one of the worst was called thence, and he was told that he should have dominion over many, if he could worship the Lord with sanctity, and acknowledge His Divine to be equal to that of the Father, and perform at the same time all things belonging to worship. On hearing that he could have dominion over many, he immediately became interiorly cunning, assumed a holy external, and worshipped the Lord more reverently than many angels, becoming angry with all those who did not adore Him. But as soon as he observed that dominion was not granted him, he became enraged against the Lord Himself, and not only denied His Divine and also the Divine of the Father, but cast reproaches upon both; for he was an atheist.

[4] That such is the nature of Babylon at this day is quite clear from this, that under the pretence of the keys being given to Peter, they have transferred to themselves all the Divine power of the Lord, having shut up Divine truth from the people by taking away the Word, and have given to the dictates of the Pope a sanctity equal, indeed actually superior, to that of the Word. They teach but little, if anything, about the fear and worship of God, but the fear and worship of themselves, and also the worship of holy things for the sake of themselves. It is therefore clear that Babylon at its end is the church void and empty of all the good of love to God, and of all the good of love towards the neighbour, and consequently of all truth. Consequently, it is no longer a church but an idolatry; and therefore it differs very little from the Gentilism of the ancients, who worshipped Baal, Ashtaroth, Baalzebub, and others; and yet had temples, stated feasts, altars, sacrifices, incense, drink-offerings, and other things, similar to those of the Jewish Church. These things are stated concerning Babylon at its beginning, and at its end, in order that it may be known why it is that Babel, in the Word, is sometimes exalted even to heaven, and sometimes cast down even to hell.

[5] That such is the nature of Babel is quite evident from the description and representation of it in the prophets, and especially in Daniel. First, from the statue of King Nebuchadnezzar, in Daniel:

Nebuchadnezzar the king saw in his dream a statue standing before him; "the head thereof was of fine gold, the breast and arms of silver, the belly and thighs of brass, the legs iron, and the feet part iron and part clay." Afterwards "a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the statue upon its feet, which were of iron and clay, and brake them in pieces, and then the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, were bruised together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floor, so that the wind carried them away, and their place was no more found. But the stone which smote the statue became a great rock" (2:31-35).

From the interpretation of this dream by Daniel, it is evident that the state of the church which becomes Babylon, is there described from its beginning to its end. The reason why it is Babylon which is described is, that those things were seen by the king of Babel in a dream; and he also saw a statue over against him. It is also openly declared to the king by Daniel,

"Thou art this head of gold" (ver. 38).

The successive states of that church even to the last are described by the head, the breast, the arms, the belly, the thighs, the legs, and the feet of this statue; also by the gold, the silver, the brass, the iron, and the clay, of which the statue consisted from top to bottom. From these things it is evident that this church in its beginning was full of wisdom from the good of love to the Lord. For the head, which is highest, signifies wisdom; and gold the good of love to the Lord. That the last state of that church would be one which was destitute of all the good of love and of all wisdom, is signified by the toes of its feet being part iron and part clay. For this is thus interpreted by Daniel:

"Whereas thou sawest iron mingled with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves by the seed of man; but they shall not cleave one to the other, even as iron is not mixed with clay" (ver. 43).

The seed of man signifies Divine truth, thus the truth of the Word; and by this no coherence is effected, because it is falsified at the end of the church by being applied to the worship of men. The destruction of this church is described by the stone breaking in pieces all parts of the statue. By the stone is signified Divine truth; and the Lord as to Divine truth, by the rock which the stone became. Its destruction is the Last Judgment. The New Church, which will then be established by the Lord, is described by these words:

"The God of the heavens shall cause a kingdom to arise which shall not perish for ever, and his kingdom shall not be left to another people. It shall break in pieces and consume all those kingdoms, but itself shall stand for ever" (ver. 44).

[6] By kingdom, in this and other parts of the Word, is signified the church; similarly, by a man, in whose form the statue was.

The church which afterwards became Babylon is also described by the tree seen by King Nebuchadnezzar in a dream, in Daniel:

"I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great; the tree grew and became strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth; the leaf thereof was beautiful, and the flower thereof much, the beast of the field had shadow under it, and in its boughs dwelt the birds of heaven, and all flesh was fed from it. But behold, a watcher and a holy one came down from heaven, crying with might, saying thus: Hew down the tree, and cut off its branches, and disperse the flower thereof, let the beasts flee from under, and the birds from its branches; but leave the stump of its root in the earth, and in a band of iron and brass, in the herb of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let its portion be with the beast in the grass of the earth; they shall change his heart from a man's, and the heart of a beast shall be given to him, while seven times shall pass over him, until they who live shall know that the Lord is the Most High in the kingdom of man" (4:10-17).

That King Nebuchadnezzar, consequently Babel itself, is meant by that tree, and all belonging to it, is openly declared in verses 20, 21, 22. And that the things heard befell the king, namely, that he was driven out from man, dwelt with the beasts of the field, ate grass like the oxen, until seven times had passed over him, is evident from verses 32, 33, 34 of that chapter. That these things came upon him because of the love of self, and the pride of his own dominion, is clear from these words of his:

"Is not this great Babel that I have built for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my strength, and for the glory of mine honour?" (ver. 30).

And afterwards when he was restored:

"I Nebuchadnezzar, honouring the King of the heavens, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment; and those who walk in pride, he is able to abase" (ver. 37).

By that state of Nebuchadnezzar is described the state of those, after death, who exalt themselves as gods over everything of the church; namely, that they are driven out from man, that they are no longer like men with respect to understanding; that they become beasts, and eat grass as oxen; and that their hairs grow like the eagles', and their nails like birds' claws; which signifies that they are utterly sensual; that instead of being intelligent they are foolish; and instead of being wise they are insane. To eat grass, to have hair like the eagles', and nails like birds' claws, signifies to become sensual.

[7] The successive states of the church, which at last became Babylon, are also described by the four beasts ascending out of the sea, in Daniel:

It was seen by him, that four beasts ascended out of the sea, "the first like a lion, but it had wings like an eagle, but the wings were plucked out, and it was lifted up from the earth and raised up on the feet as a man, and the heart of a man was given to it. Afterwards, another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised itself up on one side, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth, and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh. After these, behold, another like a leopard, which had four wings like birds upon the back, and four heads; and dominion was given to it. Afterwards a fourth beast, terrible and formidable, and exceeding strong, which had great iron teeth; and devoured, and brake in pieces, and trampled on the residue with its feet" (7:3-7).

That by these beasts also are described the successive states of the church, from its first to its last, may be seen above (n. 316, 556, 650, 780, 781). That in the first state they were in truths, and thence in intelligence, is signified by the lion, which had the wings of an eagle, and which afterwards appeared as a man, and a man's heart was given to it. That in the last state they are in falsities of every kind from evil, is signified by the fourth beast, which was terrible, and which devoured and brake in pieces, and trampled on the residue with its feet. Concerning this beast several other things are mentioned in verses 23-25.

[8] That the church which has become Babylon will then be destroyed, and a new church be established, which will worship the Lord, is meant by these words:

"I looked and, behold, with the clouds of the heavens, one like the Son of man. To him was given dominion, glory, and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and tongues, might worship him. His dominion is the dominion of an age, which shall not pass away; and his kingdom that which shall not perish. And the kingdom and dominion, and the majesty of the kingdoms under all the heavens, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is the kingdom of an age; and all dominions shall worship him, and obey him" (vers. 13, 14, 27).

By the Son of man is meant the Lord as to the Divine Human, and as to the Word. That a church is to be established by Him, which will worship Him, is meant by dominion being given to Him, and glory and a kingdom, and His dominion being the dominion of an age which shall not pass away; and the church to be established by Him is meant by the kingdom given to the people of the saints. The reason why this will come to pass, when the church is made Babylon, that is, becomes so devastated that there is no longer any good nor any truth remaining in it, is because then is its end; thus, when there is no longer any church. This end is meant by the end of Babylon. Not that their idolatrous worship in the world is to be destroyed together with them. For this will continue; not, however, as the worship of any church, but as the worship of paganism. Therefore also after death these same persons come amongst the Pagans, and no longer among Christians. But from those who have not worshipped the Pope, nor the saints and graven images, but the Lord, a new church is formed by the Lord.

[9] The Babylonish idolatry is described in Daniel:

By the high statue which king Nebuchadnezzar set up, and concerning which an edict was published, that all should fall down and worship it; and that those who did not, should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace (3:1-7).

The same is also described in the same prophet:

By the decree published by Darius the Mede, that no one should ask a petition from any god, or any man, but from the king; and that whosoever asked anything from god or man within thirty days, should be cast into a den of lions (Daniel 6:7-9).

By these things Babel or Babylon is described as to dominion over holy things, and as to the arrogating of Divine power. And their destruction is described by all those who persuaded Darius to make that statute being cast into the den of lions, and devoured.

[10] Babel is also described in Daniel:

By Belshazzar the king, his nobles, his wives, and his concubines, drinking wine out of the vessels of gold and silver, which Nebuchadnezzar his father brought from the temple of Jerusalem, and at the same time praising their gods of gold and silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone, when the writing upon the wall appeared to him; after which the king was slain that same night (5:1, to the end).

By these things was represented, and thence signified, the profanation of the holy things of the church by those who belong to Babylon, and who extend their dominion even to heaven; for it is said:

Thou exaltedst thyself above the Lord of the heavens, when they brought the vessels of his house before thee (ver. 23).

From these passages in Daniel it is evident, that by Babylon or Babel, in the Word, is meant the love of dominion over the world, and over heaven, and over the Lord Himself; and that the church of the Lord becomes successively Babylon; and that as it becomes Babylon, so it is devastated as to all the good of love and as to all the truth of faith; and that the end of it is, that it is no longer a church. And when it is no longer a church, it is reckoned among the idolatrous nations, with the exception of those who worship the Lord, account the Word holy, and admit instruction from it.

[11] Babel or Babylon is also described, in Isaiah:

"Jehovah will have compassion on Jacob, and again choose Israel, to set them in their land. It shall come to pass in the day that Jehovah shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, that thou shalt declare this parable concerning the king of Babel. How hath the exactor ceased, the lust of gold ceased. Jehovah hath broken the staff of the wicked, the rod of them that rule," whence "all the earth is at rest and is quiet; they break forth into singing; even the oaks shall rejoice on account of thee, the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down no feller hath come upon us. Hell beneath is moved on account of thee, to meet thee in thy coming; it hath stirred up Rephaim on account of thee, all the mighty of the earth; it hath made to rise from their thrones all the kings of the nations; all they shall answer and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak like us? art thou become like to us? Thy magnificence is let down into hell, the tumult of thy psalteries; the worm is spread under thee, and the grubs over thee. How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning, thou art cut down to the earth, thou art weakened beneath the nations; and yet thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into the heavens, I will exalt my throne above the stars" of heaven, "and I will sit in the mount of the assembly, in the sides of the north, I will ascend above the heights of the cloud, I will become like unto the Most High; but yet thou art cast down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee consider thee. Is this the man that moveth the earth, that maketh the kingdoms tremble, that hath made the world into a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof? Thou art cast forth from thy sepulchre, as an abominable shoot, the raiment of the slain that are thrust through with the sword, who descend unto the stones of the pit, as a carcase trodden under foot. Thou shalt not be joined with them in the sepulchre, for thou hast destroyed thy land, thou hast slain thy people: the seed of the malicious shall not be named for ever. Prepare the slaughter for his sons, for the iniquity of their fathers, that they may not rise and possess the earth, and fill the faces of the earth with cities. I will arise against them, saith Jehovah Zebaoth, and I will cut off from Babel the name and the residue, and the son and the grandson. I will make thee a heritage for the bittern, and into lakes of waters, and I will sweep her with the besom of destruction. And I will break Asshur in my land, and upon my mountains will I tread him under foot" (14:1-25).

All these things are said of Babel, and not of any devil, who was created an angel of light, and who, having become rebellious, was cast into hell, and from his primeval state was called "Lucifer, son of the morning." That Babel is here described is plain from verses 4 and 22 of this chapter, where the king of Babel and Babel are mentioned, for it is said:

"Thou shalt declare this parable concerning the king of Babel";

and afterwards:

"I will cut off from Babel the name and the residue."

It must be observed that by a king, in the Word, is signified the same as by his kingdom. The reason why Babel is called Lucifer, the son of the morning, is that, as said above, Babel, in the beginning, is the church which is zealous for the Lord, for the good of love, and for the truths of faith; although inwardly, in the zeal of her pastors, there lies hidden a fire of ruling by means of the holy things of the church, over all those whom they can subdue to themselves. Hence it is that Babel is called "Lucifer, the son of the morning." For the same reason he is also called "King of kings," into whose hand are given all things.

And also is called the head of the statue which was gold (Dan. 2:37, 38).

Then also, "The tree in the midst of the earth, great in height" (Dan. 4:10, 22).

[12] Babel in its beginning is also meant by

"The lion which had the wings of an eagle, and which afterwards appeared as a man, and a man's heart was given unto it" (Dan. 7:4).

And is called, "The ornament of the kingdoms and the glory of the magnificence of the Chaldeans" (Isaiah 13:19).

It is also mentioned amongst, "Those that know Jehovah" (Psalms 87:4).

Now because by Babel, in its beginning, is signified such a church, therefore the king of Babel is here called "Lucifer, the son of the morning;" Lucifer from the light of truth then, and son of the morning (aurora), from the first beginning of the light or of day. For the morning is the church in its beginning. But still, in that chapter, is described this church as to its state in the end, when Babylon is become a whore; which is its state, when there is no longer any good of love, or any truth of faith remaining. This its state is what is meant by the destruction and damnation thereof to hell. Their destruction spoken of in the Word is no other than that, after death, those are cast down into hell who have arrogated to themselves Divine power, and have exercised it; and for that purpose have kept the people of the earth in dense darkness or blindness, and in idolatrous worship, especially those who have led men away from the worship of the Lord.

[13] Because these are the things described in that chapter, the passages which have been quoted shall be briefly explained:- Jehovah shall have compassion upon Jacob, and shall again choose Israel, to set him in their land, signifies a new church to be established by the Lord after the end of Babylon. In that day thou shalt declare this parable concerning the king of Babel, and shalt say, How hath the exactor ceased, the lust of gold ceased, signifies liberation from the spiritual captivity and servitude, in which those were who were under the dominion of that [church]. Jehovah hath broken the staff of the wicked, the rod of them that rule, signifies that they have no longer any power by means of truths from good, because they are in mere falsities from evil. Such is their impotence in the spiritual world. All the earth is at rest, they break forth into singing, even the oaks shall rejoice on account of thee, the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down no feller hath come upon us, signifies that those who are in the knowledges of good and truth will no longer be infested by them. The land is a new church, which will be at rest from them. The oaks and the cedars of Lebanon are the knowledges of good and truth in the external and internal senses; the feller not coming upon them denotes no more infestation. Hell beneath is moved on account of thee, to meet thee in thy coming; it hath stirred up Rephaim on account of thee, all the mighty of the earth; it hath made to rise from their thrones all the kings of the nations, signifies the delight of revenge of those who are in hell. All they shall answer and say, Art thou become weak like us? art thou become like unto us? And thy magnificence cast down into hell, the tumult of thy psalteries, signifies that the delight is from the consideration, that it is become like to them, and in like manner in the falsities of evil. How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning, thou art cut down to the earth, thou art weakened beneath the nations, signifies scorning because it is such, although in the beginning it was in heaven, because in the good of love and in the truths of faith. These things are said by those who are in hell, because nothing is more delightful to those who are there than to draw any one down from heaven, and to destroy by the falsities of evil. But yet thou hast said in thine heart, I will exalt my throne above the stars of heaven, and I will sit in the mount of the assembly, in the sides of the north, I will ascend above the heights of the cloud, I will become like to the Most High. These are also words of scorning upon the pride of their dominion, that still they reach to heaven, and arrogate to themselves Divine power, and thereby subject all things of heaven and all things of the church to their own will, in order that they may be worshipped and adored as gods. The mount of the assembly at the sides of the north, denotes where there is ascent into the heavens. Above the stars and above the heights of the cloud, denotes over Divine truth, stars denoting the knowledges of good and truth, and the heights of the cloud the interior truths of the Word. But notwithstanding thou art cast down to hell, to the sides of the pit, those who see thee consider thee. Is this the man that moveth the earth, that maketh the kingdoms tremble, hath made the world into a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof? is a continuation of the scorning of those who are in hell, and also of the glorying thence that it is cast down from heaven. The sides of the pit are the places in hell where are mere falsities of evil. By the earth, the kingdoms, and the world, is signified the church; and by cities are signified doctrinals. Thou art cast forth from thy sepulchre as an abominable shoot, the raiment of the slain, thrust through with the sword, who descend to the stones of the pit, as a carcase trodden under foot, signifies the state of their damnation. The garment of them that are slain, thrust through with the sword, and the carcase trodden under foot, signify the damnation of the profanation of truth. Thou shalt not be joined with them in the sepulchre, for thou hast destroyed thy land, thou hast slain thy people: the seed of the malicious shall not be named for ever, signifies more grievous damnation than of the rest, on account of having extinguished all things of the church. Prepare the slaughter for his sons for the iniquity of their fathers, that they may not arise and possess the earth, and fill the faces of the earth with cities, signifies the destruction of them for ever. I will cut off from Babel the name and the residue, and the son and the grandson, signifies total destruction, because they have no longer any thing of good or of truth. I will make thee a heritage for the bittern, and pools of waters, and I will sweep her with the besom of destruction, signifies the infernal falsity by the destruction of truth. I will break Asshur in my land, and upon my mountains will I tread him under foot, signifies that in the New Church there shall not be any reasonings from falsities against truths and goods. The things in this chapter may be seen more particularly explained in other parts of this work, as (n.208, 223, 304, 331, 386, 405, 539, 589, 594, 608, 659, 687, 697, 724, 727, 730, 741, 768, 811.

[14] Again:

"So shall Babel be the ornament of kingdoms and the glory of the magnificence of the Chaldeans; as the overthrow of God, Sodom and Gomorrah, it shall not be inhabited for ever; it shall not be dwelt in even to generation and generation; so that the Arab shall not tarry there, nor the shepherds cause to lie down. But the Ziim shall be there, and their houses shall be filled with Ochim, and the daughters of the owl shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there: the Iim also shall answer in her palaces, and the dragons in the palaces of their delights: her time is near to come, and her day shall not be drawn out" (Isaiah 13:19-22).

The subject treated of in the whole of that chapter is the total devastation of all things of the good, and of all things of the truth of the church, with those who are of Babylon. By so shall Babel be, in the literal sense, is meant the great city called Babel; but, in the spiritual sense, is meant the church which became Babylon. Babel is called the ornament of the kingdoms, and the glory of the magnificence of the Chaldeans, from the wisdom of that church in its beginning, as said before; but, in general, by Babel or Babylon is meant the church in which all the goods of love are destroyed and at last profaned; and by Chaldea, the church in which all the truths of faith are destroyed and at last profaned. Hence it is that it is called the overthrow of God, Sodom and Gomorrah; Sodom also signifying the destruction of all good by the love of self, and Gomorrah the destruction of all the truth therefrom. It shall not be inhabited for ever; it shall not be dwelt in even to generation and generation, signifies the destruction thereof to eternity; not to be inhabited for ever having respect to the destruction of good, and not to be dwelt in to generation and generation, having respect to the destruction of truth. For those who destroy good and truth, and afterwards in place of them embrace evil and falsity, cannot be reformed. It is otherwise with those who are in evils and falsities, but have not destroyed good and truth, as is the case with the Gentiles who are ignorant of good and truth. The Arab shall not tarry there, and the shepherds shall not cause to lie down, signifies that the church will become such a wilderness, the Arab denoting those who live in a wilderness, but do not continue there, because there is no corn or fruit, as is the case also with the flock of the shepherds, when there is no pasture. The Iim shall lie down there, and the houses shall be filled with Ochim, signifies infernal falsities and the evils pertaining to them, the Iim denoting infernal falsities, and the Ochim infernal evils; and the house is the mind of those who are of such a quality. The daughters of the owl shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there, signifies that falsified truths and adulterated goods are there. Falsified truths are the daughters of the owl, and adulterated goods are the satyrs; and to dance denotes the joy from the filthy love which has adulterated the good of love. The Iim, shall answer in her palaces, and the dragons in the palaces of her delights, signifies those adulterations and falsifications in their doctrines.

[15] Babel is similarly described in other passages in the prophets. As in Jeremiah:

"O sword against Babel, O sword against her treasures, that they may be spoiled; a drought upon her waters, that they may be dried up, because it is a land of graven images, and they glory concerning horrible things; therefore the Ziim with the Iim shall dwell there, and the daughters of the owl shall dwell therein; she shall not sit any more for ever, nor shall she inhabit even to generation and generation; according to the overthrow of God, Sodom and Gomorrah, and the neighbouring cities thereof, a man shall not dwell there, neither shall the son of man abide therein" (50:35, 37-40).

In the same:

"Flee out of the midst of Babel, and deliver a man his soul, lest ye be cut off for the iniquity thereof; a cup of gold is Babel in the hand of Jehovah, making drunken the whole earth. The nations have drunk of her wine, therefore they are insane. Babel hath fallen suddenly, and is broken in pieces. Behold I am against thee, destroying mountain, saith Jehovah, that destroyest the whole earth. And I will stretch out my hand against thee, and will roll thee down from the rocks, and I will make thee for a mountain of combustion. Neither shall they take from thee a stone for a corner. Babel shall become heaps, a dwelling of dragons, a stupor and hissing, no inhabitant" (51:6, 7, 8, 25, 26, 37).

In Isaiah:

"Hear now," Babel, "sitting securely, saying in her heart, I am, and there is no one else besides me. I shall not sit a widow, neither shall I know bereaving. But these two things shall come to thee in a moment, in one day, bereaving and widowhood. They shall come full upon thee, for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantments. For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness, not seeing me. Thy wisdom and thy science hath seduced thee, while thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and there is none besides me. Therefore evil shall come upon thee, which thou knowest not to deprecate, and calamity shall fall upon thee, which thou shalt not be able to expiate; and there shall come upon thee suddenly a devastation that thou shalt not know" (47:8-11).

Thus is described the destruction of Babel not only there, but also in the whole of chapter 47 of Isaiah, also in the whole of chapters 50 and 51 of Jeremiah; also in Isaiah 21:8, 9, and in David (Psalms 137:1, 8, 9).

The adulteration of good and falsification of truth by the Jews is also described by their whoredoms in Egypt, and afterwards with the daughters of Asshur; and lastly with the daughters of Babel and the Chaldeans (Ezekiel 16:1, to the end; 23:1, to the end). And by whoredoms in Egypt is meant the falsification of truth from the natural man, which is effected by fallacies, appearances, and scientifics. By their whoredom with the daughters of Asshur is signified the falsification of truth from the rational man, which is effected by reasonings and sophistries from fallacies, appearances, and scientifics. By their whoredom with the daughters of Babel and with the Chaldeans is signified the adulteration of good and profanation of truth.

[16] When, therefore, the sons of Israel altogether departed from the statutes, that were representative of the spiritual things of the church by which they had communication with heaven, then they were all given into the hands of the king of Assyria. For there was no longer any representative church with them, and, consequently, no communication with heaven. Concerning their prevarications, and concerning their transportation by the king of Assyria into his cities, and also into Babel, see 2 Kings 17:1, to the end.

It came to pass similarly with the Jews, who, when they had so adulterated and profaned all the statutes, judgments, and laws, which represented the good of love and the truth of faith, that there was no longer anything of good and truth remaining, and when their church, consequently, became Babylon, then into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel were given not only their kings and princes, and the whole people, but also all the treasures of the house of Jehovah, and afterwards all the golden vessels thereof; and, moreover, the temple itself was burned.

Concerning which see 2 Kings 24:1-20; 25:1-26; also Isaiah 20:17, 18; 39:6, 7; Jeremiah 20:4, 5; 21:4-10; 25:1-12; 27:6-22; 28:1-16; 29:1-21; 32:1-5; 34:1-17, 18-22; 35:11; 38:17-23; 39:2-18; 41:1-12; 52:1, to the end.

Their transgressions were:

That they filled Jerusalem with innocent blood (2 Kings 24:4);

That they burned incense to Baal; made drink offerings to other gods; set up abominations in the house of Jehovah; built high places to Baal in the valley of Hinnom; delivered up their sons and daughters to Molech (Jeremiah 32:29-35);

by all of which is signified the profanation of the holy things of the church, the same kind of profanation that is also signified by Babel. Therefore, lest the land, by which the church was signified, should any longer be profaned by them, and also that Babel might thence fully put on its representation, it was said to them by Jeremiah that they should freely give themselves into the hands of the king of Babel; and that if they did not so give themselves up, but remained in the land, they should die by the sword, by famine and by pestilence (Jeremiah 25:1-11).

[17] But because the Lord should be born in that nation, and manifest Himself where the church then was, and where His Word was, therefore that nation, after a captivity of seventy years, was brought back from Babel, and the temple rebuilt. But still no other church remained with them, except that which was like the church Babylon, as is evident from many things which the Lord Himself said concerning that nation, and by the manner in which they received Him. Therefore Jerusalem was at last destroyed, and the temple burnt with fire.

[18] It must be observed in general, that every church at its beginning is like a virgin, but in process of time it becomes a whore. For by degrees it enters into the life of evil, and thence embraces the doctrine of falsity, as it gradually begins to love self and the world; and then from being a church it becomes either Babylon or Philistea, Babylon with those who love themselves above all things, and Philistea with those who love the world above all things. For as these two loves increase, so, the men of the church adulterate and falsify the goods and truths of the Word, which is from being a virgin to become a harlot.

That the first church after the Deluge would also have become Babylon, unless the Lord, by the dispersal of their religion, had impeded the attempt, is represented and signified by the tower reaching even to heaven, which the posterity of Noah began to build, treated of in Genesis (11:1-9), and explained as to the particulars in Arcana Coelestia 1283-1328).

After having thus shown from the Word what is signified in general and specifically by Babel or Babylon, we are now prepared to pass on to the explanation of those things that are foretold in this and the following chapter concerning its destruction.

376. Hitherto it has been shown that oil signifies celestial good, which is the good of love to the Lord. It shall now also be shown that wine signifies spiritual good, which is the good of charity towards the neighbour, and the good of faith; and because this good in its essence is truth, therefore it is said in the general explanation, "See thou hurt not the oil and the wine," which signifies that hurt should not be done to the internal or spiritual sense of the Word, either as to good or as to truth, or what is the same, that injury should not be offered to the goods and truths of the internal or spiritual sense of the Word. The reason why the good of charity and the good of faith are in their essence truth, is because that good is implanted by the Lord in man's intellectual part by means of truths which are called the truths of faith, and when man lives according to them, then those truths become goods; for by truths a new will is formed in that part, and whatever proceeds from the will is called good. This will also is the same as conscience, and conscience is a conscience of truth, for it is formed by means of truths of every kind from the doctrine of the church, and from the sense of the letter of the Word. But on this subject see more in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 130-138; and the extracts therein from the Arcana Coelestia, n. 139-141.) This now is why by wine is signified truth.

[2] Moreover, there are goods and truths internal and external; the internal goods and truths are signified by the oil and the wine which are not to be injured; but the external goods and truths are signified by the wheat and barley; external goods and truths are those in the sense of the letter of the Word, but internal goods and truths are those in the internal or spiritual sense of the Word; or, external goods and truths are such as are in the lower heavens, with the angels there, namely, in the ultimates of heaven, but internal goods and truths are such as are in the higher heavens, namely, in the third and second, with the angels there. The latter goods and truths are themselves genuine goods and truths, but the former are truths and goods which correspond, thus are correspondences; the former have immediate communication with the angels of heaven, whereas the latter have not an immediate but a mediate communication by correspondences. Hence it is that the Jews, because they were only in the sense of the letter, and not in the knowledge of the signification of things in the spiritual sense, could not injure the spiritual sense thereof either as to good or as to truth, consequently, they could not injure genuine goods and truths. This also is the case with the Christian Church at this day, which cannot injure the genuine goods and truths of the spiritual sense of the Word, for it is in ignorance of that sense, and, consequently, also ignorant of genuine goods and truths.

[3] The reason why the spiritual sense of the Word has not been made known to Christians, is, because the genuine goods and truths, such as are in the higher heavens, lie concealed in the spiritual sense of the Word; and so long as those goods and truths were not perceived and known, that sense could not be opened, for they could not be seen. The reason why genuine goods and truths have not been perceived and known in the Christian churches, is, because those churches have, in general, been divided into the papal and the evangelical; and in the papal church they are altogether ignorant of truths, because those who are therein do not depend upon the Word, thus upon the Lord, who is the Word, that is, the Divine truth, but upon the Pope, from whose mouth scarcely anything proceeds but what is from the love of ruling, and this love is from hell. Therefore, scarcely a single truth pertaining to the church exists with them; but in the evangelical churches faith alone has been assumed for the essential means of salvation, and thereby the good of love and charity has been rejected as not essential, and where good is rejected there no truth that is really truth can exist, all truth being from good. For the Lord flows into man's good, and by means of good enlightens him, and gives him light to perceive truths, therefore, without that light, which is the very spiritual life of man, there can be no truth. However it may sound like truth, because from the Word, it is truth falsified by the ideas which a man holds concerning it; for from faith separated from charity, or from truths without good, no other result can follow.

Hence then it is, that the spiritual sense of the Word could not be opened to the Christian churches; for if it had been opened, they would have falsified and perverted it by ideas from fallacies, and so would have profaned it. For this reason also no one will hereafter be admitted into the spiritual sense of the Word unless he is in genuine truths from good; and no one can be in genuine truths from good unless in his heart he acknowledges the Lord alone as the God of heaven and earth, for from Him is every good and truth therefrom. The reason why the spiritual sense of the Word is, at this day, opened, and therewith also genuine truths and goods disclosed, is, because the Last Judgment has been accomplished by the Lord, and thus all things in the heavens and in the hells are reduced to order. And as a result it can be provided by the Lord that the genuine truths and goods, in the spiritual sense of the Word, shall not be injured, which could not have been provided for before (see the small work concerning the Last Judgment 73).

[4] That wine signifies spiritual good, or the good of charity and the good of faith, which in its essence is truth, is evident from the following passages in the Word. In Isaiah:

"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat; buy wine and milk without money and without price" (55:1).

Every one can see that it is not wine and milk, which they would buy without money; therefore by wine and milk are signified spiritual things, namely, by wine spiritual good, which in its essence is truth, as was said above, and by milk the good of that truth. That these are freely given by the Lord to such as are ignorant of truth and good, and yet desire them, is signified by "he that hath no money, come ye, buy, and eat, buy without money." To buy signifies to procure to oneself; and to eat to appropriate to oneself, which is done by application as of oneself. That those who are ignorant of truth and good, and yet desire them, are meant, is evident, for it is said, "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters"; to thirst signifying to desire, and waters signifying truths, here the Word wherein they are contained.

[5] In Joel:

"It shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk; all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters" (3:18).

Here the Lord's coming, and a new heaven and a new church from Him, are treated of. That the mountains in the land of Canaan, or in Judea, did not then drop down new wine, nor the hills flow with milk, and that neither did the rivers of Judah flow with waters more than formerly, is known, therefore, by those words are meant something other than new wine, milk, and waters, also than mountains, hills, rivers, namely, that by the mountains dropping down new wine (mustum) or wine (vinum), is meant every genuine truth from the good of love to the Lord. By the hills flowing with milk, is meant spiritual life from the good of charity towards the neighbour; and by all the rivers of Judah flowing with waters, are meant truths from the particulars of the Word. For by Judah is signified the Lord's celestial kingdom, and also the Word (as may be seen, n. 3881, 6363). Hence by its rivers are signified the particulars thereof. (That by mountains is signified the good of love to the Lord, n. 795, 4210, 6435, 8327, 8758, 10438, 10608; and by hills the good of charity towards the neighbour, n. 6435, 10438; and this because in heaven those dwell on mountains who are in the good of love to the Lord, and, upon hills those who are in the good of charity towards the neighbour, n. 10438; and in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 188.)

[6] In Amos:

"Behold, the days come, that the ploughman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop new wine, and all the hills shall melt. I will bring back the captivity of my people Israel, and they shall build the waste cities; and they shall sit and plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. Then will I plant them upon their land" (9:13-15).

In this chapter the vastation of the church is first treated of; and afterwards its restoration by the Lord. By the people Israel also is not meant that people, but those with whom the church was to be established. By the ploughman overtaking the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth the seed, is signified that he who receives good and truth shall also perform uses, or bear fruit, thus that they will be together with the member of the church. By the mountains dropping down new wine, and all the hills melting, is signified as just above, that from the good of love to the Lord, and from the good of charity towards the neighbour, there would be truths in abundance, new wine here or wine denoting truth. By the captivity of the people Israel, which should be brought back, is signified the restoration of the church among the Gentiles, for by captivity is meant spiritual captivity, in which those are who are remote from goods and truths, and yet desire them (see n. 9164). By the waste cities, which they shall build, are signified the doctrinals of truth and good from the Word hitherto destroyed, and afterwards to be restored; by the vineyards which they shall plant, and of which they shall drink the wine, are signified all things of the church from which is intelligence, a vineyard signifying the spiritual church, whence by vineyards are signified all things of the church. By wine is signified the truth thereof in general; and by drinking it is signified to be instructed and become intelligent, thus intelligence; and by the gardens which they shall make, and of which they shall eat the fruit, is signified wisdom, gardens denoting all things of intelligence, and the fruit of them signifying goods of life; thus by eating their fruit is signified the appropriation of good, thus wisdom, for wisdom is formed when truths are committed to the life; and because these things are meant, it is therefore said of Israel, I will plant them upon their land.

[7] In Moses:

"He bindeth his ass's-colt to the vine, the son of his she-ass unto the choice vine; he washeth his raiment in wine, and his covering in the blood of grapes; his eyes are red with wine, and his teeth white with milk" (Genesis 49:11, 12).

This occurs in the prophecy of Israel the father concerning Judah, by whom is not here meant Judah, but the Lord as to the celestial kingdom; and by wine and the blood of grapes is meant the Divine truth. (What the other things signify, and that wine signifies Divine truth, because it relates to the Lord, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 6375-6381.)

[8] In the same:

"Jacob brought of his venison to his father Isaac, and he did eat; and he brought him wine, and he drank. And Isaac blessed him, saying, God give thee of the dew of heaven, and of the fatnesses of the earth, and plenty of corn and new wine" (Genesis 27:25-28, 37).

Those who do not know that the Word is spiritual in every particular, may suppose that by Isaac here is meant Isaac, and by Jacob, Jacob; and hence that by the fatnesses of the earth, and by the corn and new wine, no higher are meant; whereas by Isaac here was represented the Lord, and by Jacob the church; hence by the fatnesses of the earth, celestial things of the good of love; and by corn and new wine, all the good and truth of the church. (But these words may also be seen explained in the Arcana Coelestia 3570, 3579, 3580.)

[9] In the same:

If ye shall hearken unto my precepts, I will give rain to your land in its season, the former rain and the latter rain, and thou shalt gather in thy corn, and thy new wine, and thine oil" (Deuteronomy 11:13, 14).

These blessings of the earth were promised to the sons of Israel if they would hear and do Jehovah's precepts, which also attended them, because with them the church was representative, and the things that were said and commanded by Jehovah corresponded to spiritual things, thus the blessings of the earth to the blessings of heaven. The blessings of heaven, to which the blessings of the earth correspond, have all reference to such things as belong to the good of love and the truth of faith; such blessings, therefore, are signified by the former and the latter rain, for rain specifically signifies the Divine truth flowing in out of heaven, from which all things of the church and heaven with man are born, grow, and are brought forth; wherefore by the corn, new wine, and oil, which they should gather, are signified every good and truth of the external and internal man.

[10] In the same:

"Thus Israel dwelt securely, solitary at the fountain of Jacob, in a land of corn and new wine; his heavens also dropped down dew" (Deuteronomy 33:28).

This was the conclusion of the blessings of the children of Israel by Moses, which were all prophetical; and every son and every tribe of Israel signified something of the church, as in Genesis 44. Here Israel signifies the church itself; and by dwelling securely and solitary at the fountain of Jacob, is signified to live without infestation from evils and falsities, and to be led by the Lord alone by means of Divine truth; the fountain of Jacob denoting Divine truth and the Word. And by living in a land of corn and new wine, is signified in all the good and truth of the church; and by his heavens also shall drop down dew, is signified influx out of heaven.

[11] In the same:

"He made him ride upon the high places of the earth, and gave him butter of the herd, and milk of the flock, with the fat of lambs, and of rams of the sons of Bashan, and of goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the blood of the grape, pure wine" (Deuteronomy 32:13, 14).

These things are said of the Ancient Church, which was that before the Israelitish Church, and was in the good of charity and in the truths of faith. The goods of every kind, in which it was, are meant by those things, namely, by butter of the herd, milk of the flock, the fat of lambs, the fat of rams, the fat of goats, the fat of kidneys of wheat; and the spiritual truths by the blood of the grape and pure wine (merum).

[12] In Jeremiah:

"They shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of Jehovah, to the wheat, and to the new wine, and to the oil, and to the sons of the flock and of the herd" (31:12).

By wheat, new wine, and oil, are signified goods and truths of every kind (what they mean specifically may be seen above, n. 374).

In Isaiah:

"Jehovah hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no longer give thy corn to be food for thine enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall no more drink thy new wine (mustum), for which thou hast laboured; but they who gather it, shall eat it, and praise Jehovah; and they who bring it together, shall drink it in the courts of holiness" (62:8, 9).

These things are said concerning Jerusalem, by which is signified the church as to doctrine. By the corn, therefore, which shall no longer be given as food for the enemies, and by the new wine, which the sons of the stranger shall not drink, are signified in general the good and truth of the church, which shall no longer be consumed by evils and falsities; enemies here denoting evils; and the sons of the stranger, falsities; and eating or food, to be given unto them; and drinking denoting to consume. That goods and truths shall abide with those who receive them, and thence make use of them, is signified by, "they who gather it, shall eat it; and they who bring it together, shall drink it." The worship from these is signified by praising Jehovah, and drinking in the courts of holiness.

[13] In the same:

"Joy is taken away, and exultation from Carmel; and in the vineyards there is no singing, there is no shouting for joy; the treader treadeth not out the wine in the wine-press; I have made the vintage shouting to cease" (16:10).

The taking away of heavenly delight from good and the truths thence, because good and truth itself, is thus described. The good of the church is meant by Carmel, and the truths thence by vineyards and by treading out the wine in the wine-presses; the delights thereof, which are taken away, by joy, exultation, singing, shouting, and vintage shouting; for it was customary to sing in the vineyards, and in the wine-presses, when the grape was trodden into wine, on account of the representation of the delights from truths, which were signified by wine.

[14] In Jeremiah:

"O vine of Sibmah, I will weep for thee above the weeping of Jazer; thy plants are gone over the sea, they reach even to the sea of Jazer; the spoiler is fallen upon thy fruits of autumn, and upon thy vintage. Whence is collected joy and gladness out of Carmel, and from the land of Moab; and I have caused the wine to fall in the wine-presses; none shall tread with shouting; their shouting shall be no shouting" (48:32, 33).

Here also the removal of heavenly delight, from the good of love and the truths thence, is treated of, for all heavenly delight is in these and from these. Lamentation over it is meant by grievous weeping; the deprivation thereof, by which joy and gladness is collected out of Carmel, also by the spoiler falling upon them, by [the wine] failing, and the shouting being no shouting; the good which was taken away, for which there was lamentation, is meant by the fruits of autumn; and the truths of good which were taken away, by the vintage and by the wine in the wine-presses. That truths were banished, and that they perished by scientifics, is meant by the wine of Sibmah, and by the plants thereof having gone over the sea, even to the sea of Jazer, the sea signifying the scientific part.

[15] In Lamentations:

"The infant and the suckling faint in the streets of the city. They say to their mothers, Where is the corn and the wine? when they faint as one that is slain in the streets of the city, when their soul is poured out upon the bosom of their mothers" (2:11, 12).

These words contain a lamentation over the Jewish Church, that all the good and truth thereof have perished, and the lamentation is described by the infant and the suckling who faint in the streets of the city, and say to their mothers, Where is the corn and the wine? the infant and the suckling signify those who are in the good of innocence, and in the abstract, the good of innocence itself, by which good is meant every good of the church, because it is the essential of all the goods of it (see the work concerning Heaven and Hell 276-283, 285, 288, 341, 382). By the streets of the city are signified truths of doctrine; by mothers are signified all things of the church; and by corn and wine are signified all the good and truth thereof in general. The reason why it is said that they faint as one slain in the streets of the city, when their soul is poured out upon the bosom of their mothers, is, because one that is slain signifies those who perish spiritually through deprivation of truth, and by the soul is signified spiritual life. (That the streets of the city in which they faint signify truths of doctrine, may be seen, n. 2336; and that the mother, into whose bosom the soul is poured out, signifies the church, n. 2691, 2717, 3703, 4257, 5581, 8897.)

[16] In Zephaniah:

"Their wealth shall be a prey, and their houses a waste: they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof" (1:13).

By the wealth that shall be for a prey, is signified spiritual wealth, which is the knowledges of good and truth; by the houses becoming a waste are signified those things in man that pertain to the church; from which, when they are devastated, [men] then profit and receive nothing, although they hear them and see them in the Word, is signified by, building and not inhabiting, and planting vineyards, and not drinking the wine thereof; houses denoting the goods of the church, and vineyards together with wine denoting the truths thereof.

[17] Similar things are meant in Micah:

"Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olive, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil and new wine, but shalt not drink wine" (6:15).

In Amos:

"Vineyards of desire shall ye plant, but ye shall not drink the wine of them" (5:11).

And in Hosea:

"The corn-floor and the wine-press shall not feed them, and the new wine shall deceive them. They shall not make wine-offerings to Jehovah, and they shall not be pleasing unto him" (9:2, 4).

By the corn-floor and the wine-press are signified the same as by corn and wine, because in these places they are brought together; that they shall not profit from the things heard, is signified by, they "shall not feed them, and the new wine shall deceive them"; and hence their worship was not accepted, is signified by, "they shall not make wine-offerings to Jehovah, and they shall not be pleasing," namely, the libations, unto Him.

[18] In Joel:

"Awake ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine, which is cut off from your mouth. The field is wasted, the land mourned, for the corn is wasted, the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth; the husbandmen were ashamed; the vinedressers howled" (1:5, 10, 11).

What is signified by these words, in the spiritual sense, may be seen above (n. 374), where they are explained; and that by wine and new wine is meant the truth of the church, and by vinedressers those who are in truths and teach them; the subject here treated of being the devastated church, in which goods and truths have perished.

[19] In Ezekiel:

"Damascus was thy trader by the multitude of thy works, by the multitude of all riches; in the wine of Helbon, and the wool of Zachar" (27:18).

This is said of Tyre, by which is signified the church as to the knowledges of good and truth; and by Damascus, which was a city of Syria, is signified the scientific part concordant; and by the tradings, which are treated of in that chapter, are signified the acquisition and communication, and also the use, of them. Because Damascus signifies the scientific part concordant, it is therefore said, it was a trader by the multitude of all works and riches; and by works, from which uses are effected, are signified the knowledges of good, and by riches the knowledges of truth; and because the knowledges of truth and good are in the natural man, for therein is everything cognizable, perceptible, and knowable, it is therefore said, in the wine of Helbon, and the wool of Zachar; the wine of Helbon signifying natural truth, and the wool of Zachar natural good.

[20] In Isaiah:

"A curse shall devour the earth. The new wine shall mourn, the vine shall languish, all the merry-hearted shall sigh. They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it. The city of emptiness shall be broken; every house shall be shut up, that no man come in" (24:6, 7, 9, 10).

By these words is described the perversion of the church, which is when falsity rules in the place of truth, whence there is no longer any good, for man has good by means of truths. By the earth which the curse shall devour, is signified the church; the curse denoting the perversion thereof; by the new wine mourning, and the vine languishing, is signified all the truth of the church, to mourn and to languish signifying its deprivation; that there shall no longer be any heavenly delight and blessing, is signified by, all the merry-hearted shall sigh, they shall not drink wine with a song; that they shall turn away from all things which agree with truths, is signified by, strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it, strong drink signifying the things that are from truths and agree with them; but that the doctrine of falsity shall be destroyed, is signified by, the city of emptiness shall be broken, a city denoting doctrine, and emptiness denoting falsity; and that good and wisdom shall be no longer with man, is signified by, every house shall be shut up, that no man come in, which takes place when there is no truth, but falsity only.

[21] In Amos:

"Who drink out of bowls of wine, and anoint themselves with the first-fruits of the oils; but they are not grieved for the breaking of Joseph" (6:6).

In this, and the preceding part of the chapter, those are described who are in external worship without internal, such as the Jews were formerly, and are at the present day. The bowls of wine, out of which they drink, denote the externals of truth from which is their worship; and the first-fruits of the oils, with which they anoint themselves, denote the externals of good, from which also their worship comes. Joseph signifies the internal of the church, or its spiritual; and their not being affected because it perished, is signified by, they are not grieved for his breaking. (That external worship without internal, is no worship, may be seen, n. 1094, 1175, 7724; that the Jews were formerly and are at the present time in external worship without internal, n. 1200, 3147, 3479, 8871; that Joseph signifies the spiritual church, and hence also the spiritual of the church, n. 3969, 3971, 4669, 6417.)

[22] In Zechariah:

"I will render powerful the house of Judah, and I will keep the house of Joseph; hence they shall be as the powerful Ephraim, and their heart shall be glad as if with wine" (10:6, 7).

By the house of Judah is signified the Lord's celestial church, and by the house of Joseph the Lord's spiritual church; and by rendering powerful their houses, is signified to multiply with them truths from good, for all power is of truth from good; hence it is said, that they shall be as the powerful Ephraim; by Ephraim is signified the understanding of truth from good, [which] is thus called powerful from its multiplication; heavenly delight thence is signified by, their heart shall be glad as if with wine, wine denoting truth from good, from which that delight comes. (That all power belongs to truths from good, may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 228-233; and also above, n. 209, 333; that Judah in the Word signifies the Lord's celestial kingdom, in the Arcana Coelestia 3881, 6363; and Ephraim, the Intellectual of the church, n. 3969, 5354, 6222, 6234, 6238, 6267, 6296.)

[23] In Daniel:

"Belshazzar king of Babylon, and his princes, and his wives, and his concubines, drank wine out of the vessels of the temple of Jerusalem, and they praised the gods [of gold,] silver, brass, iron, wood, and stone. Therefore there was written on the wall, numbered, weighed, divided. And he ¹ was afterwards driven out from the sons of man, and his dwelling was with the wild asses" (5:2-5, 21).

In the internal sense the profanation of good and truth is here described, which also Babel or Babylon denotes; for by drinking wine out of the vessels of the temple of Jerusalem, is signified to imbibe the truths of the church from the Word, to drink wine denoting to imbibe truths, and the vessels of the temple of Jerusalem denoting those things that pertain to the doctrine of the church from the Word; and to praise the gods of gold, silver, brass, iron, wood, and stone, signifies worship from the love of self and of the world; for by those gods is signified idolatrous worship of every kind, and profanation; that therefore it was written on the wall, numbered, weighed, divided, signifies separation from all things of heaven and the church. That he ¹ was afterwards driven out from the sons of man, and had his dwelling with the wild asses, signifies separated from all truth, and the allotment of his life with the infernals; the sons of man denoting the truths of the church; wild asses denoting those who are in dire falsities, such as are in the hells; and dwelling denoting the lot which is of the life.

[24] In Joel:

"They have cast lots over my people; for they have given a boy for a harlot, and sold a girl for wine, which they drank" (3:3).

By casting lots over the people, is signified to dissipate the truths of the church, to cast lots signifying to dissipate, and the people signifying the church as to truths, thus also the truths of the church; by giving a boy for a harlot, is signified to falsify truth, for a boy denotes the truth of the church, and a harlot denotes falsity; and by selling a girl for wine which they drank, is signified to pervert the good of the church by truth falsified, a girl denoting the good of the church, and wine denoting truth falsified.

[25] Because wine signified the truth of the church which is from good, therefore it was commanded that, with the sacrifices upon the altar, they should also offer a meat-offering and a drink-offering, and the meat-offering was bread, and the drink-offering wine, by which was signified the worship of the Lord from the good of love, and from the truths thence, all worship being from these. (Concerning the drink-offerings and the different portions of wine in them at the different sacrifices, see Exodus 29:40, 41; Leviticus 23:13, 18; Num. 6:1-4, 15, 17; 15:4-7, 10, 24; 28:7-10, 24, 31; 29:6, 11, 19, 22, 25, 27, 28, 31, 34, 38, 39; and in addition Genesis 35:14). Hence it is evident what is signified in Joel:

"The meat-offering and the drink-offering is cut off from the house of Jehovah, the priests, the ministers of Jehovah, mourned" (1:9).

This means, that worship from the good of love, and the truths thence, had perished. Who cannot see that the meat-offering and drink-offering, which were bread and wine, could not be pleasing to Jehovah in worship, unless they had signified such things as pertain to heaven and the church?

[26] From these considerations it is now evident what the bread and wine in the Holy Supper involve, namely, bread the good of love from the Lord to the Lord, and wine the good of faith which in its essence is truth. (But concerning the Holy Supper, and concerning the bread and wine therein, see the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 210-222.)

Because wine signifies the good of faith, which in its essence is truth, therefore, the Lord, when He instituted the sacrament of the Supper, said,

"I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom" (Matthew 26:29).

"I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come" (Luke 22:18).

By the fruit of the vine, or the wine, which the Lord would drink new with them in His Father's kingdom, or when the kingdom of God should come, is meant that all Divine truth in heaven and the church would then proceed from His Divine Human; therefore He calls it new, and He calls it also the New Testament in His blood (verse 20); for the Lord's blood signifies the same as wine (see above, n. 30, 328, 329). And because, after the Lord rose again, all the Divine proceeds from Him, therefore He says that He will drink it with them when the kingdom of God shall come, and it came when He reduced all things to order in the heavens and in the hells. That the kingdom of God came with the Lord, and is from Him, is evident from

Matthew 3:2; 4:17; 10:7; 12:28; 16:28; Mark 1:14, 15; 9:1; Luke 1:32, 33; 9:11, 27, 60; 10:11; 16:16; 17:20, 21; 23:42, 51; John 18:36.

Because, now, as bread signifies the good of love, and wine the good of faith, which in its essence is truth from that good, and, in the highest sense, bread the Lord as to the Divine good, and wine the Lord as to the Divine truth; and because there is a correspondence between spiritual things and natural, and there is such a correspondence, so that, when man thinks of bread and wine, the angels think of the good of love and the good of faith; and because all things of heaven and the church have reference to the good of love and the good of faith, therefore, the Holy Supper was instituted by the Lord, that by it there might be a conjunction of the angels of heaven with the men of the church.

[27] Such things being meant by bread and wine in heaven, therefore

"Melchizedek king of Salem" going out to meet Abram, "brought forth bread and wine; and he was the priest of the most high God." And he blessed Abram (Genesis 14:18,19).

By Melchizedek is here represented the Lord as to the Divine good and Divine truth; by him as a priest the Divine good, and by him as a king the Divine truth; therefore he brought forth bread and wine, because by bread is signified the Divine good, and by wine is signified the Divine truth; or, applied to man, by bread is signified the good of love to the Lord, and by wine the good of faith, which is from the reception of Divine truth.

The same is signified by the Lord by wine in the following.

[28] In Matthew:

"They do not put new wine into old bottles; else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out; but they put [new] wine into new bottles, and both are preserved" (9:17).

In Luke:

"And no man having drunk old wine straightway desireth new; for he saith the old is better" (5:39).

Because all comparisons in the Word are from correspondences, so also is this comparison; and by wine is signified truth, by old wine, the truth of the old or Jewish Church; and by bottles are signified those things that contain; by old bottles, the statutes and judgments of the Jewish Church, and by new bottles, the Lord's precepts and commandments. That the statutes and judgments of the Jewish Church, which especially concerned the sacrifices and representative worship, are not in agreement with the truths of the Christian Church, is meant by, "they do not put new wine into old bottles, else the bottles break and the wine runneth out, but they put [new] wine into new bottles, and both are preserved together." That those who were born and educated in the externals of the Jewish Church could not be led immediately into the internals of the Christian Church, is signified by, "no man having drunk old wine straightway desireth new; for be saith the old is better."

[29] The same is signified by the water turned into wine in Cana of Galilee, concerning which it is thus written in John:

In the marriage in Cana of Galilee, when the wine failed, "there were set there six water-pots of stone, according to the purifying of the Jews. Jesus said, Fill the water-pots, which they filled to the brim. Then he said unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the ruler of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast tasted the water that was made wine, he called the bridegroom, and saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when they have had enough, that which is worse; thou hast kept the good wine until now" (2:1-10).

It should be known that all the miracles performed by the Lord, as well as all the miracles of Him recorded in the Old Testament, signified such things as pertain to heaven and the church, that is, that they contained such things within them, and that hence His miracles were Divine (see the Arcana Coelestia 7337, 8364, 9051), this miracle similarly. By a marriage here, as elsewhere in the Word throughout, is signified the church; in Cana of Galilee that amongst the Gentiles; and by water is signified the truth of the external church, such as was the truth of the Jewish Church from the sense of the letter of the Word; and by wine is signified the truth of the internal church, such as is the truth of the Christian Church. Hence the Lord's making the water wine, signifies that He would make the truths of the external church truths of the internal church, by opening the internal things that lay concealed in them. By the six water-pots of stone, set after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, are signified all those things in the Word, and thence in the Jewish Church and its worship, all of which were representative and significative of things Divine in the Lord, and from the Lord, which contained things internal. Therefore also, there were six of stone, set for the purifying of the Jews, the number six signifying all, and being said of truths, stone signifies truth, and the purification of the Jews purification from sins, thus all things of the Jewish Church. For the church regards purification from sins as its all, for in proportion as any one is purified therefrom, in the same proportion he becomes a church. By the ruler of the feast are meant those who are in the knowledges of truth; his saying to the bridegroom, "Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have had enough, that which is worse; thou hast kept the good wine until now," signifies that every church commences by truths from good, but afterwards ends in truths not from good, and that still, at the end of the church, truth from good, or genuine truth, is given from the Lord.

[30] Because wine signifies the truth of the church, and oil the good thereof, therefore, the Lord says, in the parable of the man who was wounded by thieves,

That the Samaritan poured oil and wine into his wounds (Luke 10:33, 34).

Here by the man wounded by thieves are meant those who are infested and wounded as to their conscience by evil men, who are robbers; and by the Samaritan are meant the Gentiles, who are in the good of charity; hence by pouring into his wounds oil and wine are signified the spiritual things that heal a man thus injured, oil denoting the good of love and wine the good of faith or truth. What the other particulars signify, namely, that he set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and bade them take care of him, may be seen above (n. 375), where they are explained. That wine signifies the truth of the church is evident, not only from the passages adduced, but also from others in the Word (as Isaiah 1:21, 22; 25:6; 36:17; Hos. 7:4, 5, 14; 14:5, 7; Amos. 2:8; Zech. 9:15, 17; Psalms 104:15).

[31] Because most things in the Word have also an opposite sense, so also has wine, and in that sense it signifies truth falsified, and also falsity, as in the following passages. In Isaiah:

"Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, to the flower of his decaying glory, which is upon the head of the valley of the fat ones confused with wine; the crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under the feet; these stray through wine, and through strong drink they wander from the way; the priests and the prophets stray through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they wander from the way through wine, they stray among the seeing, they totter in judgment" (28:1, 3, 7).

These things are said of those who are insane in spiritual things, because they believe themselves to be intelligent from themselves, and, consequently, glory in it; the state of such is here described by pure correspondences. Those who are insane in spiritual things or in truths, are meant by drunkards, and those who thence believe themselves intelligent, by Ephraim; and the vaunting of their intelligence or erudition thence, by the crown of pride; for those who are in falsities of doctrine, and have confirmed themselves therein, when they are enlightened and see truths in the other life, become, as it were, drunkards. Such the learned become, who have confirmed themselves in falsities, and to confirm oneself in falsities is to do so from oneself and not from the Lord. Hence it is clear what is signified by, "Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim." By "the flower of decaying glory which is on the head of the valley of the fat ones confused with wine," is signified the truth of the church destroyed in its birth from the vaunting of man's own intelligence, which pertains to the natural man separated from the spiritual, who then sees falsity instead of truth. The flower of glory denotes truth in its birth falling or perishing, the head of the valley of the fat ones denotes the intelligence of the natural man; confused with wine denotes those who see falsity instead of truth; "the crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under the feet," signifies that that intelligence shall entirely perish; "these stray through wine, and through strong drink they wander from the way," signifies by falsities and by such things as are therefrom; "the priest and the prophet stray through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they wander from the way through wine," signifies that those who ought to be in the doctrine of good and truth are of such a quality, and apart from persons, that their doctrine itself is of such a quality; "they stray among the seeing, they totter in judgment," signifies that they do not see the truths of intelligence. That such things are signified by these words no one can see except from the spiritual sense, without which it could not be known that the crown and the head signify intelligence; that drunkards signify those who are insane in things spiritual; that Ephraim signifies the understanding, here man's own or from himself; that valley signifies the lower things of the mind, which are natural and sensual, and that a priest and prophet signify the doctrine of good and truth.

[32] In the same:

"Pause, wonder, be astonished, and make a cry; they are drunken, and not with wine; they stagger, and not with strong drink. For Jehovah hath poured out upon you the spirit of sleep, and hath closed your eyes; the prophets and your heads, the seers hath he covered" (29:9, 10).

These things are said of those who can see nothing of truth when they hear and read it from the Word; those who are such are called drunken, not with wine, and they stagger, and not with strong drink; wine signifying specifically the truth of the spiritual, and hence of the rational man, and strong drink the truth of the natural man thence. Because such are meant, it is, therefore, said, Jehovah hath poured out upon you the spirit of sleep, and hath closed your eyes; the spirit of sleep denoting no perception, and the closed eyes denoting no understanding. "The prophets and your heads hath he covered," signifies those who were in the doctrine of truth, and thence wise and intelligent; prophets signifying those who are in the doctrine of truth, and abstractedly the doctrine itself; the heads signifying the wise, and in the abstract wisdom; and the seers signifying the intelligent, and in the abstract intelligence. Wonder at the greatness of their stupidity, is described by, "Pause, wonder, be astonished," and lamentation over them by, "make a cry." Such are those who are in a life of evil, and are at the same time in principles of falsity, however learned they may be supposed to be; for by a life of evil the perception of good is shut out, from which thought has life and light, and by principles of falsity the understanding of truth is shut out, whence they see only from the sensual man, and not at all from the spiritual.

[33] In the same:

"Dogs obdurate in soul, they know not satiety; the same are the shepherds, they know not to understand; Come, I will take wine, and we will be drunk with strong drink" (Isaiah 56:10-12).

These [words] are said of those who care for nothing but worldly and terrestrial things, by which the internal spiritual man is closed. From having no perception of good and no understanding of truth, they are called dogs obdurate in soul, which know not satiety, that is, who cannot receive good; to know here signifies to be able, and satiety the reception of good, for satiety is predicated of food, by which spiritual nourishment is signified. That neither have they any understanding of truth, is meant by, "the same are the shepherds, they know not to understand"; those being called shepherds who believe themselves able to instruct others, for to feed denotes to instruct; and because such love falsities and things falsified, it is therefore added, "Come, I will take wine, and we will be drunk with strong drink."

[34] In Jeremiah:

"Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with wine. Behold, I fill all the inhabitants of this land, and the kings thereof that sit upon David's throne, and the priests, and the prophets, all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with drunkenness" (13:12, 13).

Here also by wine is signified falsity, and by every bottle which shall be filled with wine is signified the mind [mens] of man, because that is a recipient of truth or falsity, as a bottle is of wine. By the kings thereof that sit upon the throne of David, are signified those who should otherwise be in Divine truths; by the priests, those who should be in Divine goods; by prophets, those who are in doctrine; by the inhabitants of Jerusalem, all who belong to the church; and by the drunkenness with which they shall be filled is signified insanity in spiritual things.

[35] In the same:

"I am become as a drunkard, and as a man whom wine hath entered, because of Jehovah, and because of the word of his holiness. For the land is full of adulterers" (23:9, 10).

This is a lamentation over the adulteration of good, and the falsification of truth in the church, which is signified by the land being full of adulterers; those things are signified by adulteries, and the church, by the land. Insanity in spiritual things through reasonings from evils against Divine goods, and from falsities against Divine truths, is signified by, I am become as a drunkard, and as a man whom wine hath entered, because of Jehovah, and because of the word of His holiness. To become as a drunkard and as a man whom wine hath entered, signifies perturbation of mind, and insanity from reasonings from evils and falsities; because of Jehovah, signifies because of Divine goods, and because of the word of His holiness, signifies because of Divine truths.

[36] In Isaiah:

"Hear this, thou afflicted and drunken, but not with wine" (51:21).

By the drunken but not with wine, are here meant those who are in falsities from ignorance of the truth.

Noah drank of the wine, and was drunken, and hence lay naked in the midst of his tent (Genesis 9:21).

In the spiritual sense something altogether different is meant from what appears in the sense of the letter; similarly by,

Lot was made drunken by his daughters, and they then lay with him (Genesis 19:32-34).

What is meant by the drunkenness of Noah, in the spiritual sense, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 1070-1081; and what by the drunkenness of Lot, n. 2465 at the end. By drunkenness also elsewhere in the Word is signified insanity in spiritual things, also falling into errors (as Isaiah 19:11, 12, 14; Jeremiah 25:27; 51:7; Joel 1:5, 6, 7; Leviticus 10:8, 9).

[37] That by wine, in an opposite sense, is signified falsity, also appears in Isaiah:

"Woe unto them that rise early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue unto twilight, till wine inflames them. But they regard not the work of Jehovah, and see not the work of his hands. Woe to the wise in their own eyes, and the intelligent before their own faces. Woe unto the heroes to drink wine, and the men of strength to mingle strong drink" (5:11, 12, 21, 22).

These things are said of those who frame for themselves doctrinals from their own intelligence, and not from the Lord, or out of the Word from Him, whence they are mere falsities; therefore by, "Woe to them who, rising early in the morning, follow strong drink, to them that linger unto twilight, till wine inflames them. But they regard not the work of Jehovah, and see not the work of his hands," are signified the perverted states of those who believe themselves to be enlightened from themselves, whence they are in falsities of doctrine, and care not for the Word, from which they may know goods and truths of life and of doctrine. To rise early in the morning, and continue till twilight, signifies to be enlightened; and to follow strong drink, and to be inflamed with wine, signify to pour forth doctrinals from themselves; not to regard the work of Jehovah, and not to see the work of His hands, signifies not to care for the Word, and the goods of life and truths of doctrine there discovered; the work of Jehovah being said of goods of life, and the work of His hands of the truths of doctrine, both from the Word. Because such persons are meant, therefore, it is said, "Woe to the wise in their own eyes, and the intelligent before their own faces!" and by the wise in their own eyes are signified those who are so from their own intelligence; and by the intelligent before their own faces are signified those who are so from their own affection; the eyes signifying understanding, and the face, affection. And by, "Woe unto the heroes to drink wine, and the men of strength to mingle strong drink," are signified to such as aspire after great things, and are ingenious in confirming the falsities that favour the loves of self and their own principles; heroes denoting those who aspire to great things; men of strength, those who are ingenious, and seem to themselves to be intelligent. To drink wine denotes to imbibe falsities, and to mingle strong drink denotes to confirm them; such are all those who are in the love of self, and who seek after the fame of learning, for such are in their proprium, and cannot be raised above it; therefore their thought is in the corporeal Sensual, to which no truth appears, and by which no spiritual good is perceived; whereas those who are not in the love of self, and who seek intelligence for the sake of the uses of life, are raised by the Lord from the proprium into the light of heaven - they themselves not knowing - and are thereby enlightened.

[38] In Hosea:

"Whoredom and new wine have possessed the heart. My people interrogate wood, and their staff answereth them; for the spirit of whoredoms hath seduced them, and they have committed whoredom under their God. Ephraim is joined to idols; their wine hath departed; they commit whoredom continually" (4:11, 12, 17, 18).

It is here treated of those who falsify truths, the falsification of truth being signified by whoredom, and the falsity thence by new wine; hence it is evident what is signified by, "whoredom and new wine have possessed the heart; the spirit of whoredoms hath seduced them, they have committed whoredom under their God, and the wine hath departed, they commit whoredom continually," namely, that they falsify Divine truths, and that, consequently, they have not any truth; to commit whoredom under their God, signifies to falsify Divine truths, and the wine hath departed, signifies that, consequently, they have not any truth. By Ephraim being joined to idols, are signified those who are in their own intelligence, and by the idols to which he is joined are signified the falsities of their religion. By, "My people interrogate wood, and their staff answereth them," is signified that they consult their self-love, and cherish it from their own intelligence; for wood, or an idol of wood, which they interrogate signifies self-love, and the staff which answers, signifies power, thus intelligence from the proprium.

[39] In the Apocalypse:

"Babylon is fallen, is fallen; that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. If any one worship the beast, he shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, mixed pure in the cup of the wrath of God; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone" (14:8-10).

In another place:

"I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication; and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication" (17:1, 2).

And again:

"For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her" (18:3).

By the wine of the wrath of God is signified the falsity of evil, and by the wine of fornication is signified truth falsified; what is meant by the other expressions will be seen in the explanation of them, likewise what by these words in the Apocalypse:

"Babylon the great came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of God's wrath" (16:19).

What is signified by the wine of God's wrath is also signified by the chalice or cup of God's wrath.

[40] In Jeremiah:

"Babylon hath been a cup of gold in the hand of Jehovah, making the whole earth drunken; the nations have drunk of her wine; therefore the nations are mad" (Jeremiah 51:7).

And in David:

"There is a cup in the hand of Jehovah, and he hath mixed wine in it; he hath filled it with mixture; and he hath poured it out; but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall suck out and drink" (Psalms 75:8).

Because by the meat-offering and the drink-offering, which were bread and wine, are signified worship from the good of love and the truths of faith, hence in an opposite sense, by the meat- and drink-offering is signified worship from the evils of the love of evil, and from the falsities of faith; this was signified by the meat-offering and drink-offering that were offered to idols and other gods (Isaiah 65:11; 57:6; Jeremiah 7:18; 44:17-19; Ezekiel 20:28; Deuteronomy 32:38; and elsewhere). From the signification of wine it is evident what is signified in the Word by a vineyard, by a vine, by the branches thereof, and by the grapes; namely, that by a vineyard is signified the spiritual church, or the church that is in the truths and goods of doctrine from the Word; by the vine, the doctrine itself; by its branches the truths from which the doctrine is formed; and by the grapes, which are the fruit of the vineyards and vines, the goods of charity and the goods of faith; but of these it shall be treated elsewhere.

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