Apocalypse Explained #720
720. And cast them unto the earth, signifies their extinction and destruction. This is evident from the signification of "casting to the earth," when said of the "stars" by which is signified the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, thus truths; here it means to extinguish and destroy, for truths are extinguished and destroyed when they are falsified and adulterated. Truths falsified and adulterated are more false than falsities from any other source; for falsities from other sources do not so extinguish and destroy truths, for they give some place to truths in or near themselves. By falsities from other sources, those especially are meant that are from ignorance, from fallacies, and from religion with those who do not have the Word. It is to be known that those who live in evil, and yet say that they are saved because they have faith, have scarcely any genuine truth, however many things they know and draw forth from the sense of the letter of the Word; for the sense of the letter of the Word is such that when it is not comprehended interiorly it may be explained in various ways, and when that sense is not looked at from genuine truths it is believed according to the letter and is falsified, according to what was shown in the preceding article in the comparison with the movement and position of the sun. That such have scarcely any genuine truth was ascertained with some in the spiritual world who had confirmed faith alone by doctrine and life, who it was found did not know and acknowledge a single genuine truth; angels investigated it and were surprised. This showed clearly that they had extinguished and destroyed with themselves the truths of the Word. This, then, is meant by "the dragon drew down the third part of the stars of heaven with his tail, and cast them to the earth;" as the he-goat did also in Daniel:
The horn of the he-goat waxed great even to the host of the heavens, and some of the host and of the stars it cast down to the earth and trampled upon them; and it cast down the truth to the earth (Daniel 8:10, 12).
"The host of the heavens" means all the truths and goods of heaven and the church. (The stars that shall fall from heaven have a like signification, Matthew 24:29)
Matthew 25
1
"Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom.
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Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.
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Those who were foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them,
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but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
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Now while the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
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But at midnight there was a cry, 'Behold! The bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet him!'
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Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
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The foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'
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But the wise answered, saying, 'What if there isn't enough for us and you? You go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'
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While they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.
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Afterward the other virgins also came, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us.'
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But he answered, 'Most certainly I tell you, I don't know you.'
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Watch therefore, for you don't know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
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"For it is like a man, going into another country, who called his own servants, and entrusted his goods to them.
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To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each according to his own ability. Then he went on his journey.
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Immediately he who received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.
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In the same way, he also who got the two gained another two.
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But he who received the one went away and dug in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
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"Now after a long time the lord of those servants came, and reconciled accounts with them.
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He who received the five talents came and brought another five talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents. Behold, I have gained another five talents besides them.'
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"His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'
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"He also who got the two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents. Behold, I have gained another two talents besides them.'
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"His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'
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"He also who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter.
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I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the earth. Behold, you have what is yours.'
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"But his lord answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant. You knew that I reap where I didn't sow, and gather where I didn't scatter.
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You ought therefore to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back my own with interest.
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Take away therefore the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents.
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For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have abundance, but from him who doesn't have, even that which he has will be taken away.
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Throw out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
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"But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.
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Before him all the nations will be gathered, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
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He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
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Then the King will tell those on his right hand, 'Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;
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for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in.
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I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me.'
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"Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you a drink?
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When did we see you as a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and clothe you?
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When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?'
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"The King will answer them, 'Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'
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Then he will say also to those on the left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels;
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for I was hungry, and you didn't give me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink;
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I was a stranger, and you didn't take me in; naked, and you didn't clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn't visit me.'
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"Then they will also answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn't help you?'
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"Then he will answer them, saying, 'Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you didn't do it to one of the least of these, you didn't do it to me.'
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These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
