3
And four great beasts came up from the sea, different one from another.
Apocalypse Explained #1034
1034. Verse 2. With whom the kings of the earth committed whoredom, signifies that they have falsified all the truths of the church. This is evident from the signification of "committing whoredom," as being to falsify (See n. 141, 161, 817, 881); also from the signification of "the kings of the earth," as being the truths of the church, "kings" being truths, and the "earth" the church. "Kings" are mentioned in many places in the Word, and it is supposed that kings or their kingdoms are thereby meant; but in the Word "kings" mean all who are in truths from good from the Lord, and in an abstract sense, in which is the spiritual sense, they mean truths from good. That this is the meaning of "kings" may be seen above (n. 29, 31, 553, 624, 625). This can be further seen from the following in Revelation:
Jesus Christ, the Prince of the kings of the earth, who hath made us kings and priests (Revelation 1:5-6).
Again:
The Lamb made us kings and priests, that we might reign upon the earth (Revelation 5:10; likewise Revelation 16:12, 14).
[2] Because "kings" signify truths from good, they also signify in the contrary sense falsities from evil. For most expressions in the Word have also a contrary sense. Such is the signification of "kings" in the following passages in this chapter:
The seven heads of the beast are seven kings; the five are fallen, and the one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he is come he must continue a little while (Revelation 17:10).
Also:
The ten horns that thou sawest are ten kings (Revelation 17:12).
Again:
The woman is the great city which hath kingship over the kings of the earth (Revelation 17:18).
So, too, in a subsequent passage, where it is said:
That the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, made war with Him that sat on the white horse (Revelation 19:19).
All this makes clear the signification of the words "the kings of the earth committed whoredom with the harlot that sitteth upon many waters," namely, that the truths of the church have been falsified by those who are of Babylon. So again in a subsequent passage, where it is said that:
The kings of the earth committed whoredom with that woman, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich from the abundance of her delicacies. The kings of the earth, who have committed whoredom and lived deliciously with her, shall weep and lament over her (Revelation 18:3, (Revelation 18:9)Revelation 18:11).
"Kings" have a like signification in Daniel:
As for the ten horns of the fourth beast, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise; and another shall arise after them, and he shall be diverse from the former, and he shall put down three kings (Daniel 7:24).
[3] "Kings" signify those who are in truths from good, and in an abstract sense truths from good, because the Lord is called "king" from Divine truth, and "priest" from Divine good; and therefore the heaven where Divine truth reigns is called "His throne." For the same reason angels in the heavens and men on earth who are in truths from good from the Lord are called "sons of the king," also "sons of the kingdom" and "heirs;" consequently such are meant by "kings" where the Lord is called "King of kings" (as in the fourteenth verse of this chapter, and in chapter 19 Revelation 17:17; and elsewhere (Revelation 19:16).
Leviticus 20
1
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
2
"Moreover, you shall tell the children of Israel, 'Anyone of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners in Israel, who gives any of his seed to Molech; he shall surely be put to death. The people of the land shall stone him with stones.
3
I also will set my face against that person, and will cut him off from among his people because he has given of his seed to Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name.
4
If the people of the land all hide their eyes from that person, when he gives of his seed to Molech, and don't put him to death;
5
then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off, and all who play the prostitute after him, to play the prostitute with Molech, from among their people.
6
"'The person that turns to those who are mediums, and to the wizards, to play the prostitute after them, I will even set my face against that person, and will cut him off from among his people.
7
"'Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy; for I am Yahweh your God.
8
You shall keep my statutes, and do them. I am Yahweh who sanctifies you.
9
"'For everyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death: he has cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.
10
"'The man who commits adultery with another man's wife, even he who commits adultery with his neighbor's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
11
"'The man who lies with his father's wife has uncovered his father's nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
12
"'If a man lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have committed a perversion; their blood shall be upon them.
13
"'If a man lies with a male, as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
14
"'If a man takes a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burned with fire, both he and they; that there may be no wickedness among you.
15
"'If a man lies with an animal, he shall surely be put to death; and you shall kill the animal.
16
"'If a woman approaches any animal, and lies down with it, you shall kill the woman, and the animal: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
17
"'If a man takes his sister, his father's daughter, or his mother's daughter, and sees her nakedness, and she sees his nakedness; it is a shameful thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of the children of their people: he has uncovered his sister's nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity.
18
"'If a man lies with a woman having her monthly period, and uncovers her nakedness; he has made naked her fountain, and she has uncovered the fountain of her blood: and both of them shall be cut off from among their people.
19
"'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother's sister, nor of your father's sister; for he has made naked his close relative: they shall bear their iniquity.
20
If a man lies with his uncle's wife, he has uncovered his uncle's nakedness: they shall bear their sin; they shall die childless.
21
"'If a man takes his brother's wife, it is an impurity: he has uncovered his brother's nakedness; they shall be childless.
22
"'You shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my ordinances, and do them; that the land, where I am bringing you to dwell, may not vomit you out.
23
You shall not walk in the customs of the nation, which I am casting out before you: for they did all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.
24
But I have said to you, "You shall inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess it, a land flowing with milk and honey." I am Yahweh your God, who has separated you from the peoples.
25
"'You shall therefore make a distinction between the clean animal and the unclean, and between the unclean fowl and the clean: and you shall not make yourselves abominable by animal, or by bird, or by anything with which the ground teems, which I have separated from you as unclean for you.
26
You shall be holy to me: for I, Yahweh, am holy, and have set you apart from the peoples, that you should be mine.
27
"'A man or a woman that is a medium, or is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones; their blood shall be upon them.'"
