Apocalypse Explained #1038
1038. And I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet beast, signifies the dominion of that religious persuasion over the holy things of the Word. This is evident from the signification of a "woman," as being the church (See n. 555, 707, 721, 730), here Babylon, which is not a church but a religious persuasion devastated of all the truth and good of the church. That Babylon is meant by this "woman" is clearly evident from the fifth verse of this chapter. Also from the signification of "sitting," as being to have dominion (See just above, n. 1033; also from the signification of "a scarlet beast," as being the Word as to the holy things of it, which the woman that is Babylon had profaned by dominion over them. That "the scarlet beast" signifies the Word as to the holy things of it that have been profaned by Babylon can be seen from what follows in this chapter, where it is said that "it was and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and to go into perdition" (verses 8-11); and afterwards, that "the ten horns of the beast were ten kings, who hated the harlot, and would make her desolate and naked, and would eat her flesh, and burn her up with fire, and would give the kingdom unto the beast" (verses 12, 16, 17). From these words viewed in the spiritual sense it is clear that "the scarlet beast" signifies the Word as to the holy things of it.
[2] The Divine Word can be signified by a "beast," because many of the holy things of the church are signified in the Word by "beasts," as:
The cherubim that appeared as four beasts (Ezekiel 1 and 10
And the four beasts, or four animals, that also were cherubim, were seen by John sitting and standing before the throne (Revelation 4:6-10; 5:6-12; 7:11; 14:3).
And these as cherubim signify providence and protection that the Lord be not approached except by the good of love, and thus also they signify the Word in the letter, since that protects (See above, n. 277, 278, 717). Moreover, all beasts that were sacrificed, as oxen, bullocks, goats, she-goats, kids, rams, sheep, and lambs, signified the holy things of the church (as can be seen from what has been shown above, n. 279, 283, 362, 552, 650, 781, 817 . And this is why men because of charity are called "sheep," and even the Lord Himself because of the Divine innocence is called a "Lamb," and because of the Divine power is called a "Lion." This has been said that it may not seem strange that the "beast" here signifies the Word, but the Word in the letter, where it is natural. Also, in a general sense, "beast" signifies in the Word the natural as to affection. The beast appeared scarlet in color, because "scarlet" signifies truth from a celestial origin, such as the truth of the Word is in the sense of its letter, that is, in its natural sense, which is what is meant by its holiness. Nearly the same is signified by "the harlot seen sitting upon many waters" (in the first verse of this chapter), also "upon many treasures" (in Jeremiah 51:13). For "many waters" and "many treasures" there signify the truths of the Word, and thus the holy things of the church which have been adulterated (See above, n. 1033). The signification of "scarlet" will be seen in the explanation of the following verse.
Ezekiel 10
1
Then I looked, and see, in the expanse that was over the head of the cherubim there appeared above them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.
2
He spoke to the man clothed in linen, and said, Go in between the whirling [wheels], even under the cherub, and fill both your hands with coals of fire from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city. He went in as I watched.
3
Now the cherubim stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.
4
The glory of Yahweh mounted up from the cherub, [and stood] over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of Yahweh's glory.
5
The sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of God Almighty when he speaks.
6
It came to pass, when he commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, Take fire from between the whirling wheels, from between the cherubim, that he went in, and stood beside a wheel.
7
The cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubim to the fire that was between the cherubim, and took [of it], and put it into the hands of him who was clothed in linen, who took it and went out.
8
There appeared in the cherubim the form of a man's hand under their wings.
9
I looked, and behold, four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside one cherub, and another wheel beside another cherub; and the appearance of the wheels was like a beryl stone.
10
As for their appearance, the four of them had one likeness, like a wheel within a wheel.
11
When they went, they went in their four directions: they didn't turn as they went, but to the place where the head looked they followed it; they didn't turn as they went.
12
Their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes all around, [even] the wheels that the four of them had.
13
As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing, the whirling [wheels].
14
Every one had four faces: the first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third face the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.
15
The cherubim mounted up: this is the living creature that I saw by the river Chebar.
16
When the cherubim went, the wheels went beside them; and when the cherubim lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the wheels also didn't turn from beside them.
17
When they stood, these stood; and when they mounted up, these mounted up with them: for the spirit of the living creature was in them.
18
The glory of Yahweh went forth from over the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim.
19
The cherubim lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight when they went forth, and the wheels beside them: and they stood at the door of the east gate of Yahweh's house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
20
This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river Chebar; and I knew that they were cherubim.
21
Every one had four faces, and Every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings.
22
As for the likeness of their faces, they were the faces which I saw by the river Chebar, their appearances and themselves; they went every one straight forward.
