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.

8805. 'And Moses went down from the mountain to the people' means application and preparation by the truth from God, in order that truths may be received within good. This is clear from the meaning of 'going down' - when said of 'Moses', who represents the truth from God - as application and also preparation by that truth; from the representation of 'Moses' as the truth from God, dealt with in 8760, 8787, which also acts as an intermediary, 8787, thus which also prepares and applies; from the meaning of 'the mountain' as the Divine within heaven, thus heaven itself; and from the representation of 'the children of Israel' as those belonging to the spiritual Church, thus those guided by truth through which good comes, and governed by good from which truth springs, at this point good in which truths are to be received. It is important to know what is meant specifically by 'Mount Sinai' in this and subsequent chapters of the Book of Exodus, also what is represented by 'the people Israel', and what by 'Moses' as well.

[2] Specifically Mount Sinai means heaven, out of which truths flow in from the Lord. Consequently 'Jehovah came down onto that mountain' means His presence in heaven. And since heaven - in which Jehovah, that is, the Lord, is present - is meant by 'Mount Sinai', Divine Good united to Divine Truth there is also meant by it; for these are what make it heaven.

[3] But The People Israel beside this mountain represent the spiritual Church in respect of good in which the truths of faith are to be implanted. It has been shown already that those belonging to the spiritual Church pass through two states. The first is when they are led by means of truths to good, and the second state is when they are governed by good and consequently by truths. At this point the state is one when they are governed by good in which truths are to be implanted, which state is an intermediate state that comes between those first and second ones. The truths that are implanted within good are contained in those which were declared by the Lord from Mount Sinai and conveyed by Moses to the people.

[4] Moses in this and subsequent chapters represents the truth from God below heaven joined to God's truth in heaven. He therefore represents the intermediary between the Divine in heaven and the good in which truths are to be implanted, the spiritual Church's good, and so represents the intermediary between the Lord and the people.

It is important to know these things for the understanding of what follows below in the Book of Exodus. All this also shows that 'Moses went down from the mountain to the people' means application and preparation through the truth from God for truths to be received within good.