Babylon was an ancient city built on the Euphrates river in what is now southern Iraq. It once was the capital of a great empire which at one point conquered the land of Judah as mentioned in the second book of Kings and in Daniel. But the river changed its course and the city was abandoned long ago. Both the historic city in Mesopotamia and the parable city with its tower, mentioned in Genesis, represent the same thing, a worship that appears holy in externals, while the internals are profane. This representation expands to mean a church whose leaders use this kind of worship to gain dominion over others for their own gain and for the gain and power of the church. The city itself is the doctrinal structure that supports this kind of worship and dominion.

(റഫറൻസുകൾ: Apocalypse Explained 1029; Arcana Coelestia 1283, 1302, 1304, 1310, 1311)

The woman clothed, or encompassed, with the sun, and the moon under her feet (Revelation 12:1), signifies the Lord's new church in the heavens, which is the new heaven, and the Lord's new church about to be upon earth, which is the New Jerusalem.

That the Lord's new church is signified by this woman, appears from all the particulars of this chapter, understood in a spiritual sense. The sun signifies love. The reason why she appeared encompassed with the sun is because the church is principled in love to the Lord, for it acknowledges him, and does his commandments, and this is to love him (John 14:21-24).

The reason why the moon was seen under the woman's feet is because the church on earth is meant, which is not yet conjoined with the church in the heavens. The moon signifies intelligence in the natural man, and faith; and by appearing under the feet is signified that it is about to be upon earth.

(റഫറൻസുകൾ: Apocalypse Revealed 533; John 14)