1038. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast. That this signifies the dominion of that religious persuasion over the holy things of the Word, is evident from the signification of a woman, as denoting the church (concerning which see n. 555, 707, 721, 730); in this case Babylon, which is not a church but a religious persuasion, devastated of all the truth and good of the church - that it is Babylon which is understood by this woman is manifestly evident from the fifth verse of this chapter - and from the signification of sitting, as denoting to rule; see just above (n. 1033); and from the signification of the scarlet beast, as denoting the Word as to the holy things thereof, which the woman, which is Babylon, profaned by dominion over them.

That by the scarlet beast is signified the Word as to the holy things thereof, which are profaned by Babylon, is evident from the following parts of this chapter, where it is said:

It was, and is not, and is about to ascend out of the abyss, and to go into destruction (vers. 8, 11).

And afterwards:

That the ten horns of the beast were ten kings, who had hatred against the whore, and would make her devastated and naked, and devour her flesh, and burn her with fire, and would give the kingdom to the beast (vers. 16, 17).

From these words, in the spiritual sense, it is evident, that by the scarlet beast is signified the Word as to the holy things thereof.

[2] The reason why the Divine Word can be signified by a beast is, that many of the holy things of the church are signified by beasts in the Word:

As the cherubs, seen as four beasts, in Ezekiel (1; 10).

And the four beasts, or the four animals, which also were cherubs, were seen by John, sitting and standing before the throne, in the Apocalypse (4:6-10; 5:6-12; 7:11; 14:3).

And by these, as cherubs, is signified Providence and defence that the Lord may not be approached except by the good of love; and thence also they signify the Word in the letter, because this is for a defence (concerning which see above, n. 277, 278, 717). And, moreover, all the beasts which were sacrificed, as oxen, heifers, goats, she-goats, kids, rams, sheep, and lambs, signified holy things of the church, as is evident from the things shown above (n. 277, 283, 362, 552, 650, 781, 817). Hence it is, that men from charity are called sheep; indeed, the Lord Himself, from Divine innocence, is called a Lamb, and from Divine power a Lion.

These things are mentioned in order that it may not appear wonderful, that by the beast is here signified the Word; but the Word in the letter, wherein it is natural. Beast also, in a general sense, in the Word, signifies the natural as to affection. The reason why the beast was seen of a scarlet colour is, that scarlet signifies truth from a heavenly origin, such as is the truth of the Word in the sense of the letter or natural sense, which is meant by what is holy in it. Something nearly similar is signified

By the whore seen sitting upon many waters (ver. 1 of this chapter);

Also:

Upon many treasures (inJeremiah 51:13).

For by many waters and many treasures are there signified the truths of the Word, and thence the holy things of the church, which are adulterated (see above, n. 1033). The signification of scarlet will be seen in the explanation of the verse following.

1033. That sitteth upon many waters. That this signifies ruling over all things of the Word, and thence over the holy things of the church, is evident from the signification of sitting, as denoting to subject to her judgment, and to bring under her jurisdiction, and thus to rule; whence it is that sitting in judgment is spoken of, and sitting upon a throne, as may be seen above (n. 687); and from the signification of waters, as denoting truths (concerning which see n. 71, 483, 518, 854); in this case all things of the Word, because it is said, many waters, and concerning the whore, which is Babylon, by which is meant the adulteration and profanation of the Word, from which is all the good and truth of the church. The reason why by many waters are also signified the holy things of the church is, that all holy things have reference to the goods and the truths of the Word.

[2] Similar things are signified by dwelling upon many waters, in Jeremiah:

"Jehovah shall do that which he spake against the inhabitants of Babel. O thou that dwellest upon many waters, upon many treasures, thine end is come, the measure of thy gain" (51:12, 13).

Because many waters signify the truths of the Word, and hence the holy things of the church, it is also here added, upon many treasures, for by treasures are signified divine truths in the Word. That many waters here also signify the holy things of the church will be clear from the explanation of verse 15, where it is said: "The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples and multitudes, nations and tongues." By peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues are there meant all things of the church; because by earth in the Word, is signified the church; and hence by those who are upon the earth, are signified all things thereof. But more will be said upon this subject in the explanation of that verse.

That the Babylonians have subjected the truths of the Word and the holy things of the church to their judgment, jurisdiction, and dominion, is evident from this, that they persuade the people that they alone understand the Word, and none that are not inaugurated into the ministry. And by this means they subject all things of the Word, and thence all things of the church, to their own dominion.

[3] The Word, in the sense of the letter, is also such, that it may be used to confirm any heresy whatever. For the literal sense, consisting of appearances of truth, holds enclosed in it the genuine truths of heaven, which are called spiritual truths; and unless these truths are revealed and laid bare, that is, unless they are taught in the doctrines of the church, the appearances in them may be used and perverted to favour any falsity whatever, and even to favour evil. For the genuine truths of the Word are like a man; and the appearances of truth, of which the sense of the letter consists, are like his garments; from these alone a judgment cannot be favoured as to who the man is and what he is. If a man were considered from his clothes alone, a king might be called a servant, and a servant a king; also a good man might be called an evil man, and an evil man a good man, and so on. Thus those who arrogate to themselves dominion over all things of the church and heaven, can apply the sense of the letter of the Word, in a thousand ways, to favour such dominion. And this they do quite easily, because all things of the church that are called holy, they regard as above the human understanding; and when this is believed, and no real truth is taught, infernal falsities may be called truths, and diabolical evils called goods. In fact, the simple may be persuaded that the edicts of the Pope are equally holy, indeed, more holy than the precepts of the Word, although the latter are from heaven, while the former, for the most part, are from hell. For every edict respecting the government, faith, and worship of the church that has dominion in the world for an end, however it may appear in the external form, and sound as if from the Word, is from hell. But every precept of the Word, because it looks to the salvation of souls by the Lord as the end, is from heaven.

From these things it is evident that by sitting upon many waters, when said of Babylon as a whore, is signified to rule over all things of the Word, and thence over the holy things of the church.