1035. And the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her whoredom. That this signifies that those who belong to that church are insane from falsifications, is evident from the signification of being made drunk, as denoting to be insane in spiritual things (concerning which see n. 376); and from the signification of wine, as denoting spiritual truth (concerning which also see n. 376); from the signification of whoredom, as denoting the falsification of truth (concerning which see just above); and from the signification of the inhabitants of the earth, as denoting those who belong to the church. That by the earth, in the Word, is signified the church, has been frequently shown above. From these things it is now evident, that by the inhabitants of the earth being made drunk with the wine of her whoredom, is signified that those who belong to that church are insane from falsifications.

[2] As to the insanity, signified by inebriation and by drunkenness in the Word, it is not from falsities, but from truths falsified. The reason is, that truth from heaven acts into the understanding, and at the same time falsity from hell, whence arises dissension in the mind and an insanity like that of a drunkard in the world. But this insanity only has place with those who are in evil, and have confirmed the falsities of evil by the Word. For all things of the Word are truths, and communicate with heaven, and falsities of evil are from hell. But from the falsities that are not from evil, spiritual drunkenness does not take place; for those falsities do not pervert and destroy the spiritual truths that lie inwardly concealed in the truths of the literal sense, for they do not thence hatch evil therefrom, as do falsities from evil.

[3] Falsities not from evil may be compared to waters that are not pure, which, when drunk, do not induce drunkenness; but falsities from evil may be compared to wine and strong drinks which induce drunkenness. Therefore, also, that insanity is said in the Word to be caused by wine, which is called the wine of whoredom, and the wine of Babel, in Jeremiah:

"A cup of gold is Babel in the hand of Jehovah making drunken the whole earth; the nations have drunk of her wine, therefore the nations are insane" (51:7).