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Daniel 7

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1 ἔτος-N3E-GSN πρῶτος-A1--GSNS βασιλεύω-V1--PAPGSM *βαλτασαρ-N---GSM χώρα-N1A-GSF *βαβυλωνία-N1A-GSF *δανιηλ-N---NSM ὅραμα-N3M-ASN ὁράω-VBI-AAI3S παρά-P κεφαλή-N1--ASF ἐπί-P ὁ- A--GSF κοίτη-N1--GSF αὐτός- D--GSM τότε-D *δανιηλ-N---NSM ὁ- A--ASN ὅραμα-N3M-ASN ὅς- --ASN ὁράω-VBI-AAI3S γράφω-VAI-AAI3S εἰς-P κεφάλαιον-N2N-APN λόγος-N2--GPM

2 ἐπί-P ὁ- A--GSF κοίτη-N1--GSF ἐγώ- P--GS θεωρέω-V2I-IAI1S κατά-P ὕπνος-N2--APM νύξ-N3--GSF καί-C ἰδού-I τέσσαρες-A3--NPM ἄνεμος-N2--NPM ὁ- A--GSM οὐρανός-N2--GSM ἐνπίπτω-VBI-AAI3P εἰς-P ὁ- A--ASF θάλασσα-N1S-ASF ὁ- A--ASF μέγας-A1--ASF

3 καί-C τέσσαρες-A3--NPN θηρίον-N2N-NPN ἀναβαίνω-V1I-IAI3P ἐκ-P ὁ- A--GSF θάλασσα-N1S-GSF διαφέρω-V1--PAPNPN εἷς-A3--ASN παρά-P ὁ- A--ASN εἷς-A3--ASN

4 ὁ- A--NSN πρῶτος-A1--NSNS ὡσεί-D λέαινα-N1A-NSF ἔχω-V1--PAPNSF πτερόν-N2N-APN ὡσεί-D ἀετός-N2--GSM θεωρέω-V2I-IAI1S ἕως-P ὅστις- X--GSN τίλλω-VBI-API3S ὁ- A--NPN πτερόν-N2N-NPN αὐτός- D--GSF καί-C αἴρω-VCI-API3S ἀπό-P ὁ- A--GSF γῆ-N1--GSF καί-C ἐπί-P πούς-N3D-GPM ἀνθρώπινος-A1--GPM ἵστημι-VCI-API3S καί-C ἀνθρώπινος-A1--NSF καρδία-N1A-NSF δίδωμι-VCI-API3S αὐτός- D--DSF

5 καί-C ἰδού-I μετά-P αὐτός- D--ASF ἄλλος- D--ASN θηρίον-N2N-ASN ὁμοίωσις-N3I-ASF ἔχω-V1--PAPASN ἄρκος-N2--GSM καί-C ἐπί-P ὁ- A--GSN εἷς-A3--GSN πλευρόν-N2N-GSN ἵστημι-VCI-API3S καί-C τρεῖς-A3--NPN πλευρόν-N2N-NPN εἰμί-V9I-IAI3S ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSN στόμα-N3M-DSN αὐτός- D--GSF καί-C οὕτως-D εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S ἀναἵστημι-VH--AAD2S καταἐσθίω-VB--AAD2S σάρξ-N3K-APF πολύς-A1--APF

6 καί-C μετά-P οὗτος- D--APN θεωρέω-V2I-IAI1S θηρίον-N2N-ASN ἄλλος- D--ASN ὡσεί-D πάρδαλις-N3I-ASF καί-C πτερόν-N2N-NPN τέσσαρες-A3--NPN ἐπιτεινώ-V1--IAI3P ἐπάνω-P αὐτός- D--GSN καί-C τέσσαρες-A3--NPF κεφαλή-N1--NPF ὁ- A--DSN θηρίον-N2N-DSN καί-C γλῶσσα-N1S-NSF δίδωμι-VCI-API3S αὐτός- D--DSN

7 μετά-P δέ-X οὗτος- D--APN θεωρέω-V2I-IAI1S ἐν-P ὅραμα-N3M-DSN ὁ- A--GSF νύξ-N3--GSF θηρίον-N2N-ASN τέταρτος-A1--ASN φοβερός-A1A-ASN καί-C ὁ- A--NSM φόβος-N2--NSM αὐτός- D--GSN ὑπερφέρω-V1--PAPNSM ἰσχύς-N3U-DSF ἔχω-V1--PAPASN ὀδούς-N3--APM σιδηροῦς-A1C-APM μέγας-A1--APM ἐσθίω-V1--PAPASN καί-C κοπανίζω-V1--PAPASN κύκλος-N2--DSM ὁ- A--DPM πούς-N3D-DPM καταπατέω-V2--PAPASN διαφόρως-D χράομαι-V3--PMPASN παρά-P πᾶς-A3--APN ὁ- A--APN πρό-P αὐτός- D--GSN θηρίον-N2N-APN ἔχω-V1I-IAI3S δέ-X κέρας-N3T-APN δέκα-M

8 καί-C βουλή-N1--NPF πολύς-A1--NPF ἐν-P ὁ- A--DPN κέρας-N3T-DPN αὐτός- D--GSN καί-C ἰδού-I ἄλλος- D--NSN εἷς-A3--NSN κέρας-N3T-NSN ἀναφύω-VDI-API3S ἀνά-P μέσος-A1--ASM αὐτός- D--GPN μικρός-A1A-NSN ἐν-P ὁ- A--DPN κέρας-N3T-DPN αὐτός- D--GSN καί-C τρεῖς-A3--NPN ὁ- A--GPN κέρας-N3T-GPN ὁ- A--GPN πρῶτος-A1--GPNS ξηραίνω-VCI-API3P διά-P αὐτός- D--GSN καί-C ἰδού-I ὀφθαλμός-N2--NPM ὥσπερ-D ὀφθαλμός-N2--NPM ἀνθρώπινος-A1--NPM ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSN κέρας-N3T-DSN οὗτος- D--DSN καί-C στόμα-N3M-NSN λαλέω-V2--PAPNSN μέγας-A1--APN καί-C ποιέω-V2I-IAI3S πόλεμος-N2--ASM πρός-P ὁ- A--APM ἅγιος-A1A-APM

9 θεωρέω-V2I-IAI1S ἕως-C ὅτε-D θρόνος-N2--NPM τίθημι-VCI-API3P καί-C παλαιός-A1A-NSM ἡμέρα-N1A-GPF καταἧμαι-V1I-IMI3S ἔχω-V1--PAPNSM περιβολή-N1--ASF ὡσεί-D χιών-N3N-ASF καί-C ὁ- A--ASN τρίχωμα-N3M-ASN ὁ- A--GSF κεφαλή-N1--GSF αὐτός- D--GSM ὡσεί-D ἔριον-N2N-NSN λευκός-A1--NSN καθαρός-A1A-NSN ὁ- A--NSM θρόνος-N2--NSM ὡσεί-D φλόξ-N3G-NSF πῦρ-N3--GSN

10 καί-C ἐκπορεύομαι-V1I-IMI3S κατά-P πρόσωπον-N2N-ASN αὐτός- D--GSM ποταμός-N2--NSM πῦρ-N3--GSN χίλιοι-A1A-NPF χιλιάς-N3D-NPF θεραπεύω-V1I-IAI3P αὐτός- D--ASM καί-C μύριοι-A1A-NPF μυριάς-N3D-NPF παραἵστημι-VXI-YAI3P αὐτός- D--DSM καί-C κριτήριον-N2N-NSN καταἵζω-VAI-AAI3S καί-C βίβλος-N2--NPF ἀναοἴγω-VQI-API3P

11 θεωρέω-V2I-IAI1S τότε-D ὁ- A--ASF φωνή-N1--ASF ὁ- A--GPM λόγος-N2--GPM ὁ- A--GPM μέγας-A1--GPM ὅς- --GPM ὁ- A--NSN κέρας-N3T-NSN λαλέω-V2I-IAI3S καί-C ἀποτυμπανίζω-VSI-API3S ὁ- A--NSN θηρίον-N2N-NSN καί-C ἀποὀλλύω-VBI-AMI3S ὁ- A--NSN σῶμα-N3M-NSN αὐτός- D--GSN καί-C δίδωμι-VCI-API3S εἰς-P καῦσις-N3I-ASF πῦρ-N3--GSN

12 καί-C ὁ- A--APM κύκλος-N2--DSM αὐτός- D--GSN ἀποἵστημι-VAI-AAI3S ὁ- A--GSF ἐξουσία-N1A-GSF αὐτός- D--GPN καί-C χρόνος-N2--NSM ζωή-N1--GSF δίδωμι-VCI-API3S αὐτός- D--DPN ἕως-P χρόνος-N2--GSM καί-C καιρός-N2--GSM

13 θεωρέω-V2I-IAI1S ἐν-P ὅραμα-N3M-DSN ὁ- A--GSF νύξ-N3--GSF καί-C ἰδού-I ἐπί-P ὁ- A--GPF νεφέλη-N1--GPF ὁ- A--GSM οὐρανός-N2--GSM ὡς-C υἱός-N2--NSM ἄνθρωπος-N2--GSM ἔρχομαι-V1I-IMI3S καί-C ὡς-C παλαιός-A1A-NSM ἡμέρα-N1A-GPF παραεἰμί-V9--IAI3S καί-C ὁ- A--NPM παραἵστημι-VXI-XAPNPM παραεἰμί-V9--IAI3P αὐτός- D--DSM

14 καί-C δίδωμι-VCI-API3S αὐτός- D--DSM ἐξουσία-N1A-NSF καί-C πᾶς-A3--NPN ὁ- A--NPN ἔθνος-N3E-NPN ὁ- A--GSF γῆ-N1--GSF κατά-P γένος-N3E-APN καί-C πᾶς-A1S-NSF δόξα-N1S-NSF αὐτός- D--DSM λατρεύω-V1--PAPNSF καί-C ὁ- A--NSF ἐξουσία-N1A-NSF αὐτός- D--GSM ἐξουσία-N1A-NSF αἰώνιος-A1B-NSF ὅστις- X--NSF οὐ-D μή-D αἴρω-VC--APS3S καί-C ὁ- A--NSF βασιλεία-N1A-NSF αὐτός- D--GSM ὅστις- X--NSF οὐ-D μή-D φθείρω-VD--APS3S

15 καί-C ἀκηδιάω-VA--AAPNSM ἐγώ- P--NS *δανιηλ-N---NSM ἐν-P οὗτος- D--DPN ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSN ὅραμα-N3M-DSN ὁ- A--GSF νύξ-N3--GSF

16 προςἔρχομαι-VBI-AAI1S πρός-P εἷς-A3--ASM ὁ- A--GPM ἵστημι-VXI-XAPGPM καί-C ὁ- A--ASF ἀκρίβεια-N1A-ASF ζητέω-V2I-IAI1S παρά-P αὐτός- D--GSM ὑπέρ-P πᾶς-A3--GPN οὗτος- D--GPN ἀποκρίνω-VC--APPNSM δέ-X λέγω-V1--PAI3S ἐγώ- P--DS καί-C ὁ- A--ASF κρίσις-N3I-ASF ὁ- A--GPM λόγος-N2--GPM δηλόω-VAI-AAI3S ἐγώ- P--DS

17 οὗτος- D--NPN ὁ- A--NPN θηρίον-N2N-NPN ὁ- A--NPN μέγας-A1--APN εἰμί-V9--PAI3P τέσσαρες-A3--NPM βασιλεία-N1A-NPF ὅς- --NPF ἀποὀλλύω-VF2-FMI3P ἀπό-P ὁ- A--GSF γῆ-N1--GSF

18 καί-C παραλαμβάνω-VF--FMI3P ὁ- A--ASF βασιλεία-N1A-ASF ἅγιος-A1A-NPM ὕψιστος-A1--GSM καί-C καταἔχω-VF--FAI3P ὁ- A--ASF βασιλεία-N1A-ASF ἕως-P ὁ- A--GSM αἰών-N3W-GSM καί-C ἕως-P ὁ- A--GSM αἰών-N3W-GSM ὁ- A--GPM αἰών-N3W-GPM

19 τότε-D θέλω-V1I-IAI1S ἐκἀκριβάζομαι-VC--AMN περί-P ὁ- A--GSN θηρίον-N2N-GSN ὁ- A--GSN τέταρτος-A1--GSN ὁ- A--GSN διαφθείρω-V1--PAPGSN πᾶς-A3--APN καί-C ὑπερφόβος-A1B-GSN καί-C ἰδού-I ὁ- A--NPM ὀδούς-N3--NPM αὐτός- D--GSN σιδηροῦς-A1C-NPM καί-C ὁ- A--NPM ὄνυξ-N3--NPM αὐτός- D--GSN χαλκοῦς-A1C-NPM καταεσθίω-V1--PAPNPM πᾶς-A3--APM κυκλόθεν-D καί-C καταπατέω-V2--PAPNPM ὁ- A--DPM πούς-N3D-DPM

20 καί-C περί-P ὁ- A--GPN δέκα-M κέρας-N3T-GPN αὐτός- D--GSN ὁ- A--GPN ἐπί-P ὁ- A--GSF κεφαλή-N1--GSF καί-C ὁ- A--GSN εἷς-A3--GSN ὁ- A--GSN ἄλλος- D--GSN ὁ- A--GSN προςφύω-V1--PAPGSN καί-C ἐκπίπτω-VAI-AAI3P διά-P αὐτός- D--GSN τρεῖς-A3--NPN καί-C ὁ- A--NSN κέρας-N3T-NSN ἐκεῖνος- D--NSN ἔχω-V1I-IAI3S ὀφθαλμός-N2--APM καί-C στόμα-N3M-ASN λαλέω-V2--PAPASN μέγας-A1--APN καί-C ὁ- A--NSF πρόσοψις-N3I-NSF αὐτός- D--GSN ὑπερφέρω-V1I-IAI3S ὁ- A--APN ἄλλος-A1--APN

21 καί-C κατανοέω-V2I-IAI1S ὁ- A--ASN κέρας-N3T-ASN ἐκεῖνος- D--ASN πόλεμος-N2--ASM συνἵστημι-V6--PMPASN πρός-P ὁ- A--APM ἅγιος-A1A-APM καί-C τροπόω-V4--PAPASN αὐτός- D--APM

22 ἕως-P ὁ- A--GSN ἔρχομαι-VB--AAN ὁ- A--ASM παλαιός-A1A-ASM ἡμέρα-N1A-GPF καί-C ὁ- A--ASF κρίσις-N3I-ASF δίδωμι-VAI-AAI3S ὁ- A--DPM ἅγιος-A1A-DPM ὁ- A--GSM ὕψιστος-A1--GSM καί-C ὁ- A--NSM καιρός-N2--NSM δίδωμι-VCI-API3S καί-C ὁ- A--ASN βασίλειον-N2N-ASN καταἔχω-VBI-AAI3P ὁ- A--NPM ἅγιος-A1A-NPM

23 καί-C εἶπον-VCI-API3S ἐγώ- P--DS περί-P ὁ- A--GSN θηρίον-N2N-GSN ὁ- A--GSN τέταρτος-A1--GSN ὅτι-C βασιλεία-N1A-NSF τέταρτος-A1--NSF εἰμί-VF--FMI3S ἐπί-P ὁ- A--GSF γῆ-N1--GSF ὅστις- X--NSF διαφέρω-VF--FAI3S παρά-P πᾶς-A1S-ASF ὁ- A--ASF γῆ-N1--ASF καί-C ἀναστατόω-VF--FAI3S αὐτός- D--ASF καί-C καταλεαίνω-VF2-FAI3S αὐτός- D--ASF

24 καί-C ὁ- A--NPN δέκα-M κέρας-N3T-NPN ὁ- A--GSF βασιλεία-N1A-GSF δέκα-M βασιλεύς-N3V-NPM ἵστημι-VF--FMI3P καί-C ὁ- A--NSM ἄλλος- D--NSM βασιλεύς-N3V-NSM μετά-P οὗτος- D--APM ἵστημι-VF--FMI3S καί-C αὐτός- D--NSM διαφέρω-VF--FAI3S κακός-A1--DPN ὑπέρ-P ὁ- A--APM πρῶτος-A1--APMS καί-C τρεῖς-A3--APM βασιλεύς-N3V-APM ταπεινόω-VF--FAI3S

25 καί-C ῥῆμα-N3M-APN εἰς-P ὁ- A--ASM ὕψιστος-A1--ASM λαλέω-VF--FAI3S καί-C ὁ- A--APM ἅγιος-A1A-APM ὁ- A--GSM ὕψιστος-A1--GSM κατατρίβω-VF--FAI3S καί-C προςδέχομαι-VF--FMI3S ἀλλοιόω-VA--AAN καιρός-N2--APM καί-C νόμος-N2--ASM καί-C παραδίδωμι-VC--FPI3S πᾶς-A3--APN εἰς-P ὁ- A--APF χείρ-N3--APF αὐτός- D--GSM ἕως-P καιρός-N2--GSM καί-C καιρός-N2--GPM καί-C ἕως-P ἥμισυς-A3U-GSM καιρός-N2--GSM

26 καί-C ὁ- A--NSF κρίσις-N3I-NSF καταἵζω-VF--FMI3S καί-C ὁ- A--ASF ἐξουσία-N1A-ASF ἀποὀλλύω-VF2-FAI3P καί-C βουλεύω-VF--FMI3P μιαίνω-VA--AAN καί-C ἀποὀλλύω-VA--AAN ἕως-P τέλος-N3E-GSN

27 καί-C ὁ- A--ASF βασιλεία-N1A-ASF καί-C ὁ- A--ASF ἐξουσία-N1A-ASF καί-C ὁ- A--ASF μεγαλειότης-N3T-ASF αὐτός- D--GPM καί-C ὁ- A--ASF ἀρχή-N1--ASF πᾶς-A1S-GPF ὁ- A--GPF ὑπό-P ὁ- A--ASM οὐρανός-N2--ASM βασιλεία-N1A-GPF δίδωμι-VAI-AAI3S λαός-N2--DSM ἅγιος-A1A-DSM ὕψιστος-A1--GSM βασιλεύω-VA--AAN βασιλεία-N1A-ASF αἰώνιος-A1B-ASF καί-C πᾶς-A1S-NPF ὁ- A--NPF ἐξουσία-N1A-NPF αὐτός- D--DSM ὑποτάσσω-VD--FPI3P καί-C πειθαρχέω-VF--FAI3P αὐτός- D--DSM

28 ἕως-P καταστροφή-N1--GSF ὁ- A--GSM λόγος-N2--GSM ἐγώ- P--NS *δανιηλ-N---NSM σφόδρα-D ἔκστασις-N3I-DSF περιἔχω-V1I-IMI1S καί-C ὁ- A--NSF ἕξις-N3I-NSF ἐγώ- P--GS διαφέρω-VAI-AAI3S ἐγώ- P--DS καί-C ὁ- A--ASN ῥῆμα-N3M-ASN ἐν-P καρδία-N1A-DSF ἐγώ- P--GS στηρίζω-VAI-AAI1S

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Explained #697

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697. And to destroy those that destroy the earth.- That this signifies hell with those who destroy the church, is evident from the signification of destroying, when said of those who destroy the church, as denoting damnation and hell; for since to give reward to His servants the prophets and saints signifies salvation and heaven with those who are in truths from good, that is, those who form the church, therefore to destroy the earth signifies damnation and hell; and from the signification of earth, as denoting the church concerning which, see above (n, 29, 304, 413:4, 417). To destroy the earth therefore signifies to destroy the church. That by land (terra) in the Word, is meant the church, has been shown above in many places, as well as in the Arcana Coelestia. There are many reasons why land, in the Word, signifies the church; that is, when no particular land is mentioned, such as the land of Egypt, of Edom, of Moab, of Assyria, of Chaldea, of Babylon and others, the land of Canaan is meant, and those who are in spiritual thought cannot think of that land as a land, since that would be to have an earthly and not a heavenly idea, but they think of the character of the nation there in regard to the church. Similarly when any one is thinking of a church, or religion or worship, and from that thought lands are spoken of, the land is not thought of but only the character of the people of the land in regard to the church, religion or worship. For this reason, when a man reads in the Word the term land (terra) the angels, who are spiritual, think of the church, and what the angels think, this is the spiritual sense of the Word, since the spiritual sense of the Word is for angels, and also for those men who are spiritual; for the Word in the letter is natural, but still interiorly or in its bosom it is spiritual, and when the natural is withdrawn, the spiritual which is within or in its bosom is disclosed.

[2] Moreover, there are lands in the spiritual world, or in the world where spirits and angels are, equally as in the natural world where men are, and these lands are quite alike in external appearance. In that world there are plains, valleys, mountains, hills, rivers, and seas, and also fields, meadows, forests, gardens, and paradises. And the lands, there, are beautiful in appearance, exactly according to the state of the church with those who dwell upon them, and they also undergo changes according to the changes of the church in the inhabitants. In a word, the lands there correspond completely with the reception of the good of love and the truth of faith in those who dwell there. It is also for this reason that land in the Word signifies the church, for the quality of the land is according to the quality of the church there, and correspondence is the cause of this. In that world, the land itself makes one with the church, just as a correspondent does with the subject to which it corresponds, as an effect with its efficient cause, as the eye with its sight, speech with the understanding, action with the will, the expression of the face with the affection of the thought, in a word, as the instrumental with its principal, of which it is said that they constitute one thing; so is it in the spiritual world, as to the quality of the land with the quality of the church. From these things it is evident why land in the Word signifies the church, and why to destroy the earth (or land) here signifies to destroy the church.

[3] So also in the following passages.

In Isaiah:

"Is this the man that shaketh the earth, that causeth kingdoms to tremble, that hath made the world a desert, and destroyed the cities thereof? Thou hast destroyed thy land, thou hast slain thy people" (14:16, 17, 20).

This is said of Lucifer, by whom Babel is here meant, as is evident from what here precedes and follows; the earth which he shook and destroyed signifies the church. The kingdoms which he causeth to tremble signify the churches into which the general church is divided. The world which he made a desert signifies the church in general; the cities which he destroyed signify the truths of the doctrine thereof, and the people that he slew signify the men of the church, whose spiritual life he destroyed.

[4] In Jeremiah:

"Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, destroying the whole earth" (51:25).

This also is said of Babel, which is called a destroying mountain, because a mountain signifies the love of ruling, here, over heaven and earth, to which the goods and truths of the church are caused to serve as means; to destroy all the earth signifies therefore to utterly destroy the whole church.

[5] In Daniel:

The fourth beast ascending out of the sea "shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces" (7:23).

This beast also signifies the love of ruling over the whole heaven and the whole earth, and those who are of Babel have this love, as may be seen above (n. 316:15, 556:5); therefore to devour, to tread down, and break the earth in pieces, signifies to utterly destroy the church. Who is there that does not see that no beast will ascend out of the sea, and devour, tread down, and break all the earth in pieces, but that some evil and diabolical love, will thus act towards the church.

In Moses:

"There shall not be any more a flood to destroy the earth" (Genesis 9:11).

Here the earth also signifies the church, which was destroyed by the antediluvians, but which should be destroyed no more.

[6] In Isaiah:

"Jehovah maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and he overturneth the faces thereof. In emptying the earth shall be emptied, and in spoiling it shall be spoiled; the habitable earth shall mourn, shall be confounded; the world shall languish, shall be confounded; the earth itself shall be profaned; because they have transgressed the laws, passed by the statute, made void the covenant of eternity, therefore a curse shall devour the earth; the flood-gates from on high are opened, and the foundations of the earth are shaken, the earth is utterly broken; the earth is moved exceedingly, the earth staggereth as a drunkard, and it is moved to and fro as a hut" (24:1, 3-6, 18-20).

That the earth here does not mean the earth, but the church, must be evident to every one. The church is thus spoken of, because the lands (terroe) in the spiritual world, upon which angels and spirits dwell, undergo such changes as are here described, according to the changes of the state of the church with those who dwell there; in fact even movements take place in them. It is said that Jehovah maketh the earth empty and maketh it waste, that in emptying it shall be emptied, and in spoiling it shall be spoiled, because the lands (terroe) there, when the church in those who dwell upon them is laid waste, completely change their appearance. The gardens, flower-gardens, lawns, and similar places in which those lands previously abounded, disappear, and instead of them there arise unpleasant things such as, sandy and rocky places, plains full of thorns and briars, and things of a like nature, which correspond to the falsities and evils that have laid waste the church. The devastation of the church as to the good of love and of charity is signified by making the earth empty; and its desolation as to the truths of doctrine and of faith is signified by making it waste and spoiling it, and the change itself by overturning the faces thereof. The habitable earth shall mourn, shall be confounded; the world shall languish, shall be confounded; a curse shall devour the earth, signifies that nothing shall grow and flourish there, but that it shall be barren, and filled with useless things, on account of which the earth is said to mourn, to languish, and to be devoured with a curse. Since these things take place when they that dwell there have no longer any regard for the holy things of the church, therefore it is said, because they have transgressed the laws, passed by the statute, made void the covenant of eternity. As the lands there are sometimes inundated, sometimes violently shaken, and also here and there gape and open towards the hell, which is beneath and lifts itself up - which takes place according to the nature, and extent of the falsities and evils that are loved, and the consequent falsification and denial of the goods and truths of the church - it is therefore said, that the flood-gates from on high are open, the foundations of the earth are shaken, the earth is broken, and staggereth as a drunkard. These things also actually take place in the spiritual world, when the state of the church is there changed into a contrary one. From this it is evident, why the earth, here and elsewhere in the Word, means the church.

  
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Translation by Isaiah Tansley. Many thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

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