1046. Verse 5. And upon her forehead a name written, Mystery, Babylon the great, signifies having in heart a love of dominion over the world and heaven, which the holy things of the Word, of the church, and of worship are made to serve as means. This is evident from the signification of "a name written upon the forehead," as being what she is as to love, for "name," signifies what a thing or a state is, and "forehead" signifies love. That "name" means what a thing or a state is may be seen n. 102, 148, 676, 695, 841, 892; and that "forehead" corresponds to the good of love, n. 427, 852. Also from the signification of "mystery," as being that which lies hidden in the heart and is not evident to the common people. That this is the love of dominion over the world and over heaven, which the holy things of the church are made to serve as means, and that the cupidity and government of that love is Babylon, has been fully shown in the introduction to this chapter (n. 1029). And as that love devastates the church of all truths and goods, that devastation is also meant by "Mystery, Babylon the great."

892. And if anyone hath received the mark of his name, signifies reception and acknowledgment of its quality, according to the description above. This is evident from the signification of "receiving a mark," as being reception and acknowledgment (as above, n. 838, 886); also from the signification of "name," as being the quality of anyone (See n. 102, 135, 148, 676, 696, 815, 841), so here according to the description of this beast above (chapter 13); for such things constitute their name in the spiritual world, since everyone there receives a name according to his quality, and the quality of everyone there is expressed by a word of the spiritual language; and while this word might be pronounced in natural language it could not be understood, for it includes many things that could not be comprehended by the ideas of natural thought, and thus could not be expressed by the words of speech in this world. This makes clear that "the mark of the name of the beast" signifies the acknowledgment of that religion as to all that it is, which has been described above.