783. 18:15 "The merchants of these things, whom she made rich, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and mourning." This symbolizes the state before damnation of those Roman Catholics who profited by various dispensations and promises of heavenly joys, and their fear and lamentation then.

The merchants of these things, namely of fruits that the soul longs for and things rich and splendid, which we considered in the verse immediately preceding this, symbolize people who by various dispensations and promises of heavenly joys have become rich, that is, who profited by them.

The merchants meant here are all those in the Roman Catholic hierarchy, both those higher in rank and those lower in rank, who have profited by these things. That they include those higher in rank is apparent from verse 23 in this chapter, where it says, "For your merchants were the great men of the earth;" and that they include those lower in rank is apparent from verse 11, as may be seen in no. 771 above.

To stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, means, symbolically, when they are as yet in a state distant from one of damnation, and still at that time in a state of fear of punishments and in a state of lamentation, as in no. 769 above, where a similar statement is made.

'The children of Israel,' in Isaiah 14:2, signify the Gentiles.

In Jeremiah 23:8, 'Israel' represents the spiritual natural church.

(References: Apocalypse Explained 768)