1029. CHAPTER 17.

1. AND there came one of the seven angels having the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:

2. With whom the kings of the earth committed whoredom, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her whoredom.

3. And he carried me away, into a wilderness, in the spirit and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

4. And the woman was arrayed in crimson and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stone and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of the abominations and uncleanness of her whoredom.

5. And upon her forehead a name written, Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of the whoredoms and abominations of the earth.

6. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus; and when I saw her, I wondered with a great wonder.

7. And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou wonder? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.

8. The beast which thou sawest was, and is not, and is about to ascend out of the abyss, and go into perdition; and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder; they whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, but yet is.

9. This is the mind that hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.

10. And they are seven kings; five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.

11. And the beast that was, and is not, he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.

12. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, who have received no kingdom as yet; but they receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

13. These have one mind, and shall deliver up their power and authority to the beast.

14. These shall fight with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings and those that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

15. And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

16. And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall devour her flesh, and burn her with fire.

17. For God hath put into their hearts to do his mind, and to come to one mind, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be consummated.

18. And the woman whom thou sawest is the great city, which hath a kingdom over the kings of the earth.

EXPLANATION.

BECAUSE in this and the following chapter the subject treated of is Babylon, therefore, before we proceed to the explanation of these chapters, it shall be shown what is meant by Babylon in general and particular; also what its quality is in the beginning, and what it becomes afterwards, by degrees.

By Babylon or Babel is meant the church consisting of those who by the holy things of the church aspire to dominion over the whole world, and this by means of dominion over the souls of men, claiming to themselves the power of saving whomsoever they will; and who at last seek and appropriate to themselves dominion over heaven and hell. And for this purpose they derive and transfer to themselves all the Lord's power, as if given to them by Him.

The church consisting of such is, in its beginning, not the same as it becomes in process of time. In the beginning they are zealous, as it were, for the Lord, the Word, for love and faith, and especially for the salvation of men. But in that zeal lies hidden the fire of ruling, which in process of time, and as dominion increases, breaks out, and in the degree in which it comes out into act, the holy things of the church become the means, and dominion itself the end. And when dominion becomes the end, then the holy things of the church are used as a means to that end, that is, to themselves. And then they not only make the salvation of souls dependent on their own power, but also appropriate to themselves all the Lord's Divine power. And when they do this, they then pervert all the good and all the truth of the church, and thus profane the holy things of the church. These things are Babylon.

[2] That this is the case has been shown me to the life. In the spiritual world there were those who affected a similar dominion. And because they knew that all power belonged to the Lord alone, they assumed, as it were, a zeal for Him, for heaven, and for the church, and laboured with all their power to worship the Lord alone, and to keep all things of the Word holy. They also arranged that sanctity and integrity should prevail in all. But it was permitted to be known that in that zeal an ardent desire to rule over all others was hidden; they believed that those things that they arranged would be accepted by the Lord. But, in fact, as soon as they obtained dominion, by degrees the end was revealed, which was not that the Lord but that they themselves might rule, and thus that the Lord might serve them, and not they the Lord; they were indignant if they were not allowed as gods to dispose everything according to their will. Indeed, it was seen that they made light of the Lord, and even rejected Him, if the power was not granted them of doing everything according to their own pleasure, and unless every decision of theirs was assented to. It was also seen that they were desirous, under any pretence, to transfer His Divine power to themselves if they dared, but they were afraid of being cast down into hell if they did so. By this it was shown how Babylon begins, and how it ends. One could, therefore, conclude, that while dominion becomes the end, and the holy things of the church the means, the worship of God is turned, under various pretences, into the worship of men, so that they themselves are actually gods, and the Lord is not really God, but is merely called so for the sake of form.

[3] Now, because dominion by means of the holy things of the church over the souls of men, over heaven, and over the Lord Himself, is inwardly profane, it follows that it is infernal. For the devils in hell covet nothing more than to exercise dominion over heaven, and over the Lord Himself; this they also attempt under various pretences. But while they are making the attempt, they are swallowed up by hell. Since, in the world, those who cast down the Lord from the seat of His kingdom, and place themselves upon it, are, in heart, like devils, it is evident that the church consisting of these must, in process of time, be devastated as to all the good and all the truth thereof; this is its end.

That they are devils is clear from the same in the spiritual world. Those who have exercised the Divine power of the Lord in the world speak, after death, in most holy terms concerning the Lord, and worship Him with every kind of external devotion. But when their interior states are seen (for these may be uncovered and seen in the spiritual world), it is seen that they are profane, because atheistical, and full of diabolical craftiness. Hence it was manifested that their holy externals served them as means to dominion as an end.

A conversation once arose among the spirits whether any devil in hell could do the same. Therefore one of the worst was called thence, and he was told that he should have dominion over many, if he could worship the Lord with sanctity, and acknowledge His Divine to be equal to that of the Father, and perform at the same time all things belonging to worship. On hearing that he could have dominion over many, he immediately became interiorly cunning, assumed a holy external, and worshipped the Lord more reverently than many angels, becoming angry with all those who did not adore Him. But as soon as he observed that dominion was not granted him, he became enraged against the Lord Himself, and not only denied His Divine and also the Divine of the Father, but cast reproaches upon both; for he was an atheist.

[4] That such is the nature of Babylon at this day is quite clear from this, that under the pretence of the keys being given to Peter, they have transferred to themselves all the Divine power of the Lord, having shut up Divine truth from the people by taking away the Word, and have given to the dictates of the Pope a sanctity equal, indeed actually superior, to that of the Word. They teach but little, if anything, about the fear and worship of God, but the fear and worship of themselves, and also the worship of holy things for the sake of themselves. It is therefore clear that Babylon at its end is the church void and empty of all the good of love to God, and of all the good of love towards the neighbour, and consequently of all truth. Consequently, it is no longer a church but an idolatry; and therefore it differs very little from the Gentilism of the ancients, who worshipped Baal, Ashtaroth, Baalzebub, and others; and yet had temples, stated feasts, altars, sacrifices, incense, drink-offerings, and other things, similar to those of the Jewish Church. These things are stated concerning Babylon at its beginning, and at its end, in order that it may be known why it is that Babel, in the Word, is sometimes exalted even to heaven, and sometimes cast down even to hell.

[5] That such is the nature of Babel is quite evident from the description and representation of it in the prophets, and especially in Daniel. First, from the statue of King Nebuchadnezzar, in Daniel:

Nebuchadnezzar the king saw in his dream a statue standing before him; "the head thereof was of fine gold, the breast and arms of silver, the belly and thighs of brass, the legs iron, and the feet part iron and part clay." Afterwards "a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the statue upon its feet, which were of iron and clay, and brake them in pieces, and then the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, were bruised together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floor, so that the wind carried them away, and their place was no more found. But the stone which smote the statue became a great rock" (2:31-35).

From the interpretation of this dream by Daniel, it is evident that the state of the church which becomes Babylon, is there described from its beginning to its end. The reason why it is Babylon which is described is, that those things were seen by the king of Babel in a dream; and he also saw a statue over against him. It is also openly declared to the king by Daniel,

"Thou art this head of gold" (ver. 38).

The successive states of that church even to the last are described by the head, the breast, the arms, the belly, the thighs, the legs, and the feet of this statue; also by the gold, the silver, the brass, the iron, and the clay, of which the statue consisted from top to bottom. From these things it is evident that this church in its beginning was full of wisdom from the good of love to the Lord. For the head, which is highest, signifies wisdom; and gold the good of love to the Lord. That the last state of that church would be one which was destitute of all the good of love and of all wisdom, is signified by the toes of its feet being part iron and part clay. For this is thus interpreted by Daniel:

"Whereas thou sawest iron mingled with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves by the seed of man; but they shall not cleave one to the other, even as iron is not mixed with clay" (ver. 43).

The seed of man signifies Divine truth, thus the truth of the Word; and by this no coherence is effected, because it is falsified at the end of the church by being applied to the worship of men. The destruction of this church is described by the stone breaking in pieces all parts of the statue. By the stone is signified Divine truth; and the Lord as to Divine truth, by the rock which the stone became. Its destruction is the Last Judgment. The New Church, which will then be established by the Lord, is described by these words:

"The God of the heavens shall cause a kingdom to arise which shall not perish for ever, and his kingdom shall not be left to another people. It shall break in pieces and consume all those kingdoms, but itself shall stand for ever" (ver. 44).

[6] By kingdom, in this and other parts of the Word, is signified the church; similarly, by a man, in whose form the statue was.

The church which afterwards became Babylon is also described by the tree seen by King Nebuchadnezzar in a dream, in Daniel:

"I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great; the tree grew and became strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth; the leaf thereof was beautiful, and the flower thereof much, the beast of the field had shadow under it, and in its boughs dwelt the birds of heaven, and all flesh was fed from it. But behold, a watcher and a holy one came down from heaven, crying with might, saying thus: Hew down the tree, and cut off its branches, and disperse the flower thereof, let the beasts flee from under, and the birds from its branches; but leave the stump of its root in the earth, and in a band of iron and brass, in the herb of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let its portion be with the beast in the grass of the earth; they shall change his heart from a man's, and the heart of a beast shall be given to him, while seven times shall pass over him, until they who live shall know that the Lord is the Most High in the kingdom of man" (4:10-17).

That King Nebuchadnezzar, consequently Babel itself, is meant by that tree, and all belonging to it, is openly declared in verses 20, 21, 22. And that the things heard befell the king, namely, that he was driven out from man, dwelt with the beasts of the field, ate grass like the oxen, until seven times had passed over him, is evident from verses 32, 33, 34 of that chapter. That these things came upon him because of the love of self, and the pride of his own dominion, is clear from these words of his:

"Is not this great Babel that I have built for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my strength, and for the glory of mine honour?" (ver. 30).

And afterwards when he was restored:

"I Nebuchadnezzar, honouring the King of the heavens, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment; and those who walk in pride, he is able to abase" (ver. 37).

By that state of Nebuchadnezzar is described the state of those, after death, who exalt themselves as gods over everything of the church; namely, that they are driven out from man, that they are no longer like men with respect to understanding; that they become beasts, and eat grass as oxen; and that their hairs grow like the eagles', and their nails like birds' claws; which signifies that they are utterly sensual; that instead of being intelligent they are foolish; and instead of being wise they are insane. To eat grass, to have hair like the eagles', and nails like birds' claws, signifies to become sensual.

[7] The successive states of the church, which at last became Babylon, are also described by the four beasts ascending out of the sea, in Daniel:

It was seen by him, that four beasts ascended out of the sea, "the first like a lion, but it had wings like an eagle, but the wings were plucked out, and it was lifted up from the earth and raised up on the feet as a man, and the heart of a man was given to it. Afterwards, another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised itself up on one side, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth, and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh. After these, behold, another like a leopard, which had four wings like birds upon the back, and four heads; and dominion was given to it. Afterwards a fourth beast, terrible and formidable, and exceeding strong, which had great iron teeth; and devoured, and brake in pieces, and trampled on the residue with its feet" (7:3-7).

That by these beasts also are described the successive states of the church, from its first to its last, may be seen above (n. 316, 556, 650, 780, 781). That in the first state they were in truths, and thence in intelligence, is signified by the lion, which had the wings of an eagle, and which afterwards appeared as a man, and a man's heart was given to it. That in the last state they are in falsities of every kind from evil, is signified by the fourth beast, which was terrible, and which devoured and brake in pieces, and trampled on the residue with its feet. Concerning this beast several other things are mentioned in verses 23-25.

[8] That the church which has become Babylon will then be destroyed, and a new church be established, which will worship the Lord, is meant by these words:

"I looked and, behold, with the clouds of the heavens, one like the Son of man. To him was given dominion, glory, and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and tongues, might worship him. His dominion is the dominion of an age, which shall not pass away; and his kingdom that which shall not perish. And the kingdom and dominion, and the majesty of the kingdoms under all the heavens, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is the kingdom of an age; and all dominions shall worship him, and obey him" (vers. 13, 14, 27).

By the Son of man is meant the Lord as to the Divine Human, and as to the Word. That a church is to be established by Him, which will worship Him, is meant by dominion being given to Him, and glory and a kingdom, and His dominion being the dominion of an age which shall not pass away; and the church to be established by Him is meant by the kingdom given to the people of the saints. The reason why this will come to pass, when the church is made Babylon, that is, becomes so devastated that there is no longer any good nor any truth remaining in it, is because then is its end; thus, when there is no longer any church. This end is meant by the end of Babylon. Not that their idolatrous worship in the world is to be destroyed together with them. For this will continue; not, however, as the worship of any church, but as the worship of paganism. Therefore also after death these same persons come amongst the Pagans, and no longer among Christians. But from those who have not worshipped the Pope, nor the saints and graven images, but the Lord, a new church is formed by the Lord.

[9] The Babylonish idolatry is described in Daniel:

By the high statue which king Nebuchadnezzar set up, and concerning which an edict was published, that all should fall down and worship it; and that those who did not, should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace (3:1-7).

The same is also described in the same prophet:

By the decree published by Darius the Mede, that no one should ask a petition from any god, or any man, but from the king; and that whosoever asked anything from god or man within thirty days, should be cast into a den of lions (Daniel 6:7-9).

By these things Babel or Babylon is described as to dominion over holy things, and as to the arrogating of Divine power. And their destruction is described by all those who persuaded Darius to make that statute being cast into the den of lions, and devoured.

[10] Babel is also described in Daniel:

By Belshazzar the king, his nobles, his wives, and his concubines, drinking wine out of the vessels of gold and silver, which Nebuchadnezzar his father brought from the temple of Jerusalem, and at the same time praising their gods of gold and silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone, when the writing upon the wall appeared to him; after which the king was slain that same night (5:1, to the end).

By these things was represented, and thence signified, the profanation of the holy things of the church by those who belong to Babylon, and who extend their dominion even to heaven; for it is said:

Thou exaltedst thyself above the Lord of the heavens, when they brought the vessels of his house before thee (ver. 23).

From these passages in Daniel it is evident, that by Babylon or Babel, in the Word, is meant the love of dominion over the world, and over heaven, and over the Lord Himself; and that the church of the Lord becomes successively Babylon; and that as it becomes Babylon, so it is devastated as to all the good of love and as to all the truth of faith; and that the end of it is, that it is no longer a church. And when it is no longer a church, it is reckoned among the idolatrous nations, with the exception of those who worship the Lord, account the Word holy, and admit instruction from it.

[11] Babel or Babylon is also described, in Isaiah:

"Jehovah will have compassion on Jacob, and again choose Israel, to set them in their land. It shall come to pass in the day that Jehovah shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, that thou shalt declare this parable concerning the king of Babel. How hath the exactor ceased, the lust of gold ceased. Jehovah hath broken the staff of the wicked, the rod of them that rule," whence "all the earth is at rest and is quiet; they break forth into singing; even the oaks shall rejoice on account of thee, the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down no feller hath come upon us. Hell beneath is moved on account of thee, to meet thee in thy coming; it hath stirred up Rephaim on account of thee, all the mighty of the earth; it hath made to rise from their thrones all the kings of the nations; all they shall answer and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak like us? art thou become like to us? Thy magnificence is let down into hell, the tumult of thy psalteries; the worm is spread under thee, and the grubs over thee. How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning, thou art cut down to the earth, thou art weakened beneath the nations; and yet thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into the heavens, I will exalt my throne above the stars" of heaven, "and I will sit in the mount of the assembly, in the sides of the north, I will ascend above the heights of the cloud, I will become like unto the Most High; but yet thou art cast down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee consider thee. Is this the man that moveth the earth, that maketh the kingdoms tremble, that hath made the world into a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof? Thou art cast forth from thy sepulchre, as an abominable shoot, the raiment of the slain that are thrust through with the sword, who descend unto the stones of the pit, as a carcase trodden under foot. Thou shalt not be joined with them in the sepulchre, for thou hast destroyed thy land, thou hast slain thy people: the seed of the malicious shall not be named for ever. Prepare the slaughter for his sons, for the iniquity of their fathers, that they may not rise and possess the earth, and fill the faces of the earth with cities. I will arise against them, saith Jehovah Zebaoth, and I will cut off from Babel the name and the residue, and the son and the grandson. I will make thee a heritage for the bittern, and into lakes of waters, and I will sweep her with the besom of destruction. And I will break Asshur in my land, and upon my mountains will I tread him under foot" (14:1-25).

All these things are said of Babel, and not of any devil, who was created an angel of light, and who, having become rebellious, was cast into hell, and from his primeval state was called "Lucifer, son of the morning." That Babel is here described is plain from verses 4 and 22 of this chapter, where the king of Babel and Babel are mentioned, for it is said:

"Thou shalt declare this parable concerning the king of Babel";

and afterwards:

"I will cut off from Babel the name and the residue."

It must be observed that by a king, in the Word, is signified the same as by his kingdom. The reason why Babel is called Lucifer, the son of the morning, is that, as said above, Babel, in the beginning, is the church which is zealous for the Lord, for the good of love, and for the truths of faith; although inwardly, in the zeal of her pastors, there lies hidden a fire of ruling by means of the holy things of the church, over all those whom they can subdue to themselves. Hence it is that Babel is called "Lucifer, the son of the morning." For the same reason he is also called "King of kings," into whose hand are given all things.

And also is called the head of the statue which was gold (Dan. 2:37, 38).

Then also, "The tree in the midst of the earth, great in height" (Dan. 4:10, 22).

[12] Babel in its beginning is also meant by

"The lion which had the wings of an eagle, and which afterwards appeared as a man, and a man's heart was given unto it" (Dan. 7:4).

And is called, "The ornament of the kingdoms and the glory of the magnificence of the Chaldeans" (Isaiah 13:19).

It is also mentioned amongst, "Those that know Jehovah" (Psalms 87:4).

Now because by Babel, in its beginning, is signified such a church, therefore the king of Babel is here called "Lucifer, the son of the morning;" Lucifer from the light of truth then, and son of the morning (aurora), from the first beginning of the light or of day. For the morning is the church in its beginning. But still, in that chapter, is described this church as to its state in the end, when Babylon is become a whore; which is its state, when there is no longer any good of love, or any truth of faith remaining. This its state is what is meant by the destruction and damnation thereof to hell. Their destruction spoken of in the Word is no other than that, after death, those are cast down into hell who have arrogated to themselves Divine power, and have exercised it; and for that purpose have kept the people of the earth in dense darkness or blindness, and in idolatrous worship, especially those who have led men away from the worship of the Lord.

[13] Because these are the things described in that chapter, the passages which have been quoted shall be briefly explained:- Jehovah shall have compassion upon Jacob, and shall again choose Israel, to set him in their land, signifies a new church to be established by the Lord after the end of Babylon. In that day thou shalt declare this parable concerning the king of Babel, and shalt say, How hath the exactor ceased, the lust of gold ceased, signifies liberation from the spiritual captivity and servitude, in which those were who were under the dominion of that [church]. Jehovah hath broken the staff of the wicked, the rod of them that rule, signifies that they have no longer any power by means of truths from good, because they are in mere falsities from evil. Such is their impotence in the spiritual world. All the earth is at rest, they break forth into singing, even the oaks shall rejoice on account of thee, the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down no feller hath come upon us, signifies that those who are in the knowledges of good and truth will no longer be infested by them. The land is a new church, which will be at rest from them. The oaks and the cedars of Lebanon are the knowledges of good and truth in the external and internal senses; the feller not coming upon them denotes no more infestation. Hell beneath is moved on account of thee, to meet thee in thy coming; it hath stirred up Rephaim on account of thee, all the mighty of the earth; it hath made to rise from their thrones all the kings of the nations, signifies the delight of revenge of those who are in hell. All they shall answer and say, Art thou become weak like us? art thou become like unto us? And thy magnificence cast down into hell, the tumult of thy psalteries, signifies that the delight is from the consideration, that it is become like to them, and in like manner in the falsities of evil. How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning, thou art cut down to the earth, thou art weakened beneath the nations, signifies scorning because it is such, although in the beginning it was in heaven, because in the good of love and in the truths of faith. These things are said by those who are in hell, because nothing is more delightful to those who are there than to draw any one down from heaven, and to destroy by the falsities of evil. But yet thou hast said in thine heart, I will exalt my throne above the stars of heaven, and I will sit in the mount of the assembly, in the sides of the north, I will ascend above the heights of the cloud, I will become like to the Most High. These are also words of scorning upon the pride of their dominion, that still they reach to heaven, and arrogate to themselves Divine power, and thereby subject all things of heaven and all things of the church to their own will, in order that they may be worshipped and adored as gods. The mount of the assembly at the sides of the north, denotes where there is ascent into the heavens. Above the stars and above the heights of the cloud, denotes over Divine truth, stars denoting the knowledges of good and truth, and the heights of the cloud the interior truths of the Word. But notwithstanding thou art cast down to hell, to the sides of the pit, those who see thee consider thee. Is this the man that moveth the earth, that maketh the kingdoms tremble, hath made the world into a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof? is a continuation of the scorning of those who are in hell, and also of the glorying thence that it is cast down from heaven. The sides of the pit are the places in hell where are mere falsities of evil. By the earth, the kingdoms, and the world, is signified the church; and by cities are signified doctrinals. Thou art cast forth from thy sepulchre as an abominable shoot, the raiment of the slain, thrust through with the sword, who descend to the stones of the pit, as a carcase trodden under foot, signifies the state of their damnation. The garment of them that are slain, thrust through with the sword, and the carcase trodden under foot, signify the damnation of the profanation of truth. Thou shalt not be joined with them in the sepulchre, for thou hast destroyed thy land, thou hast slain thy people: the seed of the malicious shall not be named for ever, signifies more grievous damnation than of the rest, on account of having extinguished all things of the church. Prepare the slaughter for his sons for the iniquity of their fathers, that they may not arise and possess the earth, and fill the faces of the earth with cities, signifies the destruction of them for ever. I will cut off from Babel the name and the residue, and the son and the grandson, signifies total destruction, because they have no longer any thing of good or of truth. I will make thee a heritage for the bittern, and pools of waters, and I will sweep her with the besom of destruction, signifies the infernal falsity by the destruction of truth. I will break Asshur in my land, and upon my mountains will I tread him under foot, signifies that in the New Church there shall not be any reasonings from falsities against truths and goods. The things in this chapter may be seen more particularly explained in other parts of this work, as (n.208, 223, 304, 331, 386, 405, 539, 589, 594, 608, 659, 687, 697, 724, 727, 730, 741, 768, 811.

[14] Again:

"So shall Babel be the ornament of kingdoms and the glory of the magnificence of the Chaldeans; as the overthrow of God, Sodom and Gomorrah, it shall not be inhabited for ever; it shall not be dwelt in even to generation and generation; so that the Arab shall not tarry there, nor the shepherds cause to lie down. But the Ziim shall be there, and their houses shall be filled with Ochim, and the daughters of the owl shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there: the Iim also shall answer in her palaces, and the dragons in the palaces of their delights: her time is near to come, and her day shall not be drawn out" (Isaiah 13:19-22).

The subject treated of in the whole of that chapter is the total devastation of all things of the good, and of all things of the truth of the church, with those who are of Babylon. By so shall Babel be, in the literal sense, is meant the great city called Babel; but, in the spiritual sense, is meant the church which became Babylon. Babel is called the ornament of the kingdoms, and the glory of the magnificence of the Chaldeans, from the wisdom of that church in its beginning, as said before; but, in general, by Babel or Babylon is meant the church in which all the goods of love are destroyed and at last profaned; and by Chaldea, the church in which all the truths of faith are destroyed and at last profaned. Hence it is that it is called the overthrow of God, Sodom and Gomorrah; Sodom also signifying the destruction of all good by the love of self, and Gomorrah the destruction of all the truth therefrom. It shall not be inhabited for ever; it shall not be dwelt in even to generation and generation, signifies the destruction thereof to eternity; not to be inhabited for ever having respect to the destruction of good, and not to be dwelt in to generation and generation, having respect to the destruction of truth. For those who destroy good and truth, and afterwards in place of them embrace evil and falsity, cannot be reformed. It is otherwise with those who are in evils and falsities, but have not destroyed good and truth, as is the case with the Gentiles who are ignorant of good and truth. The Arab shall not tarry there, and the shepherds shall not cause to lie down, signifies that the church will become such a wilderness, the Arab denoting those who live in a wilderness, but do not continue there, because there is no corn or fruit, as is the case also with the flock of the shepherds, when there is no pasture. The Iim shall lie down there, and the houses shall be filled with Ochim, signifies infernal falsities and the evils pertaining to them, the Iim denoting infernal falsities, and the Ochim infernal evils; and the house is the mind of those who are of such a quality. The daughters of the owl shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there, signifies that falsified truths and adulterated goods are there. Falsified truths are the daughters of the owl, and adulterated goods are the satyrs; and to dance denotes the joy from the filthy love which has adulterated the good of love. The Iim, shall answer in her palaces, and the dragons in the palaces of her delights, signifies those adulterations and falsifications in their doctrines.

[15] Babel is similarly described in other passages in the prophets. As in Jeremiah:

"O sword against Babel, O sword against her treasures, that they may be spoiled; a drought upon her waters, that they may be dried up, because it is a land of graven images, and they glory concerning horrible things; therefore the Ziim with the Iim shall dwell there, and the daughters of the owl shall dwell therein; she shall not sit any more for ever, nor shall she inhabit even to generation and generation; according to the overthrow of God, Sodom and Gomorrah, and the neighbouring cities thereof, a man shall not dwell there, neither shall the son of man abide therein" (50:35, 37-40).

In the same:

"Flee out of the midst of Babel, and deliver a man his soul, lest ye be cut off for the iniquity thereof; a cup of gold is Babel in the hand of Jehovah, making drunken the whole earth. The nations have drunk of her wine, therefore they are insane. Babel hath fallen suddenly, and is broken in pieces. Behold I am against thee, destroying mountain, saith Jehovah, that destroyest the whole earth. And I will stretch out my hand against thee, and will roll thee down from the rocks, and I will make thee for a mountain of combustion. Neither shall they take from thee a stone for a corner. Babel shall become heaps, a dwelling of dragons, a stupor and hissing, no inhabitant" (51:6, 7, 8, 25, 26, 37).

In Isaiah:

"Hear now," Babel, "sitting securely, saying in her heart, I am, and there is no one else besides me. I shall not sit a widow, neither shall I know bereaving. But these two things shall come to thee in a moment, in one day, bereaving and widowhood. They shall come full upon thee, for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantments. For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness, not seeing me. Thy wisdom and thy science hath seduced thee, while thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and there is none besides me. Therefore evil shall come upon thee, which thou knowest not to deprecate, and calamity shall fall upon thee, which thou shalt not be able to expiate; and there shall come upon thee suddenly a devastation that thou shalt not know" (47:8-11).

Thus is described the destruction of Babel not only there, but also in the whole of chapter 47 of Isaiah, also in the whole of chapters 50 and 51 of Jeremiah; also in Isaiah 21:8, 9, and in David (Psalms 137:1, 8, 9).

The adulteration of good and falsification of truth by the Jews is also described by their whoredoms in Egypt, and afterwards with the daughters of Asshur; and lastly with the daughters of Babel and the Chaldeans (Ezekiel 16:1, to the end; 23:1, to the end). And by whoredoms in Egypt is meant the falsification of truth from the natural man, which is effected by fallacies, appearances, and scientifics. By their whoredom with the daughters of Asshur is signified the falsification of truth from the rational man, which is effected by reasonings and sophistries from fallacies, appearances, and scientifics. By their whoredom with the daughters of Babel and with the Chaldeans is signified the adulteration of good and profanation of truth.

[16] When, therefore, the sons of Israel altogether departed from the statutes, that were representative of the spiritual things of the church by which they had communication with heaven, then they were all given into the hands of the king of Assyria. For there was no longer any representative church with them, and, consequently, no communication with heaven. Concerning their prevarications, and concerning their transportation by the king of Assyria into his cities, and also into Babel, see 2 Kings 17:1, to the end.

It came to pass similarly with the Jews, who, when they had so adulterated and profaned all the statutes, judgments, and laws, which represented the good of love and the truth of faith, that there was no longer anything of good and truth remaining, and when their church, consequently, became Babylon, then into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel were given not only their kings and princes, and the whole people, but also all the treasures of the house of Jehovah, and afterwards all the golden vessels thereof; and, moreover, the temple itself was burned.

Concerning which see 2 Kings 24:1-20; 25:1-26; also Isaiah 20:17, 18; 39:6, 7; Jeremiah 20:4, 5; 21:4-10; 25:1-12; 27:6-22; 28:1-16; 29:1-21; 32:1-5; 34:1-17, 18-22; 35:11; 38:17-23; 39:2-18; 41:1-12; 52:1, to the end.

Their transgressions were:

That they filled Jerusalem with innocent blood (2 Kings 24:4);

That they burned incense to Baal; made drink offerings to other gods; set up abominations in the house of Jehovah; built high places to Baal in the valley of Hinnom; delivered up their sons and daughters to Molech (Jeremiah 32:29-35);

by all of which is signified the profanation of the holy things of the church, the same kind of profanation that is also signified by Babel. Therefore, lest the land, by which the church was signified, should any longer be profaned by them, and also that Babel might thence fully put on its representation, it was said to them by Jeremiah that they should freely give themselves into the hands of the king of Babel; and that if they did not so give themselves up, but remained in the land, they should die by the sword, by famine and by pestilence (Jeremiah 25:1-11).

[17] But because the Lord should be born in that nation, and manifest Himself where the church then was, and where His Word was, therefore that nation, after a captivity of seventy years, was brought back from Babel, and the temple rebuilt. But still no other church remained with them, except that which was like the church Babylon, as is evident from many things which the Lord Himself said concerning that nation, and by the manner in which they received Him. Therefore Jerusalem was at last destroyed, and the temple burnt with fire.

[18] It must be observed in general, that every church at its beginning is like a virgin, but in process of time it becomes a whore. For by degrees it enters into the life of evil, and thence embraces the doctrine of falsity, as it gradually begins to love self and the world; and then from being a church it becomes either Babylon or Philistea, Babylon with those who love themselves above all things, and Philistea with those who love the world above all things. For as these two loves increase, so, the men of the church adulterate and falsify the goods and truths of the Word, which is from being a virgin to become a harlot.

That the first church after the Deluge would also have become Babylon, unless the Lord, by the dispersal of their religion, had impeded the attempt, is represented and signified by the tower reaching even to heaven, which the posterity of Noah began to build, treated of in Genesis (11:1-9), and explained as to the particulars in Arcana Coelestia 1283-1328).

After having thus shown from the Word what is signified in general and specifically by Babel or Babylon, we are now prepared to pass on to the explanation of those things that are foretold in this and the following chapter concerning its destruction.

329. Because it is said, "Thou hast redeemed us to God in thy blood," and this is understood within the church entirely according to the sense of the letter, and not according to any spiritual sense, I wish also to show, that by blood is not meant blood, or the Lord's passion upon the cross, but the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, and the reception thereof by man; consequently, that by, "Thou hast redeemed us in thy blood," is denoted that He has delivered and freed from hell those who acknowledge Him, and receive Divine truth from Him (as has been said above, n. 328). In illustration of this point I desire to adduce the following. Because all things that were commanded, in the Israelitish church, were representatives of celestial and spiritual things, and not the least thing was otherwise, therefore it was also commanded, when the paschal supper was first instituted,

That they should take of the blood, and sprinkle it on the two side-posts and on the upper door-post, upon the houses wherein they should eat the paschal lamb; "and the blood shall be for you for a sign upon the houses where you are, and when I shall see the blood, I will pass over you, nor shall there be any plague upon you from the destroyer, when I shall pass through the land of Egypt."

And further:

"Ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two sideposts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning. And Jehovah will pass through to smite the Egyptian; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side-posts, Jehovah will pass over the door, and will not suffer the smiter to come into your houses to smite you (Exodus 12:7, 13, 22, 23).

He who does not know that there is any spiritual sense in the Word, believes that by blood is here meant the Lord's blood upon the cross; but this is not at all understood in heaven. But by the paschal supper here the angels there understand the same as by the Holy Supper instituted by the Lord, in which instead of the paschal lamb there are bread and wine; and then the Lord said that the bread was His flesh and that the wine was His blood; and any one knows, or may know, that bread and wine are what nourish the body, the bread as meat and the wine as drink, and that in the Word, which in its inmost is spiritual, those things also must be spiritually understood.

[2] Thus bread means all spiritual meat, and wine all spiritual drink; spiritual meat is all the good that is communicated and imparted to man by the Lord, and spiritual drink is all the truth that is communicated and imparted to him by the Lord; these two, namely, good and truth, or love and faith, make a man spiritual; it is said, or love and faith, because all good is of love, and all truth of faith. Hence it is evident that by bread is meant the Divine good of the Lord's Divine love, and as to man, that [good] received by him; and that by wine is meant the Divine truth proceeding from the Divine good of the Lord's Divine love, and as to man, that [truth] received by him. Because the Lord says that His flesh is bread, and His blood is wine, it is evident that by the Lord's flesh is meant the Divine good of His Divine love, and that by eating it, is meant to receive it, to appropriate to oneself, and thus to be conjoined with the Lord; and that by the Lord's blood is meant the Divine truth proceeding from the Divine good of His Divine love, and that by drinking it is meant to receive that [truth], to appropriate to oneself, and thus to be conjoined with the Lord.

[3] Spiritual nourishment also is from the good and truth which proceed from the Lord, as all the nourishment of the body is from meat and drink; hence also is their correspondence, which is such, that where anything of meat, or that serves, for meat, is named in the Word, good is meant, and where anything of drink is named, or what serves for drink, truth is meant. From these considerations it is evident, that by the blood from the Paschal lamb, which the sons of Israel were commanded to sprinkle upon the two posts, and upon the lintel of their houses, is meant the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord; this also on being received in faith and life, protects man against the evils which rise up out of hell, for the Lord is with man in His Divine truth, for it is of the Lord Himself with him, yea, it is Himself with him. Who that thinks from sound reason cannot see that the Lord is not in His blood with any one, but in His Divine, which is the good of love and the good of faith received by man? What, however, each particular there signifies, namely, what the two posts and the lintel, what the destroyer and smiter, and what Egypt, and what many other things in that chapter, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia, where they are explained.

[4] From these observations it is clear now, without further explanation, what is signified by the Lord's words when He instituted the Holy Supper:

"And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, brake, and gave to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and having given thanks, he gave to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many. I say unto you that I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine until that day when I shall drink it with you in the kingdom of God" (Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:15-20).

Because by wine is meant Divine truth nourishing spiritual life, therefore the Lord says to them, "I say unto you that I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine until that day when I shall drink it new with you in the kingdom of God." Hence it is evident that what is meant is [something] spiritual, for He says, that He would drink with them, and that in the kingdom of God, or in heaven, and also that He would eat with them of the Paschal lamb there (Luke 22:16).

[5] From what has been said above it is also clear what is signified by these words of the Lord:

"The bread that I will give is my flesh. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye shall have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, abideth in me, and I in him. This is the bread which came down from heaven" (John 6:51-58).

That the Lord's flesh is Divine good and His blood Divine truth, both of them from Him, is evident from this fact, that those are the things that nourish the soul; hence it is said, "My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed."

And because a man by the Divine good and truth is conjoined to the Lord, therefore it is also said, "Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, shall have eternal life," and also, "He abideth in me and I in him." The reason why the Lord thus spoke, namely, why He said His flesh and His blood, and not His Divine good and His Divine truth, is, that the sense of the letter of the Word might be composed of such things as correspond to spiritual things, in which the angels are; hence the conjunction of the men of the church by means of the Word with them, which could not be otherwise effected (see the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 252, 258-262; and the work concerning Heaven and Hell 303-310).

[6] Because blood signifies the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, and by the reception thereof by man conjunction with the Lord is effected, therefore the blood is called the blood of the covenant, for covenant signifies conjunction. The blood is called the blood of the covenant by the Lord when He instituted the Holy Supper; for He said,

"Drink ye all of it, for this is my blood of the new covenant" or testament (Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20).

It is also called the blood of the covenant in Moses; where these [passages occur]:

"Moses came" from Mount Sinai "and told the people all the words of Jehovah, and all the judgments. And Moses wrote all the words of Jehovah, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the mount. And he sent youths of the sons of Israel, and offered burnt-offerings, and sacrificed bullocks as sacrifices of peace unto Jehovah. And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the ears of the people; and they said, All that Jehovah hath said will we do and hear. And he took the blood, and sprinkled it upon the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which Jehovah hath concluded with you upon all these words. And they saw the God of Israel; and there was under his feet as the work of a sapphire stone, and as the substance of heaven for purity" (Exodus 24:3-8, 10).

That blood here signifies the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord and received by man, and thence conjunction, is evident, for half of it was sprinkled upon the altar, and half upon the people; for by the altar was signified all worship that is from the good of love, and by the people, those who perform worship, and receive the good of love by means of truths; for all reception of Divine good is effected by means of truths made truths of life, and conjunction thence is by the good in those truths. That there is conjunction by the good in those truths, or by truths made truths of life, and that blood was a representative thereof, is quite clear from the words here, for this was done when Moses descended from mount Sinai, whence the Law was promulgated, and also the statutes and judgments which were to be observed; and it is said that Moses wrote all those words of Jehovah, and read them in the ears of the people, who said, "All that Jehovah hath said will we do and hear," which they said twice, as may be seen in verses 3 and 7.

[7] Words or truths become truths of life by doing them; and because Moses wrote those words, he called them "the Book of the Covenant," by which is signified that there is conjunction by its means. By the law promulgated by Jehovah from mount Sinai, and by the statutes and judgments which were also commanded at that time, is signified all Divine truth, or Divine truth in its whole compass. Hence it is that these things are called "the Book of the Covenant," and the ark in which that book was placed, the "Ark of the Covenant," covenant signifying conjunction. Because the Divine truth, by which there is conjunction, proceeds from the Lord, therefore also the Lord was seen by them and under the feet as the work of sapphire stone. That He was so seen under the feet signifies that the Divine truth is such in ultimates. The Divine truth in ultimates is the Divine truth in the sense of the letter of the Word; the work of sapphire stone signifies the transparency thereof from Divine truth in the internal or spiritual sense; the God of Israel is the Lord. (That the sapphire stone signifies transparency from internal truths, may be seen, n. 9407; and that the God of Israel is the Lord as to the Divine Human, may be seen above, n. 328.) Hence now it is evident, that a covenant or conjunction is made by Divine truth, and that the blood sprinkled upon the altar, and half thereof upon the people, was a representative of it, because blood signifies the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, and received by man, as has been said above. (That a covenant signifies conjunction may be seen, n. 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021, 6804, 8767, 8778, 9396, 10632. That the law, in a strict sense, signifies the ten precepts of the Decalogue, and, in a broad sense, the whole Word, thus all Divine truth, n. 2606, 3382, 6752, 7463, 9417. That mount Sinai thence signifies heaven where the Lord is, from whom is Divine truth, or from whom is the law, in both the strict and broad sense, n. 8399, 8753, 8793, 8805, 9420; and that the altar was the principal representative of the Lord, and of the worship of Him from the good of love, n. 921, 2777, 2811, 4489, 4541, 8935, 8940, 9388, 9389, 9714, 9963, 9964, 10123, 10151, 10242, 10245, 10642.)

[8] Because blood signifies the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, and received by man, whence there is conjunction, therefore, all things representative of things Divine proceeding from the Lord, which are also called celestial and spiritual, were consecrated by oil and by blood, and were then called holy. The reason why they were consecrated by oil and blood, that they might represent, was because by oil was signified the Divine good of the Divine love, and by blood the Divine truth thence proceeding, for truth proceeds from good. That consecrations and sanctifications were made by oil, will be seen in the following pages, under the proper article; here only those passages shall be mentioned, which relate to blood; as:

When Aaron and his sons were sanctified, that blood was sprinkled upon the horns of the altar and round about the altar; and upon Aaron and his sons, and upon their garments (Exodus 29:12, 16, 21; Leviticus 8:24).

That blood was sprinkled seven times before the veil which was upon the ark, and upon the horns of the altar of incense (Leviticus 4:6, 7, 17, 18).

That before Aaron entered within the veil to the mercy-seat, he should sacrifice, and burn incense, and should sprinkle the blood with the finger on the mercy-seat seven times towards the east (Leviticus 16:12-15).

That the blood of the burnt-offering and of the sacrifice should be sprinkled upon the altar, around the altar, and at the bottom of the altar (Leviticus 1:5, 11, 15; 3:2, 8, 13; 4:25, 30, 34; 5:9; 8:15, 24; 17:6; Num. 18:17; Deuteronomy 12:27).

That the blood should be sprinkled upon the horns of the altar, and thus the altar should be purified (Exodus 30:10; Leviticus 16:18, 19).

The reason why the blood from the burnt-offerings and sacrifices was sprinkled, and poured out upon the altar, around the altar, or at the foundation thereof was, because the altar with the burnt-offerings and sacrifices upon it represented and thence signified all worship from the good of love and the truths thence; and because truths proceed from good, therefore the blood was sprinkled on, and poured out, around the altar, for around signifies proceeding.

[9] But these things may be more evident from what has been shown concerning burnt-offerings and sacrifices in the Arcana Coelestia, as from the following: That burnt-offerings and sacrifices signified all things of worship from the good of love, and the truths thence, n. 923, 6905, 8680, 8936, 10042. That therefore burnt-offerings and sacrifices were called bread, n. 2165, because bread signifies every thing that nourishes spiritual life, n. 2165, 3478, 4976, 5147, 5915, 6118, 8410, 8418, 9323, 10686. That burnt-offerings and sacrifices signified Divine, celestial, and spiritual things, which are the internals of the church, from which are all things of worship, n. 2180, 2805, 2807, 2830, 3519, with a variation according to the variety of worship, n. 2805, 6905, 8936. That, therefore, there were many kinds of burnt-offerings and sacrifices, and in them various processes, and also various animals of which they consisted, n. 2830, 9391, 9990. That the various things which they specifically signified, may be known from the particulars of the process unfolded by the internal sense, n. 10042. That in the rituals and processes of the sacrifices are contained mysteries of heaven, n. 10057. That in general there are contained [in them] arcana of the glorification of the Lord's Human, and in a respective sense arcana of man's regeneration and his purification from evils and falsities, n. 9990, 10022, 10042, 10053, 10057. What was signified by the meat-offerings, which were bread and cakes, which also were offered in sacrifice, n. 10079; what by the drink-offering, which was wine, n. 4581, 10137.

[10] These things being understood, it can be known from them that by the blood of the sacrifice also elsewhere in the Word is signified Divine truth; as in Ezekiel:

"Say to the bird of every wing, and to the beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves from every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood. Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth. And ye shall eat fat to satiety, and drink blood even to drunkenness, of my sacrifice which I sacrifice for you. And ye shall be satiated at my table with horse, with chariot, with every man of war: So will I give my glory among the nations" (39:17-21).

The restoration of the church is the subject here treated of, and by Israel and Jacob are meant all who belong to the church, concerning whom therefore these things are said. By a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel are signified all things of their worship; by flesh and by fat is signified the good of love, and by blood truth from that good, from which worship the abundance of both is described by their eating flesh and fat to satiety, and drinking blood even to drunkenness, and this from the sacrifice; wherefore it is also said, they shall be satiated at my table with horse, chariot, and every man of war; for by horse is signified the understanding of truth, by chariot doctrine, and by a man of war truth fighting against falsity and destroying it. Who cannot see that by the blood here mentioned, is not meant blood, as that they should drink the blood of the princes of the earth, and that they should drink blood even to drunkenness from the sacrifice? The princes of the earth signify the principal truths of the church; hence their blood signifies spiritual nourishment from those truths. Because such things are signified, therefore, in this chapter, it is also said lastly concerning Israel, by whom is signified the church:

"Then will I not hide my faces any longer from them for I will pour out my spirit upon Israel" (verse 29).

The reason why it is said, say to the bird of every wing and to the beast of the field, is because by the bird of every wing is signified spiritual truth in its whole compass, and by the beast of the field the affection of good. (That by birds in the Word are signified things spiritual, see n. 745, 776, 866, 988, 991, 3219, 5149, 7441; in like manner by wings, n. 8764, 9514. That by beasts are signified affections, and by the beasts of the field the affections of good, n. 2180, 3218, 3519, 5198, 9090, 9280, 10609; and that hence both birds and beasts were used in sacrifices, n. 1823, 3519, 7523, 9280.)

[11] In confirmation that the beast of the field and the fowl signify such things, I will adduce here only one passage from the Word:

"In that day will I make a covenant for them with the beast of the field, and with the bird of the heavens, and with the creeping thing of the ground; and the bow and the sword and the battle will I break off from the earth. And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; and I will betroth thee unto me in justice and in judgment, and in mercy and in compassions, and I will betroth thee unto me in truth" (Hosea 2:18, 19, 20).

Here, by making a covenant with the beast of the field, and with the bird of the heavens, is signified with the affections of good and with spiritual truths, for with these the Lord is conjoined to man, the Lord being in these things with him; hence it is called a covenant with them, covenant denoting conjunction. That beasts signify the affections of good, and birds things spiritual, will be fully shown in the following pages under their proper articles.

[12] Because the fat in sacrifices signified Divine good, and the blood Divine truth, both from the Lord, and both received by man, effected conjunction, the posterity of Jacob, or the Jews and Israelites, were therefore forbidden to eat any fat or any blood (see Leviticus 3:17; 7:23-27; 17:11-14; Deuteronomy 12:16, 23-25; 15:23). The reason of this was, because that nation was not in any good of love, nor in any truth of good, but in the falsities of evil; and to eat fat and blood signified with them the mingling of truth from good with falsity from evil, which is profanation; hence also it is evident that by blood is signified the Divine truth. That fat or fatness in the Word signifies the good of love, may be seen, n. 353, 5943, 6409, 10033. And that the Jews and Israelites were solely in externals and not in internals, and, consequently, not in spiritual truths and goods, but in falsities of evil; and that all things of their worship were externals separated from things internal, and that still by things external they could represent the internal things of worship, may be seen in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 248.

[13] Because the blood in the sacrifices signified Divine truth, therefore also it was forbidden them

to sacrifice upon what was leavened the blood of the sacrifice (Exodus 23:18; 34:25).

For by leaven is signified falsity, and by what was leavened truth falsified (see n. 2342, 7906, 8051, 9992).

[14] The reason why the Lord's flesh signifies the Divine good of the Divine love, and why His blood signifies the Divine truth proceeding from that good, is, because there are two things which proceed from the Lord's Divine Human, namely, Divine good and Divine truth, hence the latter is His blood, and the former is His flesh. That which proceeds is the Divine-celestial and the Divine-spiritual, which constitute the heavens in general and in particular. (But this will better appear from what has been shown in the work concerning Heaven and Hell, under the following articles, namely, that the Divine of the Lord makes heaven, n. 7-12; that the Divine of the Lord in heaven is love to Him, and charity towards the neighbour, n. 13-19; that hence the whole heaven in the whole and in part has reference to one man, n. 59-77; that this is from the Lord's Divine Human, n. 78-87; and moreover from what [has been] shown concerning the sun in heaven, and concerning the light and heat thence, and that the heat is the Divine good, and the light the Divine truth, both proceeding from the Lord, n. 116-140. From all these considerations it may in some degree be comprehended, whence it is that the Divine proceeding is meant by flesh and blood, namely, the Divine good by flesh and the Divine truth by blood.)

[15] There are also two things with man which constitute his spiritual life, namely, the good of love and the truth of faith; the will is the receptacle of the good of love with him, and the understanding is the receptacle of the truth of faith with him. All things of the mind, that is, of the will and understanding, have a correspondence with all things of the body, wherefore, the latter are moved at the command of the former. The correspondence of the will is in general with the flesh, and the correspondence of the understanding is with the blood; hence it is that man's voluntary proprium is meant in the Word by flesh, and the intellectual proprium by blood; as in Matthew:

"Jesus said to Simon, Blessed art thou, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee" (16:17).

These things are adduced, that it may be known that in the Word things voluntary and intellectual, thus spiritual, are meant by flesh and blood, where they are said of man, and things Divine where they are said of the Lord. But these observations are intended for those whose minds can be elevated above natural ideas and can see causes.

[16] This also is what is signified by the blood and water which issued out of the Lord's side concerning which it is thus written in John:

"One of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came thereout blood and water. And he that saw testifieth, and his testimony is sure; he knoweth that he saith true things, that ye also might believe" (19:34, 35).

These things were done that they might signify the Lord's conjunction with the human race by means of the Divine truth proceeding from the Divine good of His love. Breast signifies Divine love; blood and water signify Divine truth proceeding; blood the Divine truth which is for the spiritual man, and water the Divine truth which is for the natural [man]; for all things related in the Word concerning the Lord's passion are also significative (see above, n. 83, 195 at end). And because those things signify His love, and man's salvation by the Divine truth proceeding from Him, therefore the evangelist also says: "He that saw testifieth, and his testimony is sure; he knoweth that he saith true things, that ye also might believe."

[17] To what has been already adduced, I desire to add the following passages from the Word. In Zechariah:

"Exult greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, thy King cometh. And he shall speak peace unto the nations; and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth. As for thee, also, by the blood of thy covenant I will send forth thy bound ones out of the pit wherein is no water" (9:9-11).

These things are spoken concerning the Lord, and the establishment of the church among the nations by Him. By the blood of the covenant is here meant the Divine truth, by which conjunction of the Lord [shall be effected], with those who shall be of His church, as stated above; wherefore it is also said, "I will send forth thy bound ones out of the pit wherein is no water," for by those are signified the nations that are in falsities from ignorance; the pit in which there is no water signifies where there is no truth, and to send them forth thence, signifies to liberate them from them. That by water is signified the truth of the church, may be seen above, n. 71; and that by the bound in the pit are signified those who are in falsities from ignorance, and, nevertheless, in the desire of knowing truths, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 4728, 4744, 5038, 6854, 7950.

[18] In David:

God "shall save the souls of the needy; he shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence; and precious shall their blood be in his eyes. And he shall live, and he shall give him of the gold of Sheba; and shall pray for him continually; all the day shall he bless him. Upon the top of the mountains his fruit shall be shaken" (Psalms 72:13-16).

The needy are here treated of, by whom are signified those who desire truths from a spiritual affection. Concerning these it is said, that from deceit and violence He shall redeem their soul; by which is signified their liberation from evils and falsities, which destroy the goods of love and the truths of faith. That their reception of Divine truth is acceptable and grateful to the Lord, is signified by, their blood shall be precious in His eyes; blood here denoting the Divine truth received. Their reformation is described by these words: "He shall live, and he shall give him of the gold of Sheba; and shall pray for him continually; all the day shall he bless him." The gold of Sheba denotes the good of charity; to pray for them continually signifies that they shall be continually withheld from falsities, and kept in truths; and He shall bless him, signifies that they shall be continually in the good of charity and faith; wherefore it is also said, "Upon the top of the mountains his fruit shall be shaken," the top of the mountains signifying heaven, whence they have the good of love from the Lord, which is the fruit.

[19] In Moses:

"The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; who shall bind to the vine his ass's foal, and to the noble vine the son of his she-ass, whilst he washeth his garments in wine, and his covering in the blood of grapes" (Genesis 49:10, 11).

In this prophetical declaration the Lord is treated of, concerning whom it is said, "He shall bind to the vine his ass's foal, and to the noble vine the son of his she-ass, he shall wash his garments in wine, and his covering in the blood of grapes"; and by a vine is signified the church, and by wine and the blood of grapes is signified the Divine truth. What the other things signify may be seen in the explanation of those words in the Arcana Coelestia. The same is meant by the blood of grapes in Deuteronomy 32:14; where the subject treated of is the Ancient Church reformed by the Divine truth.

[20] From what has been shown in this and the preceding article, it is evident to those who acknowledge the spiritual sense of the Word, that by, "Thou hast redeemed us to God in thy blood," is meant conjunction with the Divine by the acknowledgment of the Lord, and by the reception of Divine truth from Him; and that the same is meant by blood in the twelfth chapter of this prophetical book, where it is said:

That Michael and his angels overcame the dragon by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony (verse 11).

It is said, the blood of the Lamb, and the word of the testimony, because the blood of the Lamb signifies the reception of Divine truth from the Lord, and the word of the testimony the acknowledgment of His Divine Human.

[21] That blood signifies the Divine truth is still further evident from its opposite sense, in which blood signifies violence offered to the Divine truth by the falsities of evil, and its destruction thereby; and because opposites also show what is signified in the genuine sense, therefore I desire to adduce some passages in which blood and bloods signify that. It is to be observed that most things in the Word have also an opposite sense, and that from that sense it may be known what is signified in the genuine sense; let these therefore serve for illustration. In the Apocalypse:

"The second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man; and every living animal in the sea died. And the third angel poured out his vial into the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood" (16:3, 4).

And elsewhere:

The two witnesses "have power over the waters, to turn them into blood" (Apoc. 11:6).

In Isaiah:

"The waters of Nimrim shall be desolations; and the waters of Dimon are full of blood" (15:6, 9).

In David:

"He sent darkness, and made it dark. He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish" (Psalms 105:28, 29).

From these passages from the opposite it appears what blood signifies; for blood, in the genuine sense, signifies the Divine truth, and with the recipients truth from good; hence, in the opposite sense, it signifies violence offered to the Divine truth, and with those who do that, falsity from evil. This opposite signification appears from this circumstance, that the waters of the sea, the rivers, and fountains, are said to be turned into blood; for by waters are signified truths, wherefore by blood there falsities which destroy truths. By the living animal in the sea, and by the fish, are signified true scientifics; thus by their dying and being slain by blood are signified those truths also destroyed. That by waters are signified truths, may be seen above, n. 71; and that by fish are signified the true scientifics of the natural man, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 40, 991.

[22] Again, in the Apocalypse:

"I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth, and the whole moon became [as] blood" (6:12).

In Joel:

"I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth; blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great day of Jehovah come" (2:30, 31).

Here also from the opposite it is known, that blood signifies violence offered to the Divine truth; for by the sun in the Word is signified the Divine Celestial, which is the Divine good, and by the moon is signified the Divine Spiritual, which is the Divine truth; therefore it is said that the moon shall be turned into blood. That the moon has this signification may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 118, 119.

[23] In Isaiah:

"He who walketh in justice, and speaketh righteousness, who stoppeth his ear lest he hear bloods, and shutteth his eyes lest he see evil" (33:15).

To stop the ear lest he hear bloods, denotes lest he hear falsities from evil.

In David:

"Thou wilt destroy them that speak a lie; a man of bloods and deceit Jehovah abominates" (Psalms 5:6).

The man of bloods and deceit [is used] for those who are in falsities from evil, and therefore it is said, "Thou wilt destroy them that speak lies"; lies in the Word signifying falsities.

In Isaiah:

"And it shall come to pass that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy unto him, every one that is written to life in Jerusalem. When the Lord shall have washed the excrement of the daughters of Zion, and shall have washed away the bloods of Jerusalem out of the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of cleansing" (4:3, 4).

Because by Jerusalem is signified the church as to doctrine, it is therefore said, When He shall have washed away its bloods out of the midst thereof, by which, therefore, are signified the falsities of evil. By the spirit of judgment is signified the Divine truth, and because this purifies, it is said by the spirit of cleansing.

[24] In Ezekiel:

"In the day wherein thou wast born, I passed by beside thee, and I saw thee trodden under foot in thy bloods, and I said to thee, In thy bloods, live; yea, I said to thee, In thy bloods, live; I have washed thee; and I have washed away thy bloods from upon thee, and I have anointed thee with oil" (16:5, 6, 9, 22, 36, 38).

The subject here treated of is Jerusalem, by which is signified the church as to the doctrine of truth, first here concerning the falsities of evil in which it was before it was reformed, and afterwards concerning its reformation. The falsities of evil are signified by its being seen trodden under foot in bloods; and its reformation by His having washed, and washed away the bloods, and anointed with oil. To wash signifies to purify by truths; to wash away bloods signifies to remove the falsities of evil; and to anoint with oil signifies to gift with the good of love.

[25] In Lamentations:

"For the sins of the prophets" of Jerusalem, "and the iniquities of her priests; that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her. They have wandered blind in the streets, they are polluted with blood, the things that they cannot they touch with their garments" (4:13, 14).

By the prophets of Jerusalem are signified those who will teach the truths of doctrine, and by the priests those who will lead by truths to good; here, in the opposite sense, because it is said for their sins. By shedding the blood of the just is signified to falsify truths and to adulterate goods; therefore it is said, "They have wandered blind in the streets, they are polluted with blood, the things that they cannot they touch with their garments." To wander blind in the streets, signifies not to see truths at all, streets denoting truths; polluted with blood, signifies to be wholly in falsities; by its being said, the things that they cannot they touch with [their] garments, signifies that what they cannot pervert they falsify, garments denoting the truths that invest interior things, which truths are the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word.

In Isaiah:

"All the crowd shall be confounded by the earthquake, and the garment is polluted with bloods" (9:5).

The earthquake signifies the perversion of the church by the falsification of truth, and the garment polluted with bloods signifies the falsification of the sense of the letter of the Word.

[26] In Jeremiah:

"Wickedness hast thou taught for thy ways, in the wings also is found the blood of innocent souls, in the act of digging through I found them not, but in all these" (2:34).

Here by the blood found in the wings is signified the same as above by, the things that they cannot they touch with their garments, wings being garments. That he did not find them in the act of digging through, but in all of them, signifies that the truths themselves they dared not destroy, but that they falsified the truths of the sense of the letter, wings signifying those truths.

[27] In Isaiah:

"Your hands are full of bloods" (1:15).

In the same:

"For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue hath meditated perverseness. Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity" (59:3, 7).

Their hands being defiled with blood, and their fingers with iniquity, signifies that in all things belonging to them there is falsity and evil of falsity; the hands and the fingers signify power, and hence everything that they have in which there is power. Because these things are signified, therefore it is also said, your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue hath meditated perverseness; lies denoting falsities, and perverseness denoting the evil of falsity. That their feet make haste to shed innocent blood, signifies to destroy the good of love and charity, this being signified by shedding innocent blood; the good of innocence is that from which are all the good and truth of heaven and the church (as may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 276-283). From these considerations it is evident what is signified, in the general sense, by bloods in the plural, namely, the violence offered both to the truths and the goods of the Word and of the church. Because by shedding innocent blood is signified to destroy the good of love and charity, therefore, every kind of precaution was taken lest innocent blood should be shed, and if it was shed, that the land might be expiated (Deuteronomy 19:10, 13; 21:1-9); for the land signifies the church.

[28] In Isaiah:

"Jehovah goeth forth out of his place to visit the iniquity of the earth; then shall the earth disclose her bloods, and shall no more cover her slain" (26:21).

By the bloods that the earth shall disclose, are signified all the falsities and evils that have destroyed the truths and goods of the church, the earth denoting the church where those things are; by the slain are signified those who have perished by them. That the slain signify those who have perished by falsities and evils, may be seen, n. 315.

In the Apocalypse:

In Babylon "was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth" (18:24).

The blood of prophets and of saints means truths and goods extinguished; and the slain those who have perished by falsities and evils, as mentioned just above.

[29] The same is meant by:

"The blood of the prophets which was shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel even to the blood of Zacharias, son of Barachias, whom they slew between the temple and the altar" (Matthew 23:30, 34, 35; Luke 11:50, 51).

In the spiritual sense, by Abel are meant those who are in the good of charity, and, apart from person, that good itself; and by Cain those who make faith alone the only means of salvation, and the good of charity of no account, and thence reject and slay it; and by Zacharias are meant those who are in truths of doctrine, and, apart from person, the truth itself of doctrine; hence by the blood of both is signified the extinction of all good and truth; by their slaying him between the temple and the altar, is signified, in the spiritual sense, every kind of rejection of the Lord; for the temple signifies the Lord as to Divine truth, and the altar Him as to Divine good, and, between them, signifies both together. (That Abel, in a representative sense, denotes the good of charity, may be seen, n. 342, 354, 1179, 3325; and that Cain denotes faith alone, separate from charity, n. 340, 347, 1179, 3325. That a prophet signifies the doctrine of truth, n. 2534, 7269. That the temple signifies the Lord as to Divine truth, and the altar Him as to Divine good, and, in the respective sense, the Lord's kingdom and church as to those, n. 2777, 3720, 9714, 10642. That between both signifies where there is the marriage of the Divine good and the Divine truth, n. 10001, 10025.)

[30] In the Word, it is often said of those condemned to death, that their bloods were upon them, and thereby, in the spiritual sense, is meant that damnation was upon them on account of the falsities and evils by which they have destroyed the truths and goods of the church; for by bloods in general are signified all falsities of doctrine, of life, and of worship, from which are the evils that destroy the church. These evils are in part recounted in Ezekiel (18:10-13). These are also signified by bloods, in John:

"As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name; which were born, not of bloods, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (1:12, 13).

By the Lord's name are meant all the truths and goods by which He is to be worshipped; by bloods are meant all falsities and evils that destroy; by the will of the flesh, and by the will of man, are signified all evils of love and falsities of faith; for flesh signifies man's voluntary proprium from which is all evil, and man (vir) signifies man's intellectual proprium from which is all falsity, the will denoting where those things are; to be born of God, is to be regenerated by the truths of faith, and by a life according to them.