The Last Judgement # 54
54. What is meant by Babylon and what it is like. Babylon means all who wish to have power over others by means of religious belief. This is gaining control over people's souls, and so over their spiritual life itself, using as means the Divine elements in their religion. All those who aim at power using religion as a means are called collectively Babylon. The reason why the name of Babylon is applied to them is that in ancient times such control began, but was destroyed as soon as it started. Its beginning is described by the city and tower which had its top in heaven; its destruction by the confusion of speech; hence its name was Babel (Genesis 11:1-9). The meaning of these details in the internal or spiritual sense of the Word may be seen explained in ARCANA COELESTIA 1283-1328.
[2] Another such attempt at control was begun and set up in Babel, as is clear from the passage of Daniel which tells of Nebuchadnezzar setting up an image which all were to worship (Daniel 3). It is also meant by Belshazzar drinking with his nobles from the gold and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar had carried off from the temple at Jerusalem; and at the same time worshipping gods of gold, silver, copper and iron. Therefore it was written on the wall, He has numbered, weighed and divided. And the king was killed that same night (Daniel 5). The vessels of gold and silver from the temple at Jerusalem mean the kinds of good and truth possessed by the church; drinking from them, and at the same time worshipping gods of gold, silver, copper and iron means profaning them. The writing on the wall and the king's death mean visitation and destruction with which those were threatened who used Divine forms of good and truth as means.
[3] There are numerous descriptions in the Prophets of what the people called Babylon are like, as in Isaiah:
You are to bring out this parable about the king of Babylon. Jehovah has broken the rod of the irreligious, the sceptre of the rulers. You, Lucifer, have fallen from heaven, you are cut down right to the ground. You said in your mind, I will climb the heavens, above the stars of God I shall set my throne on high, and I shall sit on the mountain of meeting, on the north side; I shall become like the Most High. Yet will you be brought down to hell, beside the pit. I will cut off the name of Babylon and what is left of her, and make her a possession inherited by the vulture. 1 Isaiah 14:4-5, 12-15, 22-23.
Elsewhere in the same book:
The lion said, Fallen, fallen is Babylon and cast down are all the graven images of her gods. Isaiah 21:9.
See further in Isaiah chapter Isaiah 47, chapter Isaiah 48:14-20; and in Jeremiah chapter 50:1-3. This makes it plain what Babylon is.
[4] It needs to be known that a church becomes Babylon when charity and faith cease to exist and self-love begins to reign in their stead. This love rushes as fast as it is given its head, not only to exercise control over all on earth it can make its subjects, but even over heaven. Nor does it rest there; it climbs as far as the throne of God and takes His Divine power for itself. The passages quoted from the Word prove that this also happened before the Lord's coming. But that Babylon was destroyed by the Lord when He was in the world, both by their becoming utter idolaters and by the last judgment upon them at that time in the spiritual world. This is meant by the passages in the Prophets about Lucifer, who is there Babylon, being cast down to hell, and the fall of Babylon; and also by the writing on the wall and by the death of Belshazzar; and by the stone hewn from the rock which destroyed the statue in Nebuchadnezzar's dream [Daniel 2:33-34].
Notas de rodapé:
1. [The exact identification of this bird is disputed.]
Matthew 11
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And it came about that when Jesus had come to the end of giving these orders to his twelve disciples, he went away from there, teaching and preaching in their towns.
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Now when John had news in prison of the works of the Christ, he sent his disciples
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To say to him, Are you he who is to come, or are we waiting for another?
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And Jesus, answering, said to them, Go and give news to John of the things which you are seeing and hearing:
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The blind see; those who were not able to, are walking; lepers are made clean; those who were without hearing, now have their ears open; the dead come to life again, and the poor have the good news given to them.
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And a blessing will be on him who has no doubts about me.
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And when they were going away, Jesus, talking of John, said to all the people, What went you out into the waste land to see? a tall stem moving in the wind?
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But what went you out to see? a man delicately clothed? Those who have fair robes are in kings' houses.
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But why did you go out? to see a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.
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This is he of whom it has been said, See, I send my servant before your face, who will make ready your way before you.
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Truly I say to you, Among the sons of women there has not been a greater than John the Baptist: but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
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And from the days of John the Baptist till now, the kingdom of heaven is forcing its way in, and men of force take it.
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For all the prophets and the law were in force till John.
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And if you are able to see it, this is Elijah who was to come.
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He who has ears, let him give ear.
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But what comparison may I make of this generation? It is like children seated in the market-places, crying out to one another,
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We made music for you and you did not take part in the dance; we gave cries of sorrow and you made no signs of grief.
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For John came, taking no food or drink, and they say, He has an evil spirit.
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The Son of man has come feasting, and they say, See, a lover of food and wine, a friend of tax-farmers and sinners! And wisdom is judged to be right by her works.
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Then he went on to say hard things to the towns where most of his works of power were done, because they had not been turned from their sins.
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Unhappy are you, Chorazin! Unhappy are you, Beth-saida! For if the works of power which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have been turned from their sins in days gone by, clothing themselves in haircloth and putting dust on their heads.
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But I say to you, It will be better for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judging, than for you.
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And you, Capernaum, were you not to be lifted up to heaven? you will go down into hell: for if the works of power which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have been here to this day.
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But I say to you that it will be better for the land of Sodom in the day of judging, than for you.
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At that time Jesus made answer and said, I give praise to you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have kept these things secret from the wise and the men of learning, and have made them clear to little children.
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Yes, Father, for so it was pleasing in your eyes.
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All things have been given to me by my Father; and no one has knowledge of the Son, but the Father; and no one has knowledge of the Father, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will make it clear.
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Come to me, all you who are troubled and weighted down with care, and I will give you rest.
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Take my yoke on you and become like me, for I am gentle and without pride, and you will have rest for your souls;
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For my yoke is good, and the weight I take up is not hard.
