2. B

Babel and Babylon [Babel et Babylon]. See Papists.

Balaam [Bileam]. Balaam was a hypocrite and a diviner or soothsayer, and that through his counsel given to Balak he sought to destroy the children of Israel by eating things offered to idols, shown n. 114.

Balances or Scales [lances, statera]. See Measure.

Bald [calvus. ] It signifies those who are without truths from the Word, illustrated and shown n. 47.

Baptism [baptismus]. What the papists teach concerning baptism may be seen in what is set forth concerning their doctrine, n. 1. Baptism is a sacrament of repentance and an introduction into the church, illustrated n. 224, and at n. 531 toward the end 776. What the Reformed teach concerning baptism, see what is set forth concerning their doctrines at n. 7. Baptism is for a sign before angels, and for a memorial before men, n. 776. The reason of John’s baptism, n. 776. Baptism represents and thence signifies a cleansing and purification from evils and falsities, and consequently reformation and regeneration, the like was formerly signified by washing, shown n. 378.

Barley [hordeum, vide triticum]. See Wheat.

Bear [ursus]. Bears signify those who read the Word and do not understand it, whereby they involve themselves in fallacies, illustrated and shown n. 573. In the spiritual world there appear bears that are hurtful and bears that are harmless, n. 573.

Bear Witness, to [testari]. See Testimony.

Beast [bestia]. Beast signifies various things with men and angels, which are of their will or affection and their understanding and thought, illustrated and shown n. 290. Beasts signify men as to their natural affections and lusts, illustrated and shown n. 567. Affections and lusts appear in the spiritual world as beasts, concerning which see n. 601. Beasts, birds, and fish, in general termed creatures signify affections, perceptions, and thoughts with men, and consequently men as to such things, illustrated and shown n. 405. Man and beasts signify man as to spiritual affection and as to natural affection, shown n. 567. What is signified by the four beasts rising out of the sea in Daniel, chap. vii. and that nearly the same is signified by the beast from the sea in Rev. 13, illustrated n. 574. By the beast from the sea in Rev. 13, are signified the men of the external church, who are called the laity, who are in faith separate from charity, n. 594, By the beast from the earth, which is also called the false prophet, are meant the men of the church on earth, who are called clergy, and are in faith separate from charity shown n. 594. By the throne of the beast is signified where the falsity of faith reigns n. 694. By the beast, his image, his mark, and the number of his name, is signified faith alone, its doctrine, its acknowledgment, and the falsification of the Word, n. 660, 679. By the scarlet beast is signified the Word, illustrated and shown n. 723, 733–735, 739–741, 746, 749. What is signified by the four animals, see Cherubim.

Bed [lectus]. Bed signifies doctrine, illustrated from beds in the spiritual world, and shown n. 137. Inasmuch as in the Word Jacob signifies the doctrine of the church, when any one thinks profoundly concerning him, there appears a man above toward the right, as it were lying on a bed, n. 137 Benjamin [Benjamin]. Benjamin signifies a life of truth from good, shown 361.

Bind, to [vincire, vide vinctus]. See Bound.

Bird [avis]. See Fowl.

Birth [nativitas]. By births and conceptions in the Word are meant spiritual births and conceptions, which relate to the good of love and the truth of faith; inasmuch as they are procreated from the marriage of good and truth, illustrated n. 139, illustrated n. 543. The members of generation in both sexes correspond with celestial love, n. 213. See To Bring Forth.

Bishops [episcopi]. Some particulars relative to certain English bishops in the spiritual world, contained in the relations at the end of some chapters, n. 241, 675, 716.

Bitter [amarum]. It signifies falsified truth, illustrated and shown n. 411. See Wormwood.

Black, Blackness [nigrum, nigredo] There are two kinds of blackness; one in opposition to white, and the other in opposition to red, concerning which see n. 231, illustrated and shown n. 312. Blackness also signifies ignorance, n. 915.

Blasphemy [blasphemia]. It is a denial of the Divine of the Lord, and the holiness of the Word, illustrated and shown n. 571. It is also profanation, illustrated n. 723.

Blessed, Happy [beatus]. The blessed or the happy signifies those who have the felicity of eternal life, n. 639, 816, 944, 951.

Blind [caecus]. The blind signifies those who do not know truth, and those who do not understand truth, shown n. 210.

Blood [sanguis]. The blood of the Lamb signifies the Divine truth of the Lord in him and from him, illustrated and shown n. 379, for this reason, because the Lord is the Word, and the Divine truth therein is meant by his blood, and the Divine good therein by his flesh, likewise by his body, illustrated n. 555, 684. Blood in the opposite sense signifies violence offered to the Word, consequently to the Lord, shown n. 825. In the opposite sense, it signifies the Divine truth falsified, adulterated, and profaned, shown n. 379, 404, 687, 688. Blood as of one dead signifies infernal falsity, illustrated n. 681.

Book [liber]. Books signify the interiors of the mind of man, because in them are written all things appertaining to his life, n. 867. The book of life is the Lord considered as the Word, consequently the Word, n. 958. To be written in the book of life, and to be judged therefrom, signifies from the Divine truth of the Word, and from the Lord thereby, shown n. 256. To open the book, and to loose the seals thereof signifies to know the states of all and to judge every one according to his state, illustrated n. 259, 295. No one can look in the book signifies that no one but the Lord alone is able to know it in the least, n. 262. See Seal. To be written in the book of life signifies he who believes in the Lord, and lives according to his commandments, shown n. 874. Not to be written in the book of life signifies on the contrary, n. 874. By the little book open in the hand of the angel is meant that essential of the new church, that the Lord, even as to his human, is the God of heaven and earth, n. 469. What was written in that little book may be seen, n. 472. To depart as a book or scroll rolled together signifies that good and truth, which is in the Word, would recede and become hidden in the church, n. 335. It is said that the book was rolled together, because books were then made of skins, and were rolled up, n. 335.

Bottle [uter]. A bottle or pitcher signifies the same as its contents, shown n. 672.

Bottomless Pit [abyssus]. See Abyss.

Bound, to Bind [vinctus, vincire]. To be bound in prison and in custody signifies to be infected by evils and falsities, shown n. 99. See Captive.

Bow [arcus]. A bow signifies doctrine combating from truths against falsities, and from falsities against truths, illustrated and shown n. 299. Therefore arrows and shafts signify truths or falsities, n. 299.

Brass [aes]. Brass signifies natural good, illustrated and shown n. 775.

Bread [panis]. There are bread and wine in the holy supper, because bread there signifies the holy of love, and wine the holy of faith; and because the material bread and the heavenly bread mutually correspond therein, also the material wine and the heavenly wine, illustrated n. 224. Bread from flour of wheat was offered up together with the sacrifices upon the altar, which was called a cake or meal offering, shown n. 778. The bread of faces upon the table in the tabernacle was also made of fine flour of wheat, shown n. 778; because wheat signifies the good of the church from the Word fine flour its truth thence derived, illustrated shown 315.

Breadth [latitudo]. Breadth signifies the truth of the church, and length the good of the church, illustrated and shown n. 906, 907.

Breast [mamma, mamilla]. See Paps.

Breast Plate [thorax, vide arma]. See Arms.

Bridegroom, Bride [sponsus, sponsa]. From the marriage of the Lord with the church, the Lord is called the bridegroom, and the church the bride, n. 797, 881. The new church, which is the new Jerusalem, is called the bride, the lamb’s wife, shown n. 813, 955. That the church is called the bride while it is being established, and that it is called the wife when it is established, n. 895 toward the end. At the end of Revelation the bride bridegroom speak, that is, the {w219} the church as if it were during the betrothal 960.

Bridle of a Horse [fraenum equi]. The bridle of a horse signifies that by which the understanding is guided, shown n. 653.

Brimstone. See Sulphur.

Bring Forth, to Travail in Birth, Birth [parere, parturire, partus]. To bring forth and to travail in birth signifies to conceive and bring forth those things which appertain to spiritual life, shown n. 535. See also Birth.

Brother [frater]. A man-brother is spoken of charity, and a companion of faith, shown n. 32. The Lord calls those who from him are in charity, brothers, illustrated and shown n. 32. But that it is not written, neither is it becoming, that they, on the other hand, should call the Lord brother, n. 32.

Building [structura]. Building or structure signifies every subject to which it relates, because the all of it is in the building, n. 911.

Bury, Burial, Monument [sepelire, sepultura, sepulchrum]. To be buried signifies to rise again, and to continue life, because all earthly and impure things are rejected, n. 506. Not to be buried signifies to continue in things earthly and unclean, and for that reason to be rejected as condemned, shown n. 506.

Buy, to [emere]. By buying and selling is signified to acquire knowledges of good and truth, or truths, and to teach them, shown n. 606. See To Trade. By the bought of the Lord are signified the redeemed, that is, the regenerate, n. 619.

647. 14:17 Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. This symbolizes the heavens of the Lord's spiritual kingdom, and the Word's Divine truth in them.

In the highest sense an angel symbolizes the Lord, and also the angelic heaven, and likewise the Divine truth emanating from the Lord (see nos. 5, 65, 170, 258, 342-344, 415, 465 above). Here, however, the angel symbolizes the heavens of the spiritual kingdom, and consequently the Divine truths there, because we are told in the next verse that another angel came out from the altar, who symbolizes the heavens of the Lord's celestial kingdom, thus the Divine goodness there, as shown in the next number.

All the heavens are divided into two kingdoms - the spiritual kingdom and the celestial kingdom. The spiritual kingdom is the kingdom of the Lord's wisdom, because the angels in it are in a state of wisdom gained from Divine truths received from the Lord; and the celestial kingdom is the kingdom of the Lord's love, because the angels there are prompted by love received from the Lord and so possess every kind of goodness.

That all the heavens are divided into two kingdoms may be seen in the book Heaven and Hell (London, 1758), nos. 20-28. Also in Angelic Wisdom Regarding Divine Love and Wisdom (Amsterdam, 1763), nos. 101, 381.

A temple symbolizes the whole of heaven, as in no. 644 above; but because it is called here the temple which is in heaven, and after that mention is made of the altar, the temple symbolizes the heaven of the Lord's spiritual kingdom, as said just above. And the sharp sickle symbolizes Divine truth in the Word, as in nos. 643, 645 above.

[2] Previously the text said that He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle and the earth was reaped, and now that an angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle, and he thrust it into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth; and the reason is that the earth which was reaped by Him who sat on the cloud, or the Lord, symbolizes the church throughout the world, while the vine of the earth symbolizes the church in the Christian world.

This description includes elements similar to those in what the Lord foretold in the parable of the sower and his gathering in of the harvest in Matthew 13, which we quoted above at the end of no. 645. There we said that the harvest is the culmination of the age, that is, the end of the church, and that the reapers are angels who symbolize Divine truths. For angels are not sent to reap, that is, to perform the actions symbolized, but the Lord accomplishes the actions through the Divine truths in His Word. As the Lord says, "the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day" (John 12:48). See nos. 233, 273 above.

676. REVELATION: CHAPTER 16

1. Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God onto the earth."

2. So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and an evil and noxious sore formed in people who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image.

3. Then the second angel poured out his bowl onto the sea, and it became blood as though of a dead man, and every living creature in the sea died.

4. Then the third angel poured out his bowl onto the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood.

5. And I heard the angel of the waters saying: "You are righteous, O Lord, The One who is and who was, and holy, Because You have judged these things.

6. For they have poured out the blood of saints and prophets, And You have given them blood to drink. For they are deserving."

7. And I heard another from the altar saying, "Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and just are Your judgments."

8. Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl onto the sun, and it was given to him to scorch people with fire.

9. And people were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent so as to give Him glory.

10. Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl upon the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of their suffering.

11. And they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their sufferings and because of their sores, and did not repent of their works.

12. Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl upon the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the rising of the sun might be made ready.

13. And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs.

14. For they are spirits of demons that perform signs to go away to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

15. "Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and preserves his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame."

16. And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew Armageddon.

17. Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven from the throne, saying, "It is done!"

18. And there were voices and lightnings and thunderings; and there was a great earthquake, such as had not occurred since people were on the earth, so great was the earthquake.

19. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fury of His wrath.

20. Then every island fled away, and mountains were not found.

21. And great hail from heaven about the weight of a talent fell upon people. And people blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, as the plague was exceedingly great.

THE SPIRITUAL MEANING

The Contents of the Whole Chapter

In this chapter the evils and falsities in the church of the Protestant Reformed are exposed by influx from heaven (verse 1) - by influx into the clergy (verse 2), into the laity (verse 3), into the understanding of the Word in them (verses 4-7), into the love in them (verses 8, 9), into the faith in them (verses 10, 11), into the interior reasonings in them (verses 12-15), and into all of these at the same time (verses 17-21).

The Contents of the Individual Verses:

THE EXPOSITION

16:1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God onto the earth." This symbolizes an influx from the Lord from the inmost of heaven into the church of the Protestant Reformed, where those people are found who are caught up in a faith divorced from charity, as to faith and as to life, to take truths and goods from them and reveal the falsities and evils in which they are caught up, and in this way to separate them from people who believe in the Lord and who possess charity from Him and its accompanying faith.

This in brief is what is contained in this chapter. The temple means the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony previously spoken of in chapter 15:5, and it symbolizes the inmost of heaven where the Lord is present in His holiness in the Word and in the Law contained in the Ten Commandments (no. 669). The loud voice from it symbolizes a Divine command for the seven angels to go and pour out the bowls. The seven angels mean the Lord, as in no. 657 above. Pouring out the bowls containing plagues onto the earth symbolizes an influx into the church of the Protestant Reformed. Pouring out the bowls symbolizes influx, and the earth symbolizes the church (no. 285).

[2] The subject continues to be the church among the Protestant Reformed. In the following chapter it will be the church among Roman Catholics; after that it will be the Last Judgment; and finally the New Church, which is the New Jerusalem, as may be seen in the Preface and in no. 2.

Chapters 8, 9 above described seven angels who had seven trumpets, which they sounded, and because many similar things occur there, we will say here what those seven angels symbolized and what these do here. The seven trumpets which the seven angels sounded symbolize an examination and exposure of the falsities and evils possessed by people who are caught up in a faith divorced from charity. But the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues symbolize the purging and ultimate end of these people, since the Last Judgment cannot be executed upon them until they have been purged.

[3] The purging and ultimate end of them is brought about in the spiritual world in the following way: People caught up in falsities as to doctrine and so in evils as to life have taken from them all the goods and truths that they possessed merely in their natural self, by which they put on the appearance of being Christian people. When these goods and truths have been taken away, the people are separated from heaven and joined to hell. And then in the world of spirits they are arranged in accordance with the varieties of their lusts into societies, which later sink down.

[4] They have goods and truths taken from them by influx from heaven. The influx originates from genuine truths and goods by which they are tormented and tortured, much like a snake placed near a fire or cast upon an anthill. Therefore they reject the goods and truths of heaven, which are also the goods and truths of the church, and finally condemn them, because these cause them what feels like the torment of hell. When this happens they retreat into their evils and falsities and are separated from people who are good.

These are the things described in this chapter and symbolized by the emptying out of the bowls containing the seven last plagues.

The bowls did not contain these evils and falsities symbolized by the plagues, but had in them genuine truths and goods, whose effect was as described. For the angels came from the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony, which means the inmost of heaven, where nothing but truths and goods in a Divine and holy state are found (Revelation 15:6).

[5] This is the purging and ultimate end spoken of by the Lord when He said:

...whoever has, to him more will be given, that he may have greater abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. (Matthew 13:12, Mark 4:25)

...take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, that he may have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. (Matthew 25:28-29, cf. Luke 19:24-26)