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1067. (Verse 11) And the beast which was, and is not, he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. That this signifies that the truth also is profaned, that the Word is Divine, by its being nevertheless rejected, is evident from the signification of the beast, as denoting the Word (concerning which see above, n. 1038); and from the signification of which was, and is not, as denoting that the Word in the beginning was received and read, but afterwards taken away and not read (concerning which also see above, n. 1054); and from the signification of he is also the eighth, and is of the seven, as denoting that the good and truth are profaned; that the Word to them is Divine, of which we shall speak presently. And from the signification of going into perdition, as denoting acknowledgment for the sake of form, and still rejection (concerning which see above, n. 1055). From these things it is evident that by those words is signified that truth of good profaned, that the Word is Divine, when notwithstanding it is rejected.
That it is received and acknowledged as Divine, is chiefly owing to their religion being founded on the keys given to Peter, of which the Word treats. But that it is nevertheless rejected is known, for it is taken away from the common people, is not read in the temples, and an equal degree of sanctity and inspiration is attributed to the edicts of the Pope as to the Word. But because these disagree with the Word it is, in general, weakened, indeed, blasphemed, by making it allowable to alter it according to the state of the church. It is therefore evident that the truth, that the Word is Divine, is profaned by them.
[2] That these things are signified by these words is evident from this, that by the beast treated of in this chapter is signified the Word; and it is called the eighth king, and still is of the seven. The reason why it is called the eighth king is, that by king is signified truth, and by the number eight good, and by seven the truth of good profaned. For the Word is truth conjoined with good; wherefore there is in every particular of it a marriage of good and truth.
When these things are signified by those words, then their sense is clearly evident. Otherwise no one could perceive, nor indeed conjecture, what is meant by the beast being the eighth king, and yet of the seven, and by going into perdition; for to be the eighth, and yet to be of the seven, would be a contradiction. Neither likewise could any one perceive or conjecture what is meant by the seven kings, of whom five have fallen, and one is, and the other cometh. Also what is signified by what is said of the beast, that it was, and is not, but yet is. And afterwards, that the ten kings shall deliver up their power to the beast, and shall devastate the whore. These things would continue for ever mysteries deeply hid from mankind, if it had not been revealed, that by the things recorded in this chapter is described the quality of Babylon as to the Word.
Continuation concerning the Word:-
[3] That the Word is Divine truth itself, which gives wisdom to angels and enlightens men, cannot be perceived, or seen, except by a man who is enlightened. For the Word in its literal sense seems to a worldly man, whose mind is not raised above the sensual sphere, to be so simple, that hardly anything could be simpler. But still Divine truth, such as is in the heavens, and from which angels derive their wisdom, lies concealed therein as in its sanctuary. For the Word in the letter is like the secret place covered with a veil in the midst of a temple within which lie mysteries of heavenly wisdom, such as the ear hath not heard. For in the Word and in every detail of it there is a spiritual sense, and in this a Divine celestial sense, which, considered in itself, is the Divine truth itself in the heavens, which gives wisdom to angels and enlightenment to men. The Divine truth in the heavens is light proceeding from the Lord as a Sun, which is Divine love. And because Divine truth proceeding from the Lord is the light of heaven, it is also Divine wisdom. It is this that enlightens both the minds and the eyes of the angels, and it also enlightens the minds but not the eyes of men, and enables them to understand truth, and also to perceive good, when they read the Word from the Lord and not from themselves. For a man is then in consort with the angels, and inwardly in a perception like the spiritual perception of the angels; and that spiritual perception which is enjoyed by a man-angel flows into the natural perception proper to him in the world, and enlightens it. Hence the man who reads the Word from the affection of truth has enlightenment through heaven from the Lord.
1067. Verse 11. And the beast which was and is not is himself the eighth, and is of the seven, and he goeth into perdition, signifies that the truth that the Word is Divine has also been profaned; and yet it has been rejected. This is evident from the signification of "the beast," as being the Word (See above, n. 1038); also from the signification of "which was and is not," as being that the Word in the beginning was received and read, but afterwards was taken away, and not read (See above, n. 1054); also from the signification of "is himself the eighth, and is of the seven," as being that the good and truth that the Word to them is Divine has been profaned (of which presently); also from the signification of "going into perdition," as being that this is acknowledged for the sake of form, and still has been rejected (See above, n. 1055). From all this it can be seen that these words signify this profaned truth of good that the Word is Divine, and still it has been rejected. It has been received and acknowledged as Divine chiefly because their religion is founded on the keys given to Peter, as described in the Word. Nevertheless, that it has been rejected is well known, for it is taken away from the common people, it is not read in the temples, and the same holiness and inspiration are attributed to the decrees of the Pope as to the Word; but as these are not in harmony with the Word, the Word in general is invalidated, and even blasphemed, by the claim that it is allowable to change it according to the state of the church. From this it is clear that the truth that the Word is Divine has been profaned by them.
[2] That this is the signification of these words can be seen from this, that "the beast" treated of in this chapter signifies the Word, and is called the "eighth king," and yet is "of the seven." It is called "the eighth king" because a "king" signifies truth, and the number "eight" signifies good, and "seven" the truth of good profaned. For the Word is truth conjoined to good; therefore in every particular of it there is the marriage of good and truth. When this is seen to be the signification of these words their meaning is clearly evident; but otherwise no one could perceive nor indeed surmise what is meant by "the beast is the eighth king and yet of the seven, and he goeth into perdition," for to be the eighth and yet to be of the seven would be a contradiction. Nor could anyone perceive or surmise what is meant by "the seven kings," of whom "five have fallen and one is, and the other is not yet come;" also what is signified by what is said of the beast, namely, that "it was and is not, and yet is," and afterwards that "the ten kings shall give over their authority unto the beast, and shall make the harlot desolate." These would have been mysteries forever, deeply hidden from mankind, if it had not been revealed that the things recorded in this chapter describe what Babylon is as to the Word.
(Continuation respecting the Word)
[3] That the Word is the Divine truth itself, which gives wisdom to angels and enlightens men, can be apperceived or seen only by a man enlightened. For to a worldly man, whose mind has not been raised above the sensual sphere, the Word in the sense of the letter appears so simple that scarcely anything could be more simple; and yet the Divine truth, such as it is in the heavens, and from which angels have their wisdom, lies concealed in it as in its sanctuary. For the Word in the letter is like the adytum in the midst of a temple covered with a veil, within which lie deposited arcana of heavenly wisdom such as no ear hath heard. For in the Word and in every particular of it there is a spiritual sense, and in that a Divine celestial sense, which regarded in itself is the Divine truth itself, which is in the heavens and which gives wisdom to angels and enlightens men. The Divine truth in the heavens is light proceeding from the Lord as a Sun, which is the Divine love. And as the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord is the light of heaven, so it is the Divine wisdom. This illuminates both the minds and the eyes of angels, and also enlightens the minds of men, but not their eyes, and enables them to understand truth and also to perceive good when man reads the Word from the Lord and not from self; for he is then in consort with angels, and interiorly has a perception like the spiritual perception of angels; and that spiritual perception which the man-angel has flows into his natural perception, which is his own while in the world, and enlightens it. Consequently the man who reads the Word from the affection of truth has enlightenment through heaven from the Lord.
1067. (Vers. 11.) "Et bestia quae erat et non est, et ipse octavus est, et de septem est, et in interitum abit." - Quod significet quod verum profanatum etiam sit, quod Verbum sit Divinum, et tamen est rejectum, constat ex significatione "bestiae", quod sit Verbum (de qua supra, n. 1038); ex significatione "quae erat et non est", quod sit quod Verbum in initio fuerit receptum et lectum, at postea ablatum et non lectum (de qua etiam supra, n. 1054); ex significatione "ipse octavus est, et de septem est", quod sit quod bonum et verum profanatum sit, quod Verbum illis sit Divinum (de qua sequitur); et ex significatione "in interitum abire", quod sit agnitum pro forma, et usque rejectum (de qua supra, n. 1055): ex his constare potest quod per illa verba significetur id verum boni profanatum, quod Verbum sit Divinum, cum tamen rejectum est. Quod receptum sit et agnitum pro Divino, est praecipue, quod religio illorum super clavibus Petro datis, de quibus in Verbo, fundatur; at quod usque rejectum sit, notum est, ablatum enim est vulgo, non legitur in templis, dictaminibus Papae aequalis sanctitas et inspiratio addicatur quae Verbo; sed quia illa cum Verbo discordant, in communi infirmatur, immo blasphematur, statuendo quod illud liceat secundum statum ecclesiae immutare; (inde) patet quod id verum, quod Verbum sit Divinum, ab illis profanatum sit.
[2] Quod haec per illa verba significentur, constare potest ex eo, quod per "bestiam", de qua in hoc capite agitur, significetur Verbum, et quod illa dicatur "rex octavus", et quod usque "de septem sit"; quod dicatur "rex octavus", est quia per "regem" significatur verum, et per numerum "octo" bonum, ac per "septem" verum boni profanatum; Verbum enim est verum conjunctum bono, quare in singulis ejus est conjugium boni et veri. Quando haec per illa verba significantur, tunc sensus illorum manifeste patet; alioqui nemo potest percipere, ne quidem augurari, quid intelligendum est per quod "bestia rex octavus sit, et tamen de septem, ac in interitum abire"; nam esse octavus et tamen esse de septem, foret contradictio: tum nec aliquis percipere nec augurari posset quid intelligendum per "reges septem", quorum "quinque ceciderunt, ac unus est et alter (nondum) venit"; tum quid significat quod dicitur de bestia, nempe, "quae erat, et non est, attamen est"; et postea quod "decem reges potestatem tradent bestiae, et devastabunt meretricem"; haec forent arcana in aeternum coram humano genere abscondita, si non revelatum esset quod per illa quae in hoc capite sunt describatur qualis Babylonia est quoad Verbum.
[3] (Continuatio de Verbo.)
Quod Verbum sit ipsum Divinum Verum, quod angelis dat sapientiam, et homines illustrat, non potest appercipi nec videri nisi ab homine illustrato: apparet enim Verbum in sensu litterae coram homine mundano, cujus mens non elevata est supra sphaeram sensualem, tam simplex ut vix aliquid simplicius; sed usque Divinum Verum, quale est in caelis, et ex quo angelis est sapientia, latet in eo ut in suo sacrario; est enim Verbum in littera sicut in medio templi adytum velo obtectum, intra quod arcana sapientiae caelestis, qualia non auris audivit, jacent reposita: nam in Verbo, et in singulis ejus, est sensus spiritualis, et in hoc sensus Divinus caelestis, qui in se spectatus est ipsum Divinum Verum, quod in caelis est, et dat angelis sapientiam, et illustrat homines; Divinum Verum quod in caelis est, est lux procedens a Domino ut Sole, qui est Divinus Amor; et quia Divinum Verum procedens a Domino est lux caeli, est quoque Divina Sapientia; haec est quae angelorum tam mentes quam oculos illuminat, ac eadem etiam est quae hominum mentes sed non eorum oculos illustrat, et dat eis intelligere verum et quoque percipere bonum, quando homo a Domino et non a se legit Verbum; tunc enim in consortio est cum angelis, ac interius in perceptione simili perceptioni spirituali angelorum; et perceptio illa spiritualis, quae est homini angelo, influit in perceptionem ejus naturalem, quae est propria ejus in mundo, et hanc illustrat: inde est homini, qui legit Verbum ex affectione veri, illustratio per caelum a Domino.