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1183. Saying, Thus with violence shall Babylon be cast down, that great city, and shall be found no more.- That this signifies the total destruction of that doctrine [and religion], so that it shall not rise again, is evident from the signification of being cast down with violence, as denoting total destruction; and from the signification of Babylon the great city, which denotes that religion and its doctrine, of which we have frequently spoken above; and from the signification of not being found any more, as denoting not to rise again.
Continuation.- The case is otherwise with those whom the Lord leads, and He leads those who love and will truths from Himself. These are enlightened when they read the Word, for the Lord is present in it, and speaks with every one according to his capacity. If these hear the speech of spirits, as is sometimes the case, they are not taught by it, but are led, so providently, that the man is still left to himself. For, as was before observed, every man is led by the Lord through his affections, and he thinks from them in freedom, as if from himself. It this were not the case, man would be incapable of reformation, and could not possibly be enlightened. Men are, however, enlightened in various ways according to the nature of their affection and their intelligence derived from it. Those who are in the spiritual affection for truth are raised up into the light of heaven, to such a degree, that they perceive the enlightenment. I have been permitted to see this enlightenment, and from it to perceive distinctly what comes from the Lord, and what from angels; what is from the Lord has been written, and what from the angels has not been written (quod a Domino, hoc scriptum est, et quod ab angelis non scriptum). Moreover, I have been permitted to speak with angels as man with man, and also to see the things which are in the heavens, and those which are in the hells. The reason of this is that the end of the present church is approaching, and the beginning of a new one is at hand, which will be the New Jerusalem. It is necessary to be revealed to this church that the Lord governs the universe, both heaven and the world; that there are a heaven and a hell, and what is the nature of each; that men live also as men after death, in heaven those who have been led by the Lord, in hell those who have been guided by themselves; that the Word is the very Divine of the Lord on earth; and further, that the Last Judgment is accomplished, lest man should be for ever expecting it to take place in this world; besides many other things relating to the light now arising after darkness.
1183. Saying, Thus with violence shall Babylon, that great city, be cast down, and shall be found no more, signifies the total destruction of that doctrine, and that these shall not rise again. This is evident from the signification of "to be cast down with violence," as being total destruction; also from the signification of "Babylon that great city," as being that religious persuasion and its doctrine (of which frequently above); also from the signification of "found no more," as being not to rise again.
(Continuation)
It is otherwise with those whom the Lord leads. He leads those who love truths, and who will them from Himself. Such are enlightened when they read the Word; for the Lord is in the Word, and speaks with everyone according to his apprehension. When such hear the speech of spirits, as they sometimes do, they are not taught but led, and this with such precaution that the man is left to himself; for every man, as has been said before, is led by the Lord by means of affections, and from these he thinks as if from himself in freedom; if this were not so man would be incapable of reformation, nor could he be enlightened. But men are enlightened variously, each according to the quality of his affection and consequent intelligence. Those who are in the spiritual affection of truth are raised up into the light of heaven, even so as to be able to perceive the enlightenment.
[2] This it has been given me to see, and from it to perceive clearly what comes from the Lord and what from angels. What has come from the Lord has been written; what has come from the angels has not. Moreover, it has been granted me to talk with angels as man with man, also to see the things that are in the heavens and that are in the hells; and for the reason that the end of the present church has come, and the beginning of a new one, which will be the New Jerusalem, is at hand; and to that it must be revealed that the Lord rules the universe, both heaven and the world; that there is a heaven and a hell, and what these are; that men live even as men after death, those who have been led by the Lord in heaven, but those who have been led by self in hell; that the Word is the Divine itself of the Lord on the earth; also that the Last Judgment is accomplished, that man may not expect it forever in this world; as well as many other things belonging to the light that is now arising after darkness.
1183. "Dicens, Sic impetu dejicietur Babylon, illa magna urbs et non invenietur amplius." - Quod significet destructionem totalem doctrinae [et religiosi istius] , ut non resurgat, constat ex significatione "impetu dejici", quod sit destructio totalis; ex significatione "Babylonis magnae urbis", quod sit religiosum illud et doctrina ejus (de qua saepius supra); et ex significatione "non inveniri amplius", quod sit non resurgere.
(Continuatio.)
Aliter fit apud illos quos Dominus ducit; et illos ducit qui amant vera et volunt illa ab Ipso; illi illustrantur cum legunt Verbum, ibi enim est Dominus, et loquitur cum unoquovis secundum ejus captum: hi si audiunt loquelam ex spiritibus, quod etiam aliquoties fit, non docentur, sed ducuntur, et hoc tam provide ut homo usque relictus sit sibi; nam ut prius dictum est, omnis homo a Domino per affectiones ducitur, et ex illis cogitat sicut a se in libero; sin aliter, homo non foret reformabilis, nec posset illustrari. Sed homines illustrantur varie, quisque secundum quale suae affectionis et inde intelligentiae: illi qui in affectione veri spirituali sunt, elevantur in lucem caeli, usque ut percipiant illustrationem.
[2] Mihi datum est illam videre, et ex illa percipere distincte quid a Domino venit, et quid ab angelis; quod a Domino, hoc scriptum est, et quod ab angelis non scriptum. Insuper mihi datum est loqui cum angelis sicut homo cum homine, et quoque videre illa quae in caelis sunt, et quae in infernis; causa fuit, quia venit finis hujus ecclesiae, et instat principium novae, quae erit Nova Hierosolyma; cui revelandum est quod Dominus regat universum, tam caelum quam mundum; quod caelum et infernum sint, et quale utrumque; quod homines vivant etiam homines post mortem, in caelo qui a Domino ducti sunt, in inferno qui a semet; quod Verbum ipsum Divinum Domini in terris sit; tum etiam quod ultimum judicium peractum sit, ne homo id exspectet in suo mundo in aeternum; praeter plura quae sunt lucis nunc orientis post tenebras.