739.启17:11.“那先前有，如今没有的兽，自己是第八位。他也和那七位同列，并且归于沉沦”表如前面所解释的，圣言是神性良善本身，也是神性真理，但从平信徒和普通百姓那里被拿走，免得他们的领袖对它的亵渎和玷污显现出来，也免得他们因此退离。“那先前有，如今没有的兽”表示圣言，如前所述（｛17:8）；“自己是第八位”，就是此处第八座山，表示圣言是神性良善本身；因为“七座山”表示圣言的各种神性良善（737节）；因此，“兽自己是第八座”山表示它是神性良善本身。良善也以“第八”来表示；由于圣言的一切良善在他们当中遭到亵渎，故不是说他“自己”属那七座山，还由于刚才说他属七王，而七王表示圣言的神性真理，故并非所有神性真理都被玷污（737，738节）。从这几件事可以看出这些话里面所隐藏的奥秘。他“归于沉沦”表示圣言被弃绝（734节）；圣言虽如此被弃绝，但仍被承认为神圣，只是从平信徒和普通百姓那里被拿走，免得他们的领袖亵渎其中的良善、玷污其中的真理，也免得平信徒因此退离，因此，这一切因是原因本身，故由“归于沉沦”来表示。圣言是神性良善本身，也是神性真理。这是因为圣言的每一个和一切细节里面都有主与教会的婚姻，因而有良善与真理的婚姻；还因为圣言的一切事物里面都有一个属天之义和一个属灵之义；神性良善在属天之义里面，神性真理在属灵之义里面；这些之所以都在圣言里面，是因为主就是圣言；这些事在出版于阿姆斯特丹的《新耶路撒冷教义之圣经篇》一书中都有论证。
739. 17:11 "And the beast that was, and is not, is itself the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to destruction." This symbolically means that the Word, as mentioned previously, is Divine good itself and Divine truth, and that it has been taken from the laity and common people to keep the Roman Catholic hierarchy's profanations and adulterations of it from appearing, and the people's turning away on that account.
The beast that was and is not symbolizes the Word, as in verse 8 above. Its being itself the eighth, here the eighth mountain, means symbolically that it is Divine good itself, for the seven mountains symbolize the Divine goods in the Word (no. 737). Consequently the beast's being itself the eighth mountain means symbolically that it is Divine good itself. The eighth in a series also symbolizes goodness. Moreover, because all of the Word's goods among Roman Catholics were profaned, the beast is not said to be itself of the seven mountains, as it is said next to be of the seven kings, which symbolize the Word's Divine truths, not all which had been adulterated (nos. 737, 738).
From these few observations the secret meaning that lies concealed in these words can be seen. The beast's going to destruction means symbolically that the Word is rejected, as in no. 734 above. However, because the Word has not been so rejected as not to be acknowledged as holy, but has been taken from the laity and common people to keep the Roman Catholic hierarchy's profanations of good and adulterations of truth from appearing and the people's turning away on that account, therefore that is what is symbolically meant by going to destruction, because that is the reason it is said.
The Word is Divine good itself and Divine truth because in each and every particular of it there is a marriage of the Lord and the church and so a marriage of goodness and truth. It also has in every particular a celestial meaning and a spiritual meaning, and the celestial meaning has in it Divine goodness, while the spiritual meaning has in it Divine truth. Moreover, these are present in the Word because the Lord embodies the Word. All of this we have shown in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Sacred Scripture, published in Amsterdam.
739. [verse 11] 'And the beast that was and is not, himself is the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going into perdition' signifies that the Word, concerning which [something was said] before, is Divine Good Itself, and that it is Divine Truth, and that it is being taken away from the laity and the common people lest the profanations and adulterations made by the leaders should appear, and they [the laity and common people] should withdraw. By 'the beast that was and is not' is signified the Word, as before (verse 8). By 'himself is the eighth,' here the eighth mountain, is signified that it is Divine Good Itself, for by the 'seven mountains' are signified the Divine Goods of the Word (737). Consequently by 'the beast himself is the eighth' mountain is signified that it is Divine Good Itself. Good is also signified by 'the eighth'; and because all the goods of the Word with them have been profaned, 'himself' is not said of the seven mountains, as just after of the seven kings, by whom are signified the Divine Truths of the Word, not all of which have been adulterated (737-738). From these few things can be seen the arcanum that lies hidden in these words. By his 'going into perdition' is signified that it is rejected, as above (734). But because the Word is not so rejected, being acknowledged as holy, but is taken away from the laity and common people lest the profanations of good and adulterations of truth made there by the leaders should appear, and on account of this the laity withdraw, therefore this, because it is the cause itself, is signified by 'to go into perdition.' The Word is Divine Good and Divine Truth itself because in all things thereof, collectively and separately, there is the marriage of the Lord and the Church, and consequently a marriage of good and truth; also because in each of its details there is a celestial sense and a spiritual sense, and in the celestial sense is Divine Good, and in the spiritual sense is Divine Truth; and these are in the Word because the Lord is the Word; which things have all been demonstrated in THE DOCTRINE OF THE NEW JERUSALEM CONCERNING THE SACRED SCRIPTURE, published at Amsterdam.
739. 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 Word, as explained above, is the Divine good itself, and that it is the Divine truth, and that it is taken away from the laity and the common people, lest the profanations and adulterations made in it by their leaders should appear, and they should on that account recede. By "the beast which was and is not" is signified the Word, as before (verse 8); by "his being himself the eighth," here the eighth mountain, is signified that it is the Divine good itself; for by "the seven mountains" the Divine goods of the Word are signified, (737); hence by "the beast himself is the eighth" mountain is signified that it is the Divine good itself. Good is also signified by "the eighth;" and as all the goods of the Word among them were profaned, he himself is not said to be of the seven mountains, as he is just said to be of the seven kings, by whom the Divine truths of the Word are signified, not all of which were adulterated, (737, 738). From these few things the arcanum may be seen which lies hidden in these words. By "his going into perdition" is signified that it is rejected, as above, (734); but because the Word is not so rejected but that it is acknowledged as holy, but is taken away from the laity and the common people lest the profanations of good and the adulterations of truth made in it by their leaders should appear, and the laity should on that account withdraw, therefore this, because it is the cause itself, is signified by "going into perdition." That the Word is the Divine good itself and the Divine truth is because there is in each and every thing of it the marriage of the Lord and the church, and thence the marriage of good and truth; also because there is in every thing of it a celestial sense and a spiritual sense; and in the celestial sense it is the Divine good, and in the spiritual sense it is the Divine truth; and these are in the Word, because the Lord is the Word; which things are all demonstrated in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture, published at Amsterdam.
739. (Vers. II.) "Et Bestia quae erat et non est, ipsa octavus est, et de septem est, et in interitum abit," significat quod Verbum, de quo prius, sit ipsum Divinum Bonum, et quod sit Divinum Verum, et quod auferatur Laicis et Vulgo, ne prophanationes et adulterationes ibi ab Antesignanis factae appareant, et illi propterea recedant. -Per "Bestiam quae erat et non est, "significatur Verbum, ut prius (vers. 8); per quod "ipsa octavus sit," hic octavus mons, significatur quod sit ipsum Divinum Bonum; per "septem montes" enim significantur Divina Bona Verbi (737); inde per quod "ipsa Bestia sit octavus" mons, significatur quod sit ipsum Divinum Bonum; per "octavum" etiam significatur Bonum; et quia omnia bona Verbi apud illos prophanata sunt, non dicitur ipsa de septem montibus, sicut mox de septem regibus, per quos significantur Divina Vera Verbi, quorum non omnia adulterata sunt (737, 738). Ex his paucis videri potest arcanum quod in his verbis reconditum latet. Per quod "in interitum abeat," significatur quod rejiciatur, ut supra (734); at quia Verbum non ita rejicitur quin agnoscatur pro sancto, sed a laicis et vulgo aufertur ne prophanationes boni et adulterationes veri ibi ab Antesignanis factae appareant, et laici propterea recedant, quare hoc, quia est ipsa causa, per "abire in interitum" significatur. Quod Verbum sit ipsum Divinum Bonum et Divinum Verum, est quia in omnibus et singulis ejus est conjugium Domini et Ecclesiae, et inde conjugium boni et veri; tum quia in singulis ejus est Sensus caelestis et Sensus spiritualis, et in Sensu caelesti est Divinum Bonum, ac in Sensu spirituali est Divinum Verum; et haec sunt in Verbo, quia Dominus est Verbum; quae omnia in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae de Scriptura Sacra, Amstelodami edita, demonstrata sunt.