791.启18:21.“有一位大力的天使举起一块石头，好像大磨石，扔在海里，说，巴比伦大城，也必这样猛力地被扔下去，决不能再见了”表凭主出于天堂的强大流注，天主教及其一切被玷污的圣言真理都将一头栽入地狱，永不再出现在天使面前。“一位大力的天使举起”表示主出于天堂的强大流注，因为一位“天使”表示主及其通过天堂所实现的运作（258，415，649节）。此处由于他被称为“大力的天使”，并且“举起一块石头，好像大磨石”，故所表示的是强大的运作，也就是强大的流注。“一块石头，好像大磨石”表示被玷污和亵渎的圣言真理；因为“石头”表示真理，“磨”表示对出于圣言的真理的探究、检查和确认（对此，参看794节）。不过，此处之所以表示对圣言真理的玷污和亵渎，是因为它论述的是巴比伦。“扔在海里”表示投入地狱。“巴比伦大城，也必这样猛力地被扔下去”表示这个宗教也必这样一头栽入地狱。“决不能再见了”表示它永不再出现在天使面前。
之所表示这一切，是因为天主教中所有那些陷入其邪恶和虚假的人死后的确进入灵人界；灵人界就像一个公共场所，所有人死后首先聚集在那里，如同所有食物先汇入的胃一样。事实上，胃就对应于灵人界。然而，如今由于经历了于1757年所执行的最后审判，所以不再像以前那样允许他们停留在灵人界，仿佛为自己形成天堂；而是一到灵人界，他们就被转到那里与地狱联结的社群。他们也不时地被投入这些地狱；主就这样看顾，免得他们再次出现在天使面前。因此，这就是“那城”，也就是天主教“决不能再见了”所表示的。
由于“磨石”表示被玷污的圣言真理，“海”表示地狱，所以主说：
凡使这信我的一个小子跌倒的，倒不如把大磨石拴在这人的颈项上，沉在深海里。（马太福音 18:6）
它在其它地方被称为“磨石”（马可福音9:42；路加福音17:2）。耶利米书论及巴比伦的话几乎一样：
你念完了这书，就把一块石头拴在书上，把它扔在幼发拉底河中，说，巴比伦必如此沉下去，不再兴起。（耶利米书 51:63，64）
“幼发拉底河中”与“海”所表相同，因为幼发拉底河形成边界，将亚述，也就是巴比伦所在之地，与迦南地分开。
791. 18:21 Then a mighty angel lifted up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "Thus shall Babylon, that great city, be forcefully thrown down, and not be found anymore." This symbolically means that by a powerful influx of the Lord from heaven, the Roman Catholic religion will be cast headlong into hell, together with all its adulterated truths of the Word, and angels will never see it again.
A mighty angel's lifting up symbolizes a powerful influx of the Lord from heaven; for an angel symbolizes the Lord and His operation, an operation which takes place through heaven (nos. 258, 415, 465, 649). Here, because the angel is called a mighty angel and lifts up a great millstone, the operation symbolized is a powerful one, which means a powerful influx. A stone like a great millstone symbolizes the adulterated and profaned truths of the Word; for a stone symbolizes truth, and a mill symbolizes an inquiry into, examination of, and verification of truth from the Word, as we will show in no. 794. Here, however, it symbolizes an adulteration and profanation of the Word's truth, because the subject is Babylon. Being cast into the sea means, symbolically, into hell. "Thus shall Babylon, that great city, be forcefully thrown down," symbolically means that thus that great religion will be cast headlong into hell. Its not being found anymore means, symbolically, that angels will never see it again.
[2] This is the symbolic meaning, because all adherents of the Roman Catholic religion who are caught up in its evils and falsities come, in fact, after death into the world of spirits. For that world is like a public square in which all first gather, and it is like the stomach into which all foodstuffs are first collected. The stomach also corresponds to that world. However, at this day, because the Last Judgment is over, having been completed in 1757, people are no longer allowed to stay in that world and to form for themselves pseudo-heavens, as was the case before, but as soon as they arrive there, they are sent off to societies in that world that are connected with the hells, and from time to time are cast into them. And in this way the Lord has taken care that the angels never see them again. This, then, is what is symbolically meant by that city's, that is to say, that religion's, not being found anymore.
[3] Since a millstone symbolizes the Word's truth adulterated, and the sea symbolizes hell, therefore the Lord says:
Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. (Matthew 18:6; called simply a millstone in Mark 9:42, Luke 17:2)
Almost the same thing is said regarding Babylon in Jeremiah:
...when you have finished reading this book, you shall tie a stone to it and throw it into midst of the Euphrates. Then you shall say, "Thus Babylon shall sink and not rise again...." (Jeremiah 51:63-64)
The midst of the Euphrates has the same meaning as the sea, because the river Euphrates formed the boundary that separated Assyria, where Babylon was located, from the land of Canaan.
791. [verse 21] 'And one robust angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, With such impetus shall Babylon be cast down, that great city, and shall not be found any more' signifies that by means of the Lord's strong influx out of heaven that form of religion with all its adulterated truths of the Word will be cast headlong into hell, and that it is never going to appear to the angels any more. By 'one robust angel took up' is signified the Lord's strong influx out of heaven, for by an' angel is signified the Lord, and His operation which is effected through heaven (258, 415, 465, 649). Here, because he is called a 'robust angel' and 'he took up a stone [like] a great millstone,' a strong operation is signified, which is a strong influx. By 'a stone like a great millstone' is signified the adulterated and profaned truths of the Word; for by 'a stone' is signified truths, and by 'a mill' is signified a search into, examination of, and confirmation of truth out of the Word, concerning which [see] Arcana Coelestia 794. But here the adulteration and profanation of the truths of the Word is signified because it treats of Babylon. By 'to cast into the sea' is signified into hell. By 'with such impetus shall Babylon be cast down, that great city' is signified that thus will that form of religion be cast headlong into hell. By 'shall not be found any more is signified that it is never going to appear to the angels any more.
[2] This is signified because all those of that form of religion who are in its evils and untruths indeed come into the world of spirits after death; for that world is like a forum in which all are first gathered together, and it is like the stomach into which all foods are first gathered together. Indeed, the stomach corresponds to that world. At this day, however, because it is after the last judgment, which took place in the year 1757, it is not as before allowed them to stay in that world and to form for themselves as it were heavens; but as soon as they arrive (illuc alluunt) they are transferred to the societies there that are in conjunction with the hells. Into these also they are cast from time to time; and thus care is taken by the Lord lest they ever again appear to the angels. This therefore is what is signified by 'that city,' that is, that form of religion, 'shall not be found any more.
[3] Since by 'a millstone' is signified the truth of the Word adulterated, and by 'the sea' hell, therefore the Lord said:
He who offends one of the little ones believing in Me, it is better for him to have an ass-millstone about his neck and be immersed in the depths of the sea. Matthew 18:6.
It is termed 'a stone for grinding' (Mark 9:42; Luke 17:2). Almost the same thing is said of 'Babel' in Jeremiah:
When thou hast finished reading this book thou shalt bind a stone upon it and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates and shalt say, Thus shall Babel be submerged and shall not rise again. Jeremiah 51:63-64.
By 'the midst of the Euphrates' a like thing is understood as by 'the sea,' because the river Euphrates used to bound and separate Assyria, where Babel was, from the land of Canaan.
791. Verse 21. And one strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city, Babylon, be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore signifies that by a strong influx of the Lord out of heaven that religious persuasion with all its adulterated truths of the Word will be cast headlong into hell, and will not at all appear to the angels anymore. By "one strong angel took up," a powerful influx of the Lord out of heaven is signified; for by "an angel" is signified the Lord, and His operation, which is effected through heaven, (258, 415, 465, 649); here, because he is called a "strong angel," and "he took up a stone like a great millstone," powerful operation is signified, which is a powerful influx. By "a stone like a great millstone" the adulterated and profaned truths of the Word are signified; for by "a stone" truth is signified, and by "mill" is signified the searching for, investigation, and confirmation of truth from the Word (see 794); but here the adulteration and profanation of the truth of the Word, as it is said of Babylon. By "casting into the sea" is signified into hell. By "thus with violence shall that great city, Babylon, be thrown down," is signified that thus that religious persuasion was to be cast into hell. By "it was not found anymore" is signified that it will no longer appear to the angels.
[2] This is signified because all from that religious persuasion who are in its evils and falsities come indeed after death into the world of spirits; for that world is like a forum in which all are at first gathered together; and it is like the stomach into which all foods are first collected. The stomach also corresponds to that world. But at this day, because it is after the Last Judgment, which was accomplished in the year 1757, it is not allowed them, as before, to tarry in that world, and to form to themselves as it were heavens; but as soon as they arrive there, they are sent to societies which are in conjunction with the hells, into which also they are cast from time to time; and thus care is taken by the Lord, that they shall no longer appear to the angels. It is this, therefore, which is signified by that city, that is, that religious persuasion "being found no more."
[3] Since the truth of the Word adulterated is signified by "the millstone," and by "the sea," hell, the Lord therefore says:
He that shall offend one of the little ones that believe in Me, it were better for him that an ass millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were immersed into the depth of the sea, (Matthew 18:6).
It is called "a millstone" in Mark 9:42; Luke 17:2. Of Babel nearly the same is said in Jeremiah:
When thou hast made an end of reading this book, thou shalt bind a stone upon it, and shalt cast it into the midst of the Euphrates, and shalt say, Thus shall Babel be submerged, and shall not rise again, (Jeremiah 51:63-64).
By "the midst of the Euphrates" is meant the same as by "the sea," because the river Euphrates bounded and separated Assyria, where Babel was, from the land of Canaan.
791. (Vers. 21.) "Et sustulit unus Angelus robustus lapidem quasi molarem magnum, et projecit in mare, dicens, Sic impetu dejicietur Babylon, illa magna urbs, et non invenietur amplius," significat quod per fortem influxum Domini e Caelo Religiosum illud, cum omnibus ejus adulteratis veris Verbi, praeceps conjicietur in Infernum, et quod amplius nusquam angelis appariturum sit.--Per "sustulit unus Angelus robustus" significatur fortis influxus Domini e Caelo, per "Angelum" enim significatur Dominus, et operatio Ipsius, quae fit per Caelum (258, 415, 465, 649); hic quia vocatur "Angelus robustus," "et sustulit lapidem molarem magnum," significatur fortis operatio, quae est fortis influxus: per "lapidem quasi molarem magnum" significantur adulterata et prophanata vera Verbi; per "lapidem" enim significatur verum, et per "molam" significatur inquisitio, scrutatio et confirmatio veri ex Verbo, (de qua 794), hic autem adulteratio et prophanatio veri Verbi, quia de Babylone: per "projicere in mare" significatur in Infernum: per "sic impetu dejicietur Babylon, illa magna urbs" significatur quod sic Religiosum illud praeceps conjicietur in Infernum: per "non invenietur amplius" significatur quod amplius nusquam angelis appariturum sit: quod hoc significetur, est quia omnes ex illo Religioso qui in malis et falsis ejus sunt, quidem post mortem in Mundum spirituum veniunt, ille enim mundus est sicut Forum in quo primum congregantur omnes, et est sicut Ventriculus in quem omnes cibi primum colliguntur; ventriculus etiam correspondet isti mundo; ast hodie, quia est post Ultimum Judicium, quod peractum est Anno 1757, non conceditur illis, sicut prius, morari in illo mundo, et sibi sicut Caelos formare; sed ut primum illuc alluunt, delegantur ad societates ibi quae in conjunctione sunt cum infernis, in quae etiam per vices conjiciuntur; et sic praecautum est a Domino, ne illi amplius usquam apparituri sint angelis. Hoc itaque est, quod significatur per quod urbs illa, hoc est, Religiosum illud, "non invenietur amplius." Quoniam per "lapidem molarem" significatur verum Verbi adulteratum, et per "mare" Infernum, ideo dicit Dominus,
"Qui scandalizaverit unum parvorum credentium in Me, expedit ei ut suspendatur Mola asinaria in collum ejus, et demergatur in profundum maris," (Matthaeus 18:6).
(Dicitur "Lapis molaris"Marcus 9:42; Luca 17:2).
De Babele paene simile dicitur apud Jeremiam:
"Cum absolveris legere librum hunc, ligabis super eum Lapidem, et projicies eum in medium Euphratis, ac dices, Sic submergetur Babel, nec resurget," (51:63-64);
per "medium Euphratis" intelligitur simile quod per "mare," quia Euphrates fluvius terminabat et separabat Assyriam, ubi erat Babel, a Terra Canaane.