54.⑴何谓“巴比伦”，其性质如何。“巴比伦”是指所有想利用宗教信仰掌权的人。利用宗教信仰掌权就是掌控人们的灵魂，从而掌控他们的属灵生命本身，并利用其宗教的神性事物为手段。一般来说，凡以掌权为目的，以宗教为手段的人就是巴比伦。这些人之所以被称为巴比伦，是因为这种统治，或宗教暴政始于古代；只是在一开始就被摧毁了。它的开始以城和塔，以及通天的塔顶来描述；对它的摧毁以变乱口音来描述，“巴别”之名由此而来（创世记11:1-9）。至于就圣言的内义或灵义而言，这个故事的细节表示什么，可参看《属天的奥秘》一书所给出的解释（1283-1328节）。
在但以理书我们会看到，这种统治或说暴政在巴比伦再次开始，但这次却被确立下来；经上论到尼布甲尼撒说，他立起一个像，命令所有人拜它（但以理书3:1-30）。这也是伯沙撒及其大臣用尼布甲尼撒从耶路撒冷圣殿掠夺来的金银器皿饮酒，同时敬拜金银铜铁所造之神的意思。这就是为何墙上有字写着说：祂已数算，祂已称量，祂已分裂；当晚，这王自己就被杀了（但以理书5:1-31）。耶路撒冷圣殿的“金银器皿”表示教会的良善和真理；用它们“饮酒”，同时敬拜金银铜铁所造的神，表示亵渎；墙上的字和王的死表示向那些利用神性良善和真理为手段的人所宣告的审判和毁灭。
经上在先知书有时也描述被称为“巴比伦”的人是何性质，如以赛亚书：
你必提这诗歌论巴比伦王说。耶和华折断了恶人的棍，辖制人的杖；路西弗啊，你何竟从天坠落？你何竟被砍倒在地上？你心里曾说，我要升到天上，我要高举我的宝座在神众星以上，我要坐在聚会的山上，在北方的极处，我要变得像至高者。然而，你必坠落阴间，到坑中极深之处；我必将巴比伦的名号和所余剩的人剪除，使她为麻鳽所得。（以赛亚书14:4-5，12-15，22-23）
另一处：
狮子说，巴比伦倾倒了，倾倒了，她的一切雕像都打倒了。（以赛亚书21:9；47:1-15；48:14-20；还可参看耶利米书50:1-3）
从这些经文明显看出什么是“巴比伦”。
重要的是，要知道，当仁与信不复存在，自我之爱开始取代它们掌权时，教会就会变成巴比伦。因为自我之爱越是放任自由，就越冲上去，不仅想要统治它在地上尽可能压服的所有人，甚至还想统治天堂；而且到这时仍不罢手，竟要爬上神的宝座，将神的神性权柄据为己有。在主降临之前，这爱就是如此行的，这一点从上面所引用的圣言经文明显看出来。然而，主在世时，既通过他们完全变成偶像崇拜者，也通过在灵界对他们的最后审判而摧毁了这巴比伦。这就是先知书中关于“路西弗”的经文的意思；在这些经文中，他就是巴比伦，经上说：他被投入地狱（以赛亚书14:12-15；译注：经上将地狱译为阴间），“巴比伦倾倒了”（以赛亚书13；21:1-10；47；耶利米书50-51）；除此之外，经上还提到墙上的字和伯沙撒的死；以及从磐石中非人手凿出来的石头，这石头打碎了尼布甲尼撒所梦见的雕像（但以理书2:31-45）。
54. 1. What “Babylon” means, and what its nature is. “Babylon” means everyone who wants to use religion to control others. Trying to use religion to control others is trying to take control of their souls and therefore their spiritual life itself, using as means the divine principles of the religion. In a general sense, then, Babylon means all people who have control as their aim and use religion as the means of achieving it. 1
The reason these kinds of people are referred to as Babylon is that religious tyranny first began in ancient times, although an immediate halt was put to it. That beginning is described as a city and a tower whose top would be in heaven; its being shut down is described by the muddling of the language of those people that led to its name, “Babel” (Genesis 11:1-9). For what the details of this story mean in the Word's inner or spiritual meaning, see the explanation given in Secrets of Heaven 1283-1328.
[2] We can see in Daniel that a similar tyranny began again in Babylon, but this time became established: it says of Nebuchadnezzar that he set up an image that everyone had to worship (Daniel 3:1-end). This is also the meaning of Belshazzar and the leaders under him drinking from the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar had brought back from the Jerusalem temple, and worshiping gods of gold and silver and copper and iron at the same time. This is why the words “numbered, weighed, divided” were written on the wall, and why the king himself was killed that very night (Daniel 5:1-end). The vessels of gold and silver from the Jerusalem temple mean the good actions and truths taught by the church; drinking from them while at the same time worshiping gods of gold, silver, copper, and iron means profanation; and the handwriting on the wall and the death of the king mean the judgment and destruction pronounced on people who use as means to their own ends the good actions and truths taught by the Divine.
[3] The nature of people called “Babylon” is also described all through the prophets-in Isaiah, for example:
You will take up this proverb against the king of Babylon: “Jehovah has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers. You are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer! You are cut down to the ground. You have said in your heart, ‘I will ascend into the heavens, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will be like the Highest.' But you will be cast down into hell, to the lowest depths of the pit. I will cut off the name and the remnant of Babylon, and I will make it a possession of owls.” 2(Isaiah 14:4-5, 12-15, 22-23)
Elsewhere in Isaiah we find,
The lion said, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, and all the carved images of her god have been cast down.” (Isaiah 21:9)
See also Isaiah 47:1-end; 48:14-20; Jeremiah 50:1, 2, 3. From these passages we can see what “Babylon” is.
[4] It is important to know that a church becomes a Babylon when its caring and faith come to an end and self-love takes charge instead. The more free rein self-love is given, the more it rushes headlong into ruling not only over all the people on earth it possibly can, but even over heaven. Even then it does not rest; it climbs up to the throne of God and transfers God's divine power to itself.
We can tell from the passages in the Word cited above that a development like this occurred before the Lord's Coming. That Babylon, however, was destroyed by the Lord when he was in the world, both through its becoming totally idolatrous and through a Last Judgment on its people in the spiritual world. That is the meaning of the passage in the prophets about Lucifer (who is identified with Babylon there) being cast down into hell [Isaiah 14:12-15], and the passages about Babylon falling [Isaiah 13; 21:1-10; 47; Jeremiah 50-51]; the passage about the handwriting on the wall [Daniel 5:1-29] and the death of Belshazzar [Daniel 5:30-31]; and the passage about the stone hewn from the rock that destroyed the statue in Nebuchadnezzar's dream [Daniel 2:31-45].
Footnotes:
1. This limitation of “Babylon” to those who use religious beliefs to control others is significant, especially considering the blanket condemnation of Catholics by most Protestant theologians in Swedenborg's day. In Last Judgment 59:1, Swedenborg states that in the Last Judgment many of the ordinary adherents of the Roman Catholic faith were saved, though few of their leaders were. Compare Divine Providence 257:4; Revelation Explained (= Swedenborg 1994-1997a) 1190:1. See also note 1 in Last Judgment 53. [GFD]
2. The Latin word here translated “owls” is anatariae, a term that suggests a bird of prey that preys on ducks (Latin anas), whether an owl, eagle, hawk, or osprey. However, the Hebrew word underlying it, קִפוֹד (qippōḏ), seems to imply an animal that rolls itself up. It is variously understood: Brown, Driver, and Briggs 1996, page 891, Strong's 7090, render it “porcupine”; Köhler and Baumgartner 1958 give the meaning “hedgehog” for one passage and “short-eared owl” for another; the King James Version has “bittern”; and the New Revised Standard Version ventures “vulture.” In Secrets of Heaven 655:2, Swedenborg simply transliterates the Hebrew. But Revelation Unveiled 757:1 makes it clear that, at least in the Isaiah passage quoted here, he understands the word to refer to some kind of bird. [GFD, JSR, SS]
54. What is meant by Babylon and what it is like. Babylon means all who wish to have power over others by means of religious belief. This is gaining control over people's souls, and so over their spiritual life itself, using as means the Divine elements in their religion. All those who aim at power using religion as a means are called collectively Babylon. The reason why the name of Babylon is applied to them is that in ancient times such control began, but was destroyed as soon as it started. Its beginning is described by the city and tower which had its top in heaven; its destruction by the confusion of speech; hence its name was Babel (Genesis 11:1-9). The meaning of these details in the internal or spiritual sense of the Word may be seen explained in ARCANA COELESTIA 1283-1328.
[2] Another such attempt at control was begun and set up in Babel, as is clear from the passage of Daniel which tells of Nebuchadnezzar setting up an image which all were to worship (Daniel 3). It is also meant by Belshazzar drinking with his nobles from the gold and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar had carried off from the temple at Jerusalem; and at the same time worshipping gods of gold, silver, copper and iron. Therefore it was written on the wall, He has numbered, weighed and divided. And the king was killed that same night (Daniel 5). The vessels of gold and silver from the temple at Jerusalem mean the kinds of good and truth possessed by the church; drinking from them, and at the same time worshipping gods of gold, silver, copper and iron means profaning them. The writing on the wall and the king's death mean visitation and destruction with which those were threatened who used Divine forms of good and truth as means.
[3] There are numerous descriptions in the Prophets of what the people called Babylon are like, as in Isaiah:
You are to bring out this parable about the king of Babylon. Jehovah has broken the rod of the irreligious, the sceptre of the rulers. You, Lucifer, have fallen from heaven, you are cut down right to the ground. You said in your mind, I will climb the heavens, above the stars of God I shall set my throne on high, and I shall sit on the mountain of meeting, on the north side; I shall become like the Most High. Yet will you be brought down to hell, beside the pit. I will cut off the name of Babylon and what is left of her, and make her a possession inherited by the vulture. 1Isaiah 14:4-5, 12-15, 22-23.
Elsewhere in the same book:
The lion said, Fallen, fallen is Babylon and cast down are all the graven images of her gods. Isaiah 21:9.
See further in Isaiah chapter Isaiah 47, chapter Isaiah 48:14-20; and in Jeremiah chapter 50:1-3. This makes it plain what Babylon is.
[4] It needs to be known that a church becomes Babylon when charity and faith cease to exist and self-love begins to reign in their stead. This love rushes as fast as it is given its head, not only to exercise control over all on earth it can make its subjects, but even over heaven. Nor does it rest there; it climbs as far as the throne of God and takes His Divine power for itself. The passages quoted from the Word prove that this also happened before the Lord's coming. But that Babylon was destroyed by the Lord when He was in the world, both by their becoming utter idolaters and by the last judgment upon them at that time in the spiritual world. This is meant by the passages in the Prophets about Lucifer, who is there Babylon, being cast down to hell, and the fall of Babylon; and also by the writing on the wall and by the death of Belshazzar; and by the stone hewn from the rock which destroyed the statue in Nebuchadnezzar's dream [Daniel 2:33-34].
Footnotes:
1. [The exact identification of this bird is disputed.]
54. I. What is meant by Babylon, and what its quality is. By Babylon are meant all who wish to have dominion by religion. To have dominion by religion, is to have dominion over men's souls, thus over their very spiritual life, and to use the Divine things, which are in their religion, as the means. All those who have dominion for an end, and religion for the means are in general Babylon. They are called Babylon because such dominion began in ancient times; but it was destroyed in its beginning. Its commencement is described by the city and the tower, the head of which was to be in heaven; and its destruction, by the confusion of lips, whence its name Babel was derived (Genesis 11:1-9). What the particulars there related mean in the internal or spiritual sense of the Word, may be seen explained in the Arcana Caelestia (1283-1328). Moreover that this dominion began and was instituted in Babel, appears in Daniel, where it is said of Nebuchadnezzar, that he set up an image which all were to adore (chap. 3). And it is also meant by Belshazzar and his peers drinking out of the golden and silver vessels, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from the temple of Jerusalem, at the same time they worshiped gods of gold, silver, copper, and iron; wherefore it was written on the wall:
He hath numbered, he hath weighed, he hath divided; and on the same night the king himself was slain (chap. 5). "The vessels of gold and silver" of the temple of Jerusalem, signify the goods and truths of the church; "drinking out of them," and at the same time worshiping gods of gold, silver, copper, and iron, signify profanation; and "the writing upon the wall," and "the death of the king" signify visitation, and destruction denounced against those who make use of Divine goods and truths as means. What their quality is who are called Babylon, is also described sometimes in the prophets; as in Isaiah:
Thou mayest take up this parable concerning the king of Babylonia. Jehovah hath broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of those having dominion; thou, Lucifer, hast fallen from heaven; thou art cut down even to the earth; thou hast said in thy mind, I will ascend into the heavens; I will exalt my throne over the stars of God, and I sit on the mountain of the assembly, in the sides of the north, I will become like the Most High. Nevertheless thou shalt be cast down into hell, to the sides of the pit; I will cut off the name and residue of Babylon and will cause her to become an hereditary possession of the bittern (Isaiah 14:4-5, 12-13, 14-15, 22-23). And again it is said in the same:
The lion said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, and all the graven images of her god are cast down (21:9).
See also (47:1-15, (48:14-20,) and Jeremiah 50:1-3). From these passages it is now evident what Babylonia is. It should be known that the church becomes Babylonia, when charity and faith cease, and the love of self begins to rule in their place; for this love in proportion as it is unchecked, rushes on, aiming to dominate not merely over all whom it can subject to itself on earth, but even over heaven; nor does it rest there, but it climbs the very throne of God, and transfers to itself His Divine power. That it did this, even before the Lord's coming, appears from the passages of the Word adduced above. But that Babylonia was destroyed by the Lord when He was in the world, both by their becoming altogether idolatrous, and by the Last Judgment upon them in the spiritual world. This is meant by the prophetic sayings, that "Lucifer," who there is Babylon, was cast into hell, and that "Babylon has fallen;" and moreover by "the writing on the wall," and "the death of Belshazzar;" and also by "the stone, hewn from the rock," which destroyed the statue, of which Nebuchadnezzar dreamed.
54. ((i.)) Quid intelligitur per "Babyloniam," et qualis illa.- Per "Babyloniam" intelliguntur omnes, qui per religiosum dominari volunt; per religiosum dominari, est super animas hominum, ita super ipsam vitam spiritualem illorum, ac pro mediis uti Divinis quae in religioso: omnes illi, qui pro fine habent dominium, et pro mediis religionem, in genere sunt "Babylonia." Quod "Babylonia" dicantur, est quia antiquis temporibus tale dominium inchoatum est, sed in principio ejus destructum; inchoatio ejus describitur per "urbem" et per "turrim," cujus caput esset in caelo; et ejus destructio per confusionem labiorum; unde nomen ejus Babel (Genesis 11:1-9). Quid per singula illa intelligitur in sensu interno seu spirituali Verbi, videatur explicatum in Arcanis Caelestibus (1283-1328). Quod etiam tale dominium coeptum et institutum sit in Babele, constat apud Daniele in, ubi dicitur de Nebuchadnezare,
Quod erexerit imaginem, quam omnes adorarent (cap. 3 ad fin.):
Et quoque intelligitur per
Quod Belschazar cum proceribus biberit ex vasis aureis et argenteis, quae Nebuchadnezar exportaverat ex templo Hierosolymae, et simul tunc coluerit deos auri, argenti, cupri, ferri: quare scriptum est in pariete, Numeravit, appendit, divisit; et ipse rex eadem nocte interfectus est (cap. 5 ad fin.):
Per "vasa auri et argenti templi Hierosolymae" significantur ecclesiae bona et vera; per "bibere ex illis, et simul colere deos auri, argenti, cupri, ferri," significatur profanatio; ac per "scripturam super pariete," et per "mortem regis," significatur visitatio et destructio, denuntiatae illis qui usi sunt Divinis bonis est veris pro mediis. Quales illi sunt, qui "Babylonia" dicuntur, describitur etiam passim apud Prophetas: ut apud Esaiam,
"Proferas parabolam hanc de rege Babyloniae;... Fregit Jehovah baculum impiorum, sceptrum dominantium:... decidisti de caelo, Lucifer...; succisus es usque in terram:... tu dixisti animo tuo, In caelos ascendam, super stellas Dei exaltabo thronum meum, et sedebo in monte conventus, in lateribus septentrionis,... similis fiam Altissimo. Verumtamen in infernum dejicieris, ad latera foveae;... exscindam Babyloniae nomen et residuum,... et disponam eam ut sit hereditaria possessio anatariae" (Esaiam 14:4, (Esaiam 14:5,) Esaiam 14:12-15, 22(, Esaiam 14:23)):
Et alibi apud eundem,
Dixit leo, "Cecidit, cecidit Babylon, et omnes sculptiles dei ejus dejecti sunt" (Esaiam 21:9 1):
Et praeterea apud eundem
(cap. 47 ad fin. ; cap. 48:14-20; et apud Jeremiam cap. 50:1-3).
Ex his nunc patet quid "Babylonia." Sciendum est, quod ecclesia fiat Babylonia, cum cessat charitas et fides, et loco earum regnare incipit amor sui; hic enim amor in tantum ruit in quantum ei laxatur frenum, ita non solum ad dominandum super omnes, quotcunque sibi subjicere potest, in tellure, sed etiam super caelum: nec tunc quiescit; scandit usque ad thronum Dei, ac Divinam Ipsius potestatem in se transfert. Quod hoc factum sit etiam ante adventum Domini, constat ex locis e Verbo supra allatis. Sed illa Babylonia destructa est a Domino, cum fuit in mundo, tam per id quod prorsus idololatrae facti sint, quam per ultimum judicium tunc super illos in mundo spirituali; id intelligitur per prophetica illa, quod Lucifer, qui ibi est Babylonia, ad infernum dejectus sit, et quod Babylon ceciderit; et quoque per scripturam super pariete, et per mortem Belschazaris; tum etiam per Lapidem e Petra excisum, qui destruxit statuam, de qua somniavit Nebuchadnezar.
Footnotes:
"1. xxi. pro ""xxii."""