Spiritual Meaning of REVELATION 17:6
previous  -  next  -  text  -  summary  -  Revelation  -  BM Home  -  Full Page

AR 730. Verse 6. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus, signifies that religious persuasion insane from the adulterated and profaned Divine truths and goods of the Lord, of the Word, and thence of the church. By "the woman" is signified that religious persuasion, as above (n. 723, 725); by "being drunken" is signified to be insane in spiritual things (n. 721). By "blood" is signified the falsification, adulteration, and profanation of the Word (n. 327, 379, 681, 684). By "saints" are signified they who, by the Word, are in Divine truths from the Lord, and abstractly, the Divine truths of the Lord, of the Word, and thence of the church (n. 173, 586, 666). By "the witnesses of Jesus" are signified abstractly the truths and goods from the Lord through the Word in the church (n. 6, 16, 490, 506, 668), here the same profaned, because it says "the blood of the martyrs" or "witnesses of Jesus," and is spoken of Babylon, by which is also signified the profanation of the good and truth of the Word and of the church (n. 717, 718). From these things it is evident, that by "I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus," is signified that religious persuasion insane from the adulterated and profaned Divine truths and goods of the Lord, of the Word, and thence of the church.

AR 731. And when I saw her I wondered with great wonder, signifies astonishment that that religious persuasion is such interiorly, when, nevertheless, it appears otherwise exteriorly. "To wonder with great wonder" is to be greatly astonished; "seeing her" signifies that the woman, that is, the religious persuasion is such interiorly, when nevertheless it appears otherwise exteriorly; for he was astonished to see the woman sitting upon a scarlet beast, arrayed in purple and scarlet, inwrought with gold, precious stones, and pearls, and having a golden cup in her hand, which things were her outward appearance, and yet the cup was full of abominations and uncleanness of whoredom. And he saw written in her forehead, "Mother of whoredoms and abominations of the earth," which are her internals. These things were said by John, because everyone even at this day cannot but be astonished at seeing that religious persuasion so holy and splendid in externals, not knowing that it is so profane and abominable in internals.

Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772).

Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002.

www.BibleMeanings.info