Spiritual Meaning of REVELATION 17:17
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AR 749. Verse 17. For God hath given into their hearts to do His mind, and to do one mind, and to give their kingdom into the beast, signifies judgment with them from the Lord, that they should altogether repudiate and hold accursed the Roman Catholic religious persuasion, and should destroy and root it out with themselves; and the unanimous judgment, that they should acknowledge the Word, and found the church upon it. Since the Roman Catholic religious persuasion is signified by "the harlot," and the Protestants are signified by "the ten horns that shall hate the harlot," as above (n. 746-748); it is manifest that by "doing His mind" is signified that they have judged and concluded that they should altogether repudiate that religious persuasion and hold it accursed, and should destroy and root it out with themselves, as above (n. 748). And it is also manifest, that by "doing one mind and giving the kingdom to the beast," is signified to judge and conclude unanimously, that they should acknowledge the Word, and found the church upon it. By "the beast" is signified the Word, as everywhere above (n. 723): and by "kingdom" the church is signified, and the government over it, as is shown just below. By "God gave into their hearts" is signified that they are from the Lord. That "kingdom" signifies the church may be evident from these passages:--

Jesus, John, and the disciples preached, that:--

Also the Gospel of the kingdom (Matt. 4:23; 9:35; 24:14; Luke 8:1).

Besides many other places where the kingdom of God is spoken of. In like manner in these:--

The church is signified by "a kingdom," because the Lord’s kingdom is in heaven and on earth; and His kingdom on the earth is the church; hence also the Lord is called "King of kings."

AR 750. Until the words of God shall be consummated, signifies until all the things which have been foretold concerning them shall be fulfilled. By "being consummated" is signified to be fulfilled; and by "the words of God" are signified the things which are foretold in the Word; and because it is said "to be consummated" it signifies until they all are fulfilled. This is said of the Protestants, and of "their giving the kingdom to the beast"; that is, that they will acknowledge the Word, and found the church upon it, as just above (n. 749). But they do indeed acknowledge the Word, and say that the church is founded upon it; and still they found the doctrine of their church upon a single saying of Paul, that "man is justified by faith alone without the works of the law" (Rom. 3:28), altogether falsely understood (n. 417). Because it is here said, "until the words of God are consummated," it shall also be told what is signified by the Lord‘s last words to the disciples, which are these:--

"Until the consummation of the age" is until the end of the church (n. 658): and then, if they do not go to the Lord Himself, and live according to His commandments, they are left by the Lord; and being left by the Lord they become like pagans, who have no religion; and then the Lord is with those only, who will be of His New Church. These things are signified by "until the words of God are consummated," and by "even until the consummation of the age."

Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772).

Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002.

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