1. 백마론

요한계시록에서는 영적 또는 내적 의미에 대한 말씀을 다음과 같이 기술하고 있다.

내가 하늘이 열린 것을 보니, 보라, 백마와 탄 자가 있으니, 그 이름이 충신과 진실이라. 그가 정의로 심판하며 싸우더라. 그의 눈은 불꽃같고, 머리에는 많은 면류관이 있고, 또 이름 쓴 것이 하나 있으니, 자기 밖에 아는 자가 없더라, 그는 또 피에 젖은 옷을 입었더라. 그의 이름을 일러 하나님의 말씀이라 칭하더라. 하늘에 있는 군대들이 희고 깨끗한 아마포로 만든 옷을 입고 백마를 타고 그의 뒤를 따르더라. 그의 옷과 다리에 적힌 이름이 있으니, 만왕(萬王)의 왕이요 만주(萬主)의 주라 하더라 (요한계시록19:11-14, 16)

위의 표현이 내포하고 있는 의미 하나 하나를 알아낼 수 있는 사람은 아무도 없다. 오직 이들 표현의 내적 의미를 이해하는 이만이 알 수 있을 뿐이다. 하나 하나의 표현이 모두 표징적이고 의미심장함이 분명하다. 말하자면, ”하늘이 열렸다”, “백마가 그 곳에 있었더라”, ”정의로 심판하여 싸우더라”, “그의 눈은 불꽃같고”, ”머리에 많은 면류관이 있고”, ”이름 쓴 것이 하나 있으니 자기 밖에 아는 자가 없더라”., ”그는 또 피에 젖은 옷을 입었더라”, “하늘에 있는 군대가 백마를 타고 그를 따르더라.”, ” 그들은 희고 깨끗한 아마포로 만든 옷을 입었더라”, ” 그의 옷과 다리에 적힌 이름이 있으니”라는 표현이 모두 그러하다는 것이다. 분명히 알 수 있는 것은 이러한 서술이 ”말씀”이요, 말씀이 곧 주(Lord)라는 것이다. ”그의 이름을 일러 하나님의 말씀이라”라고 언급되어 있고 뒤이어 “그의 옷과 다리에 이름 쓴 것이 있으니, 만왕의 왕이오, 만주의 주라 하였더라”라고 언급되어 있기 때문이다. 하나 하나의 표현을 해석해 보면 이 곳에 언급된 말씀이 모두 영적이고 내밀한 의미를 지니고 있음이 분명하다. .”하늘이 열렸다”라는 표현은, 말씀의 내밀한 의미는 천국에서만 이해될 수 있으며 이 세상에 있는 자라도 천국이 열린 자에게만 이해될 수 있다는 것을 표징하고 의미한다. 하얀 백마는 말씀의 내밀한 의미를 이해한다는 것을 표징적으로 나타내는 것이다. 이 점이 백마가 표징하는 것이라는 점은 곧 밝혀질 것이다. ”백마를 탄 자”라는 표현은 말씀과 관련된 주요, 그러므로 주는 말씀 그 자체임이 분명하다 .”그의 이름을 일러 하나님의 말씀이라 칭하더라”라는 언급이 나와있기 때문이다. 선(善)을 근본으로 삼을 때에는”신실하고 정의로 심판하는”이로 호칭되며, 진리를 근본으로 할 때에는”정의로 심판하여 싸우는” 이로 호칭된다. 왜냐하면 주님 자신이 정의이기 때문이다. “그의 눈은 불꽃같고”라는 표현은 주님의 신성한; (Divine)사랑에 속하는 신성한 선(善)을 근본으로 하는 신성한 진실을 의미한다. ”그의 머리에 많은 면류관이 있고” 라는 표현은 믿음에 속하는 모든 선과 진리를 의미한다. ”이름 쓴 것이 하나 있으니 자신 밖에 아는 자가 아무도 없고”라는 표현은 내밀한 의미에서의 말씀의 본질은 주님과 주님이 그 의미를 드러내어주신 자만이 이해할 수 있다는 것을 의미한다. ”피에 젖은 옷을 입었더라”라는 표현은 /불경스러움과 곡해가 개재된 문자로 된 말씀을 의미한다. ”하늘에 있는 군대가 백마를 타고 그를 따르더라”라는 표현은 말씀의 내면을 이해하고 있는 사람들을 의미한다. ”희고 깨끗한 아마포로 만든 옷을 입고”라는 표현은 선을 근본으로 하는 진리 속에 존재하는 같은 부류의 사람들을 의미한다 .”그의 옷과 다리에 이름 적힌 것이 있으니” 라는 표현은 진리와 선, 그리고 그런 것들의 본질을 의미한다. 이같은 세부적인 사항과 19장의 전, 후에 보이는 세부적인 사항을 근거로, 우리는 교회의 마지막 시대에 말씀의 영적 또는 내적인 의미가 열릴 것이며 그 시대에 무슨 일이 벌어질 것인지에 대해서도 그러한 세부적인 사항에 이미 예견되어 있음을 분명히 알 수 있다 (시편17-21). 이것이 언급된 말씀의 의미라는 것을 여기에서 새삼 증명할 필요는 없다. 왜냐하면 그 점은 “천국의 비밀”에 상세히 설명되어있고 또 주님이 신적 진리인 까닭에 주님이 말씀임을 .밝히고 있기 때문이다. (천국의 비밀 2533, 2803, 2884, 5272, 7835)

그러므로 말씀은 하나님의 신성한 진리이다. (천국의 비밀 4692, 5075, 9987)

주님은 정의이신 까닭에 ”그는 백마를 타고 정의로 심판하며 싸우더라” 라고 언급되어 있으며 , 이러한 이유 때문에 그리고 자신의 권세를 인류를 위해 비축해 두셨기 때문에 ”정의”로 호칭된다. (천국의 비밀 1813, 2025-2027, 9715, 9809, 10019, 10152).

그러므로 “정의”는 오로지 주님에게만 속하는 미덕이다 (천국의 비밀 9715, 9979).

“그의 눈은 불꽃같고”라는 표현이 신성한 하나님의 사랑에 속하는 신성한 선을 근본으로 삼는 신성한 진리를 의미한다는 것은 “눈”은 믿음에 속하는 진리와 이해를 의미하며 (천국의 비밀 2701, 4403-4421, 4523, 4534, 9023, 9051, 10519), ”불꽃”은 사랑에 속하는 선을 의미한다는 것이다. (천국의 비밀 934, 4906, 5215, 6314, 6832)

”그의 머리 위의 많은 면류관”은 믿음에 속하는 모든 선과 진리를 의미한다. (천국의 비밀 114, 3858, 6335, 6640, 9863, 9865, 9868, 9873, 9905)

”이름 쓴 것이 하나 있으니 자기 밖에 아는 자가 없더라”라는 표현이 내적 의미에서의 말씀의 의미의 본질은 주님 자신과 주님께서 말씀의 내적 의미를 드러내어 주신 자만이 이해할 수 있다는 것을 의미한다는 것은 ”이름”이 어떤 것의 본질을 의미한다는 것이다. (천국의 비밀 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006, 3237, 3421, 4674, 9310)

”피에 젖은 옷을 입었더라”라는 표현이 곡해가 개재된 문자로 된 말씀을 의미한다는 것은 ”옷”이란 진리를 의미한다는 것이다. 진리는 선으로 나타나기 때문이라는 것이다. (천국의 비밀 1073, 2576, 5428, 5319, 5954, 9212, 9216, 9952, 10536)

특히 궁극에 있어서의 진리를 의미한다는 것이다. 그러므로 문자로 된 말씀을 의미한다는 것이다. (천국의 비밀 5428, 6918, 9158, 9212버). 그리고 “피”란 불경스러움이 개재된 그릇된 진리를 의미하기 때문이다.

”하늘에 있는 군대가 백마를 타고 그를 따르더라”라는 표현이 말씀의 내면을 이해하고 있는 자들을 의미한다는 것은 ”군대”란 천국과 교회의 진리와 선 속에 있는 자들을 의미한다는 것이다. (천국의 비밀 3448, 7326, 7988, 8019).

”말”은 이해를 의미한다. (천국의 비밀 3217, 5321, 6125, 6400, 6531, 6534, 7024, 8146, 8318)

그리고 “흰 색”은 천국의 빛 가운데에 있는 진리를, 그러므로 내면의 (interior) 진리를 의미한다 (천국의 비밀 3301, 3993, 4007, 5319).

“희고 깨끗한 아마포로 만든 옷을 입고”라는 표현이 선을 근본으로 하는 진리 속에서 살아가는 같은 부류의 사람들을 의미한다는 것은, ”깨끗한 아마포” 또는”아마포”는 선을 근본으로 하는 진리인 천적인 기원(celestial origin)을 근본으로 하는 진리를 의미한다는 것이다. (천국의 비밀 5319, 9469)

“옷과 다리에 이름 적힌 것이 있으니”라는 표현이 진리와 선, 그리고 그 본질을 의미한다는 것은 ”옷”은 진리를, ”이름”은 앞에서 언급한 바와 같이 본질을, 그리고 “다리”는 사랑으로 이루어진 선을 의미한다는 것이다. (천국의 비밀 3021, 4277, 4280, 9961, 10485).

”만왕의 왕이요, 만주의 주”는 신적 진리와 신적 선과 관련된 주이며 주는 신적 진리를 근본으로 삼는 ”왕”으로 호칭된다. (천국의 비밀 3009, 5068, 6148)

그러므로 그는 신적 선을 근본으로 삼는”주”로 호칭된다 (천국의 비밀 4973, 9169, 9174)

이러한 사실에서 영적 또는 내적 의미에서의 말씀의 본질이 무엇인지 분명해지며 또 말씀 속에는 어떤 영적인 것, 말하자면 천국과 교회에 대한 그 어떤 것을 의미하지 않는 표현은 하나도 없음이 분명하다.

6148. 'Only the ground of the priests he did not buy' means that the internal obtained for itself from the natural every capacity to receive good, because every such capacity came from itself. This is clear from the representation of 'Joseph', about whom these things are said, as the internal, dealt with already; from the meaning of 'the ground' as the receptacle of truth, dealt with above in 6135-6137, at this point the capacity to receive good, for the capacity of something is its inherent ability to receive, which causes a receptacle to be a receptacle (that capacity comes from good, that is, from the Lord through good, for if the good of love did not flow in from the Lord no one would ever have the capacity to receive truth or good. That inflow of the good of love from the Lord causes everything present inwardly in a person to be of a receptive nature. The truth that the capacity to receive good comes from the natural is meant by the fact that the ground lay in Egypt, since 'Egypt' means the natural in respect of factual knowledge, 6142); from the meaning of 'the priests' as good, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'not buying' as not taking those capacities to itself - not in the way that it made truths and forms of the good of truth, together with their receptacles, its own, which came about through periods of desolation and sustainment - for the reason that those capacities came from itself, from the internal. All these meanings serve to show that 'only the ground of the priests he did not buy' means that the internal obtained for itself from the natural every capacity to receive good, because every such capacity came from itself.

[2] The implications of all this are that a person's capacities to receive truth and good come directly from the Lord; he obtains them without any help at all from himself. A person's capacity to receive goodness and truth is maintained in him unceasingly; and from that capacity he possesses understanding and will. But a person does not receive them if he turns to evil. The capacity to receive does, it is true, remain, but its access to thought and sensitivity is blocked, on account of which his capacity to see what is true and have a sensitive awareness of what is good perishes. And it perishes to the extent that he turns to evil and in faith and life becomes firmly settled in it. The fact that a person contributes nothing whatever to his capacity to receive truth and good is well known from the Church's teaching that nothing at all of the truth of faith and nothing at all of the good of charity comes from man but from the Lord. Yet a person can destroy that capacity residing with him. From all this one may now see how one should understand the idea that the internal obtained for itself from the natural every capacity to receive good, because every such capacity came from itself. The expression 'from the natural' is used because the inflow of good from the Lord is effected by the Lord through the internal into the natural; and once the capacity to receive has been obtained from there, the inflow takes place, for now there is reception, see 5828.

[3] So far as the meaning of 'the priests' as forms of good is concerned, it should be recognized that there are two realities which go forth from the Lord - goodness and truth. Divine Good was represented by priests, and Divine Truth by kings; and this is why 'the priests' means forms of good and 'the kings' truths. Regarding the attribution of Priesthood and Kingship to the Lord, see 1728, 2015 (end), 3670. In the representative Ancient Church those two offices of priest and king existed jointly in one personage, the reason for this being that goodness and truth which go forth from the Lord are united; and they are also joined together in heaven among the angels.

[4] A personage in the Ancient Church in whom the two offices existed joined together was called Melchizedek, a name meaning king of righteousness. This may be seen from the following statement about Melchizedek who came to Abraham, ¹

Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; and he was a priest to God Most High. And he blessed Abraham. Genesis 14:18-19.

His representation of the Lord in both offices is evident from the fact that he was a king and at the same time a priest, and from the fact that he was allowed to bless Abraham and offer him bread and wine, which even at that time were the symbols of the good of love and the truth of faith. His representation of the Lord in both offices is further evident in David,

Jehovah has sworn and will not repent, You are a priest for ever after the manner of Melchizedek. Psalms 110:4.

These words were spoken in reference to the Lord. 'After the manner of Melchizedek' means that He is both King and Priest, that is, in the highest sense that Divine Good and Divine Truth go forth together from Him.

[5] Because a representative Church was going to be established also among the descendants of Jacob, they too were to have a single personage to represent jointly Divine Good and Divine Truth, which go forth from the Lord united. But on account of the wars and the idolatry of that people the two were in fact divided right from the start; those who ruled over the attended to sacred duties were referred to as the priests, who belonged to the seed of Aaron and were the Levites. At a later time the two functions were joined together in a single person, as they were in Eli and Samuel. Yet because the nature of the people was such that the representative Church could not be established among them, only a representative of the Church, on account of the practice of idolatry prevalent among them, the two functions were allowed to be separated. The Lord was then represented in respect of Divine Truth by kings and in respect of Divine Good by priests. The separation took place because the people desired it, not because the Lord took any pleasure in it, as is clear from the Word of Jehovah to Samuel,

Obey the voice of the people in all that they have said to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them; and show them the right of the king. 1 Samuel 8:7-end; 12:19-20.

[6] The reason why the two functions were not meant to be separated was that Divine Truth separated from Divine Good condemns all people, whereas Divine Truth united to Divine Good saves them. Judged by Divine Truth a person is condemned to hell, but Divine Good brings him out of there and raises him into heaven. Salvation comes of mercy and so sprigs from Divine Good; but damnation exists when a person rejects mercy and so casts Divine Good away from himself, as a consequence of which he is left to be judged by Truth. As regards 'kings' representing Divine Truth, see 1672, 1728, 2015, 2069, 3009, 3670, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068.

[7] 'The priests' represented the Lord in respect of Divine Good, and for that reason good is meant by them. This becomes clear from the internal sense of all that was prescribed regarding the priesthood when Aaron was chosen, and after him the Levites, such as these prescriptions:

The High Priest alone should enter the Holy of holies and minister there. [Leviticus 16.]

Things holy to Jehovah were to be for the priest. Leviticus 23:20; 27:21.

They were not to have any portion or inheritance in the land, but Jehovah would be their portion and inheritance. Numbers 18:20; Deuteronomy 10:9; 18:1.

The Levites were given to Jehovah instead of the firstborn, and they were given by Jehovah to Aaron. Numbers 3:9, 12-13, Numbers 3:40-end; 8:16-19.

The high priest and the Levites were to be in the middle of the camp when they pitched it and when they were journeying. Numbers 1:50-54; 2:17; 3:23-38; 4:1-end.

No one from the seed of Aaron who had a blemish in himself was to approach to offer burnt offerings or sacrifices. Leviticus 21:17-20.

And there are many other prescriptions besides these, such as those in Leviticus 21:9-13, and elsewhere.

[8] In the highest sense all these prescriptions relating to the priests represented the Lord's Divine Good and therefore in the relative sense the good of love and charity. Aaron's vestments however, called 'vestments of holiness', represented Divine Truth from Divine Good. These matters will in the Lord's Divine mercy be dealt with in the explanations of what appears in Exodus.

[9] Since truth is meant by 'kings' and good by 'priests', 'kings and priests' are mentioned together many times in the Word, as in John, Jesus Christ has made us kings and priests to His God and Father. Revelation 1:6; 5:10.

By virtue of the truth of faith we are said to have been made 'kings', and by virtue of the good of charity to have been made 'priests', so that the truth and good residing with those who abide in the Lord have been joined together, in the way they are in heaven, as stated above. This is what is meant by 'being made kings and priests'.

[10] In Jeremiah,

It will happen on that day, that the heart of the king and of the princes will perish, and the priests will be dumbfounded and the prophets left wondering. Jeremiah 4:9.

In the same prophet,

The house of Israel is ashamed, they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets. Jeremiah 2:26.

In the same prophet,

The kings of Judah, the princes, the priests, and the prophets, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Jeremiah 8:1.

In these places 'kings stands for truths, 'princes' for first and foremost truths, 1482, 1089, 5044, 'priests' for forms of good, and 'prophets' for those who teach, 2534.

[11] Quite apart from this it should be recognized that Joseph did not buy the ground of the priests. The fact that this was representative of the consideration that the whole of a person's capacity to receive truth and good comes from the Lord is evident from a similar law in Moses regarding the fields belonging to the Levites,

The field of the country surrounding the cities of the Levites shall not be sold, for it is their eternal possession. Leviticus 25:34.

The meaning here in the internal sense is that no one ought to lay any claim to the good of the Church, which is the good of love and charity, because that good is from the Lord alone.

각주:

3448. 'And Ahuzzath his companion, and Phicol the commander of his army' means the first and foremost features of their doctrine of faith. This is clear from the representation of 'Abimelech' as the doctrine of faith which has regard to rational concepts. Consequently 'his companion and the commander of his army' means those first and foremost things, indeed the first and foremost things of their doctrine; for 'a commander' like a prince means things that are first and foremost, 1482, 2089, and 'an army' means matters of doctrine themselves. The reason why 'an army' means matters of doctrine which are expressions of truth, that is, which are lower truths, is that by 'warfare' in the Word and by 'war' are meant those things that have to do with spiritual war and warfare, 1664, 1788, 2686. The same are also meant by weapons - by spears, shields, bows, arrows, swords, and so on, as has been shown in various places. And since they are truths or matters of doctrine through which spiritual conflicts are fought, armies therefore mean those truths or matters of doctrine, and also in the contrary sense falsities or heretical ideas.

[2] It may be seen from many places that by 'armies' or 'hosts' in the Word are meant truths or falsities, as in Daniel,

The one [little] horn of the he-goat ¹ grew exceedingly towards the south, and towards the east, and towards the glorious [land]. And it grew even towards the host of heaven, and cast down to earth some of the host, and of the stars, and trampled on them. It drew itself up even towards the pence of the host. His host was set over the continual [burnt offering] on account of the transgression, and it cast down truth to the earth. I heard a holy one speaking. He said, For how long is this vision, the continual burnt offering, and the desolating transgression, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden down? Daniel 8:9-13.

'The horn that grew towards the south, the east, and the glorious [land]' is the power of falsity that springs from evil, 2832, 'the host of heaven' truths, 'the prince of the host' the Lord as regards Divine Truth. And since in the good sense 'an army' or 'a host' is truth it is said that the horn cast down to earth some of the host, and then that it cast down truth to the earth.

[3] In the same prophet,

The king of the north will raise a multitude greater than the former, and at the end of the period of years he wit surely come with a great army and with many riches. Then he will stir up his power and his heart against the king of the south with a great army. And the king of the south will engage in war with an exceedingly great and mighty army, but he will not stand. For even those who eat his food will break him, and his army will overflow, and many will fall down slain. Daniel 11:13, 25-26.

The whole of that chapter refers to war between the king of the north and the king of the south. 'The king of the north' is used to mean falsities as also is 'his army', while 'the king of the south and his army' is used to mean truths. It is prophecy concerning the vastation of the Church.

[4] In John,

I saw heaven standing open, and behold, a white horse! and He who sat on it was called faithful and true. He was clothed in a garment dyed in blood, and His armies in heaven were following Him on white horses and were clothed in linen, white and clean. I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered to make war with Him who was sitting on the horse and with His army. Revelation 19:11, 13-14, 19.

'He who sat on the white horse' stands for the Word of the Lord, or the Lord as regards the Word, 2760-2762. 'His armies which in heaven were following Him' stands for truths from the Word and so for those in heaven who possess truths. 'The beast' stands for the evils that belong to self-love, 'the kings of the earth and their armies' for falsities. Conflicts between falsity and truth are what are described here.

[5] In David,

By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made, and their host by the spirit of His mouth. Psalms 33:6.

'Their host' or the host of heaven stands for truths. Since 'an army' means truths, the children of the kingdom, and angels, by virtue of the truths which they possess, are called the host of heaven, as in Luke,

Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God. Luke 2:13.

In David,

Bless Jehovah, all His hosts, His ministers doing His will. Psalms 103:21.

In the same author,

Praise Jehovah, all His angels, praise Him, all His hosts. Psalms 148:2.

In Isaiah,

Lift up your eyes on high and see; who created these? He who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name. From the multitude of the powerful and of the mighty not a man will be missing. Isaiah 40:26.

In the same prophet,

It was I that made the earth and created man on it. It was I - My hands - that stretched out the heavens; and I commanded all their host. Isaiah 45:12.

Here 'the host of the heavens' stands for truths, and so for angels since angels, as has been stated, are in possession of truths.

[6] In the first Book of Kings,

I saw Jehovah sitting on His throne, and the entire host of heaven standing beside Him, on His right hand and on His left. 1 Kings 22:19

In Joel,

Jehovah gave voice before His army, for His camp is exceedingly great; for that which executes His word is uncountable. Joel 2:11.

In Zechariah,

I will pitch by My house a camp composed of an army passing through and resuming, so that the oppressor passes over them no more. Exult greatly, O daughter of Zion! Make a noise, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King comes to you. Zechariah 9:8-9.

This refers to the Coming of the Lord. 'His army' stands for Divine truths For this reason, and also because the Lord alone fights on man's behalf against hells that are constantly endeavouring to attack, the Lord is called many times in the Word Jehovah Zebaoth, God Zebaoth, the Lord Zebaoth - that is, Jehovah, God, or Lord of Hosts - as in Isaiah,

The noise of a tumult of the kingdoms of the nations gathered together! Jehovah Zebaoth is leading an army of war. Isaiah 13:4.

'The kingdoms of the nations' stands for falsities that spring from evils, 'leading an army of war' for fighting on man's behalf.

[7] Because the twelve tribes of Israel represented the Lord's heavenly kingdom, and 'tribes' as well as 'twelve' meant all things of faith in their entirety, that is, all the truths of the kingdom, 577, 2089, 2129, 2130, 3272, they were also called Jehovah's hosts, as in Exodus 7:4; 12:17, 41, 51. And commands were given to bring them out of Egypt according to their hosts, Exodus 6:26, to encamp according to their hosts, Numbers 1:52, and to divide them into hosts, Numbers 2:1- end.

[8] That truths are meant by 'armies' is also clear in Ezekiel,

Persia and Lud and Put were in your army, as your men of war; they hung the shield and helmet in you, they gave you your reputation. The sons of Arvad, and your army, were on your walls round about, and the Gammadim were in your towers. Ezekiel 27:10-11.

This refers to Tyre which means interior cognitions of good and truth, and so those who possess them, 1201, 'army' standing for truths themselves 'Lud' and 'Put' too mean those who possess cognitions, see 1163, 1164, 1166, 1195, 1231. 'The shield and helmet' describes such things as belong to spiritual conflict.

[9] As regards 'an army' or 'a host' in the contrary sense meaning falsities, this is evident in Isaiah,

It will be on that day, that Jehovah will visit the host of the height on high, and the kings of the earth on the earth. Isaiah 24:21.

Here 'the host of the height' stands for falsities that result from self-love. In Ezekiel,

I will bring you back and put hooks in your jaws, and I will bring you forth, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed perfectly, a great company with shield and buckler, all of them wielding swords. You will come from your place, from the uttermost parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding horses, a great company, a great army. Ezekiel 38:4, 15.

This refers to Gog, who means external worship separated from internal and so made idolatrous, 1151. 'His army' stands for falsities.

[10] In Jeremiah,

I will send against Babel the archer, him who arches his bow and draws himself up in his breastplate. Do not spare the young men; utterly destroy all its host. Jeremiah 51:2-3.

'Babel' stands for worship whose external features appear holy but whose interiors are profane, 1182, 1283, 1295, 1304, 1306-1308, 1321, 1322, 1326. 'Its host' means the falsities that go with such as these, and the army of Babel in other places has the same meaning as in Jeremiah 34:1, 21; 32:2; 39:1.

In Ezekiel,

Pharaoh will see them and will comfort himself over all his multitude, Pharaoh and all his army, slain by the sword; for I will put My terror in the land of the living. Ezekiel 32:31-32.

This refers to Egypt, which means those who by means of reasonings based on facts pervert truths, 1164, 1165. 'His army', that is, Pharaoh's, stands for derivative falsities, as also does 'Pharaoh's army' in other places, as in Jeremiah 37:5, 7, 11; 46:2; Ezekiel 17:17.

In Luke,

When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its devastation is near. Luke 21:20.

This refers to the close of the age or final period of the Church when faith does not exist any longer. 'Jerusalem' - which means the Church, see 2117 - is 'surrounded by armies' when beset by falsities.

[11] From these quotations it is clear that 'the hosts of heaven', which Jews and Israelite idolaters worshipped, in the internal sense meant falsities. The second Book of Kings says of them,

They forsook all the commandments of their God and made for themselves a molten image of two calves, and made a grove, and bowed down to all the host of heaven. 2 Kings 17:16.

This refers to the Israelites. And elsewhere it is said of Manasseh that he built altars for all the host of heaven, 2 Kings 21:5, and that King Josiah brought out of the temple all the vessels made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven, 2 Kings 23:4. And in Jeremiah it is said that they were to spread the bones of the princes, of the priests, and of the prophets before the sun, the moon, and all the host of heaven, which they had loved and had served and had gone after, Jeremiah 8:1-2. And elsewhere,

The houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the king of Judah will be defiled, like the place of Topheth - all the houses on whose roofs they have burned incense to all the host of heaven and have poured out drink offerings to other gods. Jeremiah 19:13.

And in Zephaniah,

I will stretch out My hand against those worshipping on their roofs the host of heaven. Zephaniah 1:5.

It is the stars to which the expression 'the host of heaven' refers primarily, and by 'the stars' is meant truths, and also in the contrary sense falsities; see 1128, 1808.

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