In Luke:

"They shall fall by the edge of the sword, and they shall be made captive amongst all nations; at length Jerusalem shall be trodden under foot" (xxi. 24).

The subject of that chapter is the Consummation of the Age, by which is signified the last time of the church, when there is no longer any truth remaining. By their falling by the edge of the sword is signified the destruction of truth by falsities - sword signifying the combat of falsity against the truth, and also the destruction of truth by falsities. By being made captive amongst all nations, are signified persuasions, and obsessions therefrom, by evils of every kind. For when truths are destroyed, falsities take their place, and not only falsities but evils. All nations signify evils of every kind. By Jerusalem being trodden under foot is signified the full destruction and perversion of the doctrine of the church - Jerusalem denoting the church as to doctrine - and to be trodden under foot denoting to be altogether destroyed; this is done chiefly by falsifications and adulterations of the Word.

[2] In Ezekiel:

"They shall be made captive amongst the nations, and the altars shall be devastated, and the idols shall be broken, and the slain shall fall in the midst of you" (vi. 1-10).

By the altars being devastated, is signified that all worship from the good of love shall perish. By the idols being broken, is signified that all worship from the truths of that good shall also perish. And by the slain falling in the midst of them, is signified that they shall perish by falsities. To be slain by the sword has this signification.

[3] In Lamentations:

"Hear all ye people, and see ye my grief; my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity" (i. 18).

This is a lamentation over the devastation of all truth in the church. The lamentation is described by, hear all ye people, and see ye my grief. That all affection of truth is destroyed, is signified by, my virgins are gone into captivity, a virgin denoting the affection of truth. And that all understanding of truth is destroyed, is signified by, my young men are gone into captivity, young men denoting the understanding of truth and intelligence.

[4] In Amos:

"If they have gone into captivity before their enemies, thence do I command the sword that it may slay them" (ix. 4).

If they have gone into captivity before their enemies, signifies, if they have suffered evils to take possession of them, enemies denoting evils, and to go into captivity denoting to be possessed by them. Thence do I command the sword that it may slay them, signifies that falsities will shut them out from understanding truths, and destroy them.

[5] In David:

God "forsook the habitation of Shiloh, the tent which he placed amongst men; and he delivered his strength into captivity, his gracefulness into the hand of the enemy" (Psalm lxxviii. 60, 61).

By the habitation of Shiloh is signified the church which is in the good of love, and by the tent is signified the church which is in truths of doctrine. Hence it is evident that by God forsaking the habitation of Shiloh, the tent which He placed amongst men, is signified, that the goods of love and the truths of doctrine were destroyed. By the strength which He delivered into captivity, is signified spiritual truth from celestial good; and by captivity, is signified a shutting out thereof from the understanding, and so destruction by falsities. And by the gracefulness which He delivered into the hand of the enemy, is signified natural truth from spiritual; this being signified by gracefulness, and the destruction thereof by evils being signified by delivering it into the hand of the enemy.

[6] In Ezekiel:

The prophet was commanded to depart out of the place, and to bring out the vessels of removal through the wall before their eyes, to bring them out under the darkness, and to cover his face that he might not see the earth: and say, "I am your prodigy; even as I have done, so shall it be done to them; into exile, into captivity, they shall go" (xii. 1-12).

The prophet by these things represented the state of the church at that time, which was, that there were no longer any truths remaining that were not destroyed by falsities. For all the prophets represented the church as to doctrine from the Word. His departing out of the place, and bringing out the vessels of removal through the wall under darkness, and covering his face that he might not see the earth, represented the rejection of all the truths of doctrine from the Word. By departing out of the place is signified rejection. By the vessels of removal are signified the truths of doctrine. By the wall, through which he brought them out, is signified the ultimate that encompasses and defends truths; and the ultimate of doctrine is the sense of the letter of the Word, which is called a wall by reason of its containing and including the spiritual sense. By the darkness under which he was to bring them out, are signified falsities. By covering his face that he might not see the earth, is signified the truths of good being no longer seen in the church. Because the prophet represented these things, therefore it is said, "As I have done, so shall it be done to them; into exile and captivity shall they go." It is therefore evident that to go into exile signifies the dispersion of truth, and that to go into captivity signifies to be taken possession of by falsities.

[7] In Habakkuk:

"I will raise up the Chaldeans, a nation going to the breadths of the earth; they shall gather the captivity as the sand; they shall mock at kings, and rulers shall be laughter to them" (i. 6, 9, 10).

By the Chaldeans are signified those who destroy the truths of the church. By the breadths of the earth are signified the truths thereof. That they will destroy all truths by falsities, is signified by gathering the captivity as the sand. That they will deride and blaspheme the truths and goods of the Word, is signified by mocking at kings, and rulers being laughter to them. Kings signify the truths of the Word, and rulers the goods thereof.

[8] In Jeremiah:

Nebuchadnezzar "shall come and shall smite the land of Egypt; those who are for death to death; those who are for captivity to captivity; those who are for the sword to the sword: and I will kindle a fire in the houses of Egypt, that it may burn them, and he shall carry them away captive; at length he shall array himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepherd putteth on his garment" (xliii. 10, 11).

By Nebuchadnezzar, or by the king of Babel, in the Word, are meant those who destroy everything of the church by evils; and by the Chaldeans are meant those who destroy everything of the church by falsities. In the abstract sense, by the king of Babel are signified the evils which destroy, and by the Chaldeans their falsities. Nebuchadnezzar's coming and smiting the land of Egypt, signifies the destruction of the natural man as to all goods and truths thence from the Word. Those who are for death to death, signifies destruction by evils. Those who are for captivity to captivity, signifies destruction by the shutting out from and deprivation of truth. Those who are for the sword to the sword, signifies destruction by falsities therefrom. By kindling a fire in the houses of Egypt to burn them, and by taking them captive, is signified that the loves of self and of the world will destroy all things of the natural man by evils, and falsities. Fire signifies those loves; the houses of Egypt signify all things of the natural man; to burn them signifies to destroy by evil loves; and to take them captive signifies to destroy by falsities thence. At length he shall array himself with the land of Egypt as a shepherd putteth on his garment, signifies that the falsities of evil and the evils of falsity will occupy the whole natural man. This is compared to the garment of a shepherd, because a garment signifies truth investing good; but in this case falsity investing evil. For the natural man is as a garment to the spiritual man, for it encompasses and encloses it.

[9] In Jeremiah:

"Those who are for death to death; those who are for famine to famine; and those who are for captivity to captivity" (xv. 2).

By these words is described the total vastation of good and truth in the church; for in the verse preceding it is said, "If Moses and Samuel stood before me, my soul could not be towards this people: cast them out before my face, that they may go forth." Therefore those who are for death to death, signifies that those who reject goods perish by evils. Those who are for famine to famine, signifies that those who reject truths perish by falsities. Those who are for captivity to captivity, signifies that those who love evils and falsities are taken possession of by them.

[10] In Isaiah:

"As my servant Isaiah went naked and barefoot three years, so shall the king of Assyria lead the captivity of Egypt, and the multitude of Cush, to be carried away, boys and old men, naked and barefoot, even the buttocks uncovered, the nakedness of Egypt" (xx. 3, 4).

By the king of Assyria is signified reasoning from the scientifics of the natural man; and by Egypt is signified the natural man. Hence by the king of Assyria leading the captivity of Egypt, is signified that reasoning from falsities will destroy all truths in the natural man, such as are the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word. The rest may be seen explained above (n. 532).

[11] In Daniel:

"He shall also carry away captive into Egypt their gods with their princes, with their vessels of desire, and the silver and the gold; and he shall stop more years than the king of the north. The intelligent of the people shall instruct many, although they shall fall together by sword and flame, and captivity and depredation, [many] days" (xi. 8, 33).

The subject here is the war between the king of the north and the king of the south. By the king of the north is signified falsity ruling in the church; by the king of the south the truth defending the church against falsity. That still falsities will predominate in the church in the end of the days is there predicted and described. By their gods and their princes, the vessels of desire; and the gold and silver, which shall be led captive into Egypt is signified that truth protecting shall take away all the truths and goods of the church from those who are in falsities. Its spiritual truths are signified by their gods and princes, natural truths by their vessels of desire, and all truth and good in general by silver and gold. And their taking away and protection is signified by leading into captivity to Egypt. By falling by the sword and flame, is signified to perish by falsities and evils therefrom. And by captivity and depredation is signified the deprivation of all things of truth and good.

[12] In Jeremiah:

After that the prophet was delivered up to prison, he prophesied that all Judah should be transported into captivity to Babel, and should there die and be buried (xx. 1-6; xxvii. 1 to end).

By that prophet, as by prophet in general, is signified the doctrine of the church from the Word. By his being delivered up to prison was represented that the like should come to pass with the church and its doctrine, which is signified by all Judah being carried away into captivity to Babel. The captivity of the tribe of Judah in Babel seventy years represented the full destruction of truth and the devastation of the church.

[13] In the same:

"The wind shall feed all thy shepherds, and thy lovers shall go into captivity; then shalt thou be ashamed and disgraced for all thy wickedness" (xxii. 22).

By shepherds, in the abstract sense, are signified the goods of the church, and by lovers the truths thereof. The wind which shall feed the shepherds, signifies the hollowness and emptiness of doctrine. The captivity into which the lovers shall go, signifies a shutting out from all truths and from the understanding thereof. To be ashamed and disgraced signifies to be destitute of all good and truth; for thus, when they come amongst the angels, are they affected with shame and disgrace.

[14] In Moses:

"I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh, with the blood of the slain and captivity, with the gall of the revenges of the enemy (Deut. xxxii. 42).

To make the arrows drunk with blood, signifies delirium of the mind from the Word falsified. The sword shall devour flesh, signifies that falsities shall destroy everything of good. With the blood of the slain and of captivity, signifies the extinction and shutting out of all truth, the slain denoting the extinction of truth by falsities, and captivity the shutting out of truth by falsities. With the gall of the revenges of the enemy, signifies with the malice and cruelty of hell, the gall of revenges denoting malice and cruelty, and the enemy denoting hell.

[15] In Isaiah:

"Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols are wild beasts and beasts, they stoop, they bow down together, and their soul shall go into captivity" (xlvi. 1, 2).

Their idols are wild beasts and beasts, signifies that their falsities are infernal falsities, and evils therefrom. They stoop, they bow down together, signifies that they fall away. Their soul shall go into captivity, signifies that they shall go into hell, where they will be shut out from all truth.

[16] In Obadiah:

"In that day aliens led his strength captive, and strangers entered his gates and cast lots upon Jerusalem" (i. 11).

Spoken of Edom, by whom is signified the truth of the natural man, but in this case falsity. By the aliens who led captive his strength, are signified the falsities of the church destroying its truths, strength signifying truth, because all spiritual strength consists in truths. By the strangers who entered the gates, are signified falsities of doctrine destroying the truths by which entrance into interior truths is possible. By Jerusalem upon which they cast lots, is signified the doctrine of the church from the Word thus dissipated, to cast lots denoting to dissipate.

[17] In Jeremiah:

"Woe to thee, Moab, the people of Chemosh perisheth, for thy sons are taken into captivity, and thy daughters into captivity; yet I will bring back the captivity of Moab" (xlviii. 46, 47).

By Moab are meant those who are in natural delight, and who therefore adulterate the goods of the Word. By the people of Chemosh are meant those who are in natural truth, By sons and daughters being taken into captivity, is signified that the truths and goods of their church are shut out by falsities and evils, sons denoting truths, and daughters goods. I will bring back the captivity of Moab in the end of the days, signifies that truths shall be opened to those who are meant by Moab; and that they shall be instructed therein, the end of the days signifying the Coming of the Lord. Mention is frequently made in the Word of captives who are to be brought back, and by these are meant the Gentiles, who are called captives by reason of their being shut out from truths, which, however, shall be opened to them by the Lord.

[18] In Isaiah:

"Jehovah hath anointed me to preach glad tidings to the poor; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted; to preach liberty to the captives, and to them that are bound, to him whose eyes are holden" (lxi. 1).

These things are said of the Lord. By the poor to whom Jehovah anointed Him to preach good tidings, are signified those who are in few truths, and yet desire them, that their soul may be thereby sustained. By the broken-hearted are signified those who are consequently in grief. By the captives to whom He should preach liberty are signified those who are shut out from truths and therefore from goods; to whom truths shall be opened, by means of which they shall be imbued with goods. By them that are bound and him whose eyes are holden, are signified those to whom it was denied to see truths; thus the Gentiles are meant, who afterwards received truths from the Lord.

[19] In the same:

"I have raised him up in justice, and all his ways will I make straight: he shall build my city, and shall let go my captivity, not for price, neither for reward" (xlv. 13).

This also is said of the Lord. And by the justice in which Jehovah hath raised Him up, is signified the good of love; and by His ways, which He will make straight, are signified truths proceeding from good. By the city which He shall build, is signified the doctrine of the church; and by the captivity which He shall let go, is signified the opening and revelation of Divine truths among those who had been hitherto shut out from them. That the Lord will do these things freely is signified by, not for price, neither for reward.

[20] In Jeremiah:

"The children of Israel and the children of Judah are oppressed together, and all that take them captive, hold them fast, and refuse to let them go; their Redeemer is strong, striving he will strive in their dispute, and will give rest to the land" (l. 33, 34).

This is also said of the Lord who is the Redeemer that is strong. By striving in their dispute, is signified visitation and judgment upon those who oppress them by falsities, and liberation thereby from them. By giving rest to the land, is signified protection from falsities. By the children of Israel and the children of Judah, who are said to be oppressed, are not meant the sons of Israel and of Judah, but the nations that are in truths and goods from the Lord; who, being detained by those who deceive them and shut out truths from them, it is said that those who take them captive hold them fast, and refuse to let them go.

[21] In David:

"Thou hast ascended upon high; thou hast led captivity captive" (Psalm lxviii. 18).

Here also the Lord is treated of. And by leading captivity captive, is signified to liberate from falsities those who were thereby held captive.

In Isaiah:

"Shall the capture be taken from the mighty, or the captivity of the just be snatched away? For thus saith Jehovah, Even the captivity of the mighty shall be taken, and the capture of the violent shall be snatched away" (xlix. 24, 25).

This is also spoken of the Lord, and of the bringing back the sons of Zion from captivity. But by the sons of Zion are meant those who are in love to the Lord, and thence in truths. That they were shut out from truths by those who strenuously confirmed falsities, and that nevertheless they were liberated by the Lord, is signified by, shall the capture be taken from the mighty, and shall the captivity of the just be snatched away?

[22] In David:

"Who will give out of Zion the salvation of Israel? When Jehovah bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall exult, Israel shall be glad" (Psalm xiv. 7; liii. 6).

By Zion are here also meant those who are in the good of love from the Lord. Liberation from evils by the Lord, and salvation, are meant by, who will give out of Zion the salvation of Israel? By bringing back the captivity of His people, is meant deliverance from falsities and evils. By Jacob shall exult, Israel shall be glad, is meant joy on account of deliverance with those who are in the external and internal church. Those who belong to the external church are meant by Jacob, and those who are of the internal church by Israel; and the Gentiles are meant by both.

[23] In Jeremiah:

"Fear not, my servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel; behold I keep thee from afar off, and thy seed from the land of thy captivity, so that Jacob may return, and rest, and be at ease, and none shall make him afraid" (xlvi. 27; xxx. 10).

By Jacob and Israel here also are meant the Gentiles. By Jacob those who belong to the external church, and by Israel those who belong to the internal church. To keep them from afar off, signifies to save them, although they are far from salvation. From the land of captivity, signifies to liberate them from falsities, whereby they were shut out from the truths and goods of heaven and the church. By returning, and by resting at ease, and none shall make him afraid, is signified to be protected from falsities which are from hell.

[24] In the same:

"All that devour thee shall be devoured, and all thine adversaries, they shall also go into captivity; and they that preyed upon thee shall be for a prey; and all that plundered thee will I give for plunder. I will bring back the captivity of the tents of Jacob; and I will have mercy on his dwelling-places; the city may be built upon its own heap; and the palace inhabited after its own manner" (xxx. 16, 18).

All that devour thee shall be devoured; all thine adversaries shall go into captivity; they that preyed upon thee shall be for a prey; and all that plundered thee will I give for plunder, signifies things similar to the words in the Apocalypse now explained, that is, if any one leads into captivity, he shall go into captivity; and if any one kills with the sword, he must be killed by the sword. What the rest signifies was explained above (n. 799).

[25] In the same:

"I shall be found of you, and I will bring back your captivity, and I will gather you out of all nations, and I will bring you back to the place whence I caused you to depart" (xxix. 14).

By these words also is described the liberation of the Gentiles from spiritual captivity, which is a shutting out from the truths and goods of heaven and the church, whereby salvation is effected.

In Zephaniah:

"At that time I will bring you, even in time to gather you unto me; for I will give you for a name and a praise to all the people of the earth, when I bring back your captivity before your eyes " (iii. 20).

By these words also is meant the bringing back of the Gentiles from spiritual captivity.

In Amos:

"I will bring back the captivity of my people Israel, and they shall build their devastated cities, and shall sit and plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof, and they shall make gardens, and eat the fruit of them" (ix. 14).

This passage may be seen explained above (n. 376, 405).

[26] In Isaiah:

"Put on thy strength, O Zion; put on the garments of thy gracefulness, O Jerusalem, the city of holiness: for there shall not add to come any more into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean; shake thyself from the dust; sit, O Jerusalem; to open the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion" (lii. 1, 2).

By Zion is meant the church that is in the good of love to the Lord; the truth from that good being signified by the strength which Zion shall put on; and the truths of the doctrine of that church by the garments of gracefulness which Jerusalem shall put on. By the uncircumcised and the unclean who shall not add to come in any more, are signified the evils of earthly loves, and their falsities. By shaking herself from the dust, arising and sitting, when said of Jerusalem, is signified liberation from infernal falsities, and elevation to the truths of heaven. By to open the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion, is signified deliverance from a state of detention from truths through falsities, which hinder the reception of influx out of heaven. The daughter of Zion denotes those who are in the affection of truth from the good of love from the Lord. In the following verses of that chapter it is said of the children of Israel, that they went down to sojourn in Egypt, and that Assyria oppressed them; by which is signified that they were shut out from truths by reasonings from scientifics of the natural man.

[27] In the same:

"The people shall take them, and shall lead them to their place; and the house of Israel shall possess them for a heritage upon the land of Jehovah, for man servants and maid servants; so that they shall take them captive whose captives they were, and they shall rule over their exactors" (xiv. 2).

These words also treat of the bringing back of the sons of Israel, by whom are meant the nations. That those who have shut out [others] from truths, and deceived by means of falsities, are also shut out from truths and deceived by means of falsities, is signified by, they shall take them captive whose captives they were, and they shall rule over their exactors.

[28] In Hosea:

"In the house of Israel I have seen a foul thing; there is the whoredom of Ephraim, Israel is polluted; and, O Judah, he hath set a harvest for thee, when I shall bring back the captivity of my people" (vi. 10, 11).

These things are said of the state of the church among the Jews about the time of the Lord's Advent. The whoredom of Ephraim, which is the foul thing in the house of Israel, signifies the falsification of the Word, whoredom denoting falsification, and Ephraim the understanding of the Word. Israel is polluted, and, O Judah, he hath set a harvest for thee, signifies that the church was in absolute falsities, and that they applied the Word to confirm them. By Judah is signified the Word, and by harvest, the abundance of such things there which they applied. That this would be the state of the Jewish Church when truths should be opened before the Gentiles, who should thereby be delivered from falsities, is signified by, when I shall bring back the captivity of my people.

[29] Similar things are signified in the historical parts of the Word by the captivities of the sons of Israel by various enemies, and by their deliverances; as,

That they were forced to serve Kushan, king of Syria, and were liberated by Othniel (Judges iii.).

That they served Eglon, king of Moab, and were liberated by Ehud (iii.).

That they were delivered to Jabin, king of Canaan, and liberated by Deborah (iv.).

That they were delivered up to the Midianites, and liberated by Gideon (vi.).

That they were delivered up to the Philistines and Ammonites, and liberated by Jephthah (x. and xi.).

[30] Similar things were signified,

By the captivity of the Jews, seventy years, in Babel (2 Kings xxx.).

For the historical parts of the Word are all representative of such things as pertain to the church, and the expressions by which the historical circumstances are described are all significative.

Similar things are also signified in the Word by them that are bound, as in the following passages:

"They shall be gathered together, they who are bound in a pit, and they shall be shut up in a prison; but after a multitude of days they shall be visited" (Isaiah xxiv. 22).

"By the blood of thy covenant I will send forth the bound out of the pit in which there is no water" (Zech. ix. 11).

"The sighing of the bound shall come before thee" (Psalm lxxix. 11).

"He made the world a wilderness and destroyed their cities, he opened not the house for his bound ones" (Isaiah xiv. 17).

"To open the blind eyes, to bring the bound out of prison, them that sit in darkness out of the prison house" (Isaiah xlii. 7).

The King said, "I was in prison, and ye came not unto me" (Matt. xxv. 36).

Jesus said, "Ought not this daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, to be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?" (Luke xiii. 16).