Apocalypse Revealed (Coulsons) n. 763

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763. [verse 7] 'As much as she was glorified herself and lived luxuriously, give unto her so much torment and mourning' signifies that in proportion to the elation of heart resulting from dominion, and to the exultation of mind (animus) and body resulting from riches, after death they have internal grief as the result of casting down and mockery, and of destitution and misery. By 'as much as she has glorified herself' is signified in proportion to the elation of heart resulting from dominion, for they glorify themselves on this account. By 'as much as she has lived luxuriously' is signified in proportion to the exultation of mind (animus) and body resulting from riches, and the delights and pleasures therefrom, as above (n. 759). By 'to give unto her torment' is signified internal grief as the result of casting down from dominion, and mockery then. Their torment after death is from no other source. And by 'to give unto her mourning' is signified internal grief as the result of destitution and misery, their mourning after death being therefrom. [2] The delight of the love of having dominion derived from the love of self over all things of the Lord's, which are all things of heaven and the Church, is turned after death into such torment; and the pleasure of the love of filling the mind and body with the luxuries obtained as the result of opulence, with those who are in the said love of having dominion, is turned into such mourning. For the delights and pleasures proceeding out of the loves snake everyone's life; and therefore when those are turned into opposite things it becomes torment and mourning. These are the retributions and penalties that in the Word are understood by the 'torments' in hell; and consequently hatred against the Lord and against all things of heaven and the Church is understood by the 'fire' there. Similar things are said of Babel in the prophets, as:-

I will repay to Babel every evil that they have done in Zion before your eyes Jer. li 24.

The waster shall come upon Babel, for Jehovah the God of retributions repaying will repay Jer. li 55, 56.

Thy pomp has been brought down into hell, under thee has spread the worm (the torment that is internal grief); thou hast said in thy heart, I will climb the heavens, I will exalt my throne above God's stars, I will become like the Most High; nevertheless thou hast been brought down to hell; those seeing thee shall say, Is this the man shaking the land, making kingdoms tremble? etc. Isa. xiv 11, 13-16.

These things are concerning Lucifer, who there is Babel, as is plain from vers. 4 and 22 there.


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