Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 268the love of the world, or both together; and they form the externalor natural man altogether in opposition to the internal or spiritualman. For this reason those who have falsified truths by applyingthem to the delights of the love of self and the world are unableafterwards to turn themselves to truths. This is what is here meantby these words, “I gave to the woman Jezebel time that she mightrepent of her whoredom, and she repented not.”163. Verse 22. Behold, I cast her into a bed, signifies that they areleft to their natural man, and to the doctrine of falsities therein.This is evident from the signification of a “bed,” as being thenatural man, also the doctrine of falsities (of which presently).What now follows treats of those who suffer themselves to beseduced by those who are in the doctrine of falsities from thedelight of the love of self and the world, who are meant by“Jezebel” (as was said above). Those who suffer themselves to beseduced are not like those who have falsified truths and adulteratedgoods from the delight of those loves; for such have seen truths andhave applied them to favor their delights, and have thus pervertedthem, and afterwards these are unable to turn themselves to truthsand acknowledge them. These are treated of in the preceding article(n. 162). But those who have not done this, but have sufferedthemselves to be led away by those who have, have not so closedthe internal or spiritual man with themselves; for they have notthemselves falsified truths, but have put faith in those who have,because these falsities sound like truths. For these think no moredeeply than that their leaders must be believed because they areintelligent and wise; thus they hang upon the lips of a master.There are many such at this day in Christendom, especially amongthose born in countries where the papal religion prevails. These aremeant by those that commit adultery with Jezebel in a bed.[2] “Bed” signifies the doctrine of falsities, and at the same timethe natural man, because the doctrine of falsities has no othersource than the natural man separated from the spiritual; and thenatural man separated from the spiritual sees worldly things inlight, but heavenly things in thick darkness; it sees falsity, therefore,in the place of truth, and evil in the place of good; moreover, if it