1070. And have received no kingdom as yet; but they receive power as kings one hour with the beast. That this signifies with those who have not thus acknowledged the Lord's power over heaven and earth to be transferred to man, and who have attributed Divine sanctity to the Word, and not so to the edicts of the Pope, is evident from the signification of kings, as denoting the truths of the Word; in this case those two primary truths treated of in the verses just preceding; and from the signification of kingdom, as denoting the church, in this case the church which is called Babylon, where those two truths are profaned; and yet by those who [are here signified] by the kings who have not yet received a kingdom, they are not profaned, but received; and from the signification of one hour, as denoting some part. For by hour, in the Word, as by times in general and in particular, is signified a thing as to the quality of its state. Here, therefore, by one hour is signified some part, consequently, that they reigned in some small degree with the woman, the whore. From these observations, therefore, this sense results, that these two primary truths of the church, namely, that the Lord's power over heaven and over the church, consequently, over the souls of men to save them, is transferred to some man, and that the word of the Pope is of equal power and sanctity with the Word, are not acknowledged, thus not profaned. That this sense is contained in those words may be clearly seen from what follows, namely, that they shall deliver up their power to the beast, by which is signified that they shall attribute Divine sanctity to the Word. Also that the Lamb shall fight with them, and that the Lamb shall overcome them, by which is signified that they will acknowledge that the Lord has the power of saving; thus, that dominion over heaven, the church, and the souls of men belongs to the Lord, and not to the Pope.
[2] It has been stated above that there are two things that make the church, the acknowledgment and faith that the Lord has the power of saving, and that the Word is Divine; and that where those two are not acknowledged and believed there the church is not. The reason is, that the Lord reforms man, and imparts to him faith and love; and the Word teaches the way by which a man must go to the Lord, that he may receive faith and love from Him. Unless these two truths, therefore, are acknowledged in the church it is not a church. But lest the church in Europe should altogether perish, it was provided by the Lord that not only within the kingdom of Babylon, but also outside of it, there should be societies which, being in those two primary truths that are the pillars and the foundations of the church itself, should not make one with the Babylonians. Within Babylon are those who are in the kingdom of France, and many in Holland, England, Scotland, and Ireland, who have not taken away from the Lord the power of saving men, nor Divine sanctity from the Word, and attributed both the former and the latter to some vicar, as is evident from the contest of the Gallican church with the Roman, which has so long continued, and still continues. These are the things chiefly treated of in verses 12, 13, and 14 of this chapter. Because outside the kingdoms of Babylon there are churches that give all the power of saving to the Lord, and none to the Pope, and acknowledge the Word alone to be Divine, and have entirely withdrawn from papal dominion, and are thence called Protestants and Reformed, therefore these are also treated of in this chapter. For they are those of whom it is said, that they shall hate the whore, and make her desolate and naked, and also shall devour her flesh, and burn her with fire, and who shall give their kingdom to the beast (vers. 16 and 17). But of those we shall speak presently.
Continuation concerning the Word:-
[3] But because the world is ignorant how it is to be understood that the Lord is the Word (John i. 1, 2, 14), it must be further explained. It is known in the church that God is good itself and truth itself; and, hence, that all the good pertaining to angels and to men is from God, and also all truth. Now because the Lord is God, He is also Divine Good and Divine truth; and this is what is meant by the Word, which was with God, and which was God; and also which was the light that enlighteneth every man also; which was made flesh, that is, a man in the world. That the Lord was the Divine truth, which is the Word, while in the world, He Himself teaches in many passages where He calls Himself the Light; also where He calls Himself the Way, the Truth, and the Life; and where He says that the Spirit of Truth proceeds from Him. The Spirit of Truth is the Divine truth. When the Lord was transfigured He represented the Word; by His face, which shone like the sun, the Divine good thereof, and by His garments, which were bright as the light and white as snow, the Divine truth. Moses and Elias, who then spoke with the Lord, also signified the Word, Moses, the historical Word, and Elias, the prophetical Word. Moreover, by all things of the Lord's passion the nature of the violence which the Jewish nation offered to the Word was represented. The Lord also from Divine truth, which He is, is called God, King, and Angel; and is also meant by the rock in Horeb, and by the rock spoken of concerning Peter. From these things it is evident that the Lord is the Word, because Divine truth. The Word in the letter, which is with us, is the Divine truth in ultimates.
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