749. [verse 17] 'Forasmuch as God has put in their heart to do His purpose, and to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast' signifies the judgment with them from the Lord, that they should altogether repudiate and execrate the Roman Catholic form of religion, and should blot it out and uproot it among themselves, and the unanimous judgment that they should acknowledge the Word and found the Church upon it. Since by 'the harlot 'is signified the Roman Catholic form of religion, and by 'the ten horns that shall hate the harlot' the Protestants are signified, as above (n. 746-748), it is plain that by 'to do His purpose' is signified that they have judged and concluded that that form of religion should be repudiated and execrated, and should be blotted out and uprooted with themselves, as above (n. 748). And it is also plain that by 'to be of one mind and to give the kingdom to the beast' is signified to judge and conclude unanimously that they should acknowledge the Word and found the Church upon it. By 'the beast' everywhere above is signified the Word, as may be seen (n. 723); and by 'the kingdom' is signified the Church, and the government over it, about which [there is something] here below. By 'God has put in their heart' is signified that those things are from the Lord. [2] That 'the kingdom' signifies the Church can be established from these passages:-
The sons of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness Matt. viii 12.
The seed are the sons of the kingdom Matt. xiii 38.
He who hears the Word of the kingdom and does not give heed Matt. xiii 19.
The kingdom of God shall be taken away from you and given to a nation producing fruits Matt. xxi 43.
Everyone putting his hand to the plough [and looking back] has not been made fit for the kingdom of God Luke ix 62.
Let Thy kingdom come, and Thy will be done, as in heaven so on earth Matt. vi 10.
Jesus, John, and the disciples preached that:-
The kingdom of God was at hand Matt. iii 2; iv 17; x 7; Luke x 11; xvi 16.
Also:-
The gospel of the kingdom Matt. iv 23; ix 35; xxiv 14; Luke viii 1.
If by the finger of God I cast out demons, no doubt the kingdom of God has come to you Luke xi 20;
besides in many other places where 'the kingdom of God' is spoken of. In like manner in these:-
If you hear My voice and keep My covenant, you shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests Exod. xix 5, 6.
Thou, O tower of the flock, O hill of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall the former kingdom return, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem Micah iv 8.
Afterwards the saints shall receive the kingdom, and shall strengthen the kingdom even for ages of ages Dan. vii 18, 22.
The kingdom and the dominion and the majesty of the kingdoms under all the heavens shall be given to the people of the saints [of the Most High], Whose kingdom is an eternal kingdom and all dominions shall worship Him, and be obedient Dan. vii 27.
To the Son of Man was given a kingdom that shall not perish, and all peoples, nations, and tongues shall worship Him Dan. vii 14;
besides elsewhere. The reason that the Church is signified by 'the kingdom' is because the Lord's kingdom is in heaven and on earth, and His kingdom on earth is the Church. In consequence also the Lord is called 'King of kings'.
This page is part of 
© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church