721. And the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her whoredom, signifies the insanity in spiritual things from the adulteration of the Word with those who are in that religious persuasion. By "being made drunk with the wine of whoredom" is signified to be insane in spiritual things from the falsification of the truths of the Word, here from their adulteration; by "wine" the Divine truth of the Word is signified (n. 316), and by "whoredom" is signified its falsification and adulteration (n. 134, 620, 632, 635). Therefore by "being made drunk with that wine" is signified to be insane in spiritual things; by "the inhabitants of the earth" are signified they who are in the church, as above (chap. 11:10; 12:12; 13:13-14; 14:6); but here, they who are in that religious persuasion since the church is not there, because they do not approach the Lord, nor read the Word, and because they invoke the dead, see above (n. 718). "To be made drunk with that wine" signifies to be insane in spiritual things, may indeed be seen without confirmation from other passages in the Word; but as many are not able to see this, on account of their not thinking spiritually but sensually, that is, materially, concerning the particulars of the Word, when they read it, I will adduce some passages from the Word, to confirm that there "to be made drunk" signifies insanity in spiritual, that is, in theological things; thus:
They are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink (Isa. 29:9). Hear, thou afflicted, drunken, but not with wine (Isa. 51:21). A cup of gold is Babel in the hand of Jehovah, making the whole earth drunken; the nations have drunk of her wine, therefore the nations are mad (Jer. 51:7). Babel shall be a hissing; when they have become warm I will make their banquets, and I will make them drunken, that they may exult, and may sleep the sleep of an age, and not awake (Jer. 51:37, 39). Babylon is fallen, is fallen, because she hath made all the nations drink of the wine of her whoredom (Rev. 14:8; 18:3). Every bottle shall be filled with wine; behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, kings, priests, and prophets, with drunkenness (Jer. 13:12-13). Thou shalt be filled with drunkenness and sadness, with the cup of devastation and desolation (Ezek. 23:32-33). Daughter of Edom, even to thee shall the cup pass; thou shalt be drunken and shalt be uncovered (Lam. 4:21). Thou also shalt be drunken (Nahum 3:11). Drink and be drunken, and vomit, and fall so as not to rise again (Jer. 25:27). Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and intelligent before their own faces; woe to them that are heroes to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink (Isa. 5:21, 22). Besides other places (as Isa. 19:11-12, 14; 24:20; 28:1, 3, 7-8; 56:12; Jer. 23:9-10; Lam. 3:15; Hos. 4:11-12, 17-18; Joel 1:5-7; Hab. 2:15; Ps. 75:8; 107:27).
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