Apocalypse Explained (Whitehead) n. 1116

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1116. In the cup that she hath mingled mingle to her double, signifies as much retribution as they have profaned truth. This is evident from the signification of "cup," as being truth, and in the contrary sense falsity, for "cup" has a similar signification as "wine" (see above, n. 887, 1045). Also from the signification of "to mingle," as being to profane, for he who mingles falsity with truth or truth with falsity profanes (of which presently). Also from the signification of "double," as being much, and as said of retribution (see just above, n. 1115). "To mingle" signifies to profane, because it is predicated of the wine that is in the cup, which signifies truth, and in the contrary sense falsity; and when truth and falsity are mingled profanation takes place (see above, n. 1053-1063). "To mingle" has this signification in David:

There is a cup in the hand of Jehovah, and He hath mingled it with wine, He hath filled it with the mixture, and hath poured it out therefrom; but the dregs of it all the wicked of the earth shall suck out and drink (Ps. 75:8). "The cup in the hand of Jehovah," and the "wine," signify the Divine truth; "to mingle" and "mixture" signify profanation, for the mingling of falsity with truth is meant; "He hath poured it out therefrom, but the dregs of it all the wicked of the earth shall suck out and drink," signifies the punishment of profanation; all of which makes clear that "mingling the cup" has the same meaning here as in Revelation.

(Continuation respecting the Athanasian Faith and respecting the Lord)

[2] In consequence of this intuition the most ancient people worshiped God visible under the Human form more than their posterity did. Moreover, the Word bears witness that they saw God as Man; as that Adam heard the voice of Jehovah walking in the garden; and Moses spoke with Jehovah mouth to mouth; and Abraham saw Jehovah in the midst of three angels, that Lot spoke with two of them. Jehovah also appeared as man to Hagar, to Gideon, to Joshua, to Daniel as "the Ancient of days" and as "the Son of man"; likewise to John as "the Son of man in the midst of seven lampstands"; also to other prophets. That it was the Lord who was seen by these He Himself teaches where He says:

That Abraham exulted to see his day, and that he saw and rejoiced (John 8:56);

Also that He was before Abraham was (John 8:58), And that He was before the world was (John 17:5, 24). [3] It was not the Father but the Son that was seen, because the Divine being [esse], which is the Father, cannot be seen except by means of the Divine manifesting [existere], which is the Divine Human. That the Divine being [esse], which is called the Father, was not seen, the Lord teaches in John:

The Father who hath sent Me, He hath borne witness of Me. Ye have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form (John 5:37). Not that anyone hath seen the Father save He that is with the Father, He hath seen the Father (John 6:46). No one hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath manifested Him (John 1:18). From this it is clear that the Divine being [esse], which is the Father, was not seen by the ancients, nor could it be seen; nevertheless it was seen by means of the Divine manifesting [existere], which is the Son. [4] Since a being is in its manifesting as a soul is in its body, so he who sees the Divine manifesting [existere] or the Son sees also the Divine being [esse] or the Father, as the Lord confirms in these words:

Philip said, Lord, show us the Father. Jesus said unto him, Have I been so long time with you and hast thou not known Me, Philip? He who hath seen Me hath seen the Father; how sayest thou, Show us the Father (John 14:8, 9)? These words show that the Lord is the Divine manifesting [existere] in which is the Divine being [esse], thus the God-man who was seen by the ancients. From what has been cited it follows also that the Word is to be understood according to the sense of the letter in saying that God has a face, that He has eyes and ears, and that He has hands and feet.


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