51. Twenty Three. (This city [Jerusalem] shall be devastated so that there is no inhabitant (Jer.26:9). This city shall become a devastation (Jer. 27:17).) That great day there is none like it, a time of trouble (Jer. 30:7). Behold the tempest of the anger of Jehovah shall go forth, a tempest rushing upon the head of the impious. In the latter days ye shall understand it (Jer. 30:23, 24). (Jerusalem and the cities of Judah are a desolation, nor is there an inhabitant in them (Jer. 44:2, 6, 22).) (Because of the day that cometh to lay waste all the Philistines (Jer. 47:4). Throughout the chapter the vastation of the Philistines is treated of, who are those that are in some understanding of truth but not in the will of good, whence there is profanation of the truth by falsities, as with those who are in faith alone.) (Of the vastation of those who adulterate the goods of the Word and the church, who are described by Moab: of their vastation the whole chapter treats (Jer. 48). And there vastation, desolation and visitation are mentioned (verses 1, 3, 8, 9, 15, 20, 32, 34), visitation (verse 44). Again, of the desolation of those who adulterate the truths of the church; who is the man of Edom (49:7-22). Vastation and desolation are named (49:10, 13, 17, 20). Moreover, of those who falsify truths, who are the sons of Ammon, Damascus and Elam (Jer. 49, particularly verses 2, 3 seq.). (Of those who vastate the church by the love of self and the love of dominion, who are Babel (Jer. 50:1 to the end), where in particular vastation and desolation are named (verses 3, 13, 23, 27, 45).) (Of the vastation of the Word and the church by Babel, throughout the chapter (Jer. 51) where vastation and desolation in particular are named and described (verses 26, 29, 41, 43, 48, 53, 55, 56, 62).) Everywhere in the prophets vastation and desolation are described by the sword, famine, and pestilence. By the "sword" is meant falsity, by "famine" the loss of truth and good, by "pestilence" the evil of that life; they are also called the "slain" and many times it is said they are without bread and water, as in Ezek. 11:6, 7, and elsewhere.