719. Saying unto me,* I will show unto thee the judgment of the great harlot, that sitteth upon many waters, signifies a revelation concerning that religious persuasion, as to its profanations and adulterations of the truths of the Word. "To say" and "to show" signifies revelation. By "judgment" is signified its state at its end. By "the great harlot" is signified the profanation of the holy things of the Word and church, and the adulteration of good and truth. By "many waters" are signified the truths of the Word adulterated. By "sitting upon them" is signified to be and to live in them. That by "committing whoredom" [meretricari], harlotry [moechari], scortation [scortari], and adultery [adulterari], is signified to falsify and adulterate the Word, see above (n. 134, 620, 632); and that by "waters" are signified its truths (n. 50, 563, 614, 685); here, those truths adulterated and profaned, because it says "the harlot" sat upon them. From these things it is evident, that by "saying unto me, I will show unto thee the judgment of the great harlot that sitteth upon many waters," is signified revelation concerning that religious persuasion, as to its profanations and adulterations of the truths of the Word.
[2] The like is said of "Babel" in Jeremiah:
Jehovah hath done that which He spoke against the inhabitants of Babel; O thou that dwellest upon many waters, great in treasures, thy end is come, and the measure of thy gain (Jer. 51:12-13).
The reason why they are said to have adulterated and profaned the truths of the Word, is, because they have applied the truths of the Word to obtaining dominion over the holy things of the church and heaven, and to claiming to themselves the Divine authority of the Lord; and to apply the truths of the Word to obtaining dominion over the holy things of the church and heaven, is to adulterate them; and to apply them to the purpose of claiming to themselves the Divine authority of the Lord, is to profane them. That they have confirmed their dogmas from the Word, is known. But read them with attention, and you will see that they applied all those things taken from the Word to obtaining dominion over the souls of men, and to acquiring to themselves Divine power, authority, and majesty. It is on this account that Babylon is called "the mother of whoredoms and the abominations of the earth" (verse 5).
* The original Latin omits "Come."