749. Verse 17. For God hath given into their hearts to do His mind, and to do one mind, and to give their kingdom unto the beast, signifies judgment with them from the Lord, that they should altogether repudiate and hold accursed the Roman Catholic religious persuasion, and should destroy and root it out with themselves; and the unanimous judgment, that they should acknowledge the Word, and found the church upon it. Since the Roman Catholic religious persuasion is signified by "the harlot," and the Protestants are signified by "the ten horns that shall hate the harlot," as above (n. 746-748); it is manifest that by "doing His mind" is signified that they have judged and concluded that they should altogether repudiate that religious persuasion and hold it accursed, and should destroy and root it out with themselves, as above (n. 748). And it is also manifest, that by "doing one mind and giving 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" is signified the Word, as everywhere above (see n. 723); and by "kingdom" the church is signified, and the government over it, as is shown just below. By "God gave into their hearts" is signified that they are from the Lord.
[2] That "kingdom" signifies the church may be evident from these passages:
The sons of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness (Matt. 8:12).
The seed is the sons of the kingdom (Matt. 13:38).
He that heareth the Word of the kingdom, and attendeth not (Matt. 13:19).
The kingdom shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bearing fruits (Matt. 21:43).
Everyone that putteth his hand to the plough, and looking back,* is not fit for the kingdom of God (Luke 9:62).
Thy kingdom come, and Thy will be done, as in heaven so on the earth (Matt. 6:10).
Jesus, John, and the disciples preached that:
The kingdom of God was at hand (Matt. 3:2; 4:17; 10:7; Luke 10:11; 16:16).
Also the Gospel of the kingdom (Matt. 4:23; 9:35; 24:14; Luke 8:1).
If I by the finger of God cast out demons, no doubt the kingdom of God is come unto you (Luke 11:20).
Besides many other places where the kingdom of God is spoken of. In like manner in these:
If ye shall hear My voice and keep My covenant, ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests (Exod. 19:5-6).
Thou, O tower of the flock, O hill of the daughter of Zion, to thee shall the former kingdom return, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem (Micah. 4:8).
Afterwards the saints shall receive the kingdom, and shall strengthen the kingdom even for ages of ages (Dan. 7:18, 22).
The kingdom and dominion and the majesty of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints; whose kingdom is an eternal kingdom, and all dominions shall worship and obey Him (Dan. 7:27).
Unto the Son of man was given a kingdom which shall not perish; and all peoples, nations, and tongues shall worship Him (Dan. 7:14). Besides other places.
The church is signified by "a kingdom," because the Lord's kingdom is in heaven and on earth; and His kingdom on the earth is the church; hence also the Lord is called "King of kings."
* The original Latin omits "looking back."
