761. Verse 5. For her sins have reached even unto heaven, and God hath remembered her injustices, signifies that their evils and falsities infest the heavens, and that the Lord will protect these from violence thence. By "her sins have reached to the heavens" is signified that their evils and falsities infest the angels of heaven. By "God hath remembered her injustices," is signified that the Lord will protect the heavens from violence thence. This is signified by these words, because all things in the heavens are goods and truths, and all things in the hells are evils and falsities; and thence the heavens and the hells are altogether separated, and in an inverted position like the antipodes; wherefore evils and falsities cannot reach to the heavens. But yet, when evils and falsities are multiplied beyond the degrees of opposition, and thus beyond a just measure, the heavens are infested; and unless the Lord then protects the heavens, which is effected by a more powerful influx from Himself, violence is offered to the heavens; and when this has come to its height, He then executes the Last Judgment, and thus they are liberated. Hence it is, that it follows in this chapter:
Exult over her, O heaven, because God hath judged your judgment upon her (Rev. 18:20).
And in the following chapter (Rev. 19:1-9); and in Jeremiah:
Then shall the heavens and the earth and all that is in them sing over Babel, when the wasters shall come upon her (Jer. 51:48).