767. Verse 17. And the dragon was angry against the woman, signifies the hatred of those who are meant by "the dragon" against the church that is the New Jerusalem, enkindled by a perception that it is favored by many. This is evident from the signification of "anger," as being, in reference to the dragon, hatred (of which above, n. 754, 758), therefore "to be angry" means to hate; that this is a grievous hatred enkindled by a perception that the church is favored by many, follows as a consequence from what precedes and from what follows; from what precedes, namely, that "the earth opened her mouth and helped the woman, and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth," which signifies that the church, in which there are also dragons, rendered assistance, and did not accept their keen reasonings respecting faith alone; and from what follows namely, that "the dragon went away to make war with the remnant of her seed," which signifies an ardent effort from that hatred to assault the truths of doctrine of that church. So "the anger of the dragon" here signifies such hatred enkindled by a perception that it is favored by many; for, as has been said above, "the woman fled into the wilderness into a place prepared by God" signifies that the church which is the New Jerusalem was among a few, while provision was making for it among many, and for its growing to fullness.

758. He persecuted the woman that brought forth the male, signifies that those who are meant by "the dragon" would from hatred and enmity reject and revile the church which is the New Jerusalem, because it has the doctrine of life. This is evident from the signification of "persecuting," as being, in reference to those who are meant by "the dragon," to reject and revile from hatred and enmity (of which presently); also from the signification of "the woman," as being the church that is called the New Jerusalem (of which above, n. 707, 721, 730); also from the signification of "the male," as being the doctrine of that church, which is the doctrine of life (See above, n. 724, 725). From this it is clear that "the dragon persecuting the woman that brought forth the male" signifies that those who are meant by the dragon will from hatred and enmity reject and revile the church which is the New Jerusalem, because it has the doctrine of life. That "to persecute" signifies here to reject and revile from hatred and enmity follows from what precedes, that "the dragon stood near the woman who was about to bring forth, that he might devour her offspring," and that "he fought with Michael and his angels," and that when he was cast unto the earth "he had great anger," and that from this anger, which signifies hatred, "he persecuted the woman;" that his "anger" signifies hatred see above n. 754. His hatred is further described in what follows by the words, "he cast out after the woman out of his mouth water as a river, that it might swallow her up;" and at last, when he had tried all in vain, "he was wroth, and went away to make war with the remnant of her seed."

[2] Those who are meant by "the dragon" have such hatred against those who are meant by "the woman," because those who are in faith separated from charity have such hatred against those who are in charity, and as those who are in separated faith have conjunction with the hells, their hatred is like that of the hells against the heavens. The source of this hatred shall also be briefly explained. All who are in the hells are in the loves of self and the world, but all who are in the heavens are in love to the Lord and love towards the neighbor, and these loves are direct opposites. Those who are in the loves of self and of the world love nothing but what is their own [proprium], and what is man's own is nothing but evil; but those who are in love to the Lord and love towards the neighbor do not love what is their own, for they love the Lord above self, and the neighbor beyond self. Moreover, they are withheld from what is their own, and are held in the Lord's own [proprium], which is the Divine. Furthermore, all the delights of life are delights of loves; the delights of the loves of self and of the world are the delights of various kinds of hatred, but the delights of love to the Lord and love towards the neighbor are the delights of various kinds of charity, and the former are the direct opposites of the latter; and as those who are in the hells act in all their activities from the delights of their loves, which, as has been said, are the delights of various kinds of hatred, it is evident why the dragon has such hatred against the woman; for "the dragon" means those who are in the love of self; and this is why he is called "the great red dragon," "great red" signifying that love. He is also called "the devil" and "Satan," "the devil" meaning every evil that is from hell, and "Satan" every falsity therefrom, and evil is in hatred against good, and falsity is in hatred against truth. He is also called "the old serpent," which means the sensual, which is the ultimate of man's life, and in that sensual all such hatred has its seat. Those who are in faith separated from charity have a like hatred against those who are in charity; which hatred is not manifested in this world, but in the spiritual world when they become spirits. That this is a deadly hatred, and that it is the very delight of the life of evil spirits, may be seen above n. 754; but that such delight is turned into what is direfully infernal may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell 485-490.