1041. And ten horns, signifies the power of the Word from truths. This is evident from the signification of "horns," as being the power of truth against falsity; and in the contrary sense the power of falsity against truth (See n. 316, 567, 776); here the power of truth from the Word against falsity, because it is said in what follows:

The ten horns that thou sawest are ten kings. These shall hate the harlot, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her up with fire. And God gave into their hearts to give their kingdom unto the beast (Revelation 17:12, 16-17).

This makes clear that "the ten horns" that the scarlet beast had signify the power of truth, thus of the Word, against falsities; for it is said that they "will hate the harlot and will burn her up with fire," and the "harlot" signifies the truth of the Word falsified, which in itself is falsity, and this can be hated and burned up only by the truth of the Word in its power, thus by those who are in truths from the Word, and who think of the Word alone as holy, and acknowledge it to be the Divine truth, without regard to the decrees of the Pope. But on this more will be said hereafter. Ten horns were seen because "ten" signifies much, so "ten horns" signify much of power.

776. And ten horns, signifies much power. This is evident from what has been stated above n. 716, where "the dragon" that had "ten horns" was treated of. That much power which is attributed to the dragon and to this beast, is represented in the spiritual world by horns, and was therefore representatively exhibited to John as horns upon the beast of the dragon, is the power of reasonings by fallacies, thus by falsities, from the natural man. Such reasonings indeed have no real power in themselves, for all power belongs to truths; nevertheless, falsities from the fallacies of the senses and reasonings from these do have much power with men on earth before they are in truths from good, that is, before they have been regenerated by the Lord. For man from birth is in evils, and also in falsities therefrom; since falsities gush forth from evils like impure waters from an impure fountain; and those falsities when confirmed by reasonings from the fallacies of the senses appear like truths. And as man is from birth in falsities from evils he easily appropriates, acknowledges, and believes them, for they are in agreement with his first natural light and with the heat of that light, which is from the fire of the love of self or of the love of the world. And since man is easily, and as it were spontaneously, carried away to believe such things, and is thus misled, therefore much power is attributed here to the beast, and above to the dragon. But over the man who is in truths from good, or over one who is regenerated by the Lord, they have no power; and in every case they have less power in proportion as truths are multiplied with man, and finally none at all; for, as has been said above, all power is in truths from good, consequently there is none in falsities from evil.

[2] This may be confirmed by what is seen and perceived in the spiritual world. In certain places there those who are in falsities are continually contending with those who are like them and with those who are unlike them; and it was seen that the evil conquered by means of falsities, and drew a great many over to their side. When I wondered at this it was said and perceived that falsities have power over those who are in falsities; for it was observed that those who were conquered and thus drawn over were equally in falsities; and conversely, that falsities have no power over those who are in truths. It was further seen that those who were in falsities fought also with those who were in truths, and conquered them also; but still it was perceived that these were not in truths from good, but in truths without good. But when those who are in falsities fight against those who are in truths from good they have no effect whatever; they are like chaff in the air, that is dispersed and scattered in every direction by a man's breath, with no power of resistance. Thence it is clear why the evil are sometimes called in the Word "mighty and powerful." From this it is now evident why "ten horns" were seen upon the head of the dragon and upon the head of this beast, and likewise upon the head of the scarlet beast (Revelation 17:3).