1063. Verse 10. And they are seven kings, signifies the truths of the Word falsified and profaned by such. This is evident from the signification of "kings," as being the truths of the Word (See n. 29, 31, 625, 1034); also from the mention of "seven," which has reference to what is holy, and in the contrary sense to what is profane; therefore "seven kings" signify the truths of the Word falsified and profaned. "Seven kings" have this signification because the "seven mountains" just mentioned signify the goods of the Word adulterated and profaned. For in the Word where good is treated of truth is also treated of, because of the heavenly marriage, which is the marriage of good and truth in all the particulars of it (See above, n. 238, 660, 775).

[2] One who does not know that in the Word "kings" signify truths can by no means know what is meant by "kings" in many passages in the Word, as in Daniel where it is said:

The heads and the horns of the beasts are kings or kingdoms (Daniel 7:17, 24; also in Revelation 16:12, 14; 18:3; 19:19; 21:24).

And in this chapter:

The seven heads are seven kings; the five have fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come. And the beast that was and is not is the eighth king, and is of the seven, and he goeth into perdition. And the ten horns are ten kings, who have not yet received a kingdom; and other things that follow (Revelation 17:10-12).

For if kings were here meant by "kings" it could not possibly be divined by any conjecture what these expressions mean. But when it is known that "kings" signify the truths of the Word and thus the truths of the church, the meaning is plainly evident. Moreover, by the numbers so many truths are not to be understood, but such truths as are signified by the number in the spiritual sense. For if seven truths were signified by the "seven kings," and five truths by "the five kings who have fallen," and ten truths by the "ten kings" and as many "horns," from all this no spiritual sense could in any way result; therefore it must be altogether known that all numbers signify in the Word the qualities of the things which are described.

(Continuation respecting the Fourth Kind of Profanation)

[3] In this kind of profanation are those especially who read the Word and know about the Lord; because from the Lord through the Word are all things holy that can be profaned; things not from that source cannot be profaned. That is said to be profane that is the opposite of what is holy, and that offers violence to what is holy and destroys it. From this it follows that those do not belong to this kind of profanation who do not read the Word and do not approach the Lord, as is the case with the Papists, still less those who know nothing about the Lord and the Word, like the Gentiles. Those who belong to this kind of profanation appear after death at first with a face of human color, around which float many wandering stars; and those of them that had been leaders sometimes appear shining about the mouth. But as they are brought into the light of heaven, the stars and the shining of the mouth vanish, and the color of the face is changed to black, and likewise their garments. But the blackness of these profaners draws something from blue, as the blackness of the other kind of profaners draws something from red, for the reason that the latter profane the goods of the Word and of the church, while the others profane the truths of the Word and of the church. For red derives from the sun its signification of good, while blue derives from the sky its signification of truth.

716. And ten horns, signifies much power. This is evident from the signification of "horn," as being the power of truth against falsity and evil, and in the contrary sense the power of falsity against truth and good (of which above, n. 316, 567); also from the signification of "ten," as being all persons and all things, likewise many persons and many things (of which also above, n. 675; which shows that "ten horns" signify much power. That the dragon had much power is evident from what follows, namely, that because of him "the son a male that the woman brought forth was caught up unto God," that "his tail drew down from heaven the third part of the stars;" also that "he fought with Michael and his angels;" and afterwards that he stirred up Gog and Magog, and the nations in countless number, to war against the saints.

[2] "The dragon" had such power because "the dragon" means such as have separated faith from the goods of charity, which are works, and have confirmed this by the sense of the letter of the Word, which they thus twist from its genuine sense, and as it were draw it down from heaven; and because at the end of the church, which Revelation treats of, there is no charity, therefore the dragon then has power; for at the end of the church everyone wishes to live for himself, for the world, and according to his own bent, and few wish to live for the Lord, for heaven and eternal life; and the principle of faith alone, which is faith separated from charity, favors the former life, and like the current of a river draws in and carries away all to thus believing and living. This is why "the dragon," which signifies such persons and such things, was seen to have "ten horns."

[3] It has been said heretofore that falsities from evil have no power whatever; but it is to be known that falsities from evils have no power against truth from good; for truth from good is from the Lord, and the Lord has all power by His Divine truth. But falsities from evil have a power that is signified by "the ten horns of the dragon," because they prevail against those who are in falsities from evil, since such persons and such falsities act as one; moreover, man is in evil and in falsities therefrom hereditarily from his parents, and afterwards from actual life, especially at the end of the church; and these falsities from evil cannot be expelled from man in a moment, but little by little; for if they were expelled in a moment man would expire, because they constitute his life. Because such is man's state at the end of the church, the falsities of evil prevail, although they have no power whatever against truth from good. The Lord by His Divine truth might instantly cast out the falsities of evil that are with man, but this would be to cast the man instantly into hell; for these falsities must first be removed, and so far as they are removed, so far there is a place for implanting truths from good, and man is reformed. Such as are here meant by "the dragon" are meant also by "the he-goat" that fought with the ram (Daniel 8), and by "the goats" in Matthew 25; for "he-goats" there signify those who are in faith separated from charity, and "the ram" and "the sheep" those who are in charity.