14
And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom [that] which shall not be destroyed.
Daniel 7:14
Apocalypse Revealed # 660
660. And those who have the victory over the beast, over its image and over its mark and over the number of its name. This symbolizes people who rejected faith alone and its accompanying doctrine, and so did not acknowledge or become imbued with its falsities, and did not falsify the Word.
The beast symbolizes the dragon's faith among the laity, which was the subject of chapter 13:1-10, because its image was made then (13:14). Its image symbolizes doctrine (nos. 602, 634, 637). Its mark symbolizes an acknowledgment of that faith (nos. 605, 606, 634, 637, 679). The number of its name symbolizes a falsification of the Word (no. 610).
It is apparent from this that these words symbolize people who rejected faith alone and its accompanying doctrine, and so did not acknowledge or become imbued with its falsities, and did not falsify the Word.
Apocalypse Revealed # 602
602. 13:15 It was also granted it to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast might speak. This symbolically means that the clergy were permitted to use the Word to defend the doctrine, so as to cause the doctrine to be seemingly animated by it.
Its being granted means symbolically that it was permitted. For all doctrinal falsities, like evil life practices, come about by permission (on which subject, see Angelic Wisdom Regarding Divine Providence, nos. 234-274 275-284, 296). The image of the beast symbolizes the doctrine (no. 601). To give breath to the image of the beast means, symbolically, to defend the doctrine by the Word, for no church doctrine has any spirit or life from any other source. That the image of the beast might speak means symbolically that this caused the doctrine to be seemingly animated.
To give breath to the image of the beast that it might speak has this meaning because there is a spirit and life in every part of the Word. For the Lord spoke the Word. Therefore He is present in it, and He spoke it such that every particular there has a communication with heaven and through heaven with the Lord. It contains a spiritual meaning which makes the communication possible. That is why the Lord says, "The words that I speak to you are spirit and life" (John 6:63).
