425. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. This symbolizes their power to persuade that their falsities are true.

A scorpion symbolizes a deadly persuasiveness, and a scorpion of the earth a deadly persuasiveness in matters having to do with the church, as the earth symbolizes the church (no. 285). For when a scorpion stings a person, it produces a numbness in the limbs, and if it is not treated, death. Persuasiveness does something similar to the intellect. A scorpion, moreover, has the same symbolism in the following places:

...do not be afraid of them or... of their words; they are... thorny..., ...you dwell among scorpions... ...they are brazen-faced and hard-hearted... (Ezekiel 2:4, 6)

(Jesus said to the seventy He had sent out,) "Behold, I give you the power to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, even so that nothing whatever hurts you. (Luke 10:19)