572. That they should slay the third part of men.- That this signifies of depriving themselves of all understanding of truth, and thence of spiritual life, is evident from the signification of slaying as denoting to deprive of spiritual life, concerning which, see above (n. 547); and from the signification of men, as denoting the understanding of truth (see also above, n. 546, 547). That the third part, when used in reference to truths, denotes all, may be seen above (n. 506). Here, therefore, by slaying the third part of men, is signified deprivation of all understanding of truth. It is said that they deprive themselves, because those who have become sensual through evils of life and falsities of doctrine by reasonings from fallacies, deprive themselves of the understanding of truth, but not others, except those who are also sensual. The reason why they thence deprive themselves of spiritual life, is, that man acquires spiritual life through the understanding, for in the measure that the understanding is opened by truths, and suffers itself to be enlightened, in the same measure, man becomes spiritual. But the understanding is opened by means of truths from good, but not by means of truths without good; for so far as man lives in the good of love and of charity, so far he thinks truths; for truth is the form of good, and all good with man pertains to his will, and all truth pertains to his understanding, therefore the good of the will manifests its form in the understanding; the form itself is thought from the understanding originating in the will.

535. And I saw a star from heaven fallen unto the earth.- That this signifies the cognitions of truth falsified, and thus turned into falsities, is evident from the signification of stars, which denote the cognitions of good and truth (see above, n. 72, 402); and from the signification of falling and falling from heaven, which denotes to perish, and this is the case with the cognitions of truth when they are denied, and falsified; in this case, when they are falsified. For this book does not treat of those who deny truths, but of those who falsify them, since those who deny truths are not amongst those who are in the former heaven, and are cast down thence into hell at the day of a last judgment, for these are cast thither immediately after death; but those who falsify truths from various causes are treated of in this book, because they made themselves a heaven which was afterwards destroyed. The cognitions of good and truth from the Word are falsified by those, who acknowledge the Word, but apply it in favour of their own loves, and of the principles which are from their own intelligence, for thus they turn the truths of the Word into falsities, and thus the cognitions of good and truth with them perish. From these considerations it is evident that the star from heaven fallen unto the earth, signifies that the cognitions of truth were falsified, and thus turned into falsities (similarly above, n. 517).

[2] That to fall down, or to fall from heaven to the earth, signifies to perish, that is, no longer to have a place in heaven, but to be cast down thence and conjoined with hell, is evident from what follows, where it is said, "And to him was given the key of the well of the abyss," and that "he opened it," the well of the abyss denoting the hell where and whence are the falsities of evil. The signification of falling from heaven unto the earth, above in the Apocalypse, is similar:

"And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth" (6:13).

And again:

The dragon "with his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth" (12:4).

And in Daniel:

And the horn of the he-goat "waxed great, even to the host of the heavens; and it cast down some of the host, and of the stars to the ground, and trampled upon them" (8:10).

And in Matthew:

"Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the stars shall fall from heaven" (24:29).

The same is also signified by the words of the Lord in Luke:

Jesus said, "I beheld Satan as lightning falling from heaven" (10:18).

Satan means all the falsity that destroys truth, for the hells where such falsities are, and whence they arise, are called Satan, and the hells where and whence the evils are which destroy goods, are called the Devil, wherefore by Satan as lightning falling from heaven, is meant, that all the falsity which destroyed the truth of the Word, was cast down out of heaven. The same is meant by the great dragon being cast upon the earth and his angels with him, whose place was no more found in heaven (Apoc. 12:8, 9). From these considerations it is evident, that by falling, and being cast down out of heaven to the earth, is signified, no longer to have a place in heaven, but in hell, consequently to perish. The earth, here also, signifies that which is cursed, as was shown above (n. 304 at the end).

[3] The reason why those who falsify the truths of the Word by interpretations for the purpose of confirming evils of the life, avert themselves from heaven, and turn themselves to hell, is, that the conjunction of heaven with man is by means of the Word, for heaven is in the spiritual sense of the Word, and man is in its natural sense, wherefore the conjunction of heaven with the world is by means of the Word; on this account, also, the Word is called a covenant, and a covenant denotes conjunction. This is the reason why those cannot be conjoined with heaven who apply the Word to evils of the life, and to false principles from [their] own intelligence, and those who are not conjoined with heaven are conjoined with hell; for man must be either in heaven or in hell, as he is not allowed to hang between both. But with those who apply the Word to falsities which do not disagree with good of life, such as the upright Gentiles possess who have not the Word, and the simple-minded in the church who believe in the Lord, and lead a good life, the Lord also applies their falsities to good, and turns them to heaven, since from their falsities they look to good. For the essential thing in heaven is the good of life, which is the same as the good of love to the Lord, and the good of charity towards the neighbour; for according to that good, every one there has intelligence, wisdom, and perception of truth. This therefore is what is meant by the falsification of truth from the Word, here signified by the star from heaven fallen unto the earth.