515. Verses 10, 11. And the third angel sounded, and there fell from heaven a great star burning as a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers and upon the fountains of the waters. And the name of the star is called Wormwood; and the third part of the waters became wormwood, and many men died of the waters because they were made bitter.

10. "And the third angel sounded," signifies influx out of heaven, and the consequent third change with the evil (n. 516); "and there fell from heaven a great star burning as a lamp," signifies the truth of the Word falsified by self-love n. 517; "and it fell upon the third part of the rivers and upon the fountains of the waters," signifies that consequently all the understanding of truth perished, and thereby the doctrine of the church n. 518.

11. "And the name of the star is called Wormwood," signifies truth mixed with the falsity of evil n. 519; "and the third part [of the waters] became wormwood," signifies that every truth became such in the understanding and in doctrine n. 520; "and many men died of the waters," signifies that all who were such were destroyed by the falsities into which the truths of the Word were changed (n. 521); "because they were made bitter," signifies because the truths of the Word were falsified n. 522.

521. And many men died of the waters, signifies that all who were such were destroyed by the falsities into which the truths of the Word were changed. This is evident from the signification of "many" in the Word, as being all who are such; also from the signification of "to die" as being to perish in respect to spiritual life and to be damned (of which above, n. 78, 186, 383, 487). Also from the signification of "waters," as being falsities, here falsities of evil, because "they became wormwood." For all spiritual life, which in the Word is called "life," and "eternal life," man has by means of truths, and all spiritual death, which is damnation, man has by means of the falsities of evil; especially the falsities of evil into which he changes the truths of the Word. This makes clear the meaning of "many men died of the waters that became wormwood."