712. Verses 3, 4. And there was seen another sign in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his heads seven diadems. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven and cast them unto the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bring forth, that when she brought forth he might devour her offspring.

3. "And there was seen another sign in heaven," signifies Divine revelation respecting the attack upon the doctrine that is for the New Church, and by whom (n. 713); "and behold, a great red dragon," signifies all who are merely natural and sensual from the love of self and of the world, and yet have more or less knowledge from the Word, from doctrine therefrom, and from preaching, and think to be saved by knowledge [scientia] alone apart from life n. 714; "having seven heads," signifies the knowledge [scientia] of the holy things of the Word, which they have adulterated n. 715; "and ten horns," signifies much power n. 716; "and upon his heads seven diadems," signifies Divine truths in the ultimate of order, which are the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word adulterated and profaned n. 717.

4. "And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven," signifies the falsification and adulteration of all the truths of the Word (n. 718, 719); "and cast them unto the earth," signifies their extinction and destruction (n. 720); "and the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bring forth," signifies the hatred of those who are meant by the "dragon" against the church with those who will be in the doctrine and thence in the life of love and charity from the Lord. n. 721); "that when she brought forth he might devour her offspring," signifies that they might destroy the doctrine of that church at its first rise (n. 722).