412. Then the fourth angel sounded. (8:12) This symbolizes an examination and disclosure of the state of the church in people for whom religion is faith alone, that they are caught up in the evils accompanying falsity and in the falsities accompanying evil.

That this is the symbolic meaning follows from what follows next, understood in the spiritual sense.

To sound a trumpet here means, symbolically, to examine and expose, as in nos. 398, 402, and 407, above.

408. And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch. This symbolizes the appearance of their personal intelligence owing to a conceit arising from a hellish love.

A great star falling from heaven symbolizes the appearance of their personal intelligence owing to a conceit arising from a hellish love, because it appeared to burn like a torch, and because its name was Wormwood, as we are told in the next verse. Both a star and a torch symbolize intelligence, here the people's personal intelligence, because it appeared to burn, and everyone's personal intelligence burns with conceit, a conceit that arises from a hellish love, a love symbolized by the mountain burning with fire (no. 403). Wormwood symbolizes hellish falsity, which gives rise to and composes that intelligence.

To be shown that a star symbolizes intelligence, see nos. 151, 954, and that a torch or lamp does also, no. 796.