999. And out of the mouth of the false prophet. That this signifies the doctrine of faith separated from life, and of justification by it, confirmed from the Word falsified, is evident from the signification of the false prophet, as denoting the doctrine of falsity from the falsified truth of the Word. This is signified by the false prophet, because by a prophet is meant the doctrine of truth from the Word, and, in the highest sense, the Word, as may be seen above (n. 624). Hence the contrary is meant by a false prophet. Moreover, the false prophet here has the same signification as the beast ascending out of the earth; for it is said, out of the mouth of the beast, and of the false prophet. For there were two beasts, by which the dragon is further described, one seen ascending out of the sea, the other out of the earth. And by the beast out of the sea is signified confirmations of faith separated from life, by reasonings from the natural man; but by the beast out of the earth are signified confirmations from the Word, of faith separated from life, and the consequent falsification thereof. And as it is thence made a doctrine of the church, and as that doctrine teaches the separation of faith from life, and justification by that separated faith, therefore, this other beast is meant by the false prophet.

Continuation concerning the Sixth Precept:-

From love truly conjugial there is power and protection against the hells, because against the evils and falsities which ascend from the hells. The reason is, that by conjugial love man has conjunction with the Lord, and the Lord alone can prevail over all the hells. Also, because by conjugial love man possesses heaven and the church. Wherefore, as the Lord continually protects heaven and the church from the evils and falsities that rise up from the hells, so He protects all those who are in love truly conjugial, because heaven and the church are with these only. For heaven and the church are the marriage of good and truth, from which is conjugial love, as said above.

Hence it is, that man by conjugial love has peace, which is inmost joy of heart, arising from security of every kind against the hells, and from protection against the infestations of evil and falsity therefrom.

658. Their bodies three days and a half. ¹ - That this signifies the complete extinction of Divine Truth and Divine Good, is evident from the signification of bodies, namely, of the witnesses, as denoting those who have extinguished in themselves all Divine Truth and Divine Good. For the two witnesses, whom they slew, signify the goods of love and of charity and the truths of doctrine and of faith, see above (n. 228, 635); consequently their bodies, when slain, signify that these have been extinguished. But because the good of love and of charity and the truth of doctrine and of faith cannot be extinguished except with those who are in falsities of doctrine and in evils of life, therefore these are meant, since others do not see that the goods of love and the truths of doctrine are extinguished. For every one sees the things which are of the Lord, and thence the things which pertain to heaven and the church, according to the quality of his state, and it is from this that he sees, therefore he cannot see otherwise than in agreement with that quality. Thus he who denies the Lord and His Divine in heaven and in the church does not see them, because he regards them negatively, therefore he does not see the witnesses alive, but their bodies as carcases, that is, he considers the goods of love and truths of doctrine as nothing, consequently also extinguished. The above is evident from the signification of three days and a half, as denoting what is complete, in this case, a complete extinction.

[2] "Three and a half" denotes what is complete, because three signifies an entire period or duration from beginning to end, consequently, where the church is treated of, as in the present case, three and a half signifies even unto its end, and at the same time to a new beginning wherefore it is said that after three days and a half the spirit of life from God entered into them and that they stood upon their feet, which signifies the beginning of a new church after the end of the old. For all the good of love and truth of doctrine is extinguished at the end of the church, but then there is a resuscitation which takes place with those in whom a new church is established by the Lord, which is also signified by the spirit of life which entered into them. A full or complete state is also signified by three days and a half, for the reason that this number has a similar signification to that of the number seven, for it is its half; and a number halved, like a number doubled, has a signification similar to that of the number itself that is halved or doubled; and the number seven signifies all, also what is full and complete, and it is used in reference to what is holy pertaining to heaven and the church. The signification of this number may be seen treated of above (n. 20, 24, 257, 300). That the greater numbers, as they are composed of smaller numbers, have a signification similar to that of the simple numbers from which they arise by multiplication, may be also seen above (n. 430:1-4), and that three signifies an entire period greater or less from beginning to end may be seen above (n. 532).

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