724. Having seven heads and ten horns. This symbolizes their intelligence gained from the Word, at first reverent, later abandoned, and at last irrational, and their continued great power drawn from the Word.

The head symbolizes intelligence and wisdom when the subject is the Lord and the Word, and in an opposite sense irrationality and stupidity, as may be seen in nos. 538, 576 above. The number seven does not symbolically mean seven, but all of something, and is predicated of something holy (nos. 10, 390). A horn symbolizes power (no. 270) and ten horns symbolize much power (no. 539). That the seven heads symbolize intelligence at first reverent, later abandoned, and at last irrational, is apparent from verses 9 and 10 in this chapter, in which the angel says what the seven heads symbolize, which we will take up below.

It is apparent from this that the beast having seven heads and ten horns symbolizes intelligence from the Word, at first reverent, later abandoned, and at last irrational, and their continued great power drawn from the Word.

741. "But receive authority as kings for one hour with the beast." This symbolically means that the Word has force with Roman Catholics in France, and through the Word they prevail, as though they possessed its Divine truths.

To receive authority with the beast means, symbolically, to prevail with the Word, thus that the Word has force with them, and through the Word they prevail. To receive authority means, symbolically, to prevail, and the beast symbolizes the Word (no. 723). "As kings" means, symbolically, as though they possessed Divine truths from the Word. Kings symbolize people who possess Divine truths from the Word, and abstractly, the Divine truths themselves in it (nos. 20, 664, 704, 740). One hour means, symbolically, for a time, and also in some measure.

It is apparent from this that the ten kings receiving authority as kings for one hour with the beast means symbolically that the Word has force with Roman Catholics in France, and through the Word they prevail, as though they possessed its Divine truths.

We say this because Roman Catholics in France acknowledge that the Word is Divinely inspired, and thus that the church is a church because of the Word. But still they do not as yet draw Divine truths from it beyond these general ones, that the God alone is to be worshiped, and no man as God, that the authority granted to Peter is not in itself Divine, and yet that to open and close heaven is a Divine work, which does not lie within the power of any man. They confirm these truths in themselves by appeal to the Word, but in the presence of others who do not listen to the Word, by appeal to the rationality that by a continual influx from heaven exists in everyone who wishes to possess truths.

It is of the Lord's Divine providence that Roman Catholics in France do not go further and draw doctrines of faith and life from the Word, because in outward aspects and forms they still adhere to the Roman Catholic religion. It is to keep them from commingling truth and falsity, and so from an inner struggle arising, like a kind of ferment that produces a state of agitation.