Apocalypse Explained #980
980. Verses 8, 9. And the fourth angel poured out his vial into the sun, and it was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with a great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who hath power over these plagues; and they repented not to give him glory.
"And the fourth angel poured out his vial into the sun," signifies the state of the church manifested as to love to God, thus to the Lord; "and it was given unto him to scorch men with fire," signifies, the lusts of falsifying truths arising from the loves of self and of the world.
"And men were scorched with a great heat," signifies the vehement lust of adulterating the truths and goods of the Word; "and they blasphemed the name of God," signifies the falsification of the Lord's Word, even to the destruction of the Divine truth in the heavens; "who hath power over these plagues," signifies no fear of the Last Judgment from the Lord, and of the consequent condemnation and punishment of the evils and the falsities therefrom that have devastated the church; "and they repented not to give him glory," signifies that they were not willing to turn by living according to the Lord's precepts.
