987. Verses 10, 11. And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the throne of the beast; and his kingdom became dark; and they gnawed their tongues for anguish; and they blasphemed the God of heaven by reason of their anguish, and by reason of their sores; and they repented not of their works.

"And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the throne of the beast," signifies the state of the church manifested as to the doctrine of faith; "and his kingdom became dark," signifies the church thence in absolutely dense falsities; "and they gnawed their tongues for anguish," signifies that by reason of loathing they were not willing to perceive and to know genuine goods and truths.

"And they blasphemed the God of heaven," signifies falsification of the Word; "by reason of their anguish, and by reason of their sores," signifies from the loathing and nauseating of genuine truths and goods, arising from the falsities and evils in which those are who are in faith alone; "and they repented not of their works," signifies that they were not willing to live according to the Lord's precepts.