716. And ten horns, signifies much power. This is evident from the signification of "horn," as being the power of truth against falsity and evil, and in the contrary sense the power of falsity against truth and good (of which above, n. 316, 567); also from the signification of "ten," as being all persons and all things, likewise many persons and many things (of which also above, n. 675; which shows that "ten horns" signify much power. That the dragon had much power is evident from what follows, namely, that because of him "the son a male that the woman brought forth was caught up unto God," that "his tail drew down from heaven the third part of the stars;" also that "he fought with Michael and his angels;" and afterwards that he stirred up Gog and Magog, and the nations in countless number, to war against the saints.

[2] "The dragon" had such power because "the dragon" means such as have separated faith from the goods of charity, which are works, and have confirmed this by the sense of the letter of the Word, which they thus twist from its genuine sense, and as it were draw it down from heaven; and because at the end of the church, which Revelation treats of, there is no charity, therefore the dragon then has power; for at the end of the church everyone wishes to live for himself, for the world, and according to his own bent, and few wish to live for the Lord, for heaven and eternal life; and the principle of faith alone, which is faith separated from charity, favors the former life, and like the current of a river draws in and carries away all to thus believing and living. This is why "the dragon," which signifies such persons and such things, was seen to have "ten horns."

[3] It has been said heretofore that falsities from evil have no power whatever; but it is to be known that falsities from evils have no power against truth from good; for truth from good is from the Lord, and the Lord has all power by His Divine truth. But falsities from evil have a power that is signified by "the ten horns of the dragon," because they prevail against those who are in falsities from evil, since such persons and such falsities act as one; moreover, man is in evil and in falsities therefrom hereditarily from his parents, and afterwards from actual life, especially at the end of the church; and these falsities from evil cannot be expelled from man in a moment, but little by little; for if they were expelled in a moment man would expire, because they constitute his life. Because such is man's state at the end of the church, the falsities of evil prevail, although they have no power whatever against truth from good. The Lord by His Divine truth might instantly cast out the falsities of evil that are with man, but this would be to cast the man instantly into hell; for these falsities must first be removed, and so far as they are removed, so far there is a place for implanting truths from good, and man is reformed. Such as are here meant by "the dragon" are meant also by "the he-goat" that fought with the ram (Daniel 8), and by "the goats" in Matthew 25; for "he-goats" there signify those who are in faith separated from charity, and "the ram" and "the sheep" those who are in charity.

6239. 'And your offspring that you beget after them' means interior truths and forms of good which are begotten later on. This is clear from the meaning of 'offspring' or 'generation' as matters of faith and charity, dealt with in 613, 2020, 2584, thus truths and forms of good; and from the meaning of 'after them' as interior ones which are begotten later on. The reason interior ones are meant is that what is begotten from the internal at a later time is more interior. For in every consecutive stage all that has already been begotten serves the internal as the means by which what is begotten subsequently can be introduced into a more interior position, for the internal raises the natural by degrees up to itself. This is evident from the birth of all that constitutes the understanding in a person. At first he is on the level of his senses; later on he rises to more and more internal levels until he arrives at full use of his understanding. Similar to this is the new generation or birth which is effected by means of faith and charity. Thus it is that a person is perfected by degrees; see what has been stated in 6183 about the gradual raising up to more interior levels when a person is being regenerated.

[2] In the Word 'generation' means things which have to do with faith and charity, for the reason that no generation other than that of a spiritual kind is meant in the internal sense. That kind of generation is also meant in David,

They will fear greatly, for God is in the generation of the righteous. Psalms 14:5.

'The generation of the righteous' stands for truths that flow from good, for righteousness is an attribute of good. In Isaiah, 41:4.

They will not labour in vain, and they will not produce offspring ¹ in terror; they will be the seed of the blessed of Jehovah. Isaiah 65:23.

In the same prophet,

Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, Jehovah, am the first, and with the last I am the same. Isaiah 41:4.

In Ezekiel,

Your tradings and your births' are of the land of the Canaanite. Your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. As for your births, ² on the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, and you were not washed with water for Me to see. Ezekiel 16:3-4.

In these verses, which refer to the abominations of Jerusalem, it is quite evident that 'generations' or 'births' means generations in a spiritual sense.

[3] In Isaiah,

Awake as in the days of eternity, in the generations of eternity. ³ Isaiah 51:9.

'The days of eternity' stands for the state and time of the Most Ancient Church. The expression 'eternity' is used in reference to that Church because the good of love to the Lord reigned in it, and that good, since it flows directly from the Lord, is called eternal. 'The generations of eternity' stands for the forms of good that spring from that good.

[4] Something similar to this appears in Moses,

Remember the days of eternity, understand the years of generation after generation. Deuteronomy 32:7.

'The days of eternity' stands for the state and time of the Most Ancient Church which existed before the Flood and was a celestial Church. 'The years of generation after generation' stands for the state and time of the Ancient Church which existed after the Flood and was a spiritual Church. Those Churches are the subject at that point in Moses.

[5] In Joel,

Judah will abide into eternity, and Jerusalem into generation after generation. Joel 3:20.

'Eternity' is used in reference to Judah because 'Judah' represents the celestial Church, 3881, and 'generation after generation' is used in reference to Jerusalem because by 'Jerusalem' is meant the spiritual Church, 402.

[6] In Isaiah,

My righteousness will exist into eternity, and My salvation into each generation. ⁴ Isaiah 51:8.

Here 'eternity' has reference to the good of love, for the word 'righteousness' is used in connection with that good, 612, 2235, and 'generation' has reference to the good of faith.

[7] In David,

Your kingdom is a kingdom to all eternity, ⁵ and Your dominion to every generation after generation. Psalms 145:13.

Here the meaning is similar, for unless 'eternity' had had reference to what was celestial, and 'generation' to what was spiritual, one expression alone would have been used. The use of two would be pointless repetition.

[8] Things that have to do with a state of faith are also meant in the laws which forbade one who was illegitimate, down to the tenth generation of his descendants, to come into the assembly of Jehovah, Deuteronomy 23:2, or an Ammonite or Moabite, down to the tenth generation of his descendants, Deuteronomy 23:3; and in the law which allowed the third generation of an Edomite or Egyptian to come into the assembly of Jehovah, Deuteronomy 23:8. Things that have to do with a state of faith are meant similarly in the Ten Commandments, where it says that Jehovah God will visit the iniquity of the fathers on the sons, on the third and the fourth generation, inasmuch as they hate Him, Exodus 20:5.

[9] The reason why forms of faith and charity are meant by 'generations' is that in the spiritual sense no other kinds of offspring are meant than those associated with regeneration or one who has been regenerated. Similarly with references in the Word to birth, bearing. and conception; forms of faith and charity are meant, see 1145, 1255, 3860, 3863, 4668, 5160, 5598.

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