980. Verses 8, 9. And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun, and it was given him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat; and they blasphemed the name of God who hath authority over these plagues; and they repented not to give Him glory.

8. "And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun," signifies the state of the church manifested as to love to God, thus to the Lord. n. 981); "and it was given him to scorch men with fire," signifies the cupidity for falsifying truths arising from the loves of self and of the world n. 982.

9. "And men were scorched with great heat," signifies the ardent cupidity of adulterating the truths and goods of the Word n. 983; "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 n. 984; "who hath authority over these plagues," signifies no fear of the Last Judgment by the Lord and of the condemnation and punishment at that time of the evils and consequent falsities that have devastated the church n. 985; "and they repented not to give Him glory," signifies that they were unwilling to turn themselves to living according to the Lord's commandments n. 986.