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 distress. And they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their distresses and their sores; and they repented not of their works.

10. "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 n. 988; "and his kingdom became dark" signifies the church in consequence in mere and dense falsities n. 989; "and they gnawed their tongues for distress," signifies that they were unwilling from loathing to perceive and know genuine goods and truths n. 990.

11. "And they blasphemed the God of heaven," signifies the falsification of the Word n. 991; "because of their distresses and their sores," signifies from loathing and nausea towards genuine truths and goods, arising from the falsities and evils in which those are who are in faith alone n. 992; "and they repented not of their works," signifies that they were unwilling to live according to the Lord's commandments n. 993.

In the Bible, things that are lower down, or under, physically, generally represent things that are lower or more external spiritually. In some cases, the lower things have been separated and put away to protect the good, but in others, it can mean that a less exalted idea or good desire is supporting a more exalted one.

(Mga Sanggunian: Arcana Coelestia 4564 [1-2], 8610, 9656)