816. And he had two horns like a lamb. This signifies the power of persuading the conjunction with the Word of faith separated [from life], as from the Lord; is evident from the signification of horns, as denoting power (concerning which see above, n. 316, 776); and from the signification of two, as denoting conjunction (concerning which also see above, n. 532, at the end); and from the signification of a lamb, as denoting the Lord as to the Divine Human (concerning which also see above, n. 314). That by having two horns like a lamb is therefore signified the power of persuading the conjunction with the Word, of faith separated [from life], as from the Lord; is evident from what precedes and from what follows. From what precedes, because by the beast ascending out of the earth are signified confirmations from the sense of the letter of the Word in favour of faith separated from life (as may be seen just above, n. 815); and from what follows, because it is said that this beast spoke like a dragon, and gave the former beast his power before him, by which is signified affection, thought, doctrine, and preaching similar to what those have who separate faith from the life of faith, which is charity; also conjunction of reasonings from the natural man, whereby the religion of faith separate is strengthened, of which we shall speak further in the following articles. It is now evident, therefore, that as the horns of this beast signify the power of persuading; so two signifies conjunction, and the lamb signifies the Lord; therefore by this beast having two horns like a lamb, is signified the power of persuading the conjunction with the Word of faith separated from life, as from the Lord.

The reason why upon the head of this beast there were seen only two horns, but upon the head of the former beast ten horns is, that by this beast are signified confirmations from the Word; and in the Word there is a marriage of good and truth, and this marriage is signified by two. Hence also the horns were seen like a lamb, because by a lamb is meant the Lord - in this case, as to the Word. That the Lord, as to His Divine Human, is the Word, that is, the Divine truth, is declared in the plainest terms in John, namely,

"That the Word was made flesh" (1:14).

[2] The nature of the power of persuading and confirming from the Word any heresy whatever, is well known in the Christian world from the many heresies that prevail therein, every one of which is confirmed, and thereby becomes persuasive, from the sense of the letter of the Word. The reason is, that the sense of the letter of the Word is accommodated to the apprehension of the simple, and therefore consists for the most part of appearances of truth. And appearances of truth are such that they may be drawn to confirm whatever is assumed as a principle of religion, and thence of doctrine, consequently also falsity. Therefore those who place genuine truth itself in the sense of the letter of the Word alone, may fall into many mistakes if they are not in a state of enlightenment from the Lord, and in that state form for themselves doctrine, that may serve for a lamp. In the sense of the letter of the Word there are both naked truths and clothed truths. The latter are appearances of truth; and appearances can be understood only from those passages where naked truths exist, from which doctrine may be formed by one who is in a state of enlightenment from the Lord, and the rest explained according thereto. This is why those who read the Word without doctrine are carried away into numerous errors.

[3] The reason why the Word was thus written is, in order that the conjunction of heaven with men might be brought about by this means; and the ground of this conjunction is, that every expression therein, and in some passages every letter, contains a spiritual sense, in which the angels are. When therefore a man perceives the Word according to the appearances of truth therein, the angels who encompass man understand it spiritually. Thus the spiritual of heaven is conjoined with the natural of the world, as to such things as conduce to man's life after death. If the Word had been differently written, no conjunction of heaven with man could have been brought about by its means. And because the Word in the letter is such, therefore it is, as it were, a support for heaven to rest on; for all the wisdom of the angels of heaven, as to things pertaining to the church, terminates in the sense of the letter of the Word as in its basis. Therefore the Word in the letter may be called the stay of heaven. The sense of the letter of the Word is most holy, indeed, it is even more powerful than its spiritual sense; a truth which has been made known to me from much experience in the spiritual world. For when spirits bring forward any passage according to the sense of the letter, they immediately excite some heavenly society to conjunction with them. From these things it is evident, that everything pertaining to the doctrine of the church must be confirmed from the sense of the letter of the Word, in order that there may be any sanctity and power therein; and indeed from those books of the Word which contain the spiritual sense. Hence also it is clear, how dangerous it is to falsify the Word to the destruction of the Divine truth, which is in its spiritual sense; thus heaven is shut against a man. That this is done by those who, from the Word, confirm the separation of faith from its life, which are good works, was shown above.

6341. Verses 3-4 Reuben my firstborn, you are my might, and the beginning of my strength, excelling in eminence and excelling in worth. Light as water, may you not excel, because you went up to your father's bed; at that time you profaned [it] - he went up to my couch.

'Reuben my firstborn' means faith which seemingly occupies the first place. 'You are my might' means that through that faith comes the power which good possesses. 'And the beginning of my strength' means that through that faith comes the initial power which truth possesses. 'Excelling in eminence and excelling in worth' means the resulting glory and powerfulness. 'Light as water' means that faith alone does not possess such qualities. 'May you not excel' means that neither does it have any glory or powerfulness. 'Because you went up to your father's bed' means because when separated from the good of charity faith is involved in a foul liaison. 'At that time you profaned [it]' means that if it were joined to evil, profanity would exist. 'He went up to my couch' means because it would contaminate spiritual good in the natural.