966. And it became blood as of one dead. That this signified that all were falsified, is evident from the signification of blood, as denoting Divine truth; and, in the opposite sense, Divine truth falsified (concerning which see n. 30, 328, 329, 476, 748). In this case, therefore, that all the knowledges of truth from the Word were falsified. The knowledges of truth from the Word are the truths of the sense of the letter, or the truths in the Word for the natural man, which also are Divine truths. These altogether falsified are signified by the sea becoming blood, as of one dead.

The Divine truths of the sense of the letter of the Word are said to be falsified, when they are perverted even to the destruction of interior Divine truth, or of Divine truth in the heavens. They then also appear in the heavens with man as the blood of one dead. That those who separate faith from the goods of life falsify the Word has been often shown above; and it is of such that these things are said, as is evident from the second verse of this chapter.

Concerning the Fourth Precept of the Decalogue, that parents are to be honoured.

This precept also was given, because the honour of parents represented and thence signified love to the Lord, and love towards the church. For father, in the heavenly sense, or the heavenly Father, is the Lord; and mother, in the heavenly sense, or the heavenly mother, is the church. Honour signifies the good of love; and length of days, which is the consequence, signifies the felicity of life eternal. This precept is thus understood in heaven, where no other father is known but the Lord, and no other mother but the Lord's kingdom, which is also the church. For the Lord gives life from Himself, and by the church He gives spiritual nourishment. That in the heavenly sense of this precept, not any father in the world is meant, or indeed to be named, while man is in a heavenly idea, the Lord teaches in Matthew:

"Call no one your father on earth; for one is your Father, who is in the heavens" (23:9).

That Father signifies the Lord as to Divine Good may be seen above (n. 32, 200, 254, 297). That mother signifies the Lord's kingdom, the church, and Divine truth may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 289, 2691, 2717, 3703, 5581, 8897). That length of days signifies the felicity of eternal life, n. 8898 in the same work; and that honour signifies the good of love, n. 8897 there, and above, n. 288, 345.

From these things it is now evident that the third and fourth precepts involve mysteries concerning the Lord; that is, the acknowledgment and confession of His Divine, and the worship of Him from the good of love.

33. And to him be the glory and the strength unto the ages of the ages. That this signifies that those things, or Divine good and Divine truth, are from the Lord alone to eternity, is evident from the signification of glory, as being Divine truth in heaven (concerning which, see Arcana Coelestia 4809, 5922, 8267, 8427, 9429); and from the signification of strength, as denoting Divine good by Divine truth, because Divine good has all strength and all power by means of Divine truth (as may be seen, n. 3091, 3563, 6344, 6423, 8304, 9643, 10019, 10182; and in the work, Heaven and Hell, where the power of the angels of heaven from the Lord is treated of, n. 228-233). That unto the ages of the ages denotes to eternity, is evident without explanation. The reason why glory denotes Divine truth in heaven, is because Divine truth is the light there, and those things that exist from the light of heaven are called glory, because they exist from the Lord, and represent the Divine truth which is from Him, and declare His glory; especially those things that are within an angel, which pertain to intelligence and wisdom. (That, the light of heaven is Divine truth, and that all things in heaven, whether without or within an angel, exist from the light there, may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 126-140, 172, 173, 176.) It is believed in the world, that by "to God be glory" is meant that God desires glory from man for His own sake, and that He is affected thereby, and does good to man on that account; but this is an error. God desires glory from man for man's sake; for thus man attributes all things to the Divine, and nothing to himself; and when he does this, then the Divine can flow into him with Divine truth, and impart to him intelligence and wisdom. In this and in no other way is the Lord glorified in man. For the Lord loves everyone, and, from love, wills that His glory, that, is, Divine truth, may be in him. This also the Lord teaches in John:

"If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask whatever will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; and ye shall become my disciples" (15:7, 8).

(That the salvation of the human race is the glory of the Lord, see Arcana Coelestia 4347, 4593, 5957, 7550, 8263, 10646.)