968. Verses 4-7. And the third angel poured out his vial into the rivers, and fountains of waters, and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters saying, Thou art just, O Lord, who is, and who was, and art holy, because thou hast judged these things. Because they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. And I heard another out of the altar, saying, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and just are thy judgments.

"And the third angel poured out his vial into the rivers, and fountains of waters," signifies the state of the church manifested as to the faculty of understanding the truths of the Word: "and they became blood," signifies that it was destroyed through falsifications.

"And I heard the angel of the waters saying," signifies the preaching of the Lord's justice from His spiritual kingdom: "Thou art just, O Lord, who is, and who was," signifies the Lord as to Divine good from eternity: "and art holy," signifies as to Divine truth: "because thou hast judged these things," signifies, by whom it was foreseen that these things would take place, and provided that the heavens, which are in Divine good and in Divine truth, might not suffer hurt.

"Because they have shed the blood of saints and prophets," signifies, because they have falsified the truths of the Word, and of doctrine from the Word: "and thou hast given them blood to drink," signifies that they are consequently in falsities of evil: "for they are worthy," signifies that it is done to them as they themselves do.

"And I heard another out of the altar, saying," signifies the preaching of the Lord's justice from His celestial kingdom: "even so, Lord God Almighty, true and just are thy judgments," signifies, that these things take place, because from Divine good and Divine truth all things are, live, and have efficacy.