752. Woe to those that inhabit the earth and the sea.- That this signifies lamentation over those who become merely natural and sensual, is plain from the signification of woe, as denoting lamentation (concerning which see above, n. 531); and from the signification of those that inhabit the earth and the sea, as denoting the merely natural and sensual. For as those who dwell in the heavens signify the spiritual, so those that inhabit the earth and the sea signify the natural and sensual, the natural and sensual mind being beneath the spiritual mind, as the earth and sea are beneath the heavens. And also in the spiritual world the heavens appear on high (in editis), and far off beneath them lands and seas appear; and the spiritual dwell in the heavens, while on the lands far off beneath them dwell the natural; and the sensual dwell in the seas. For every one dwells on high, or deeply beneath (alte et profunde), according as his interiors, which are called the interiors of the mind, are opened or closed. For this reason, heaven and earth, in certain passages of the Word, signify the internal and external church, or the spiritual and natural church; also specifically, the spiritual and natural man, because the church is in man, and therefore the man who is spiritual is a church. Here the earth and the sea signify those who are merely natural and sensual, because the earth here means that earth unto which the dragon was cast, and to which the devil came down, as will be seen in what follows. This is where the merely natural or external man is, for the natural man without the spiritual, or the external man without the internal, is upon land that is damned, under which is hell. For man is born sensual and natural, that is, as it were in hell, because born into evils of every kind, but through regeneration he becomes spiritual, and by that means he is withdrawn from hell and raised up into heaven by the Lord. This is the reason of this lamentation over those who are merely natural and sensual. There is lamentation over them, because those are meant who are in faith separated from charity, thus those who say that they are in faith, although they have no life of faith; and that such become merely natural and sensual has been shown above (n. 714, 739). These are also meant by the dragon and his angels, and by the old serpent, but here those who suffer themselves to be easily led astray by the dragon and his angels are meant. It is these, therefore, of whom it is said, "Woe to those that inhabit the earth and the sea." That heaven and earth signify the internal church, which is spiritual, and the external church which is natural, may be seen above (n. 304). That the earth also signifies damnation (n. 742); that seas signify the most exterior things of the life of man, which are called sensual (n. 275, 342, 511); that they also signify the hells (n. 537, 538).

531. Woe, woe, woe, to them that dwell on the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels which are about to sound.- That this signifies grievous lamentation over the changes of the state of the church at its end, on account of aversion from good and truth, and thence damnation, is evident from the signification of woe, which denotes lamentation over aversion from good and truth, and consequent damnation; and from its being said three times, which denotes grievous lamentation, concerning which we shall speak presently; from the signification of them that dwell on the earth, as denoting those who are of the church, the earth denoting the church, as may be seen above (n. 29, 304, 417); and from the signification of the voices of the trumpet of the three angels which are about to sound, as denoting the changes of the state of the church; for by the angels sounding the trumpets, are signified changes from influx out of heaven; see above (n. 502). That three signifies what is complete even to the end, will be seen in the following article. It is therefore evident that these words, "Woe, woe, woe, to those that dwell on the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels which are about to sound," signify grievous lamentation over the changes of the state of the church at its end, on account of aversion from good and truth, and consequent damnation.

[2] That woe signifies lamentation over calamity, danger, misery, destruction, and so forth, is clear from the passages in the Word where it occurs; but here it signifies lamentation over aversion from good and truth, and consequent damnation, because this is the subject treated of in that which follows. And because aversion from good and truth becomes successively more grievous in the church, even unto its end, therefore it is three times named, to denote every successive increase of the grievousness of evil. This is evident from the following passages, where it is said,

"One woe is past; and behold, there come two woes more hereafter" (9:12).

And afterwards:

"The second woe is past; and behold, the third woe cometh quickly" (11:14).

That woe in the Word signifies lamentation over various accidents, especially over the evils which devastate the church, is evident from various passages therein; as in Matthew:

"Woe unto you, scribes and pharisees, hypocrites!" (23:13, 14, 15, 16, 23, 25, 27, 29).

And in Luke:

"Woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed!" (22:22).

Again, in the same:

"Woe unto him, through whom offences come!" (17:1).

And in Isaiah:

"Woe unto them that join house to house" (5:8).

"Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink" (5:11).

"Woe unto them that draw iniquity" (5:18).

"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil" (5:20).

"Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes" (5:21).

"Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine (vinum)" (5:22).

See also Isaiah, chap. 3:11; 10:1; 17:12; 18:1; 29:1, 15; 30:1; 31:1; 33:1; 45:9, 10, etc.; Jeremiah 22:13; Ezekiel 13:3; Apoc. 18:16, 19.