Apocalypse Explained (Tansley) n. 645

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645. And they have power over the waters to turn them into blood.- That this signifies that truths with them are turned into falsities from evil, is evident from the signification of having power when spoken of the two olive trees and the two lampstands, which signify the goods of love and the truths of doctrine - not that they themselves have such power, namely, to turn truths into falsities, because this is contrary to their nature, which is to turn falsities into truths, for good with them cannot do evil; but still it appears as if they had this power, and also as if they so acted, because this happens when they are injured; on the contrary, it is the evil which is from hell, or hell whence all evil comes, that turns the waters into blood, that is, truths into falsities from evil - and from the signification of waters, as denoting truths; concerning this see above (n. 71, 483, 518, 537, 538); and from the signification of blood, as denoting the truth of the Word, and thence of doctrine from the Word, and in the opposite sense falsity specifically, falsified truth of the Word; for to shed blood signifies to do violence to charity, and also to the Divine Truth which is in the Word. But concerning the signification of blood in both senses, see above (n. 329).


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