Spiritual Meaning of REVELATION 16:13
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AR 701. Verse 13. And I saw out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, signifies the perception that from the theology founded on the doctrine of a Trinity of Persons in the Divinity, and on the doctrine of justification by faith alone without the works of the law. By "the mouth" is signified doctrine, and thence preaching and discourse (n. 463, 574). By "the dragon" is signified the acknowledgment of three Gods, and of justification by faith alone, and thence the devastation of the church (n. 537). By "the beast out of the sea," which is here meant, the men of the external church are signified, who are in that acknowledgment and faith (n. 567, 576, 577, 601). By "the false prophet" are signified the men of the internal church, who teach theology from those doctrines; the false prophet is not mentioned before, but "the beast out of the earth" which is now so called, see above (n. 594). Now as all these things are signified by "the dragon," "the beast out of the sea," and "the false prophet," which here is "the beast out of the earth," it follows, that by, "I saw out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet," is signified a perception that is from the theology founded on the doctrine of the Trinity of Persons in the Divinity, and on the doctrine of justification by faith alone without the works of the law.

AR 702. Three unclean spirits like frogs, signifies there arise mere reasonings and cupidities of falsifying truths. By "spirits" the same is here signified as by demons, because it is presently said that they were "spirits of demons," and by "demons," are signified the lusts of falsifying truths (n. 458). By"three" are signified all (n. 400, 505), here therefore mere; by "frogs" are signified reasonings from lusts, because they croak, and have itching desires; hence it is plain, that by "the three unclean spirits like frogs," are signified mere reasonings and lusts of falsifying truths. "Frogs" here have a like signification with "the frogs of Egypt," because the devastation of the church with the Egyptians is in like manner described by the miracles performed, concerning which it is thus written in Moses:--

The reason why frogs were produced from the waters of Egypt, and remained in the river, was, because the waters in Egypt, and especially the waters of its rivers, signified the falsities of doctrine from which they reasoned.

Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772).

Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002.

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