"And there was seen another sign in heaven," signifies Divine revelation concerning the attack upon the doctrine which is for the new church, and by whom; "and, behold, a great red dragon, signifies all who, from the love of self and of the world, are merely natural and sensual, and still have more or less knowledge from the Word, from doctrine therefrom, and from preaching, and who think they will be saved by knowledge (scientia) alone without life; "having seven heads," signifies the knowledge (scientia) of the holy things of the Word, which they have adulterated; "and ten horns;" signifies much power; "and upon his heads seven diadems," signifies Divine Truths in the ultimate of order, which are the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word, adulterated and profaned. "And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven," signifies the falsification and adulteration of all the truths of the Word; "and cast them unto the earth" signifies their extinction and destruction; "and the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bring forth," signifies the hatred of those meant by the dragon against the church in those who will be in the doctrine, and thus in the life of love and charity from the Lord; "that when she had brought forth he might devour her child," signifies that they might destroy the doctrine of that church at its first beginning.