843. [verse 3] 'And cast him into the deep, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him that he should not lead the nations astray any more' signifies that the Lord entirely removed those who were in faith alone and took away all communication between them and the rest, lest they should inspire anything of their heresy into those who were being taken up into heaven. By 'the dragon' here those are understood who are in untruths of faith, as just above (n. 842*). It is said of the dragon that he was 'arrested', 'bound', 'cast into the deep', 'shut up' and 'had a seal set upon him', whereby is signified that he was entirely removed, and that all communication was taken away between him and the rest. By his being 'arrested' is signified that those who are understood by him were gathered together and held back. By his being' bound 'is signified that they were withdrawn and torn away [from the rest]. By his being 'cast into the deep' is signified that they were sent down towards hell. By his being shut up' is signified that they were entirely removed. By his having 'a seal set upon him' is signified that all communication between him and the rest was entirely taken away. [2] The reason why 'the dragon' was entirely removed for a time was so that those who had been hidden by the Lord (treated of in vers. 4-6) might be taken up from the lower land, lest they might be led astray by the dragonists while being taken up; and therefore it is also said 'lest he should lead the nations astray any more', by which is signified lest he should inspire into them anything of his heresy. The reason why this was done in the world of spirits, which is midway between heaven and hell, is because there the evil have communication with the good, and in that world the good are prepared for heaven and the evil for hell, and there the good are tested by having some companionship with the evil and are examined to find out what they are like and how steadfast they are. By 'the nations' which 'he should not lead astray' are understood the good. That by 'the nations' are understood those who as to life are good, and in the opposite sense, evil, may be seen above (n. 483). From these considerations it can be established that by 'he cast him into the deep, and shut him up and set a seal upon him' is signified that the Lord entirely removed those who were in untruths of faith, and took away all communication between them and the rest, lest they should inspire anything of their heresy into those who were being raised up into heaven. * Perhaps n. 841 was intended.