1052. Verses 7-8. And the angel said unto me, Wherefore, dost thou wonder? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and the ten horns. The beast that thou sawest was and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss, and to go into perdition; and they that dwell upon the earth shall wonder, whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, seeing the beast that was and is not, and yet is. 7. "And the angel said unto me, Wherefore dost thou wonder? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and the ten horns," signifies manifestation of all things (n. 1053). 8. "The beast that thou sawest was and is not," signifies the Word which in the beginning was received in the church and read, and afterwards was taken away from the people and not read (n. 1054); "and is about to come up out of the abyss, and to go into perdition," signifies that it is acknowledged as Divine and yet is rejected (n. 1055); "and they that dwell upon the earth shall wonder," signifies those of that religion who reject the Word (n. 1056); "whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world," signifies that there are those who do not acknowledge the Lord's Divine authority over heaven and earth, but regard it as transferred to a certain vicar, and from him to his vicars (n. 1057); "seeing the beast that was and is not," signifies knowing that the Word has been received, and yet is rejected (n. 1058); "and yet is" signifies that it still is because it is Divine and has not been rejected except by profaners (n. 1059).