924. For a thousand six hundred stadia, signifies evils in the whole complex. This is evident from the signification of "stadia," as being the bringing forth in a series, for "stadia," like "miles," and like ways in general, signify the progressions in series according to thoughts from affection. Also from the signification of "a thousand six hundred," as being goods in the whole complex, and in the contrary sense, as here, evils in the whole complex. For the number "a thousand six hundred" has a similar signification as sixteen, and the number sixteen has a similar signification as four and two; and all these numbers are predicated of goods, and in the contrary sense of evils. For the greater compound numbers have a similar signification as the lesser and simple from which they arise by multiplication; as "twelve thousand" has a like signification as "twelve;" and "twelve" a like signification as "three and four" multiplied together (see above, n. 430, 851). That "three" is predicated in the Word of truths, and "two" and "four" of goods, and in the contrary sense "three" of falsities, and "two" and "four" of evils, can also be seen above (n. 532). This makes clear that "for a thousand six hundred stadia" signifies the bringing forth of evils in a continuous series, thus evils in the whole complex. That by these two devastators of the church that are meant by "Babylon" and "the beast of the dragon," evils in a continuous series, and thus evils in the whole complex, have been brought forth and are still brought forth, can be fully shown. But how the church is devastated by the beast of the dragon has been shown in the explanations of the twelfth and thirteenth chapters; and how it is devastated by Babylon will be shown below in the explanations of the seventeenth and eighteenth chapters.