8799. Because stoning he shall be stoned. That this signifies that thus the truths of faith which they have will perish, is evident from the signification of "to be stoned," as being the penalty of falsity and violated truth (see n. 5156, 7456, 8575); that this is the penalty of those who from self-confidence ascend to the Divine in the heaven which is above, is because then all the intelligence which they before had perishes; that they are then seized with blindness, see just above, n. 8797.