47. By the dragon in the book of Revelation, chapter 12, and its two beasts in chapter 13, no others are meant than those caught up in faith separated from charity, both as to doctrine and as to life. By the dragon are meant all those who have confirmed themselves in that faith; by the beast from the sea, those who have affirmed those principles by arguments springing from the natural self; and by the beast from the earth-which is later meant by the false prophet*-affirmations in support of these from the Word. That these people are meant by the dragon and its two beasts can be clearly seen from every single thing that has been written about them there when understood in their spiritual meaning. These particulars could be seen for oneself if what I have written on the book of Revelation were published,** for they are all matters confirmed from heaven, including the fact that by the tail of the dragon is meant an affirmation of that faith by their degrees of justification, as described in no. [787].*** * See Revelation 16:13, 19:20, 20:10. ** A reference to The Apocalypse Explained, already in manuscript, but never published by the writer himself. A considerably revised and condensed version later appeared as The Apocalypse Revealed, which the writer published in 1766. *** See The Apocalypse Explained, no. 787:4. (Compare also Spiritual Experiences, no. 6014.)