603.“又叫凡不拜兽像的人都被杀害”表他们向那些不承认其信之教义为教会的神圣教义之人发出诅咒。“拜兽像”表示承认他们的教义是教会的神圣教义，因为“拜”表示承认为教会的神圣事物（579，580，588，597节）；“兽像”表示这教义（601节）；“被杀害”表示属灵的被杀，也就是受诅咒（325节，以及其它各处）；“被杀害”因表示受到诅咒，故也表示被宣布为异端分子并被逐出教会，因为在他们眼里，这样一个人就被视为受到诅咒。在神职人员当中，那些在学校书院就接受称义奥秘的学者，尤其因这类事物而以博学为骄傲的，就是这样做的。这些人谴责所有不按他们想的而这样认为的人，并且只要有足够的胆量，他们还会怒斥他们。
我可以讲述这一事实：那些接受这些奥秘，并且在世时一直以博学为骄傲的人到了灵界，如此恼怒那些单单敬拜主，且不承认唯信为得救的唯一方法之人，以至于一看见他们，并远远感受到主的神性气场和仁爱的气场包围他们，就会怒火中烧。由于他们是这种性质，故那龙被描述为反对他们的最不共戴天的仇敌；如：
他站在那将要生产的妇人面前，等她生产之后，要吞吃她的孩子。蛇就在妇人后面，从口中吐出水来像河一样，要使这河吞没她。龙向妇人发怒，去与她其余的种争战。（启示录12:4，15，17）
三个污秽的灵，好像青蛙，从龙口、兽口并假先知的口中出来，叫他们在神全能者的大日聚集作战。（启示录16:13-16；同样还有19:19，20和20:8-10）
从无底坑里上来的兽杀了那两个见证人，把他们的尸首扔到大城的街道上，这城按着灵意叫所多玛和埃及，又不许把他们埋入坟墓。（启示录11:7-9）
“不许把他们埋入坟墓”表示弃绝他们如受到诅咒的（506节）。
603. And cause whoever does not worship the image of the beast to be killed. This symbolically means that the clergy pronounce damnation on people who do not acknowledge their doctrine of faith as a sacred doctrine of the church.
To worship the image of the beast means, symbolically, to acknowledge their doctrine of faith as sacred church doctrine; for to worship means, symbolically, to acknowledge as a sacred tenet of the church (nos. 579, 580, 588, 597), and the image of the beast symbolizes that doctrine. To be killed means, symbolically, to be spiritually killed, which is to be damned (no. 325 and elsewhere). And because to be killed means, symbolically, to be damned, it also means to be declared a heretic and to be excommunicated from the church. For in their eyes a heretic is regarded as damned.
This is the case with the learned of the clergy, who have been taught the mysteries of justification in schools and universities. Especially is it the case with those possessing a conceit in their erudition because of the mysteries they have learned. These condemn all who do not think as they do, and to the extent they dare, they fulminate against them.
[2] I can relate the following, that clergy who have learned those mysteries and possessed a conceit in their erudition on that account, in the spiritual world are so hostile to people who worship the Lord and do not accept faith alone as the only means of salvation, that they break out into a blaze of anger and wrath when they see them, and also when from a distance they sense the Divine atmosphere of the Lord and the atmosphere of charity surrounding them.
Since that is their character, therefore the dragon is described as a most hostile foe to such people. As for example, that it stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her child as soon as it was born; that it spewed water out of its mouth like a flood after the woman, to cause her to be carried away by the flood; and that enraged with the woman, it went off to make war with the rest of her offspring (Revelation 12:4, 15, 17). That three unclean spirits, like frogs, came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, to gather their followers to the battle of the great day of God Almighty (Revelation 16:13-16, cf. 19:19-20; 20:8-10). And also that the beast ascending out of the bottomless pit killed the two witnesses and cast their bodies on the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, and would not allow their bodies to be put into tombs (Revelation 11:7-9). Not to permit their bodies to be put into tombs means, symbolically, to reject as damned (no. 506).
603. 'And enact that everyone who does not adore the image of the beast may be slain' signifies that they pronounce damnation upon those who do not acknowledge the doctrine of their faith as a holy doctrine of the Church. By 'to adore the image of the beast' is signified to acknowledge the doctrine of their faith as a holy doctrine of the Church, for by 'to adore' is signified to acknowledge as a holy thing of the Church (579-580, 588, 597), and by 'the image of the beast is signified that doctrine (601). By 'to be slain' is signified to be slain spiritually, which is to be damned (325, and elsewhere); and because by 'to be slain' is signified to be damned, there is also signified to be declared a heretic and excluded from the communion of the Church, for in their eyes this is regarded as damnation. The learned among the clergy do this, who have absorbed the mysteries of justification in the schools and colleges, especially those who are in the pride of erudition on account of them. These damn all who do not think as they do, and so far as they dare they explode their wrath on them.
[2] This I can state, that those who have absorbed those mysteries, and were continually in the pride of erudition [in this world], are in the spiritual world so enraged against those who adore the Only Lord, and who do not acknowledge faith alone as the one and only means of salvation, that they come into a glowing anger of wrath and fury while they see them, and this while from afar off they are sensible of the Divine sphere of the Lord, and of the sphere of charity around them. Since those [who adore the Only Lord] are such, 'the dragon' is therefore described as a most inveterate enemy against them, so that:
He stood before the woman about to bring forth, that after she had brought forth he might devour her offspring; and he cast forth after the woman out of his mouth water as a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the river; and in a rage against the woman he went away to wage war with the remnant of her seed. Revelation 12:4, 15, 17.
Out of the mouths of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet there came forth three unclean spirits like frogs to gather them to the war of the great day of Almighty God. Revelation 16:13-16; likewise, Revelation 19:19-20; 20:8-10.
Also that the beast coming up out of the deep killed the two witnesses, and cast their bodies upon the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, and did not allow them to be put into tombs. Revelation 11:7-9,
By 'not to allow to be put into tombs' is signified to reject as damned (506).
603. And cause that as many as do not adore the image of the beast should be killed, signifies that they pronounce damnation upon those who do not acknowledge their doctrine of faith to be the holy doctrine of the church. "To adore the image of the beast" signifies to acknowledge their doctrine of faith as the holy doctrine of the church, for by "adoring" is signified to acknowledge as a holy thing of the church, (579, 580, 588, 597); and by "the image of the beast" is signified that doctrine, (601); by "being killed" is signified to be killed spiritually, which is to be condemned, (325, and elsewhere); and as "being killed" signifies to be condemned, it also signifies to be declared as heretical and excluded from the communion of the church, for such a one, in their eyes, is considered as condemned. This the learned among the clergy do who have imbibed the mysteries of justification in schools and academies, especially they who are in the pride of erudition on account of such things. These condemn all who do not think as they do, and so far as they dare, they fulminate against them.
[2] This I can relate, that they who have imbibed these mysteries, and thence were in the pride of erudition in the spiritual world, are so enraged against those who adore the Lord alone, and do not acknowledge faith alone as the only means of salvation, that they burn with wrath, anger and fury when they see them, and also when they feel at a distance the Divine sphere of the Lord and a sphere of charity encompassing them. Since they are such, the dragon is therefore described as a most bitter enemy against them; as that:
He stood before the woman about to bring forth that he might devour her offspring after it was born. And the serpent cast out of its mouth water as a river after the woman, that he might cause her to be swallowed up by the rivers. And the dragon was angry against the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, (Revelation 12:4, 15, 17).
That out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, there came forth three unclean spirits like frogs, to gather them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty, (Revelation 16:13-16; 19:19-20; 20:8-10).
Also that the beast that came up out of the abyss slew the two witnesses, and cast out their bodies upon the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, and did not permit them to be put into graves, (Revelation 11:7-9).
By "not permitting them to be put into graves" is signified to reject them as condemned, (506).
603. "Et faciat ut quicunque non adorant imaginem Bestiae occidantur," significat quod pronuntient damnationem super illos qui non doctrinam fidei illorum pro sancta doctrina Ecclesiae, agnoscunt. Per "adorare imaginem Bestiae" significatur agnoscere doctrinam fidei illorum pro sancta doctrina Ecclesiae, nam per "adorare" significatur pro sancto Ecclesiae agnoscere (579, 580, 588, 597), et per "imaginem Bestiae" significatur doctrina illa (601); per "occidi" significatur spiritualiter occidi, quod est damnari (325, et alibi); et quia per "occidi" significatur damnari, etiam significatur declarari pro haeretico, et excludi a communione Ecclesiae, hic enim in oculis illorum spectatur ut damnatus.
Hoc faciunt Docti e Clero, qui justificationis arcana in scholis et gymnasiis imbuerunt; imprimis illi qui in fastu eruditionis propter illa sunt; hi damnant omnes qui non cogitant sicut illi, et quantum audent, fulminant super illos. Hoc possum memorare, quod illi qui arcana illa imbuerunt, et inde in fastu eruditionis fuerunt, in mundo spirituali tam infensi sint contra illos qui adorant Solum Dominum et non solam Fidem pro unico medio salutis agnoscunt, ut in excandescentiam irae et furoris veniant dum vident illos, et quoque dum e longinquo sentiunt sphaeram Divinam Domini, et sphaeram charitatis circum illos. Quoniam illi tales sunt, ideo describitur Draco, ut infensissimus hostis contra illos; ut quod "Steterit coram Muliere paritura, ut postquam pepererit, fetum ejus devoraret: quodque ejecerit post Mulierem ex ore suo aquam sicut flumen, ut illam a flumine absorptam faceret: et quod iratus contra Mulierem abiverit facere bellum cum reliquis seminis ejus," (Apocalypsis 12:4, 15, 17);
quod "Ex ore Draconis, et ex ore Bestiae, et ex ore Pseudoprophetae" spiritus tres immundi, similes ranis, exiverint, ad congregandum suos in bellum diei magni Dei Omnipotentis, (Apocalypsis 16:13-16; similiter, 19:19-20, et 20:8-10);
ut et, quod "Bestia ascendens ex abysso occiderit duos Testes, et projecerit corpora illorum super plateam Urbis magnae, quae spiritualiter vocatur Sodoma et Aegyptus, et non permiserint illa poni in monumenta," (Apocalypsis 11:7-9);
per "non permittere poni in monumenta" significatur rejicere ut damnatos (506).