713. And there was seen another sign in heaven.- That this signifies Divine revelation concerning attack upon the doctrine which is for the new church, and by whom, is evident from the signification of a great sign, as denoting Divine revelation, manifestation, and testification (concerning which see above, n. 706). That it is concerning attack upon the doctrine which is for the new church, and by whom, is evident from the verses that follow in which this sign is described. Those who will attack this doctrine are meant by the great red dragon, the serpent of old, while the attack itself is described by the words, "the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bring forth, that he might devour her child," and afterwards by the combat of the dragon with Michael, and lastly, by his pursuing the woman into the wilderness, and there casting out water after her like a river; and further in the verses that follow. But who those are that are meant by the dragon will be explained in the following article; here we shall merely state that they are those who have communication with the angels of heaven, by means of external things only, but not by means of internal things, for it is said that that dragon was seen in heaven; and those who have no communication with heaven cannot be seen there, for they are in hell. Such are those who deny God, especially the Lord, make no account of the Word, blaspheme it, and do not believe in eternal life; in a word, they are all such as love themselves and the world above all things, and live a life of enmity, hatred, revenge, and deceit, and find delight in these. These things have been said in order that it may be known that such as these are not meant by the dragon, but those who, during their abode in the world, have an external communication with heaven. This communication they have from the reading of the Word, from preaching therefrom, and from external worship according to the rites of their church, but they are, nevertheless, not in a life according to the Lord's commandments; this is the reason why such have indeed communication with heaven, but not internal communication. Why these are called "the devil and Satan will also be explained in what follows.