771. Verse 18. [English Bible, chapter xiii. 1.] And I stood upon the sand of the sea.- That this signifies the continuation of the state of those who are signified by the dragon, is evident from the signification of standing upon the sand of the sea, as denoting to continue to see what those are who are meant by the dragon, for it is added that he saw a beast coming up out of the sea, to which the dragon gave his power, and his throne, and his authority; and afterwards that he saw a beast coming up out of the earth, which spake like a dragon, besides other things that follow. And as by means of those beasts the state of those who are dragons is further described, therefore this is what is signified by standing upon the sand of the sea. Moreover, the sand of the sea signifies sterility, such as exists in those who think indeed about faith, but do not give any thought to the life of faith, which is charity; for where such dwell, in the spiritual world, nothing is seen but heaps of stones, and also sand, rarely any grass or shrub; this, too, is why the sand of the sea signifies the state of those who are meant by the dragon.