735. And those dwelling upon the land shall wonder, whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, seeing the beast that was and is not, but yet is' signifies the bewilderment of all those who are of that form of religion, who from its establishment have aimed at dominion over heaven and earth, that the Word, although thus rejected, is still in existence. By 'to wonder' is signified to be bewildered. By 'those dwelling upon the land' are signified those who belong to the Church, here those who are of that form of religion, as above (n. 721). 'Whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world' signifies all who do not believe in the Lord, and are not in doctrine out of the Word, from the establishment of the Church, here from the establishment of that form of religion (n. 588, 589); and these are no others than those who aim at dominion over heaven and earth. By 'the beast that was and is not, but yet is' is signified that the Word thus rejected is still in existence. From these things it is plain that by 'those dwelling upon the land shall wonder, whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, seeing the beast that was and is not, but yet is' is signified the bewilderment of all those who are of that form of religion, who from its establishment have aimed at dominion over heaven and earth, that the Word, although thus rejected, is still in existence. For all who aim at dominion over the holy things of the Church and over heaven hate the Word, because they hate the Lord, at heart if not by word of mouth. That this is the case few in the world know because they are then in the body; but it is made manifest after death when every one is in his spirit. It is in consequence of this that they wonder that the Word is still in existence, although thus rejected, as was said above (n. 734). That the Word is still in existence is because it is Divine, and the Lord is in it.