702. Three unclean spirits like frogs, signifies there arise mere reasonings and cupidities of falsifying truths. By "spirits" the same is here signified as by demons, because it is presently said that they were "spirits of demons," and by "demons," are signified the lusts of falsifying truths (n. 458). By "three" are signified all (n. 400, 505), here therefore mere; by "frogs" are signified reasonings from lusts, because they croak, and have itching desires; hence it is plain, that by "the three unclean spirits like frogs," are signified mere reasonings and lusts of falsifying truths. "Frogs" here have a like signification with "the frogs of Egypt," because the devastation of the church with the Egyptians is in like manner described by the miracles performed, concerning which it is thus written in Moses:
Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up, and covered the land, and afterwards the frogs were removed, and remained in the river only (Exod. 8:5-14; Ps. 78:45; 105:30). The reason why frogs were produced from the waters of Egypt, and remained in the river, was, because the waters in Egypt, and especially the waters of its rivers, signified the falsities of doctrine from which they reasoned.
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