680. Verse 14. The second woe is past; behold the third woe cometh quickly, signifies a lamentation over the final vastation of the church, now certainly at hand. This is evident from the signification of "woe" as being lamentation over various things, especially over such things as devastate the church (of which above, n. 531). And as "three" signifies what is complete, therefore the "third woe" signifies the final lamentation, when the devastation is full. That "three" signifies what is complete, and thus the end, may be seen above (n. 435, 506, 532). This is evident also from the signification of "coming quickly," as being certainly, at hand, and coming to pass; that "quickly" signifies certainty may be seen also above (n. 7, 216). What this third woe that was to come quickly involves, can be seen from what follows, namely, that it involves the final state of the church, when there is no longer any truth or good, and the state of separation at that time of the evil from the good, and of the good from the evil, and at length the Last Judgement, which is effected by a full separation, and then the casting down of the evil into hell, and the elevation of the good into heaven.