7332. 'And all the waters which were in the river were converted into blood' means consequent falsification of all truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'the waters which are in the river' as falsities, dealt with above in 7707; and from the meaning of 'blood' as the falsification of truth, also dealt with above, in 7317, 7326. The reason why those in the next life who are steeped in falsities and engage in molestation are allowed to falsify truths is that then they are prevented from having contact through the truths of faith with those who are in heaven on one hand, and through evils of life with those who are in hell on the other. Therefore they cannot use such contact to acquire through truths any light at all from heaven, thus any intelligence, and make those truths serve the evils of their life. For if they could they would use the intelligence they had gained to justify evil, and so to subordinate the things of heaven residing with them to those of hell. They are also prevented in this way from leading astray simple and upright spirits with whom they have contact through truths. The evil in the next life among whom truths have not yet been falsified also know how to use those truths to gain control over others (for power resides within truths, so great that it is irresistible, 3091, 6344, 6427, 6948); and this is another way in which they would misuse truths. Furthermore the truths the evil know do not amend their lives in any way at all. They use them merely as means to do evil; when they cannot use them in this way the evil utterly deride truths. They are like wicked prelates who would ridicule the truths of doctrine if they could not use those truths for their own profit. These are the reasons why the evil are allowed to falsify the truths they know.