697. And to destroy those that destroy the earth.- That this signifies hell with those who destroy the church, is evident from the signification of destroying, when said of those who destroy the church, as denoting damnation and hell; for since to give reward to His servants the prophets and saints signifies salvation and heaven with those who are in truths from good, that is, those who form the church, therefore to destroy the earth signifies damnation and hell; and from the signification of earth, as denoting the church concerning which, see above (n, 29, 304, 413:4, 417). To destroy the earth therefore signifies to destroy the church. That by land (terra) in the Word, is meant the church, has been shown above in many places, as well as in the Arcana Coelestia. There are many reasons why land, in the Word, signifies the church; that is, when no particular land is mentioned, such as the land of Egypt, of Edom, of Moab, of Assyria, of Chaldea, of Babylon and others, the land of Canaan is meant, and those who are in spiritual thought cannot think of that land as a land, since that would be to have an earthly and not a heavenly idea, but they think of the character of the nation there in regard to the church. Similarly when any one is thinking of a church, or religion or worship, and from that thought lands are spoken of, the land is not thought of but only the character of the people of the land in regard to the church, religion or worship. For this reason, when a man reads in the Word the term land (terra) the angels, who are spiritual, think of the church, and what the angels think, this is the spiritual sense of the Word, since the spiritual sense of the Word is for angels, and also for those men who are spiritual; for the Word in the letter is natural, but still interiorly or in its bosom it is spiritual, and when the natural is withdrawn, the spiritual which is within or in its bosom is disclosed.

[2] Moreover, there are lands in the spiritual world, or in the world where spirits and angels are, equally as in the natural world where men are, and these lands are quite alike in external appearance. In that world there are plains, valleys, mountains, hills, rivers, and seas, and also fields, meadows, forests, gardens, and paradises. And the lands, there, are beautiful in appearance, exactly according to the state of the church with those who dwell upon them, and they also undergo changes according to the changes of the church in the inhabitants. In a word, the lands there correspond completely with the reception of the good of love and the truth of faith in those who dwell there. It is also for this reason that land in the Word signifies the church, for the quality of the land is according to the quality of the church there, and correspondence is the cause of this. In that world, the land itself makes one with the church, just as a correspondent does with the subject to which it corresponds, as an effect with its efficient cause, as the eye with its sight, speech with the understanding, action with the will, the expression of the face with the affection of the thought, in a word, as the instrumental with its principal, of which it is said that they constitute one thing; so is it in the spiritual world, as to the quality of the land with the quality of the church. From these things it is evident why land in the Word signifies the church, and why to destroy the earth (or land) here signifies to destroy the church.

[3] So also in the following passages.

In Isaiah:

"Is this the man that shaketh the earth, that causeth kingdoms to tremble, that hath made the world a desert, and destroyed the cities thereof? Thou hast destroyed thy land, thou hast slain thy people" (14:16, 17, 20).

This is said of Lucifer, by whom Babel is here meant, as is evident from what here precedes and follows; the earth which he shook and destroyed signifies the church. The kingdoms which he causeth to tremble signify the churches into which the general church is divided. The world which he made a desert signifies the church in general; the cities which he destroyed signify the truths of the doctrine thereof, and the people that he slew signify the men of the church, whose spiritual life he destroyed.

[4] In Jeremiah:

"Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, destroying the whole earth" (51:25).

This also is said of Babel, which is called a destroying mountain, because a mountain signifies the love of ruling, here, over heaven and earth, to which the goods and truths of the church are caused to serve as means; to destroy all the earth signifies therefore to utterly destroy the whole church.

[5] In Daniel:

The fourth beast ascending out of the sea "shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces" (7:23).

This beast also signifies the love of ruling over the whole heaven and the whole earth, and those who are of Babel have this love, as may be seen above (n. 316:15, 556:5); therefore to devour, to tread down, and break the earth in pieces, signifies to utterly destroy the church. Who is there that does not see that no beast will ascend out of the sea, and devour, tread down, and break all the earth in pieces, but that some evil and diabolical love, will thus act towards the church.

In Moses:

"There shall not be any more a flood to destroy the earth" (Genesis 9:11).

Here the earth also signifies the church, which was destroyed by the antediluvians, but which should be destroyed no more.

[6] In Isaiah:

"Jehovah maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and he overturneth the faces thereof. In emptying the earth shall be emptied, and in spoiling it shall be spoiled; the habitable earth shall mourn, shall be confounded; the world shall languish, shall be confounded; the earth itself shall be profaned; because they have transgressed the laws, passed by the statute, made void the covenant of eternity, therefore a curse shall devour the earth; the flood-gates from on high are opened, and the foundations of the earth are shaken, the earth is utterly broken; the earth is moved exceedingly, the earth staggereth as a drunkard, and it is moved to and fro as a hut" (24:1, 3-6, 18-20).

That the earth here does not mean the earth, but the church, must be evident to every one. The church is thus spoken of, because the lands (terroe) in the spiritual world, upon which angels and spirits dwell, undergo such changes as are here described, according to the changes of the state of the church with those who dwell there; in fact even movements take place in them. It is said that Jehovah maketh the earth empty and maketh it waste, that in emptying it shall be emptied, and in spoiling it shall be spoiled, because the lands (terroe) there, when the church in those who dwell upon them is laid waste, completely change their appearance. The gardens, flower-gardens, lawns, and similar places in which those lands previously abounded, disappear, and instead of them there arise unpleasant things such as, sandy and rocky places, plains full of thorns and briars, and things of a like nature, which correspond to the falsities and evils that have laid waste the church. The devastation of the church as to the good of love and of charity is signified by making the earth empty; and its desolation as to the truths of doctrine and of faith is signified by making it waste and spoiling it, and the change itself by overturning the faces thereof. The habitable earth shall mourn, shall be confounded; the world shall languish, shall be confounded; a curse shall devour the earth, signifies that nothing shall grow and flourish there, but that it shall be barren, and filled with useless things, on account of which the earth is said to mourn, to languish, and to be devoured with a curse. Since these things take place when they that dwell there have no longer any regard for the holy things of the church, therefore it is said, because they have transgressed the laws, passed by the statute, made void the covenant of eternity. As the lands there are sometimes inundated, sometimes violently shaken, and also here and there gape and open towards the hell, which is beneath and lifts itself up - which takes place according to the nature, and extent of the falsities and evils that are loved, and the consequent falsification and denial of the goods and truths of the church - it is therefore said, that the flood-gates from on high are open, the foundations of the earth are shaken, the earth is broken, and staggereth as a drunkard. These things also actually take place in the spiritual world, when the state of the church is there changed into a contrary one. From this it is evident, why the earth, here and elsewhere in the Word, means the church.

677. And the rest became afraid.- This signifies the disturbance of mind and turning away of those who were in some degree spiritual as is clear from the signification of "the rest," as denoting those who were not merely external and natural, but also in some degree internal and spiritual, concerning which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of being afraid, as denoting to be disturbed in mind, and to turn away from those who were merely natural, and consequently in mere falsities and evils; that to be afraid signifies that disturbance and turning away will be seen below.

[2] First something shall be said concerning those who are meant by the rest that became afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven, as being not merely natural, but also in some degree spiritual. For those who are merely natural, are not disturbed by the influx of falsities and evils from hell when the truths of good which were with them in their externals are taken away, still less do they turn themselves away; for the thought and will proper to them, which have been interiorly concealed in them, consist merely of falsities and evils therefrom, and of evils and falsities therefrom, when, therefore, they are in these, then they become enraged against truths and goods, and thus eagerly desire to destroy them. This is the reason why the evil, when they are no longer in externals, are not afraid of evils and falsities, or even of hell; for these things belong to their love, and consequently they are the delights of their life. But not so with those who are spiritual; they are disturbed in mind and become afraid when infested by evils and falsities, which happens when they are among the evil; for they stand in fear of the loss of their spiritual life, on account of which they are disturbed in mind and alarmed, and pray to the Lord for aid, and turn themselves away from the evil.

[3] When societies, in the spiritual world, are purified, which takes place as often as the evil, especially hypocrites, have insinuated themselves into them, and mingled themselves with the good there - and the signs of their presence are darkening of the understanding, deprivation of the perception of good, a dulness of affection for truth, and similar things - then influx is let in from hell, at which the evil rejoice, but the good are disturbed in mind, and turn themselves away. Thus there is a separation, and those who have become afraid and who turn themselves away, are preserved, but the rest are cast out. From these things it is evident why it is said, that some become afraid, and why this signifies the disturbance of mind and the turning away of those who are in some degree spiritual.

[4] In the Word "they became afraid," "they were dismayed," and similar expressions, are often used both of the good and the evil; and fear and dismay signify a disturbed and changed state of mind resulting from an imminent or manifest danger to life; but this is one thing with the good and another with the evil. With the good it is a disturbance of mind, and change of state, resulting from an imminent and manifest danger to the soul, but with the evil it arises from an imminent and manifest danger to the bodily life. The reason of this is, that the good regard the life of the soul as the chief and final thing, and not that of the body, but the evil regard the life of the body as the chief and final thing, and not that of the soul. Indeed, they do not in their heart believe the latter, and those who do believe, still love only the things which belong to the body, such as appetites, and pleasures of various kinds; but with the good the contrary is the case.

[5] In order that it may be known, that to be afraid, to be dismayed, to dread, and similar expressions, signify to be disturbed in mind from a change of the state of the interiors, I will cite some passages from the Word by way of confirmation.

In David:

"My heart trembleth in the midst of me, and the terrors of death have fallen upon me, fear and trembling came upon me, and horror hath covered me" (Psalm 55:4, 5).

This is said of temptations, in which evils and falsities burst in from hell, and inspire terror in regard to damnation for, as said above, the good become afraid and tremble on account of dangers which threaten the soul, thus on account of the bursting in of evils into the thoughts and intentions of the will. There are, therefore, various disturbances of the mind, which, in particular, are signified by trembling of the heart, terrors of death, fear, shaking, and horror, which are there mentioned according to the order in which they succeed.

[6] In Isaiah:

"The isles saw and shook (tremuerunt), the ends of the earth trembled, they drew near and came" (41:5).

This is said of the coming of the Lord; and by the isles and the ends of the earth are meant the nations which are remote from the truths of the church, and by their fear (timor) and trembling are signified disturbances of mind arising from the dread of perishing.

[7] In Ezekiel:

"All hands are relaxed, and all knees go into waters, whence they shall gird themselves with sackcloth, terror shall cover them, and shame shall be upon all faces, they shall cast their silver into the streets, and their gold shall be an abomination" (7:17-19).

Here also the coming of the Lord is treated of, and these things are said of it; various disturbances of the mind arising from grief on account of evils, and from joy on account of goods, are described by various effects of fear and grief, as by the hands being relaxed, the knees going into waters, terror covering them, and shame upon all faces, by which are signified, not only various disturbances of the mind, and changes of state of the life, but also the turning away from falsities and evils. For the falsities which they will reject are signified by the silver which they shall cast into the streets, and the evils by the gold which shall be an abomination; by all knees going into waters is signified grief on account of the loss of the good of love, and joy that it is now recovered, the knees signifying the love of good, and to go into the waters signifying to weep.

[8] That the holy tremor which seizes upon, agitates and convulses the interior parts of the head, when the Divine inflows and fills them, is also called fear, terror, and dread, is evident from the following passages.

In Luke:

When Zacharias saw the angel, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him, and the angel said to him, "Fear not, Zacharias" (1:12, 13);

similarly when the virgin Mary saw the angel (1:29, 30).

When the angel of the Lord stood before the shepherds, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, "they were afraid with a great fear, but the angel said to them, Fear not, behold, I proclaim unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people" (2:9, 10).

When Jesus was transfigured and seen in glory, it is said that Peter, James, and John, became afraid when they entered into the cloud (9:34); and that when they heard the voice out of the cloud, saying, "This is my beloved Son," they fell upon their faces and feared exceedingly; "but Jesus drew near and touched them, saying, Arise, fear not" (Matthew 17:5-7; Mark. 9:6). When the Lord healed the palsied man, it is said, that fear came upon them all, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen wonderful things to-day" (Luke 5:26). And when the Lord raised to life the dead young man of Nain, it is said, that fear seized them all, and they praised God (Luke 7:16). Similarly here in the Apocalypse, it is said, "That they became afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven." Moreover, when the women entered into the tomb, they saw an angel sitting at the right side, clothed in a white robe; and they were terrified (Mark 16:5); and when the women departed from the tomb, they were seized with fear, trembling, and amazement, and at the same time with great joy, and they told no one, because they were afraid, therefore Jesus said to them, Fear not, tell the brethren (Matthew 28:8, 10; Mark 16:8). The two disciples going to Emmaus, said unto Jesus, "Certain women made us afraid" (Luke 24:22). From these passages it can be inferred that terror and dread, in the Word, mean various disturbances of mind arising from the influx of such things as cause amazement, connected also with joy.

[9] Again, terror, in the spiritual sense, signifies terror on account of evils and falsities, which are from hell, for these terrify the spiritual man, because they are opposed to goods and truths, which the spiritual man loves, and the loss of which he fears. In this sense terror is mentioned in many passages in the Word.

In Isaiah:

"About the time of evening behold terror; before the morning it is not" (17:14).

Evening signifies the last time of the church, when there are mere evils and falsities; these are called terror, because they are hell. But the morning signifies the first time of the church, when there are no evils and falsities, therefore it is said, before the morning the terror is not.

In Jeremiah:

"Fear thou not, my servant Jacob, and be not afraid, O Israel, for behold, I keep thee from afar; Jacob shall be tranquil, and at rest, none terrifying" (30:10).

And in Zephaniah:

"The remnant of Israel shall feed and be at rest, none making afraid" (3:13).

By Jacob and Israel are meant those who are in goods and truths within the church; and by none terrifying and making afraid is signified that nothing of evil and of falsity from hell shall infest them. In many other passages the meaning is similar. But what is signified in the spiritual sense by fearing God, will be shewn in the explanation of the eighteenth verse of this chapter.