573. Verse 16. And the number of the armies of the horsemen was two myriads of myriads, signifies that the falsities of evil from which and in favor of which they reason and which conspire against the truths of good, are innumerable. This is evident from the signification of "armies," as meaning the falsities of evil (of which presently); and from the signification of "horsemen," as being the reasonings therefrom, for "horses" signify the understanding of truth, and in the contrary sense the understanding perverted and destroyed (See above, n. 355, 364, 372, 373, 381, 382); so "horsemen" in this sense signify the reasonings from falsities, since reasonings from falsities are from the understanding perverted and destroyed, for truths constitute the understanding, but falsities destroy it. The above is evident also from the signification of "two myriads of myriads," as being innumerable falsities conspiring against truths of good (that "myriads" signify things innumerable, and are predicated of truths, see above, n. 336, and it is said "two myriads of myriads" because this signifies things innumerable that are conjoined and conspire; for the number "two" signifies conjunction, concord, and conspiracy (See above, n. 283, 384). It means against the truths of good, because what follows treats of the destruction of truths by the armies of such horsemen. From this it can be seen that "the number of the armies of the horsemen was two myriads of myriads" signifies that the falsities of evil from which and in favor of which they reason, and which conspire against the truths of good, are innumerable.

[2] "Armies" (or hosts) are frequently mentioned in the Word, and the Lord is called "Jehovah of Hosts or Zebaoth," and "armies" there signify truths from good fighting against the falsities from evil, and in the contrary sense falsities from evil fighting against truths from good. Such is the signification of "armies" in the Word, because "wars" in the Word, both in the histories and prophecies, signify, in the internal sense spiritual wars, which are waged against hell and against the diabolical crew there, and such wars have relation to truths and goods opposing falsities and evils; this is why "armies" signify all truths from good, and in the contrary sense all falsities from evil. That "armies" signify all truths from good is evident from the sun, moon, stars, and also the angels, being called "the armies of Jehovah," because they signify all truths from good in the complex; also from the sons of Israel being called "armies," because they signified the truths and goods of the church. And as all truths and goods are from the Lord, and the Lord alone fights for all in heaven and for all in the church against the falsities and evils which are from hell, so He is called "Jehovah Zebaoth," that is, "Jehovah of Hosts."

[3] That the sun, the moon, and the stars, are called "hosts" is evident from the following passages. In Moses:

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them (Genesis 2:1).

In David:

By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth (Psalms 33:6).

In the same:

Praise ye Jehovah, all His angels; praise ye Him, all His hosts; praise ye Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all ye stars of light (Psalms 148:2, 3).

In Isaiah:

And all the host of the heavens shall waste away, and the heavens shall be rolled up as a scroll; and all their hosts shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as that which falleth from the fig-tree (Isaiah 34:4).

I have made the earth, and created man upon it; My hands have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded (Isaiah 45:12).

In the same:

Lift up your eyes on high, and see who hath created these, who leadeth out their host in number, who calleth them all by name (Isaiah 40:26).

In Jeremiah:

As the host of the heavens is not numbered, and the sand of the sea is not measured (Jeremiah 33:22).

In these passages, the sun, moon, and stars, are called a "host" because the "sun" signifies the good of love, the "moon," truth from good, and the "stars" the knowledges of truth and good, consequently they signify goods and truths in the whole complex, and these are called a "host" because they resist evils and falsities, and perpetually conquer them as enemies.

[4] In Daniel:

One horn of the he-goat waxed great even to the host of the heavens; and some of the host and of the stars it cast down to the earth, and trampled upon them. Yea, it magnified itself even to the Prince of the Host; and the continual offering was taken away from him, and the dwelling place of his sanctuary was cast down. And the host was given to the continual offering for transgression, because it cast down the truth to the earth. Then one holy one said, How long shall be the vision, the continual offering, and the wasting transgression, that the holy place and the host be given to be trodden down? And he said, Even to the evening, the morning (Daniel 8:10-14).

What is here signified by the "he-goat," "his horns," and this "horn that waxed great even to the host of the heavens," may be seen above (n. 316, 336, 535). "The host of the heavens, some of which it cast down to the earth," means the truths and goods of heaven; for the last state of the church, when the truths and goods of heaven are esteemed as of no account, and rejected, is here treated of, and this is signified by "treading them down;" therefore it is added, "it cast down truth to the earth." "The Prince of the Host" means the Lord, who is also called "Jehovah God Zebaoth" (or of Hosts). That all worship from the good of love and from the truths of faith would perish is signified by "the continual offering was taken away from him, and the dwelling place of his sanctuary was cast down." That this would come to pass in the end of the church, when the Lord would come into the world, is signified by "even to the evening, the morning," "evening" signifying the last time of the old church, and "morning" the first time of the new church.

[5] That the angels are called "hosts" is evident from the following passages. In Joel:

Jehovah uttered His voice before His host; for His camp was very great (Joel 2:11).

In Zechariah:

I will set a camp for my house from my host, because of him that passeth away and of him that returneth, that no exactor may again pass through over them (Zechariah 9:8).

In David:

Bless ye Jehovah, all ye His hosts, ye ministers of His that do His will (Psalms 103:21).

In the first book of Kings:

Micaiah the prophet said to the king, I saw Jehovah sitting on His throne, and the whole host of the heavens standing beside Him on His right hand and on His left. And one said in this manner, and another said in that manner (1 Kings 22:19, 20).

In Revelation:

His hosts in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean (Revelation 19:14).

And again:

I saw the beast and the kings of the earth, and their hosts gathered together to make war with Him that sat on the white horse, and with His hosts (Revelation 19:19).

The angels gathered together, or a company of them, is called "a host," because "the angels," the same as "hosts" signify Divine truths and goods, because they are recipients of these from the Lord (about which see above, n. 130, 200, 302).

[6] For the same reason the sons of Israel, because they signify the truths and goods of the church, are called "hosts," as in the following passages. In Moses:

Jehovah said, Bring out the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their hosts (Exodus 6:26).

In the same:

I will bring forth My host, My people, the sons of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments (Exodus 7:4; 12:17).

In the same:

It came to pass on that very day that all the hosts of Jehovah went forth from the land of Egypt (Exodus 12:41).

In the same:

Thou shalt number all that go forth into the host (Numbers 1:3, et seq .).

They were to pitch about the Tent of meeting, and were also to go forth according to their hosts (Numbers 2:3, 9, 16, 24).

The Levites were to be taken to perform the warfare, to do the work in the Tent of meeting (Numbers 4:3, 23, 30, 39).

The sons of Israel were called the "hosts of Jehovah" because they represented the church, and signified all its truths and goods (as can be seen in Arcana Coelestia 5414, 5801, 5803, 5806, 5812, 5817, 5819, 5826, 5833, 5879, 5951, 6637, 6862, 6868, 7035, 7062, 7198, 7201, 7215, 7223, 7957, 8234, 8805, 9340). They were called "hosts," in the plural, because each tribe was called a "host," as can be seen in Moses, when it was commanded him to number them all according to their hosts, and they were numbered according to their tribes (Numbers 1, Numbers 3, et seq.); likewise when the camp was pitched about the Tent of meeting according to the tribes, it is said "according to their hosts" (Numbers 2:3, 9, et seq.). The tribes were called "hosts" because the twelve tribes taken together represented all the truths and goods of the church, and each tribe some universal essential of the church (See above, n. 431).

[7] From this it can be seen that the truths and goods of heaven and the church are meant in the Word by "hosts;" which makes clear why it is that Jehovah is called in the Word "Jehovah Zebaoth," and "Jehovah God Zebaoth," that is, "of hosts" (as in Isaiah 1:9, 24; 2:12; 3:1, 15; 5:7, 9, 16, 24; 6:3, 5; 8:13, 18; 14:22, 23, 24, 27; 17:3; 25:6; 28:5, 22, 29; 29:6; 31:4, 5; 37:16; Jeremiah 5:14; 38:17; 44:7; Amos 5:16; Haggai 1:9, 14; 2:4, 8, 23; Zechariah 1:3; Malachi 2:12, and various other places).

[8] From this it is now evident that "hosts" signify the truths and goods of heaven and the church in the whole complex; and as most things in the Word have also a contrary sense, so do "hosts," and in that sense they signify falsities and evils in their whole complex, as in the following passages in Jeremiah:

Upon the roofs of the houses they have burned incense unto all the host of the heavens, and have poured out drink-offerings unto other gods (Jeremiah 19:13).

In Zephaniah:

They worship upon the roofs the host of the heavens (Zephaniah 1:5).

In Moses:

Lest thou bow thyself down to and serve the sun and the moon and the stars, and all the host of the heavens (Deuteronomy 4:19; 17:3).

In Jeremiah:

They shall spread out the bones taken from the graves before the sun and the moon and all the host of the heavens, whom they have loved and whom they have served (Jeremiah 8:2).

Here "the host of the heavens" means the sun, moon, and stars, because these signify all goods and truths in the complex, but here all evils and falsities in the complex; for the "sun" in the contrary sense, as here, signifies all the evil flowing from the love of self, the "moon" the falsity of faith, and the "stars" falsities in general (that the "sun, moon, and stars," in the natural world, when they are worshiped instead of the sun and moon of the angelic heaven, signify direful evils and falsities, may be seen in the work Heaven and Hell 122, 123; as also above, n. 401, 402, 525); and because truths from good fight against the falsities from evil, and reversely the falsities from evil fight against the truths from good, they are called "hosts;" for there is continual combat; evils and falsities continually exhale from the hells, and endeavor to destroy the truths from good that are in heaven and from heaven, and these continually resist. For everywhere in the spiritual world there is an equilibrium between heaven and hell; and where there is an equilibrium, there two forces continually act against each other; one acts and the other reacts, and continual action and reaction is continual combat; but equilibrium is provided by the Lord (on this see the work on Heaven and Hell 589-596, 597-603). And as there is such continual combat between heaven and hell, therefore as all things of heaven are called "hosts," so are all things of hell; all things of heaven have reference to goods and truths, and all things of hell to evils and falsities.

[9] This then is why "hosts" in the following passages signify the falsities of evil. In Isaiah:

The anger of Jehovah is against all nations, and His wrath against all their host; He hath devoted them, He hath given them to the slaughter (Isaiah 34:2).

"Nations" signify evils, and "host" the falsities from evil; their total destruction is signified by "He hath devoted and hath given to the slaughter."

[10] In the same:

The voice of the multitude in the mountains like as of a great people; the voice of a tumult of the kingdoms of the nations gathered together; Jehovah of Hosts leadeth the host (Isaiah 13:4).

"The voice of a multitude in the mountains" signifies falsities from evils, "the multitude" meaning falsities, and "the mountains" evils; "like as of a great people" signifies appearing to be truth from good, "like as" meaning appearance, "people" those who are in truths, thus truths, and "great" is predicated of good; "the voice of a tumult of the kingdoms of the nations gathered together" signifies discord in the church arising from evils and falsities therefrom, "the voice of a tumult" signifying discord, "kingdoms" the churches in respect to truths and as to falsities, and "nations gathered together" in respect to evils and falsities therefrom conspiring against the truths and goods of the church; "Jehovah of Hosts leadeth the host" signifies that the Lord does this, for this is attributed to the Lord, as is evident from the next verse, the fifth, where it is said, "Jehovah cometh with the weapons of His anger to destroy the whole land." This is attributed to the Lord just as evil, the punishment of evil, and the destruction of the church are attributed to Him elsewhere, because such is the appearance, and the sense of the letter of the Word is in accordance with appearances; but in the spiritual sense this means that the man of the church himself does this.

[11] In Jeremiah:

Spare ye not her young men; give to the curse all her host (Jeremiah 51:3).

This is said of Babylon; and "Spare not her young men" signifies the destruction of confirmed falsities; "give to the curse all her host" signifies the total destruction of falsities from the evils that are in her, thus the destruction of Babylon. The falsities from evil are signified also by:

The army of the Chaldeans, and the army of Pharaoh (Jeremiah 37:7, 10, 11, et seq.);

and in Moses:

The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, with the whole army of Pharaoh (Exodus 14:28; 15:4).

(This may be seen explained above, n. 355; and in Arcana Coelestia 8230, 8275.)

[12] In Daniel:

The king of the north shall return and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and at the end of the times of the years he shall come with a great army and with great riches. And he shall stir up his powers and his heart against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall engage in battle with an exceeding great and mighty army, but he shall not stand (Daniel 11:13, 25).

This chapter treats of the war between the king of the north and the king of the south, and "the king of the north" means those within the church who are in the falsities of evil, and "the king of the south" those who are in the truths of good; collision and combat at the end of the church are described in the spiritual sense by their war; therefore "the army of the king of the north" means falsities of every kind, and "the army of the king of the south" truths of every kind.

[13] In Luke:

When ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that her devastation is nigh (Luke 21:20).

In this chapter the Lord speaks of the consummation of the age, which means the last time of the church; "Jerusalem" means the church in respect to doctrine; and "compassed with armies" means the church taken possession of by falsities; that then comes its destruction, and presently the Last Judgment, is signified by "then her devastation is nigh." It is believed that this was said of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, but from the particulars of the chapter it is clear that it treats of the destruction of the church at its end; as also does Matthew, chap. 24 from the first verse to the last (all things of which are explained in the Arcana Coelestia). But this does not preclude the application of the sense of the letter of these words to the destruction of Jerusalem, that destruction representing and thence signifying the destruction of the church at its end; this is confirmed by all the particulars in the chapter regarded in the spiritual sense.

[14] In David:

God hath cast us off and confounded us; He hath not gone forth in our armies. He hath made us to turn back from the adversary (Psalms 44:9, 10).

"God hath not gone forth in our armies" signifies that He did not defend them, because they were in the falsities of evil, for "armies" mean the falsities of evil; therefore it is also said "He hath cast us off and confounded us, and hath made us to turn back from the adversary," "the adversary" meaning evil which is from hell.

[15] In Joel:

I will recompense to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the canker-worm and the caterpillar and the palmer-worm, My great army which I sent among you (Joel 2:25).

That an "army" signifies falsities and evils of every kind is plainly evident, since these noxious little animals, "the locust, the cankerworm, the caterpillar, and the palmerworm," signify falsities and evils that devastate or consume the truths and goods of the church (See above, n. 543), where this passage is explained, and it is shown that the "locust and caterpillar" signify the falsities [and evils] of the sensual man. ) This makes clear what "army" signifies in the Word in both senses. "Army" has the same signification in the histories of the Word, for these contain a spiritual sense as well as the prophecies, but it shines forth from them less clearly, because the mind, when intent on the historical meaning, cannot easily be raised above the worldly things in the history and see the spiritual things that are stored up in them.

6752. 'And she called his name Moses' means the essential nature of the state then. This is clear from the meaning of 'name' and 'calling the name as the essential nature, dealt with in 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2714, 3006, 3421, 6674, at this point the essential nature of a state because when someone's name is mentioned, that particular name used then means the state, 1946, 2643, 3422, 4298. This essential nature of a state that is meant is the nature of the state of the law of God as it was in the beginning with the Lord, and the nature of the state of God's truth as it is in the beginning with a person who is being regenerated. There are two people primarily who represent the Lord with respect to the Word, namely Moses and Elijah. Moses represents the Lord with respect to the historical books, Elijah with respect to the Prophets. In addition to those two there is Elisha, and lastly John the Baptist, who is therefore the one who is meant by 'the Elijah who is to come', Matthew 17:10-13; Luke 1:17. But before one can show that Moses represents the law of God, one must say what the law of God is. In a broad sense God's law means the whole Word; in a narrower sense it means the historical section of the Word; in a restricted sense it means what was written through Moses; and in a very restricted sense it means the Ten Commandments written upon Mount Sinai on tablets of stone. Moses represents the law in the narrower sense as well as in the restricted sense and also in the very restricted.

[2] In a broad sense the Law is the whole Word, both the historical section and the prophetical part. This is clear in John,

We have heard from the Law that the Christ (the Messiah) remains forever. John 12:34.

The fact that 'the Law' here is used to mean the prophetical part as well is self-evident, for this is a reference to what is written in Isaiah 9:6-7; in David, Psalms 110:4; and in Daniel 7:13-14. In the same gospel,

In order that the Word written in the Law might be fulfilled, They hated Me without a cause. John 15:25.

Much the same applies here, for it is a reference to what is written in David, Psalms 35:19. In Matthew,

Truly I say to you, Even until heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one small part of a letter will not pass from the Law till all things are done. Matthew 5:18.

Here 'the Law' in a broad sense stands for the whole Word.

[3] The Law in a narrower sense is the historical section of the Word. This is clear in Matthew,

All things whatever you wish people to do to you, do also to them; for this is the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7:12.

Here the Word is divided into 'the Law' and 'the Prophets'; and as the Word has been divided into the historical section and the prophetical part, it follows that 'the Law' is used to mean the historical section of the Word, and 'the Prophets' to mean the prophetical part. A similar example occurs in the same gospel,

On these two commandments hang the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 22:40.

And in Luke,

The Law and the Prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God is proclaimed. Luke 16:16; Matthew 11:13.

[4] In a restricted sense the Law is the Word that was written through Moses. This is clear in Moses,

When Moses had finished writing the words of this Law in a book, even until he had completed them, Moses commanded the Levites carrying the ark of Jehovah, saying, Take the book of this Law, and put it at the side of the ark of the covenant of Jehovah your God. Deuteronomy 31:14-26.

'The book of the Law' stands for the Books of Moses. In the same book,

If you do not take care to do all the words of this Law which are written in this book, Jehovah will send ¹ upon you every sickness and every plague that is not written in the book of this Law, until you are destroyed. Deuteronomy 28:58, 61.

The meaning is similar here. In David,

In the Law of Jehovah is his delight, and in His Law he meditates day and night. Psalms 1:2.

'The Law of Jehovah' stands for the Books of Moses, for the prophetical books had not yet been written; nor had the historical books apart from the Book of Joshua and the Book of Judges. In addition this restricted meaning of 'the Law' occurs in places containing the expression 'the Law of Moses', which are dealt with immediately below.

[5] In a very restricted sense the Law is the Ten Commandments written upon Mount Sinai on the tablets of stone, as is well known, see Joshua 8:32. This Law is also called the Testimony, Exodus 25:16, 21.

[6] Moses represents the Law in the narrower sense, which is the historical section of the Word, also the Law in the restricted sense, and in the very restricted sense too. This is clear from those places in the Word in which the name Moses is used instead of the Law, and those in which the Law is called the Law of Moses, as in Luke,

Abraham said to him, They have Moses and the Prophets, let them hear them. If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead. Luke 16:29, 31.

Here 'Moses and the Prophets' has the same meaning as 'the Law and the Prophets', which is the historical section and the prophetical part of the Word. From this it is evident that 'Moses' is the Law or historical section of the Word. In the same gospel,

Jesus beginning at Moses and all the prophets explained in all the scriptures the things that concerned Himself. Luke 24:27.

In the same chapter,

All things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me. Luke 24:44.

In John,

Philip said, We have found him of whom Moses wrote in the Law - Jesus. John 1:45.

In the same gospel,

In the Law Moses commanded us. John 8:5.

In Daniel,

The curse and the oath which was written in the Law of Moses the servant of God has come down onto us, because we have sinned against Him. As it is written in the Law of Moses, All this evil has come upon us. Daniel 9:11, 13.

In Joshua,

Joshua wrote on the stone of the altar a copy of the Law of Moses. Joshua 8:32.

[7] The expression 'the Law of Moses' is used because Moses represents the Lord with respect to the Law, that is, the Word, and in a narrower sense the historical section of the Word. This explains why what is the Lord's is ascribed to Moses, as in John,

Moses gave you the Law, Moses gave you circumcision. If a man (homo) receives circumcision on the sabbath, so that the Law of Moses may not be broken... John 7:19, 22-23.

In Mark,

Moses said, Honour your father and your mother. Mark 7:10.

In the same gospel,

Jesus answering said to them, What did Moses command you? They said, Moses permitted him to write a certificate of divorce, and to put her away. Mark 10:3-4.

And because what is the Lord's is ascribed to Moses on account of his representation, both 'the Law of Moses' and 'the Law of the Lord' are used in Luke,

When the days of their purification according to the Law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it has been written in the Law of the Lord, that every male opening the womb is to be called holy to the Lord) and to offer a sacrifice according to what has been stated in the Law of the Lord, A pair of turtle doves and two young pigeons. Luke 2:22-24, 39.

[8] Because Moses represented the Law he was allowed to go in to the Lord on Mount Sinai, not only to receive there the tablets containing the Law but also to hear the statutes and judgements belonging to the Law, and to enjoin these commands on the people. It is also said that the people should therefore believe in Moses forever,

Jehovah said to Moses, Behold, I will come to you in a thick cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak to you, and also may believe in you forever. Exodus 19:9.

The expression 'in a thick cloud' is used because 'cloud' means the letter of the Word. Here also is the reason why it says, when Moses went in to the Lord on Mount Sinai, that he went 'into the cloud', Exodus 20:21; 14:2, 18; 34:2-5. For the meaning of 'the cloud' as the literal sense of the Word, see the Preface to Genesis 18, and also 4060, 4391, 5922, 6343 (end).

[9] And since Moses represented the Law or the Word, it also says that when he came down from Mount Sinai the skin on his face shone whenever he spoke, and so he would put a veil over his face, Exodus 34:28-end. 'The shining of his face' meant the inner spirit of the Law, for this dwells in the light of heaven and is therefore called the glory, 5922. While 'the veil' meant the outward form of the Law. The reason why he veiled his face whenever he spoke to the people was that the inner spirit was concealed from them, and had become so obscure to that people that they could not bear any light from it. For the meaning of 'the face' as that which is internal, see 1999, 2434, 3527, 7577, 4066, 4796-4805, 5102, 5695. Since 'Moses' represented the Lord with respect to the historical section of the Word and 'Elijah' represented the Lord with respect to the prophetical part, Moses and Elijah were therefore seen talking to the Lord at His transfiguration, Matthew 17:3. No others except those who represented the Word could have talked to the Lord when He manifested His Divinity in the world; for talking to the Lord is done through the Word. Regarding Elijah's representation of the Lord with respect to the Word, see 1762, 5247 (end).

[10] And since these two together, both Moses and Elijah, represented the whole Word, both are mentioned in Malachi where the sending of Elijah before the Lord is referred to,

Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel - the statutes and judgements. Lo, I am sending you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrifying day of Jehovah comes. Malachi 4:4-6.

These words imply that one was to go before who was to announce the [Lord's] Coming, in accordance with the Word.

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