704. That perform signs to go away to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. This symbolizes assertions that their falsities are true, and efforts to stir up all those throughout the church who are caught up in the same falsities to attack the truths of the New Church.

To perform signs is to testify and also to assert that something is true, as may be seen in nos. 598, 599 above, here that their falsities are true. Kings of the earth and of the whole world symbolize people who are caught up primarily in falsities springing from evil, here all who are caught up in the same falsities throughout the church. For kings symbolize people impelled by truths that spring from goodness, and in an opposite sense people impelled by falsities springing from evil (no. 483). The earth symbolizes the church (no. 285), and so likewise does the world (no. 551). To go away to gather them to battle means, symbolically, to stir those people to fight or attack; for war symbolizes a spiritual war, which is one of falsity against truth and of truth against falsity (nos. 500, 586). It is to attack the truths of the New Church because it is called the battle of that great day of God Almighty, and that day symbolizes the Lord's advent and a new church then. That this is the symbolic meaning of the great day there will be seen below.

We are told that the spirits of demons would do this, because the spirits of demons symbolize lusts to falsify truths and to reason on the basis of falsities, as just said in no. 703 above.

It is apparent from this that spirits of demons performing signs to go away to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty, symbolize assertions by the people meant by the dragon, the beast and the false prophet, as described in nos. 701, 702 above, that their falsities are true, and efforts to stir up all those throughout the church who are caught up in the same falsities to attack the truths of the New Church.

[2] That the great day of God Almighty symbolizes the Lord's advent and a new church then, is clear from many passages in the Word, as from the following:

Jehovah alone shall be exalted in that day. (Isaiah 2:11)

...in that day... Israel... will depend on Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. (Isaiah 10:20)

In that day a Root of Jesse... shall the Gentiles seek, and His resting place shall be glorious. (Isaiah 11:10-11)

In that day... eyes will look to the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 17:7, 9)

They will say in that day: "Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, to set us free." (Isaiah 25:9)

...My people shall know My name...(and) in that day, I am He who speaks: "Behold, it is I." (Isaiah 52:6)

Alas! ...great is (the day of Jehovah, and) there is none like it. (Jeremiah 30:7)

Behold, the days are coming... when I will make a new covenant... and the city shall be built for Jehovah... (Jeremiah 31:27, 31, 38)

In those days... I will cause to grow up to David a righteous Branch... (Jeremiah 33:15)

(They will not) stand in battle on the day of Jehovah. (Ezekiel 13:5)

In that day Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the children of your people... In that day... shall be delivered everyone who is found written in the book. (Daniel 12:1)

...in that day... you will call Me "My Husband."... In that day I will make a covenant for them... ...in that day I will hear... (Hosea 2:16, 18, 21).

Behold, I am sending you Elijah... before the coming of the great... day of Jehovah. (Malachi 4:5)

Jehovah... will save them in that day, as the flock of His people. (Zechariah 9:16)

In that day Jehovah will protect the inhabitants of Jerusalem. (Zechariah 12:8)

Behold, the day of Jehovah is coming... It shall be one day which is known to Jehovah... In that day Jehovah shall be one and His name one... In that day there shall be a great tumult... In that day "Holiness to the Lord" shall be engraved on the bells of the horses. (Zechariah 14:1, 4, 6-9, 13, 20-21)

There are many other passages in addition to these in which "the day of Jehovah" means the Lord's advent and a new church from Him then, as in the following: Isaiah 4:2; 19:16, 18, 21, 24; 22:20; 28:5; 29:18; 30:25-26; 31:7; and elsewhere.

Since the end of an age or final period of a former church is the time when the Lord's advent takes place and a new church begins, therefore the day of Jehovah in many places symbolizes the end of a previous church, and we are told that then there will be rumors, tumult, and wars. ¹ See the passages collected in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Lord, nos. 4, 5.

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598. 13:13 "It also performs great signs." This symbolizes certifications that their teachings are true, even though they are false.

Signs symbolize certifications that things are true, because signs once occurred to attest to a truth. But after signs and miracles ceased, their symbolism still remained, which is the certification of a truth. Here, however, signs symbolize certifications by the beast or false prophet that its falsities were true, because that is how falsities appear after they are defended.

That signs symbolize certifications that something is true can be seen from the following passages:

(At the end of the age) false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. (Matthew 24:24, Mark 13:22).

There will also be fearful... signs from heaven... There will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars..., the sea and the waves roaring. (Luke 21:11, 25)

(Jehovah) frustrates the signs of liars, drives diviners mad, turning back wise men backward, and makes their knowledge foolish. (Isaiah 44:25)

Do not learn the way of the gentiles, and do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven. (Jeremiah 10:2)

...they are spirits of demons, performing signs..., to gather them to the battle of that great day... (Revelation 16:14)

Then the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who worked signs in its presence, (and) led astray... (Revelation 19:20)

[2] That signs were certifications that something was a truth is further apparent from the following:

(The disciples said to Jesus,) "What sign do You perform then, that we may... believe You? What work do You do?" (John 6:30-33)

The Jews, scribes and Pharisees sought a sign from the Lord, that they might know He was the Christ (Matthew 12:38-40; 16:1-4, Mark 8:11-12.

(The disciples said to Jesus,) "What will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?" (Matthew 24:3, cf. Mark 13:4)

...if they do not believe you, nor heed the message of the first sign, still they will believe the message of the latter sign. (Exodus 4:8-9)

The message of a sign is a certification.

They have set among them the messages of His signs... (Psalms 105:27)

(Jehovah said to Ahaz,) "Ask a sign for yourself from Jehovah...." (Isaiah 7:11, 14)

This is the sign to you from Jehovah...: "Behold, I will turn back the shadow on the sundial, which has gone down on the sundial of Ahaz...." (Isaiah 38:7-8)

Hezekiah said, "What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of Jehovah?" (Isaiah 38:22)

This shall be a sign to you..., that I will visit you in this place, that you may know that My words will... stand... (Jeremiah 44:29-30)

Show me a sign (O Jehovah) for good, that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed. (Psalms 86:17)

They will... announce to us what will happen..., that we may set our heart... Show the sign that is to come..., that we may know that you are gods. (Isaiah 41:22-23)

Your enemies roar in the midst of your festival; they set up their banners as signs. (Psalms 74:3-4, 9)

And so on elsewhere, as in Isaiah 45:11; 55:13; Jeremiah 32:20-21; Ezekiel 4:3; Psalms 65:6-8; 78:42, 43; Exodus 7:3; Numbers 14:11, 22; Deuteronomy 4:34; 13:1-3; Judges 6:17, 21; 1 Samuel 2:34; 14:10; Mark 16:17, 18, 20; Luke 2:11, 12, 16).

Signs of the covenant have a similar symbolic meaning in Genesis 9:13; 17:11, Ezekiel 20:12, 20.

[3] It can be clearly seen from this that the great signs that this beast of the dragon performed do not mean signs, but certifications by the clergy that their teachings are true. For every heretic who confirms himself in falsities, afterward certifies that his falsities are true. Indeed, he does not see truths any longer, since the certification of a falsity is a denial of the truth, and truth denied loses its light. Moreover, in the measure that the light of their certification causes falsities to shine with an illusory light, in the same measure the light of truth becomes darkness (as may be seen in no. 566 above).