10481. Unto annihilation by those rising up against them. That this signifies that they lacked all power to resist the evils and falsities which are from hell, is evident from the signification of “annihilation,” as being that they lacked all power to resist evils and falsities, for in the spiritual world this is to have no power; and from the signification of “those rising up against,” or enemies, as being evils and the derivative falsities, for in the spiritual sense these are the enemies which rise up. Wherefore also these are signified in the Word by “enemies,” and “those who rise up against,” as in David:

O Jehovah, how greatly are mine enemies multiplied! Many are those who rise up against me, saying of my soul, There is no salvation for him in God (Psalms 3:1-2).

Make wonderful Thy mercy, O Savior of the confiding, from those who rise up against me, by Thy right hand. Keep me from the wicked, who compass me about against my soul (Psalms 17:7-9).

Deliver me not into the desire of mine enemies; for witnesses of a lie have risen up against me, and he that breathes out violence: unless I had believed to see good in the land of life (Psalms 27:12-13).

O God, command salvation for Jacob. Through Thee will we strike our enemies; in Thy name will we trample on those who rise up against us (Psalms 44:4-5).

Strangers have risen up against me, and the violent have sought my soul; they have not set God before them. The Lord is among those who uphold my soul (Psalms 54:3-4).

Deliver me from mine enemies O my God; set me on high from those who rise up against me. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity. Lo, they lie in wait for my soul (Psalms 59:1-3).

In these and many other passages, by “enemies” and “those who rise up against” are signified evils and falsities which are from hell. They are called “those who rise up against,” because evils and falsities rise up against goods and truths; but not the reverse.

[2] That those who are in external things separate from what is internal have no power to resist the evils and falsities which are from hell, is because all power to resist these is from the Divine. Wherefore they who have been separated from what is internal, who also have been separated from what is Divine, have no power; consequently they are borne along by evils and falsities wherever hell carries them, like a flock and a straw by the wind; as is very evident from the evil who come from the world into the other life. This was also represented by that nation’s conquering their enemies so long as they remained in the worship which was commanded them, and being conquered as often as they fell away from this worship, thus as often as they were in evil, according to these words in Moses:

If ye shall reject My statutes, the sound of a driven leaf shall chase you, and ye shall flee as fleeing from a sword; and ye shall fall when none pursueth. They shall fall a man on his brother, as before a sword, when none pursueth (Leviticus 26:15, 36-37).

One shall chase a thousand, and two ten thousand, because their Rock hath sold them, and Jehovah hath shut them up (Deuteronomy 32:30).

From all this it is evident what is signified by “to be for annihilation by those who rise up against them.”