1182. And one strong angel tools up a stone, as it were a great millstone, and cast it into the sea.- That this signifies the confirmations of their doctrines from the Word cast down into hell with them, is evident from the signification of a strong angel, as denoting Divine truth in its power, concerning which see n. 130, 200, 302, 593, 800; and from the signification of a millstone, as denoting the confirmation of truth from the Word, and also the confirmation of falsity from the same, of which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of casting into the sea, as denoting into hell with them. That the sea also signifies hell, may be seen above (n. 537, 538).

The reason why a millstone signifies confirmation from the Word in both senses, is because wheat signifies good, and fine flour its truth; therefore a millstone, by which wheat is ground into fine flour, or barley into meal, signifies the production of truth from good, or the production of falsity from evil, thus also the confirmation of truth or falsity from the Word. This is also evident from the following passages.

In Jeremiah:

"I will take from them the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of the millstones, and the light of the lamp" (25:10).

The joy of heaven and the Church is there also described. The voice of joy signifies exultation of heart from the good of love, and the voice of gladness signifies glorification of soul from the truths of faith; for joy, in the Word, is said of good, and gladness of truth. The voice of millstones signifies the same as the voice of joy, and the light of the lamp the same as gladness, namely, from the truth of faith. The reason why the voice of millstones signifies joy of heart from the good of love, is, that a millstone grinds wheat into fine flour; and wheat signifies the good of love, and fine flour truth from that good.

[2] Similar things are mentioned in this chapter of the Apocalypse, namely,

"The voice of the mill shall be heard in thee no more, and the light of a lamp shall shine in thee no more, and the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, shall be heard in thee no more" (verses 22, 23).

These words will be explained presently.

So in Isaiah:

"Take the millstone and grind meal, make bare the thigh, passing through the rivers" (47:2).

This is said of Babel and Chaldaea. To take the millstone and grind meal signifies to produce falsities from evil, and confirm them by the Word; while to uncover the thigh, passing through the rivers, signifies to adulterate goods by reasonings.

In Lamentations:

"The young men they have led away to grind, and the boys fall in wood" (5:13).

To take away the young men to grind, signifies to compel those who are capable of understanding truth to falsify truths. The boys fall in wood, signifies to compel those who are capable of being in the will of good, to adulterate goods. To grind denotes to falsify truths, or to confirm falsities by the Word, and wood denotes good.

In Moses:

"Thou shalt not take a mill (mola) or an upper millstone (molaris) to pledge, for he taketh the soul to pledge" (Deuteronomy 24:6).

This was among the laws of the Israelites, all of which corresponded to spiritual things. That they should not take a mill or the upper millstone to pledge signifies in the spiritual sense, that they should not take away from any one the power to understand truths from good, thus that they should not deprive any one of goods and truths. It is because of this signification that it was said, "For he taketh the soul to pledge," which signifies that thus he would spiritually perish.

Again:

"They shall die even to the first-born of the maidservant who is behind the mill" (Exodus 11:5).

The first-born of the maid-servant who is behind the mill, signifies the primary things of the faith of the natural man, which have been falsified.

In Matthew:

In the consummation of the age, "two women shall be grinding, one shall be taken, the other shall be left" (24:40, 41).

The consummation of the age is the last time of the church. The two women grinding mean those who confirm themselves in truths, and those who confirm themselves in falsities from the Word; those who confirm themselves in truths being meant by her "who shall be taken"; and those who confirm themselves in falsities by her "who shall be left."

[3] In the Evangelists: Jesus said,

"He who shall cause one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it is better for him that an ass-millstone be hanged about his neck, and that he be drowned in the depth of the sea" (Matthew 18:6; Mark 9:42; Luke 17:2).

To cause one of the little ones who believe in Jesus to stumble, signifies to pervert those who acknowledge the Lord. It being better that an ass-millstone be hanged about his neck, signifies that it is better to be ignorant of any good and truth, and to know only evil and falsity, which is here meant by an ass-millstone; while to be hanged about the neck denotes cutting one off from knowing good and truth. To be drowned in the depth of the sea, signifies to be cast down into hell. The reason why this is better is that to know goods and truths and pervert them is to be guilty of profanation. What is meant by Moses burning the calf and grinding it to dust, and sprinkling it upon the faces of the waters and causing the sons of Israel to drink thereof (Exodus 32:20; Deuteronomy 9:21), may be seen explained in the Arcana Coelestia 10462-10466).

[4] Continuation.- Something shall now be said on the subject of spirits speaking with man. Many persons believe that man can be taught by the Lord by means of spirits speaking with him. But those who believe this, and desire to do so, are not aware that it is associated with danger to their souls. Man as to his spirit, as long as he lives in the world, is in the midst of spirits, but still the spirits do not know that they are with him, nor is he aware that he is with spirits. The reason is, that they are conjoined immediately as to the affections of the will, and mediately as to the thoughts of the understanding. For man thinks naturally, but spirits think spiritually; and natural and spiritual thought make one only by correspondence; it is this that prevents men and spirits from knowing anything of each other. But as soon as spirits begin to speak with man, they come out of their own spiritual state into man's natural state, and being then aware that they are with man, they conjoin themselves with the thoughts of his affection, and from these thoughts they speak with him. They can enter only into his natural state, for similar affection with the thought derived from it effects conjunction in all cases, but dissimilar affection causes separation.

It is owing to this circumstance, that when a spirit speaks he is in the same principles as the man with whom he speaks, whether these are true or false; and further, that he calls them into activity, and by means of his own affection conjoined to that of the man's strongly confirms them. Hence it is evident that only similar spirits speak with man, or manifestly act upon him; for manifest action coincides with speech. For this reason none but enthusiastic spirits speak with enthusiasts; none but Quaker spirits act upon Quakers, or Moravian spirits upon Moravians.

[5] The case would be similar with Arians, Socinians, and with other heretics (heraeticis). All spirits that speak with man were once men in the world, and were then of the same character. It has been granted me to know by repeated experience that this is the case. And what is ridiculous is that when a man imagines that the Holy Spirit is speaking with him, or acting upon him, the spirit who speaks with him also believes that he is the Holy Spirit. This is common in the case of enthusiastic spirits.

It is evident from these facts to what danger a man is exposed who speaks with spirits, or manifestly feels their operation. Man is ignorant of the nature of his own affection, whether it is good or evil, and with what other [affections] it is conjoined; and if he is proud of his own intelligence, the spirit humours every thought which proceeds from his affection. The same is the case if one has for certain principles a partiality kindled by a kind of fire which exists among those who are not in truths from genuine affection. For when a spirit from a similar affection humours a man's thoughts or principles, then one leads the other, like the blind leading the blind, until they both fall into the ditch.

The Pythonists of former times were of this description; the Magi also in Egypt and Babel; and because of their conversing with spirits, and of the action of these upon them being clearly felt in themselves, they were called wise. But it was by this means that the worship of God was converted into the worship of demons, and that the church perished. The sons of Israel were therefore, under penalty of death, forbidden to hold such intercourse.

130. (Verse 12) And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write. That this signifies for remembrance to those within the church who are in temptations, is evident from the signification of writing, as being for remembrance (concerning which see Arcana Coelestia 8620); from the signification of angel, as being a recipient of Divine truth, and, in the highest sense, the Divine truth itself proceeding from the Lord (concerning which more will be said in what follows); and from the signification of the church in Pergamos, as being those within the church who are in temptations. That such are meant by the church in Pergamos, is evident from the things written to that church, which follow; for from no other source can it be known what is signified by each of the seven churches. For, as was before shown, by the churches here mentioned are not meant churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea, but all those who belong to the Lord's church, and by each church something which constitutes the church with man. And because the primary things of the church are the knowledges of truth and good and the affection of spiritual truth, therefore the subject first treated of are those things, written to the angel of the church of Ephesus and Smyrna; concerning the knowledges of truth and good to the angel of the church of Ephesus, and concerning the spiritual affection of truth to the angel of the church of Smyrna. And because no one can be infilled with the knowledges of truth and good as to life, and persevere in the spiritual affection of truth, unless he undergoes temptations, therefore the subject now treated of in what is written to the angel of the church in Pergamos is those temptations.

[2] It is therefore clear in what order the things taught under the names of the seven churches follow. The reason why it is said, "To the angel of the church, write," and not to the church is, that by angel is signified the Divine truth which constitutes the church; for Divine truth teaches how man is to live that he may become a church. That by angel in the Word, in the spiritual sense, is not meant any angel, but, in the highest sense, the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, and, in a relative sense, he who receives it, is evident from this consideration, that all the angels are recipients of Divine truth from the Lord, and that no angel is of himself an angel; also, that in proportion as he receives Divine truth, in the same proportion he is an angel. For angels know and perceive better than men, that all the good of love and truth of faith are not from themselves, but from the Lord; and, because the good of love and truth of faith constitute their wisdom and intelligence, and these the whole angel, therefore they know and acknowledge that they are only recipients of the Divine proceeding from the Lord, and thus that they are angels in that degree in which they receive it. This is why they are desirous that the term angels should be understood spiritually, that is, impersonally, and be interpreted as meaning Divine truths.

By Divine truth is meant also Divine good, because they proceed unitedly from the Lord (as may be seen in the work,Heaven and Hell 13, 140).

[3] Now because Divine truth proceeding from the Lord constitutes an angel, therefore, in the highest sense, in the Word, by angel is meant the Lord Himself, as in Isaiah:

"The angel of the faces of Jehovah liberated them; on account of his love, and his indulgence, he redeemed them; and he bore, and carried them all the days of eternity" (Isaiah 63:9).

And in Moses:

"The angel who hath redeemed me from all evil, bless them (Genesis 48:16).

In the same:

"Behold, I send an angel before thee to keep thee in the way; beware of his faces, and obey his voice, for my name is in the midst of him" (Exodus 23:20-23).

[4] Because the Lord as to Divine truth is called an angel, therefore also Divine truths are meant, in the spiritual sense, by angels, as in the following passages:

"The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend. In the consummation of the age the angels shall go forth, and sever the wicked from among the just" (Matthew 13:41, 49).

"And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and shall gather together the elect from the four winds" (Matthew 24:31).

"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory" (Matthew 25:31).

Jesus said, "Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man" (John 1:51).

In these passages, in the spiritual sense, by angels are meant Divine truths, and not angels; as in the foregoing passages, where it is said that, in the consummation of the age, the angels shall gather out all things that offend, shall sever the wicked from the just, that they shall gather together the elect with a great sound of a trumpet from the four winds, and that the Son of man with His angels shall sit upon a throne of glory. It is not meant that the angels will do these things, together with the Lord, but the Lord alone by His Divine truths; for an angel has no power of himself, but all power is from the Lord by means of His Divine truth (see the work, Heaven and Hell 230-233). Similarly by the angels of God seen ascending and descending upon the Son of man is meant, that Divine truths were in Him and from Him.

[5] By angels also in other places are meant Divine truths proceeding from the Lord, consequently the Lord as to Divine truths, as where it is said, that

to the seven angels were given seven trumpets, and that the angels sounded the trumpets (Apoc. 8:2, 6-8, 10, 12, 13; 9:1, 13, 14).

It is said, that to the angels were given trumpets, and that they sounded them, because trumpets and the sound of them signify Divine truth to be revealed (see above, n. 55). Similar things are also meant

by the angels fighting against the dragon (Apoc. 12:7, 9);

by the angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel (Apoc. 14:6);

by the seven angels pouring out the seven vials (Apoc. 16:1-4, 8, 10, 12);

by the twelve angels at the twelve gates of the New Jerusalem (Apoc. 21:12).

[6] That this is the case will also be seen in what follows. That by angels are meant Divine truths from the Lord, is quite clear in David:

Jehovah "maketh his angels winds, and his ministers a flaming fire" (Psalms 104:4).

By these words are signified Divine truth and Divine good; for the wind of Jehovah in the Word signifies Divine truth, and His fire Divine good. (As is evident from what is shown in Arcana Coelestia, as, that the wind of the nostrils of Jehovah denotes Divine truth, n. 8286; that the four winds denote all things of truth and good, n. 3708, 9642, 9668; that hence to breathe in the Word signifies the state of the life of faith, n. 9280; from which it is evident what is signified by Jehovah breathing into the nostrils of Adam (Genesis 2:7); by the Lord breathing upon His disciples (John 20:22): and by these words of the Lord, "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the voice thereof, and knowest not whence it cometh" (John 3:8); concerning which see n. 96, 97, 9229, 9281; and, moreover, n. 1119, 3886, 3887, 3889, 3892, 3893. That flaming fire denotes Divine love, and thence Divine good see in the work, Heaven and Hell 133-140, 566, 567, 568; and above, n. 68.)

[7] That an angel signifies Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, is quite clear from these words in the Apocalypse:

"He measured the wall" of the New Jerusalem "an hundred and forty-four cubits, the measure of a man, that is, of an angel" (21:17).

That the wall of the New Jerusalem is not the measure of an angel anyone may see; but that the term signifies all truths for defence, which are there meant by angel, is evident from the signification of the wall of Jerusalem, and of the signification of the number one hundred and forty-four. (That a wall signifies all truths for defence, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 6419; that the number one hundred and forty-four signifies all things of truth in the aggregate, n. 7973; that measure signifies the quality of a thing as to truth and good, n. 3104, 9603, 10262. These things may also be seen explained as to the internal sense in the small work, The New Jerusalem and its Doctrine, n. 1.)

[8] Because by angels in the Word are meant Divine truths, therefore men through whom Divine truths are made known are sometimes called angels, as in Malachi:

"The priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth, because he is the angel of Jehovah" (2:7).

He is said to be the angel of Jehovah, because he teaches Divine truth; not that he is the angel of Jehovah, but the Divine truth which he teaches is. It is also known in the church that no one has Divine truth from himself. Lips, in the above passage, also signify the doctrine of truth, and law the Divine truth itself. (That lips signify the doctrine of truth may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 1286, 1288, and that the law is the Divine truth itself, n. 3382, 7463.) This also is why John the Baptist is called an angel:

Jesus said, "This is he of whom it is written, Behold, I send my angel before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee" (Luke 7:27).

[9] The reason why John is called an angel is, because by him, in the spiritual sense, is signified the Word, which is Divine truth, just as by Elias. (See Arcana Coelestia 7643, 9372; and that what is signified, the same is meant, by a person in the Word, see n. 665, 1097, 1361, 3147, 3670, 3881, 4208, 4281, 4288, 4292, 4307, 4500, 6304, 7048, 7439, 8588, 8788, 8806, 9229.)

[10] It is said, that by angels in the Word, in the spiritual sense, are meant Divine truths proceeding from the Lord, because these constitute angels, and when angels utter them, they do not speak from themselves but from the Lord. That this is the case, the angels not only know but also perceive. A man who believes that nothing of faith is from himself, but from God, also knows this, but he does not perceive it. That nothing of faith is from man, but all from God, is the same thing as if it were said, that nothing of truth which has life is from man, but from God; for truth has relation to faith, and faith to truth.