144. Or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. That this signifies, if not, when visitation comes, that they shall be dispersed, is evident from the signification of, I will come to thee quickly, when said of the Lord, as being visitation, concerning which more will be said in what follows, and from the signification of the sword of my mouth, as being truth combating against falsity, and then dispersion of falsities (concerning which see above, n. 73, 131). Here, however, it signifies the dispersion of those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, and the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, that is, of those who have the understanding enlightened and teach truths, and yet love to destroy by guile those who belong to the church; also those who separate good from truth, or charity from faith (concerning whom see above, n. 140 and 142). The reason why coming quickly denotes visitation is, that the coming of the Lord in the Word signifies visitation (as may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 6895). Visitation is the exploration of man after death as to his quality, before he is judged.

8295. 'My hand will drive them out' means that by its power heaven will be destroyed. This is clear from the meaning of 'driving out' as dislodging and so destroying; and from the meaning of 'hand' as power, dealt with in 878, 4931-4937, 6292, 6947, 7188, 7189, 7518. Heaven is meant because of the words 'will drive them out', that is, from heaven; for when the restraint placed on the evil is loosened they become so bold and arrogant as to think that they have the power to destroy heaven itself. For all who are in the hells are opposed to heaven because they are opposed to goodness and truth and consequently have a constant desire to destroy it, and so far as they are allowed, try to do so, 8273(end).

[2] Seeking to destroy heaven or to dislodge those who are there is not accomplished by a hostile incursion as on earth, for no incursion or conflict such as that takes place in the next life. Instead it is accomplished by the destruction of truth which belongs to faith and of good which belongs to love; for the truth of faith and the good of love constitute heaven. These are the things in which conflicts and wars in the next life consist. How terrible and horrid they are will in the Lord's Divine mercy be told at the ends of the chapters where the hells will be the subject. ¹ The war described in John should not be understood in any other kind of way,

War took place in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, while the dragon fought and his angels, but they did not prevail. Revelation 12:7-8.

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