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.

364. Verse 4. And there went forth another horse that was red, signifies the understanding of the Word destroyed in respect to good. This is evident from the signification of "horse," as being the intellect (of which above, n. 355. Here because the states of those who are of the church where the Word is are treated of, "horse" signifies the intellect of the men of the church in relation to the Word. It is also evident from the signification of "red" [ruber] or "reddish" [rufus], as being of what nature a thing is in relation to good, so here, of what quality the understanding of the Word is in relation to good. That "reddish" [rufus] here signifies this understanding destroyed in respect to good, can be seen from what immediately follows in this verse, for it is said, "to him that sat thereon it was given to take peace from the earth, that they should slay one another, and to him was given a great sword," which signifies a consequent extinction of all truth. Since the horses that John saw were distinguished by colors, for the first appeared "white," the second "red," the third "black," and the fourth "pale," and colors signify the quality of a thing, let something first be said here about colors.

In the heavens colors of every kind appear, and they draw their origin from the light there; and as that light immensely excels in brightness and splendor the light of the world, so also do the colors there; and as the light there is from the sun of heaven, which is the Lord, and is the Divine Proceeding, and as consequently that light is spiritual, so all colors signify things spiritual. And as the Divine Proceeding is Divine good united to Divine truth, and as Divine good in heaven is presented to view by a flamy light, and Divine truth by a bright white light, so there are two colors that are the fundamentals of all colors there, namely, the red color and the white color; the red color has its origin from the flamy light that goes forth from Divine good, and the white color from the bright white light that goes forth from Divine truth; consequently so far as colors are derived from red they signify good, and so far as they are derived from white they signify truth. (But these things can be seen better from what is told about colors, from experience, in the Arcana Coelestia, namely, that most beautiful colors are seen in the heavens, n. 1053, 1624; colors in the heavens are from the light there, and are modifications and variations of light, n. 1042, 1043, 1053, 1624, 3993, 4530, 4742, 4922; thus they are the appearances of truth and good, and signify such things as are of intelligence and wisdom, n. 4530, 4677, 4922, 9466; consequently the precious stones that were of various colors in the breastplate of the ephod, or in the Urim and Thummim, signified all things of truth from good in heaven and in the church, and therefore the breastplate in general signified Divine truth shining forth from the Divine good, n. 9823, 9865, 9868, 9905; and responses were thence given by variegations and resplendences of light, and at the same time by tacit perception, or by a living voice out of heaven, n. 3862, [9905]; colors so far as they are derived from red signify good, and so far as they are from bright white signify truth, n. Arcana Coelestia 9467. Of the Light of Heaven, whence and what it is, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 126-140, 275.)

[2] It is to be known, moreover, that "red" color not only signifies what the quality of a thing is in relation to good, but also what the quality of a thing is in relation to evil; for that color not only exists from the flamy light that is from the sun of heaven, as was said above, but it also exists from something flamy in hell, which is from the fire there, which fire is like a coal fire. Therefore the red in heaven is a wholly different red from the red in hell; the red in heaven is shining and living, while the red in hell is horribly obscure and dead; moreover, the red of heaven gives life, while the red of hell brings death; the reason is that the fire from which red is derived is in its origin love; heavenly fire is from heavenly love, and infernal fire from infernal love; consequently "fire" in the Word signifies love in both senses (See Arcana Coelestia 4906, 5071, 5215, 6314, 6832, 7575, 10747; and in the work on Heaven and Hell n. 134, 566-575); therefore the "red" existing thence signifies the quality of the love in both senses. Moreover, this red, that is, the "red" of this horse is, in the original Greek, from a word that means fire. All this, together with the description of this horse in this verse, makes clear why it is that a "red horse" signifies the understanding of the Word destroyed in respect to good.

That "horse" signifies something connected with the subject can be clearly seen from this, that horses were seen when "the seals were opened," and it was said that "they went forth," for horses could not go forth out of a book, but those things could be manifested which are signified by "horses." That "horse" signifies the intellect, and "color" its quality, has been made familiar to me from experience; for spirits who were meditating from the understanding upon some subject have several times been seen by me to be riding upon horses, and when I asked them whether they were riding, they said that they were not, but that they stood meditating upon some subject; which made clear that riding upon a horse is an appearance representing the operation of their understanding.

[3] There is also a place called the assembly of the intelligent and wise, to which very many resort for meditation, and when anyone is coming to it horses of various colors and variously caparisoned, and also chariots, with some riding and others sitting in the chariots, appear to him; and then also when they are asked whether they are riding upon horses, or are carried in chariots, they say that they are not, but that they are going along meditating; from this also it was clear what is signified by "horses" and by "chariots." (But about this see more in the small work on The White Horse.) From this it can now be seen why John saw horses when the seals of the book were opened, and also what they signify. These horses were seen, because all the spiritual things of the Word are presented in the sense of its letter by means of such things as correspond, that is, as represent and thence signify; and this in order that the Divine may be there in ultimates and consequently in fullness, as has been several times said above.

[4] That "reddish" [rufus] or "red" [ruber] signifies the quality of a thing in relation to good, can be seen also from the following passages in the Word. In Moses:

Who washeth his vesture in wine, and his covering in the blood of the grapes. His eyes are redder than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk (Genesis 49:11-12).

These words are in the prophecy of Israel the father respecting Judah, and "Judah" here means the Lord in relation to the good of love, and in a relative sense the Lord's celestial kingdom. What the particulars here signify in the spiritual sense may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia, where they are explained. Divine wisdom which is from Divine good is signified by "his eyes are redder than wine;" and Divine intelligence which is from Divine truth by "his teeth are whiter than milk."

[5] In Lamentations:

The Nazarites were whiter than snow, they were brighter than milk, their bones were more ruddy than pearls (Lamentations 4:7).

The Nazarites represented the Lord in respect to the Divine Human (See above, n. 66, 196, at the end), therefore they signified also, in a relative sense, the good of celestial love, because this good immediately proceeds from the Lord's Divine Human. The representative of this in the church is thus described, the truth of that good is signified by "they were whiter than snow, and brighter than milk," and the good of truth by "their bones were more ruddy than pearls;" for "bones" signify truths in their ultimate, thus truths in the whole complex, for in ultimates all things are together and in fullness; that these truths are from good, and also are goods, is signified by their being "ruddy."

[6] In Zechariah:

I saw four chariots coming out from between mountains of copper. In the first chariot were red horses; in the second chariot black horses; in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled horses, stout (Zechariah 6:1-3).

That here, too, "red horses" signify the quality of the understanding in the beginning in relation to good, "black horses" the quality of the understanding in the beginning in relation to truth, "white horses" the quality of the understanding afterwards in relation to truth, "grisled horses" what is the quality of the understanding afterwards in relation to truth and good, and "stout" what it is consequently in respect to the power to resist falsities and evils, may be seen above (n. 355b), where the signification of "horse" is treated of. Nearly the like is meant in the same prophet by:

The red horse, upon which a man rode, standing among the myrtle-trees (Zechariah 1:8).

Because "red" [ruber] or "reddish" [rufus] signifies the quality of a thing in relation to good:

Red rams' skins were used for a covering over the tent (Exodus 25:5; 26:14; 35:7).

And therefore also:

The water of separation, used in cleansing, was made from a red heifer burned (Numbers 19:1-10);

"red heifer" signifying the good of the natural man, and the "water of separation" made from it when burned signifying the truth of the natural man; and this was commanded because all cleansing is effected by means of truths; moreover, the particulars of the process of slaying the heifer, and of preparing the water for cleansing by it, involve spiritual things.

[7] Because "red" signifies the quality of a thing in relation to good, those names also and the things that derive their names from this same word in the original tongue signify the good from which they are. The word red in the original is adam, from which is the name Adam, and also the name Edom; from this also man is called adam, the ground adama, and the ruby odam; thus these names and things are from red. "Adam" signifies the Most Ancient Church, a church that was in the good of love; "Man" has a like signification, also "ground" in the spiritual sense when celestial good is treated of. That "Edom" was named from red, see Genesis 25:30; and for this reason it signifies the truth of the good of the natural man. That the ruby is also named from red may be seen in Exodus 28:17; 39:10; Ezekiel 28:13; for this reason "ruby" signifies the truth of celestial good. (That "Adam" signifies the Most Ancient Church, which was a celestial church, or a church in the good of love to the Lord, see Arcana Coelestia 478, 479; that "Man" signifies the church in respect to good, n. 4287, 7424, 7523; that "ground" also has a like signification, n. 566, 10570; that "Edom," because he was named from red, signifies the truth of good of the natural man, n. 3300, 3322; and that "ruby" signifies the truth of celestial good, n. 9865) As "red" signifies the quality of a thing in relation to good, so in a contrary sense it signifies the quality of a thing in relation to evil, which is the opposite to good, consequently good destroyed. In this sense "red" is mentioned in the following passages. In Isaiah:

Although your sins have been as scarlet, they shall become white like snow; although they have been red as purple, they shall be as wool (Isaiah 1:18).

And in Nahum:

The shield of his mighty ones is made red, the men of valor are in crimson; in a fire of torches are his chariots. The chariots raged in the streets, they ran to and fro in the broad ways; the appearance of them ¹ is like torches (Nahum 2:3-4).

In this sense also the dragon is called red (Revelation 12:3, of which in what follows).

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