421. Verses 2, 3. And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God; and he cried with a great voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea; Saying, Hurt not the earth, nor the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.

2. "And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun," signifies the Divine love going forth from the Lord. n. 422); "having the seal of the living God," signifies the Divine will (n. 423); "and he cried with a great voice," signifies Divine command (n. 424); "to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea," signifies as yet preventing the influx from becoming intense (n. 425).

3. "Saying, Hurt not the earth, nor the sea, nor the trees," signifies lest the good perish with the evil wherever they are n. 426; "till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads," signifies that those who are in truths from good are first to be separated n. 427.

424. And he cried with a great voice, signifies Divine command. This is evident from the signification of "a great voice," when from the Lord, as meaning Divine command. The command itself, uttered by the voice, also follows, namely, that "the four angels hurt not the earth, nor the sea, nor the trees, till the servants of God were sealed on their foreheads." It is said "a great voice" and "he cried," because "great" and also "crying" are predicated in the Word of the good of love (that "great" is predicated of the good of love, and "many" of truths from good, see above, n. 336, 337; and "crying" of the affections that are of love, see above, n. 393); here, therefore, as this command was from the Divine love and from the Divine will, it is said, "he cried with a great voice."