'Waters' particularly signify the spiritual parts of a person, or the intellectual aspects of faith, and also their opposites.

'The waters above the firmament,' as in Genesis 1:7, signify the knowledges in the internal self, and 'the waters beneath the firmament' signify the knowledges of the external self.

'Waters,' as in Ezekiel 47:9, refer to the New Jerusalem, and they signify spiritual things from a celestial origin.

'Many waters,' as in Revelation 17:1, signify truths of the Word adulterated. 'Waters' or 'rivers' signify spiritual, rational, or scientific things pertaining to truth.

'Waters … that go softly,' as in Isaiah 8:6-7, signify spiritual things, and 'waters … strong and many,' signify falsities.

'Waters,' as in Psalms 104:3, signify divine truths.

'Waters' signify truths in the natural self, and in the opposite sense, falsities.

'The waters were dried up from off the earth,' as in Genesis 8:7, signifies the apparent dissipation of falsities.

(Odkazy: Apocalypse Explained 17; Apocalypse Revealed 50; Genesis 8)

619. Who were redeemed from the earth. This symbolically means that they are people who could be regenerated by the Lord and so be redeemed in the world.

The redeemed from the earth symbolize people redeemed in the world. That redemption is deliverance from hell, and salvation by conjunction with the Lord, may be seen in no. 281. And because this is achieved by regeneration, therefore the redeemed symbolize people regenerated and redeemed by the Lord. Moreover, because all people can be regenerated and thus redeemed if they are willing to be, and few are willing, therefore the redeemed from the earth symbolize that they are people who could be regenerated by the Lord and thus redeemed.

The character of these people is now described in verses 4 and 5.