502. And the first angel sounded.- This signifies influx out of heaven, and thence the first change, as is evident from the signification of sounding a trumpet, as denoting the influx of Divine Truth out of heaven; and because the first change resulting therefrom is now described, therefore this is also signified. To sound the trumpet signifies the influx of Divine Truth out of heaven, because when the Divine Truth flows down out of heaven, it is sometimes heard in the spiritual world as the sound of a horn [buccina], and as the clangour of a trumpet [tuba]; and by those who stand below there are also seen as it were angels having trumpets. But these things are representations and appearances, such as exist beneath the heavens, for it is the Divine Truth descending or flowing down out of heaven towards the lower parts, that is represented in this manner. This now is the reason that to sound a trumpet signifies the flowing down of the Divine Truth out of heaven.

[2] This flowing down, when powerful, produces one effect with the good and another with the evil. With the good, it enlightens the understanding, conjoins them more closely with heaven, and consequently gladdens and vivifies their minds; but with the evil it causes a disturbance of the understanding, separates them from heaven, conjoins them more closely with hell, carries terror to their minds, and at length induces spiritual death. It is therefore evident, that to sound a trumpet, signifies in regard to the effect, revelation and manifestation of Divine Truth, as may be seen above (n. 55, 262), and in the opposite sense, the deprivation of truth, and desolation. Since it is now said that the angels sounded seven times, it is necessary to show from the Word the signification of sounding, and thence why it is said that the angels sounded.

[3] That to sound with trumpets (tuba) and horns (buccina) signifies the revelation of Divine Truth, and its manifestation, is evident from the sound of a trumpet being heard when Jehovah descended upon Mount Sinai and promulgated the law; concerning which it is thus written in Moses:

"And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were voices and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon Mount Sinai, and the voice of a trumpet exceeding loud; and all the people that were in the camp trembled when Jehovah descended upon them in fire; and the voice of the trumpet sounded long and waxed louder. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto Jehovah, to gaze, and many of them perish" (Exodus 19:16-21).

The law which was promulgated at that time, signifies the Divine Truth; the voice of the trumpet represented the descent of that truth out of heaven, and its manifestation. The voice of the trumpet sounding long, and waxing louder, represented [Divine Truth] increasing toward the lower parts, for it is said that the people stood on the lower parts of the mount. The people trembling, and charged not to approach nearer to the mount lest they should perish, signified the effect of the flowing down of Divine Truth with people of such a nature and quality as the sons of Jacob were. It is evident that they were altogether evil interiorly, for they worshipped the golden calf after a month of days, and they would have perished if they had not stood afar off; hence their terror of death.

[4] That to sound with horns and trumpets represented and thence signified the Divine Truth descending and flowing in out of heaven, is plain from the institution and use of trumpets among the sons of Israel. It was commanded that trumpets should be made of silver, and that the sons of Aaron should sound them for the assemblies, for their journeyings, on days of gladness, at the feast, at the beginnings of months, over the sacrifices, for a memorial and for war (Num. 10:1-10). They were made of silver, because silver signifies truth from good, consequently the Divine Truth (see Arcana Coelestia 1551, 1552, 2954, 5658). The reason why the sons of Aaron sounded with them, was, that Aaron himself, as the chief priest, represented the Lord as the Divine Good, and his sons, the Lord as to the Divine Truth (see the Arcana Coelestia 9806, 9807, 9966, 10017). They were sounded for the assemblies and journeyings, because it is the Divine Truth which calls together, gathers together, teaches the way, and leads. They were sounded on the day of gladness, at the feasts, in the beginning of months, and over the sacrifices, because the Divine Truth, descending out of heaven, forms and fills with gladness what is holy in worship. They were sounded also for war and for battle, to signify that the Divine Truth flowing down out of heaven strikes with the terror of death, puts to flight, and scatters the evil who are called in the Word enemies. In this sense, and on account of this effect, it is here said, that the seven angels sounded in their order.

[5] Since it was commanded that they should sound with trumpets for their assemblies, therefore it is said by the Lord, in Matthew,

"He shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other" (24:31).

By the angels with a great sound of a trumpet is here signified the Divine Truth to be revealed at the consummation of the age, that is, when the end of the church should come.

[6] And in Isaiah:

"In that day, the great trumpet shall be blown, and those perishing in the land of Assyria shall come, and the outcasts from the land of Egypt, and shall worship Jehovah in the mountain of holiness at Jerusalem" (27:13).

These things were said concerning the coming of the Lord. A calling together to the church, and salvation by the Lord, are signified by the great trumpet being sounded in that day, and by the coming of those that were perishing in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts from the land of Egypt. To sound the trumpet signifies the Divine Truth calling together and saving; those who were perishing in the land of Assyria, are those who are deceived by false reasonings, and the outcasts from the land of Egypt, are those who are deceived by scientifics, thus the Gentiles who were in falsities from ignorance of the truth. That they will adore the Lord from love, and in truth, is signified by the words "and shall worship Jehovah in the mountain of holiness at Jerusalem." The mountain of holiness signifies the church as to the good of love, consequently also the good of love of the church; and Jerusalem signifies the church as to the truth of doctrine, consequently the truth of the doctrine of the church. It is therefore evident, that to sound with the trumpet signifies the Divine Truth descending out of heaven.

[7] Since the Divine Truth descending from the Lord through the heavens gladdens the heart, and infills worship with what is holy, and therefore the trumpets were sounded on the days of gladness, and in the feasts, it is therefore said in David:

"Sing unto Jehovah with the harp; with the harp and the voice of melody. With trumpets and sound of the horn make a joyful noise before Jehovah, the King" (Psalm 98:5, 6).

And in Zephaniah:

"Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem" (3:14).

This is spoken of the establishment of the church by the Lord. The trumpets, the sound of the horn, and the making of a joyful noise, signify joy on account of the Divine Truth descending out of heaven.

So in Job:

"When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy" (38:7).

This is said concerning the state of the church in its beginning, and by stars are signified the knowledges of truth and good, and by the sons of God, Divine truths; their joy, that is, the joy of men under their influence, is signified by their singing and shouting.

[8] Again, in David:

"Praise" God "with the sound of the trumpet" (Psalm 150:3).

And again:

"Blessed are the people that know the sound of the trumpet; they shall walk, O Jehovah, in the light of thy faces" (Psalm 89:15).

The trumpet sound signifies Divine Truth gladdening the heart, it is therefore said, "light of thy faces," which signifies Divine Truth. That the sound of the horn and of the trumpet signifies Divine truths descending out of heaven, terrifying the evil and scattering them, as here in the Apocalypse by the trumpets with which the seven angels sounded, is evident from the following passages.

In Isaiah it is said,

"Jehovah shall go forth as a lion, ¹ he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war; he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail over his enemies" (42:13).

Enemies are the evil.

So in Joel:

"Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of Jehovah cometh, a day of darkness and of gloominess" (2:1, 2).

The day of Jehovah is the coming of the Lord, when a last judgment upon the evil also takes place.

[9] And in Zechariah:

"And Jehovah shall be seen over them, and his dart shall go forth as the lightning; and the Lord Jehovah shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south" (9:14).

Here also the coming of the Lord is treated of, when the evil shall perish. By blowing the trumpet and sounding an alarm, is signified to disperse by means of Divine Truth; the dart also which shall go forth as lightning, signifies truth dispersing and destroying. The same is signified by blowing the trumpet in Jeremiah (51:27), and in Hosea (5:8, 9).

[10] Since the evil, when they are gathered together in the spiritual world, are deprived of the truths and goods of which they made a pretence in externals by the influx of Divine Good and Divine Truth, and are let into their own evils and falsities which they inwardly cherished, and are thus separated from the good and cast down into the hells, and since there is heard from a distance, when this takes place, as it were trumpets and horns sounding as stated above several times, therefore it was a statute with the children of Israel, that they should sound with the trumpets for battle; as is also related concerning Phinehas, and concerning Gideon, when they fought against the Midianites, and also when Jericho was taken. Thus, in Moses, it is said of Phinehas, that Moses sent twelve thousand men armed, a thousand from each tribe, with the vessels of holiness and the trumpets in the hand of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest, against Midian, and they slew every male, and their kings (Num. 31:1-8).

[11] Concerning Gideon it is said in the book of Judges, that he divided three hundred men into three companies, and placed a trumpet in the hand of each man, and empty pitchers, and torches within the pitchers; and he said,

"When I blow with the trumpet, I and all who are with me, blow ye also with the trumpets on every side around all the camp;" and when they sounded with the trumpets, Jehovah set every man's sword against his fellow, and against the whole camp, and the Midianites fled (7:16-22).

And in Joshua, concerning the taking of Jericho it was commanded that seven priests should carry seven trumpets sounding them before the ark, and should go round the city six days, once on each day, and that on the seventh day they should go round the city seven times, and blow with the trumpets; and "when the people in Jericho heard the voice of the trumpet, and the shoutings of the people, the wall of the city fell down flat, and the people went up into the city, and took it" (6:1-20). These things represented the routing of the evil in the spiritual world, which is effected by means of the Divine Truth out of heaven, which, when it flows down, is heard there as a trumpet sounding, as said above. All the miracles related in the Word were representative and thence significative of things Divine in the heavens. Hence the effect of the sound of the trumpets upon enemies on earth was similar to the effect upon the evil in the spiritual world. For enemies, in the Word, represented and thence signify the evil; the Midianites, those who are in the falsities of evil; and the city of Jericho, in this passage, signifies the falsification of the knowledges of truth.

[12] From these considerations the signification of these words in Jeremiah is clear:

"Shout against" Babel "round about; she hath given her hand; her foundations are fallen, her walls are thrown down" (50:15).

And in Zephaniah:

"A day of wasting and desolation, a day of darkness and thick darkness, a day of cloud and thick cloudiness, a day of the trumpet and alarm upon the fenced cities, and upon the high towers" (1:15, 16).

From what has been stated the signification of the seven angels sounding the trumpets is now evident, and that such effects followed as are here described. Thus, to sound with trumpets, signifies the influx of the Divine Truth out of heaven, and the changes which follow. For the subjects treated of in this chapter and in the following chapters of the Apocalypse are the state of the church in the spiritual world before the judgment, the scattering of the evil, and the casting of them down into hell.

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9372. 'And He said to Moses' means something concerning the Word in general. This is clear from the representation of 'Moses' as the Word, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'He said', which includes all that follows in the present chapter, thus things concerning the Word in general, 9370. The fact that Moses represents the Word may be recognized from what has often been shown already regarding Moses, for instance in the Preface to Genesis 18, and in 4859 (end), 5922, 6723, 6752, 6771, 6827, 7010, 7014, 7089, 7382, 8601, 8760, 8787, 8805, which please see. At present Moses represents the Word in general, because what follows says in reference to him, that he alone was to come near Jehovah, verse 2, and also that he was called from the middle of the cloud, went into it, and went up the mountain, verses 16, 18.

[2] In the Word there are many who represent the Lord in respect of God's truth or the Word; but the chief among them are Moses, Elijah, Elisha, and John the Baptist. The fact that Moses does so may be seen in the explanations referred to just above; the fact that Elijah and Elisha do so may be seen in the Preface to Genesis 18, and in 2762, 5247 (end); and the fact that John the Baptist does so is clear from His being 'the Elijah who is to come'. Anyone who does not know that John the Baptist represented the Lord in respect of the Word cannot know what it is that all the things said about him in the New Testament imply and mean. Therefore to lay bare this arcanum and at the same time the truth that Elijah as well as Moses, who were seen when the Lord was transfigured, meant the Word, let some of the things recorded regarding John the Baptist be introduced here, such as these words in Matthew,

After John's messengers went away Jesus began to speak about John, saying, What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A person clothed in soft garments? Behold, those who wear soft garments are in kings' houses. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one of whom it has been written, Behold, I send My angel before your face, who will prepare your way before you. Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not been raised up one greater than John the Baptist; but one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. All the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to believe it, he is the Elijah who is to come. He who has an ear to hear, let him hear. Matthew 11:7-15; Luke 7:24-28.

No one can know how to understand these things unless he knows that this John represented the Lord in respect of the Word, and unless he knows from the internal sense what is meant by 'the wilderness' in which he lived, also what is meant by 'a reed shaken by the wind' and by 'soft garments in kings' houses'; then what is meant by the statement that he was 'more than a prophet', and that 'among those born of women' there was none greater than he, and yet 'one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he'; and finally the announcement that he was 'the Elijah'. For without some deeper meaning all this sounds like a mere comparison and not anything more profound.

[3] It sounds altogether different however when the Lord in respect of the Word, or one representing the Word, is understood by John. Then 'the wilderness of Judea' in which John lived means the state in which the Word resided at the time when the Lord came into the world, namely in the wilderness, that is, in obscurity so great that the Lord was not acknowledged at all and nothing whatever was known about His heavenly kingdom, even though all the prophets prophesied about Him and about His kingdom which would last forever. The fact that 'the wilderness' means such obscurity, see 2708, 4736, 7313. The Word is therefore compared to 'a reed shaken by the wind' when it is explained at will; for 'a reed' in the internal sense is truth on its last and lowest level, which is what the Word is in the letter.

[4] The Word on the lowest level or in the letter looks to human sight to be rough and dull, but in the internal sense it is soft and shining. This is meant by the words that they did not see 'a person clothed in soft garments. Behold, those who wear soft garments are in kings' houses'. The fact that such things are meant by these words is evident from the meaning of 'garments' or clothes as truths, see 2132, 2576, 4545, 4763, 5248, 6914, 6918, 9093, as a result of which angels appear clothed in garments soft and shining, in keeping with the truths springing from good that reside with them, 5248, 5319, 5954, 9212, 9216; and also from the meaning of 'kings' houses' as the places where angels dwell, and in the universal sense as the heavens. For 'houses' are so called by virtue of good, 2233, 2234, 3128, 3652, 3720, 4622, 4982, 7836, 7891, 7996, 7997, and the word 'kings' is used in regard to truth, 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 6148. Therefore angels are called the children of the kingdom, the king's children, and also kings, by virtue of their reception of truth from the Lord.

[5] The Word is greater than any doctrinal teachings in the world and greater than any truth in the world. This is meant by the words, 'What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet' and 'among those born of women there has not been raised up one greater than John the Baptist'. For 'a prophet' in the internal sense means doctrinal teachings, 2534, 7269, and 'those born of women' are truths, 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 2803, 2813, 3704, 4257.

[6] The Word in its inward sense or as it exists in heaven is in a degree above the Word in its outward sense or as it exists in the world and as John the Baptist taught it. This is meant by the statement that 'the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he'; for the Word perceived in heaven possesses wisdom so great that it surpasses all human understanding. Prophecies concerning the Lord and His Coming, and things representative of the Lord and His kingdom were brought to an end when the Lord came into the world. This is meant by the words that 'all the prophets and the law prophesied until John'.

[7] The Word was represented by John as it had been by Elijah. This is meant by the statement that he is 'the Elijah who is to come', and also by the following in Matthew,

The disciples asked Jesus, Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first? He answering said, Elijah will indeed come first and restore all things. I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not acknowledge him but did to him whatever they wished. In the same way too will the Son of Man suffer at their hands ¹ . And they understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist. Matthew 17:10-13.

'Elijah has come, and they did not acknowledge him but did to him whatever they wished' means that the Word indeed taught them that the Lord was going to come, but that they were nevertheless unwilling to have a right understanding of this; they interpreted it as support for their own dominion and in so doing eliminated what was of God within it. The fact that much the same would happen to God's truth itself is meant by the words 'In the same way too will the Son of Man suffer at their hands', 'the Son of Man' being the Lord in respect of God's truth, see 2803, 2813, 3704.

[8] All this now shows how to understand the prophecy regarding John in Malachi,

Behold, I send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrifying day of Jehovah comes. Malachi 4:5.

The Word on the lowest level or as it is in the outward form seen by people in the world is also described by 'the garments' John the Baptist wore and by 'the food' he ate, in Matthew,

John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judea had a garment of camel hair and a skin girdle around his waist; his food was locusts and field honey. ² Matthew 3:1, 3, 4.

Much the same is said of Elijah in 2 Kings 1:8, that he was a hairy man, and wore a girdle of skin around his loins. When it has reference to the Word 'a garment' or piece of clothing means God's truth there in its lowest form; 'camel hair' means true factual knowledge such as is seen there by people in the world; 'a skin girdle' means the outward connecting bond, holding all the interiors in order; 'food' means spiritual nourishment derived from cognitions or knowledge of truth and good obtained from the Word; 'locusts' means the lowest or most general truths, and 'field honey' the pleasantness of them.

[9] The origin of these meanings of 'garments' and 'food' lies in representatives in the next life. There all are seen wearing clothes in accord with their truths derived from good; and also food there is represented in accord with their desires to have knowledge and wisdom. So it is that 'a garment' or piece of clothing means truth, see the places referred to above in this paragraph, while 'food' means spiritual nourishment, 3114, 4459, 4792, 5147, 5293, 5340, 5342, 5576, 5579, 5915, 8562, 9003; 'a girdle' means a bond gathering the interiors together and holding them within itself, 9341 (end), 'skin' means what is external, 3540, so that 'a skin girdle' means an external bond; 'hair' means the lowest or most general truths, 3301, 5569-5573, 'camel' means factual knowledge in general, 3048, 3071, 3143, 3145, 4156, consequently 'camel hair' means true factual knowledge obtained from the Word; 'locust' means truth nourishing the outermost levels, 3301(end), ³ and 'honey' its pleasantness, 5620, 6857, 8056, the words 'field honey' being used because 'the field' means the Church, 2971, 3317, 3766, 7502, 7571, 9139, 9295. A person who does not know that such things are meant cannot possibly know why Elijah and John were clothed in that manner; yet anyone with correct ideas about the Word can think that such clothing was a sign of something peculiar to those prophets.

[10] Since John the Baptist represented the Lord in respect of the Word, he also said of himself - when he spoke about the Lord, who was the Word itself - that he was not Elijah, nor the Prophet, and that he was not worthy to untie the latchet of the Lord's shoe, in John,

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory. Jews from Jerusalem, priests and Levites, asked John who he was. He confessed, and did not deny, I am not the Christ. They therefore asked him, What then? Are you Elijah? But he said, I am not. Are you the Prophet? He answered, No. Therefore they said to him, Who are you? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as the prophet Isaiah said. They said therefore, Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet? He answered, I baptize with water; among you stands One whom you do not know. It is He who will come after me, who was before me, the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to untie. When he saw Jesus he said, Behold, the Lamb of God who bears away the sin of the world. This is He of whom I said, After me comes a Man (Vir) who was before me; for He was prior to me. John 1:1, 14, 19-30.

From these words it is evident that when John spoke about the Lord Himself, who was God's truth or the Word itself, he said that he himself was not anything; for when the light itself makes its appearance the shadow disappears, that is, the representative disappears when the image itself makes its appearance. Representatives had regard only to what they represented, namely holy things and the Lord Himself, and no regard whatever to the person who represented them, see 665, 1097 (end), 1361, 3147, 3881, 4208, 4281, 4288, 4292, 4307, 4444, 4500, 6304, 7048, 7439, 8588, 8788, 8806. The person who does not know that representatives vanish as shadows do at the presence of the light cannot know why John said that he was not Elijah or the Prophet.

[11] All this now makes plain what was meant by Moses and Elijah, who were seen in glory, and who spoke to the Lord, when He was transfigured, about His departure which He was about to complete in Jerusalem, Luke 9:29-31. That is to say, the Word was meant by them - the historical section of the Word by 'Moses' and the prophetical part by 'Elijah' - the subject of which everywhere in the internal sense is the Lord, His Coming into the world, and His Departure from the world. This explains why it says that Moses and Elijah 'were seen in glory', for 'the glory' is the inward sense of the Word, and 'the cloud' the outward sense, see Preface to Genesis 18, and 5922, 8427.

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