706. Verse 1. And a great sign was seen in heaven, signifies Divine attestation respecting the coming church and the reception of its doctrine, and by whom it will be assaulted. This is evident from the signification of "a great sign in heaven," as being Divine manifestation and attestation; that it has reference to the church and the reception of its doctrine, and also to assault upon it, is evident from what follows, for the "woman" means the church, her "son a male" doctrine, and "the dragon and his angels" and afterwards "the beasts," mean those who will assault the church and its doctrine. This vision is called "a great sign" because a "sign" means Divine manifestation respecting things to come, and attestation, here respecting the coming church and its doctrine, and also the assault upon it by those who are meant by "the dragon" and "the beasts." This is called a "sign," because it manifests and attests. "Sign" and "wonder" are mentioned in many passages in the Word, "sign" meaning that which indicates, witnesses, and persuades respecting the subject of inquiry, and "wonder" meaning that which stirs up, strikes dumb, and fills with amazement; thus a sign moves the understanding and faith, but a wonder the will and its affection, for the will and its affection are what are stirred up, stricken dumb, and filled with amazement, while the understanding and its faith are what are persuaded and moved by indications and proofs.

[2] That there is a difference between a sign and a wonder is evident from the fact that the Jews, although they had seen so many wonders performed by the Lord, still sought signs from Him; and also from the fact that the prodigies wrought in Egypt and in the wilderness are sometimes called "signs" and sometimes "wonders," and sometimes both. It is further evident from this, that in every particular of the Word there is a marriage of truth and good, and thus also of the understanding and will, for truth is of the understanding and good of the will, consequently "signs" there have reference to things pertaining to truth, and to faith and the understanding, and "wonders" to the things pertaining to good, and to affection and the will. Thence is clear the meaning of "signs" and of "wonders," where they are both mentioned in the Word, as in the following passages. In Moses:

I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that I may multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt (Exodus 7:3).

In the same:

Jehovah gave signs and wonders great and evil upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his men ¹ (Deuteronomy 6:22).

In the same:

Hath Jehovah tried to come to take to Him a nation out of the midst of a nation, by wonders, by signs, and by prodigies? (Deuteronomy 4:34)

In David:

They remembered not the day in which Jehovah set His signs in Egypt, and His prodigies in the field of Zoan (Psalms 78:42, 43).

In the same:

They set among them the words of their ² signs and wonders in the land of Ham (Psalms 105:27).

In the same:

He sent signs and wonders into the midst of thee, O Egypt, upon Pharaoh and all his servants (Psalms 135:9).

In Jeremiah:

Who hast set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, and even to this day, both in Israel and in men, and hast led forth Thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt by signs and by wonders (Jeremiah 32:20, 21).

This shows that the prodigies wrought in Egypt, and afterwards among the sons of Israel, are called "signs and wonders," "signs" because they attested and persuaded, and "wonders" because they stirred up and filled with amazement; yet they agree in this, that the things that stir up and fill with amazement also attest and persuade, as those things that stir up the will also persuade the understanding, or as those things that move the affection also move the thought by persuading. Likewise in the Gospels:

In the consummation of the age there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, they shall show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect (Matthew 24:24; Mark 13:22).

Here "great signs and wonders" have a like signification, namely, that they will attest and persuade, and that they will strike dumb and fill with amazement, which will cause a strong persuasion. Who are meant by "false Christs and false prophets," and who by "the elect," may be seen above (n. 624, 684).

[3] In Moses:

If there shall arise in the midst of thee a prophet or a dreamer of dreams who shall give thee a sign or a wonder, and if the sign or the wonder come to pass whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, thou shalt not obey (Deuteronomy 13:1-3).

Here a "prophet" and a "dreamer of dreams," also "sign" and "wonder" are mentioned, because a "sign" has reference to a prophet, and a "wonder" to a dreamer of dreams, because a "prophet" means one who teaches truths, and in the abstract sense the doctrine of truth, and a "dreamer" means one who stirs up to doing, and in the abstract sense the stirring up from which a thing is done; this, too, pertains to a "wonder," and the former to a "sign;" for prophets were instructed by a living voice from the Lord, and "dreamers" by representatives exciting to doing, which flowed into the affection of the dreamer, and from that into the sight of the thought, for when a man dreams his natural understanding is laid asleep and his spiritual sight is opened, which draws its all from the affection. But in this passage the sight that draws its all from an evil affection is meant, for it treats of prophets who teach falsities and who dream vain things, for "other gods" mean the falsities and vain things that such heard and saw.

[4] That "signs" signify attestations which indicate and persuade to the belief that a thing is so, is evident from the following passages. In Moses:

If they will not believe thee nor hear the voice of the first sign, yet they will believe the voice of the latter sign. And if they will not believe these two signs nor hear thy voice, thou shalt take of the waters of the river and they shall become blood (Exodus 4:8, 9).

This is said of the wonders wrought by Moses, when the Lord appeared to him in the bush, which are called "signs" because they were to attest and persuade that Moses was sent to lead them out of Egypt; this is why it is three times said "that they may believe," and also "that they may hear his voice."

[5] In the same:

Jehovah said unto Moses, How long will the people not believe in Me for all the signs which I have done in the midst of them? All the men that have seen My glory and the signs which I wrought in Egypt and in the wilderness, they shall not see the land (Numbers 14:11, 22, 23).

These miracles, too, are called "signs," because mention is made of believing; for as has been said, miracles are called "signs" because they persuade and induce faith; and as signs did not induce faith with those who were unwilling on account of fear to enter into the land of Canaan, therefore it is said of them that "they should not see the land." "Signs" have a like signification in Exodus 4:17; and Jeremiah 10:1, 2.

[6] In the Gospels:

The Scribes and Pharisees said, Master, we would see a sign from Thee. But He answering, said, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign, but no sign shall be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; for as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the belly ³ of the earth (Matthew 12:38-40; Luke 11:16, 29, 30).

A "sign" plainly means attestation that they may be persuaded and believe that the Lord was the Messiah and the Son of God who was to come, for the miracles that the Lord wrought in abundance, and that they saw, were no signs to them, because miracles, as has been said above, are signs only with the good. "Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale," and this was taken for a "sign," because it signified the burial and resurrection of the Lord, thus the complete glorification of His Human, "three days and three nights" also signifying completeness.

[7] In Matthew:

The Pharisees and the Sadducees, tempting, asked Jesus to show them a sign from heaven. He answering, said to them, When it is evening ye say, It will be fair weather, for the heaven is red. And in the morning, There will be storm today, for the heaven is red and gloomy. Ye hypocrites, ye know how to discern the face of heaven, but not the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous nation requireth a sign, but no sign shall be given unto it but the sign of the prophet Jonah (Matthew 16:1-4).

Here, too, the "sign" asked from heaven means attestation that they might be persuaded and might believe that the Lord was the Son of God, although miracles were wrought that they did not call signs. The Lord then spoke of evening and of morning because "evening and morning" signifies the Lord's coming; here it means when the church with the Jews was laid waste, who then had "fair weather," because they had no knowledge of the Lord, and lived securely in falsities from evil; this is the "evening;" but when they knew Him, and because of falsities from evils in which they were denied and assaulted Him, this is signified by "the morning when there is a storm." This is why the Lord said, "Ye hypocrites, ye know how to discern the face of heaven, but not the signs of the times," that is, the Lord's coming; and because they were "a wicked and adulterous nation," that is, one that adulterated the Word, He said that "no sign should be given unto them."

[8] So again in Mark:

The Pharisees began to dispute with Jesus, seeking of Him a sign from heaven; and He, sighing in His spirit, said, Why doth this generation seek a sign? Verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation (Mark 8:11, 12).

That a "sign" here signifies attestation by which they might plainly know, acknowledge, and believe, that the Lord was the Messiah and Son of God whom they expected from the predictions in the prophets, is evident from this, that "sighing in spirit, He said, Why doth this generation seek a sign? Verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation;" and this was because if this had been plainly revealed or told them from heaven, and if thus persuaded they had acknowledged and believed it, they would nevertheless have rejected it afterwards, and to reject after acknowledgment and faith is to profane, and the lot of profaners in hell is the worst of all.

[9] That for this reason plain attestation was not given them from heaven is evident from these words in John:

He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts lest they should see with their eyes and understand with their heart, and should turn themselves, and I should heal them (John 12:40).

"To turn themselves and be healed" means here to profane, which is done when truths and goods are acknowledged, especially when the Lord is acknowledged and afterwards denied; so would it have been if the Jews had turned themselves and been healed by a sign. "To see with the eyes and understand with the heart" signifies to receive in the understanding and will, or in faith and love. From this it is clear that a "sign" signifies a plain testification. (On the lot of profaners see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, n.172.)

[10] In John:

The disciples ⁴ said unto Jesus, What doest Thou for a sign, that we may see and believe Thee, what workest Thou? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, as it is written, He gave them bread out of heaven to eat. Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not the bread out of heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread out of heaven; for the bread of God is He who cometh down out of heaven and giveth life unto the world (John 6:30-33).

Here also the disciples ⁴ desired a sign; that this signifies attestation that they might believe is clear from their saying, "That we may see and believe, what workest Thou?" They then spoke of "manna," and the Lord answered respecting "bread from heaven," because "bread" signifies all good and truth that nourishes the soul, and in the highest sense the Lord Himself, from whom is everything of doctrine and everything of spiritual nourishment, whereby he gave attestation that they might see and believe. Nevertheless attestation, that is, a sign from heaven, was given to the three disciples, Peter, James, and John, as can be seen from the Lord's transfiguration, for they then saw His glory, and heard a voice out of heaven saying, "This is My beloved Son, hear ye Him" (Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35; Matthew 17:5).

[11] In John:

When Jesus cast out of the temple them that sold therein, the Jews said, What sign showest Thou, that Thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said to them, Destroy this temple, yet in three days I will raise it up (John 2:16, 18, 19).

Here evidently "to show a sign" signifies to give attestation by something wonderful, or by a voice out of heaven. But because such an attestation would have damned rather than saved them, as has been said just above, He answered them concerning "the temple," by which He meant His body, that this should be destroyed, that is, should die, and should rise again glorified on the third day. This too is what the Lord meant by "the sign of Jonah in the belly of the whale three days and three nights." (That "temple" in the highest sense signifies the Lord's body, see John 2:21.)

[12] In Luke:

The angels said to the shepherds, There is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord; and this is a sign unto you, ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger (Luke 2:11, 12, 16).

Since a "sign" means attestation that they might believe that the Savior of the world was born, it is said that "they should find Him lying in a manger wrapped in swaddling clothes;" but that this was an attestation no one can know until it is known what is meant by a "manger" and by "swaddling clothes." "A manger" means the doctrine of truth from the Word, because "horses" signify the understanding of the Word (as can be seen from what has been shown above, n. 355, 364, and in the small work on The White Horse 2-4); and thus a manger, as a feeding place for horses, signifies the doctrine of truth from the Word. It is said in the seventh verse of the same chapter that this was done "because there was no place in the inn," an "inn" signifying a place of instruction. (This is the signification of "inn" also in Luke 10:34; 22:11; Mark 14:14; and elsewhere.)

Because this was the state with the Jews, who were then in mere falsities, through the adulteration of the Word, this was signified by "there was no place in the inn;" for if it had pleased the Lord He might have been born in a most splendid palace, and have been laid in a bed adorned with precious stones; but He would thus have been with such as were in no doctrine of truth, and there would have been no heavenly representation. He is also said to have been "wrapped in swaddling clothes," because "swaddling clothes" signify first truths, which are truths of innocence, and which are also truths of the Divine love; for "nakedness," in reference to a babe, signifies deprivation of truth. From this it is clear why it was said by the angels, "This is a sign unto you, ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger."

[13] In the Gospels:

The disciples said to Jesus, What shall be the sign of Thy coming and of the consummation of the age? (Matthew 24:3; Mark 13:4; Luke 21:7)

"The coming of the Lord and the consummation of the age" signifies the beginning of the New Church and the end of the former church, "the coming of the Lord" the beginning of the New Church, and "the consummation of the age" the end of the old church, therefore in these chapters the Lord instructs His disciples respecting the successive vastation of the former church, and at its end the establishment of the New Church; but He instructs and teaches them by mere correspondences, which cannot be unfolded and made known except by means of the spiritual sense; and because the Lord spoke by correspondences, all of these were signs and thus attestations. Moreover, the Lord calls them "signs."

As in Luke:

And there shall be fearful things, great signs from heaven. There shall be signs in the sun, moon, and stars, and upon the earth distress of nations in desperation, the sea and the waves roaring (Luke 21:11, 21:25).

In Matthew:

And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man; and then shall all the tribes of the earth lament, and they shall see the Son of man coming In the clouds of heaven with power and glory (Matthew 24:30).

The signification in the spiritual sense of these and the other things contained in the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew have been explained in the Arcana Coelestia, and of "the appearing of the sign of the Son of man in the clouds of heaven" in the work on Heaven and Hell 1), therefore further explanation is unnecessary.

[14] In Mark:

Jesus said unto the disciples, These signs shall follow them that believe, In My name shall they cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the infirm and they shall be well. And they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them by signs following (Mark 16:17, 18, 20).

These were miracles, yet still they are called "signs" because they were attestations of the Divine power of the Lord who wrought them; therefore it is said, "The Lord working with them by those signs." If these had been applied to the evil they would have been called "wonders," for with the evil such things only fill with amazement and strike the mind, and still do not persuade to belief; but with the good it is otherwise, for with them the same things are attestations that persuade to belief, and therefore they are called "signs," and it is said "these signs shall follow them that believe." But how these signs can persuade to belief shall be briefly told. These miraculous signs, as that "they should cast out demons," "should speak with new tongues," "should take up serpents," "if they drank any deadly thing it should not hurt them," and "they should become well by the laying on of hands," were in their essence and in their origin spiritual, from which these flowed forth and came forth as effects; for they were correspondences that derived their all from the spiritual world by influx from the Lord. For instance, that "they should cast out demons in the name of the Lord" derived its effect from this, that the name of the Lord understood spiritually means everything of doctrine out of the Word from the Lord, and that "demons" mean falsities of every kind, and these are thus cast out, that is, taken away, by the doctrine out of the Word from the Lord; that "they should speak with new tongues" derives its effect from this, that "new tongues" mean doctrinals for the New Church; "they should take up serpents" was because "serpents" signify the hells in respect to malice, and thus they would be safe from infestation by it; "they would not be hurt if they drank any deadly thing" meant that they would not be contaminated by the malice of the hells; and "the infirm would become well by the laying on of hands" meant to be healed of spiritual diseases, which are called iniquities and sins, by communication and conjunction with heaven, thus with the Lord; the laying on of the hands of the disciples corresponding to communication and conjunction with the Lord, and thus to the removal of iniquities by His Divine power.

[15] In Isaiah:

Jehovah said unto Ahaz, Ask thee a sign of Jehovah, direct it into the deep, or lift it up on high. The Lord giveth you a sign, Behold, a virgin shall conceive and shall bear a son, and shall call His name God-with-us (Isaiah 7:11, 14).

This was said to Ahaz king of Judah, because the king of Syria and the king of Israel made war against him, even to Jerusalem, and they also had on their side the tribe of Ephraim, and yet they did not prevail, for the reason that "the king of Syria" here represented the external or natural of the church, "the king of Israel" its internal or spiritual, and "Ephraim" its intellectual; but here these three, the natural, the spiritual, and the intellectual, perverted, and these wished to attack the doctrine of truth, signified by "the king of Judah" and by "Jerusalem," wherefore they did not succeed. Nevertheless, in order that Ahaz might be assured of the frustration of their attempt he was told "to ask a sign," that is, an attestation that he might be assured, and the choice was granted him whether it should be from heaven or from hell; this was signified by "direct it into the deep, or lift it up on high," for the king was evil. But because "Jerusalem," which signifies the doctrine of truth from the Word, was not to be destroyed by such before the Lord's coming, there was given him, as an attestation of this, a miraculous sign, namely, that "a virgin shall conceive and shall bear a son, whose name shall be God-with-us." That this church would subsequently be destroyed is indicated further on in the same chapter.

[16] In the same:

This shall be a sign to thee from with Jehovah, behold, I will bring back the shadow of the steps which is gone down on the steps of Ahaz before the sun, ten steps backward, that the sun may return ten steps on the steps which it has gone down (Isaiah 38:7-8).

This sign was given to King Hezekiah as an attestation that the Lord would defend him and Jerusalem from the king of Assyria (as is said in the sixth verse of that chapter), Isaiah 38:6 that king signifying the perverted rational destroying all things of the church; therefore this sign represented also a New Church that was to be established by the Lord, but here that the time would be protracted beyond that indicated to Ahaz just above; "bringing back the shadow that had gone down on the steps of Ahaz before the sun" signifies a drawing back of the time before this should be done, "steps of Ahaz" signifying a time, here even until the coming of the Lord, and the "shadow" signifying the progress of time from the rising to the setting; that the shadow "should be drawn backwards ten degrees" signifies the prolongation of the time for many years still, "ten" signifying many, and the "sun" which should go back signifying the Lord's coming.

But this shall be further illustrated. The Lord's coming took place when the Jewish Church was at an end, that is, when there was no good or truth left in it; this is meant by "when iniquity was consummated," also by "the fullness of times," in which the Lord was to come. The entire period of the duration of the Jewish Church was represented by "the steps of Ahaz," its beginning by the first step there, which is when the sun is in its rising, and its end by the last when it is at its setting. This makes evident that by "the drawing back of the shadow" from the setting towards the rising means the prolongation of the time. This should take place "in the steps of Ahaz," because Ahaz was a wicked king, and profaned the holy things of the church, consequently if his successors had done the same, the end of that church would have quickly come; but as Hezekiah was an upright king the time was prolonged, for on that account the iniquity of that nation was not so soon to reach its consummation, that is, its end.

[17] In the same:

Say to King Hezekiah, This shall be the sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year that which springeth up of itself, and in the second year that which groweth of its own accord; but in the third year sow ye, reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruit thereof (Isaiah 37:30).

This was said to King Hezekiah when Sennacherib, king of Assyria, made war against him, and spoke proudly of himself and insolently of God and of Israel; in consequence of which also one hundred and eighty ⁵ thousand were smitten in his camp, and he was himself killed by his sons. This was done because "Assyria" signifies the rational, and "the king of Assyria" the like, and "Judea" the celestial of the church, and "its king" the spiritual of the church; but here "the king of Assyria" signifies the perverted rational, which destroys by false reasonings all the celestial and spiritual things of the church, which are its goods and truths. And as "Judea and its king" signify the celestial and spiritual of the church which will be from the Lord when He comes into the world, therefore these things are said by which is described the regeneration of those who will be of that church. So the sign that the first year "they shall eat that which springeth up of itself" signifies celestial good that the Lord will implant in them; "in the second year that which groweth of its own accord," signifies the truth of that good which shall come from it; "to sow, to reap, to plant vineyards, and to eat the fruit thereof," signifies all the goods and truths that flow forth therefrom, "to sow and reap" signifying the implantation of good and its reception; "to plant vineyards" the implantation of truth and its reception; and "to eat the fruits thereof" the enjoyment of good and joyous things therefrom which the regenerate man has. These things are called "a sign" because they are attestations of a celestial church with those who are meant in the spiritual sense by "Judah," whose regeneration is effected by the Lord by the implantation of celestial good, afterwards by the implantation of spiritual good, which in its essence is the truth of celestial good, and finally by multiplication and fructification in the natural man.

[18] In the same:

Thus said Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel and his Former, They have asked Me signs respecting My sons, and respecting the work of My hands they command Me. I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will make straight all his ways. He shall build My city, and he shall send forth My captivity, not for price nor reward (Isaiah 45:11, 13).

This also treats of the Lord's coming and of the establishment of a church by Him. The Lord is meant by "Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, and his Former," who is called "the Holy One of Israel" from Divine truth, and his "Former" from the establishment of the church by means of truth; and "Israel" means the church; therefore "His sons, respecting whom they asked signs," mean those who are in truths from the Lord, and "the work of His hands" means their formation, and the establishment of a church among them. "I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will make straight all His ways" signifies that Divine good and Divine truth are the Lord's, for "righteousness" is predicated in the Word of good, and "ways" signify truths that lead, here Divine truths, because they are predicated of the Lord; "he shall build My city, and he shall send forth My captivity" signifies that He will restore the doctrine of truth, and that He will deliver those who are in falsities from ignorance, "city" signifying the doctrine of truth, and "captivity" the falsities of ignorance in which the Gentiles were, and through which they were in spiritual captivity; "not for price nor reward" signifies freely given from Divine love.

[19] In the same:

Let them declare to you ⁶ the things that shall happen, declare ye the former things, that we may set our heart and may know the latter end of them; or make us to hear things to come, declare to us a sign for the future, that we may know that ye are gods (Isaiah 41:22, 23).

That to tell things past and to come belongs to the Lord alone, and not to any man or any spirit, is expressed by "declare a sign for the future, that we may know that ye are gods;" this concludes what precedes, therefore "to declare a sign" means to testify by persuading to believe.

[20] In Ezekiel:

Take to thee a pan of iron, and set it for a wall of iron between thee and the city; and thou shalt set thy faces against it, that it may be for a siege, and thou shalt lay siege to it; this shall be a sign to the house of Israel (Ezekiel 4:3).

These and the rest of the things in this chapter are representatives of the state of the church with the Jewish nation, signifying that they had no truth that was not falsified and adulterated, which in itself is falsity. Such truth is signified by "the pan of iron" that he should set for a wall between him and the city; and because this, like iron, is hard, shutting out and not admitting any genuine truth, it is said, "that it may be for a siege, and thou shalt lay siege to it;" that this sign should be a witness that the church is such is signified by "this shall be a sign to the house of Israel," "sign" meaning an attestation, and "house of Israel" the church.

[21] In David:

The adversary hath destroyed all things in the sanctuary; the adversaries have roared in the midst of Thy feast; they have set up their own signs for signs. We see not our signs; there is no more a prophet (Psalms 74:3, 4, 9).

"The adversary hath destroyed all things in the sanctuary" signifies that evil has destroyed the holy things of the church; "the adversaries have roared in the midst of Thy feast" signifies that falsities have destroyed all things of worship; "they have set up their own signs for signs" signifies that they have given attestation and persuaded by every means; "we see not our signs" signifies that no attestations of truth were accepted in the church; "there is no more a prophet" signifies no doctrine of truth.

[22] In the same:

Jehovah make a sign with me for good, that they that hate me may see and be ashamed, because Thou, O Jehovah, hast helped me and comforted me (Psalms 86:17).

"To make a sign for good" signifies attestation that Jehovah will help and comfort him, as follows, for this is the good for which Jehovah makes a sign; and because a sign is an attestation of this it is said "that they that hate me may see and be ashamed."

[23] In the same:

God who setteth fast the mountains by His power is girded with might; He maketh the tumult of the seas to cease, the tumult of its waves and the noise of the peoples, that the dwellers in the uttermost parts may fear because of Thy signs (Psalms 65:6-8).

This describes the Lord's Divine power through attestations that cause belief; but attestations that are signs are not that "He setteth fast the mountains, maketh the tumult of the seas and of its waves, and the noise of the people to cease," for these are not such signs as convince those who ascribe all things to nature; but the things meant in the spiritual sense, in which sense heaven and the church are treated of, are the signs that give attestation of the Lord's Divine power, for in that sense, the "mountains" that God setteth fast by His power mean the higher heavens, because the angels of those heavens dwell upon mountains; and in the abstract sense love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbor are meant; these are what the Lord "girded with might, setteth fast by His power," that is, makes them to stand fast forever; that "mountains" have such a signification may be seen above n. 405; "the tumult of the seas" and "the tumult of the waves" mean the disputations and reasonings of those who are beneath the heavens, and who are natural and sensual; that "seas" signify the things of the natural man, thus those who are natural, therefore their tumults and waves signify disputations and reasonings, may be seen also above n. 342. "The noise of the peoples" mean contradictions from falsities, for "peoples" signify those who are in truths, and in the contrary sense those who are in falsities (See above, n. 175, 331, 625). "That the dwellers in the uttermost parts may fear because of Thy signs" signifies holy worship from faith in regard to Divine power with those who are in the ultimates of heaven and the church; that "to fear" means to worship the Lord from charity and faith may be seen above n. 696; and that "dwellers in the uttermost parts" mean those who are in the ultimates of heaven and the church, and are in the faith of charity there, is evident, since "the uttermost parts" mean the ultimates of heaven and the church. From this it is clear that "signs" here signify attestations respecting the Lord's Divine power.

[24] In Jeremiah:

This shall be the sign unto you that I will visit upon you in this place, that ye may know that My words shall stand against you for evil. Behold, I give the king of Egypt into the hand of his adversaries and into the hand of them that seek his soul (Jeremiah 44:29, 30).

This treats of those of the church who have become natural, who are meant by those who sojourned in Egypt and returned therefrom. That such would be destroyed by evils and falsities is meant by "He will give the king of Egypt into the hand of his adversaries and into the hand of them that seek his soul," "adversaries" here meaning those who are in evils, and "them that seek the soul" those who are in falsities, thus in an abstract sense evils and falsities (that "Egypt" means the natural man see above, n. 654.

This is called a "sign," because it is an attestation that this will be done; therefore it is added, "that ye may know that my words shall stand against you for evil."

[25] That a "sign" means attestation of certainty is evident from the following passages. In Isaiah:

Hezekiah said, What is the sign that I am to go up into the house of Jehovah? (Isaiah 38:22)

In the book of Judges:

Gideon said to the angel of Jehovah, Show me a sign that it is thou that speakest to me; and the sign was, that when he touched with the staff the flesh and unleavened bread which Gideon had offered, a fire went up out of the rock and consumed them (Judges 6:17, 21).

In the first book of Samuel:

This shall be the sign unto thee that shall come upon thy two sons, in one day they shall die, both of them (1 Samuel 2:34).

If the Philistines say, Come up unto us, then will we go up, for Jehovah hath given them into our hand; this shall be the sign unto us (1 Samuel 14:10).

Nearly the same is signified by:

The signs of the covenant (Genesis 9:13; 17:11; Ezekiel 20:12, 20; and elsewhere);

namely, attestations respecting conjunction.

[26] Attestations are signified also by "signs" wrought by the evil that appeared like miracles, as in the following passages. In Isaiah:

Jehovah maketh void the signs of the liars, He rendereth the diviners mad, He turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge stupid (Isaiah 44:25).

In Jeremiah:

Jehovah hath said, Learn not the way of the nations, and be not dismayed at the signs of the heavens; for the nations are dismayed at them. The statutes of the nations ⁷ are vanity (Jeremiah 10:2, 3).

In Revelation:

The beast coming up out of the earth did great signs, so that he even maketh fire to come down from heaven unto the earth before men, and seduceth them that worship ⁸ upon the earth, because of the signs that were given him to do (Revelation 13:13, 14).

They are the spirits of demons doing signs to go forth unto the kings of the earth, to gather them together unto the war of that great day (Revelation 16:14).

And again:

The beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that did signs before him, by which he seduced them that had received the mark of the beast (Revelation 19:20).

But what is meant by "signs upon the hand and in the forehead" may be seen above n. 427. Again, the "signs" that were set upon mountains to gather the people together to war, to battle, and so on, signified indications to do the things commanded. As in Isaiah:

It shall be in that day that the root of Jesse, which standeth for an ensign of the peoples, the nations shall seek, and his rest shall be glory. When he shall lift up an ensign to the nations, and shall gather together the outcasts of Israel and the dispersed of Judah from the four winds of the earth (Isaiah 11:10-12).

In Jeremiah:

Set thee up signs, place for thee columns, set thine heart to the highway, the way thou mayest go (Jeremiah 31:21).

In the same:

Declare ye among the nations, and make to be heard, and lift up an ensign; Babylon is taken (Jeremiah 50:2).

Lift up an ensign against the walls of Babylon, keep the watch, set the watchmen. Lift up an ensign in the land, sound the trumpet among the nations (Jeremiah 51:12, 27);

and elsewhere, especially in the historical parts of the Word. From all these passages quoted from the Word it is clear that "a great sign seen in heaven" signifies Divine manifestation and attestation (as also in the third verse of this chapter, an (Revelation 12:3) d afterwards in chap. Revelation 15:1).

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502. Verse 7 (Revelation 8:7). And the first angel sounded, signifies influx out of heaven, and in consequence the first change. This is evident from the signification of "sounding a trumpet," as being the influx of Divine truth out of heaven; and as the first change resulting therefrom is now described, this also is what is signified. "To sound a trumpet" signifies the influx of Divine truth out of heaven, because when Divine truth flows down out of heaven it is sometimes heard in the spiritual world as the sound of a horn or as the blast of a trumpet, and also to those who stand below there appear as it were angels having trumpets; but these are representations and appearances, such as exist below the heavens, for it is Divine truth descending or flowing down out of heaven towards the lower parts that is thus represented. This is why "to sound a trumpet" signifies the flowing down of Divine truth out of heaven.

[2] When this flowing down is strong it produces one effect with the good and another with the evil. With the good it illustrates the understanding, joins them more closely with heaven, and thence gladdens and vivifies their minds; but with the evil it disturbs the understanding, separates them from heaven, joins them more closely with hell, induces terror in their minds, and finally brings spiritual death. This makes clear that "sounding a trumpet" signifies, in its effect, the revelation and manifestation of Divine truth (See above, n. 55, 262); and in the contrary sense the deprivation of truth and desolation. Since it is here said that the angels sounded seven times, it is necessary to show from the Word what "to sound" signifies, and thence why it is said "the angel sounded."

[3] That "to sound trumpets" and "horns" signifies revelation and manifestation of Divine truth, is evident from the sound of a trumpet that was heard when Jehovah descended upon Mount Sinai and promulgated the Law, which is thus described in Moses:

And it came to pass on the third day when it was becoming morning, that there were voices and lightnings, and a heavy cloud upon the mount (Sinai), and the voice of a horn exceeding strong; and all the people that were in the camp trembled; when Jehovah descended upon it in fire. And the voice of the horn went on and became exceeding strong. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Go down, testify to the people lest they break through unto Jehovah to see, and many of them fall (Exodus 19:16-25).

The "Law" that was then promulgated signifies Divine truth; the "voice of a horn" represented its flowing down out of heaven and its manifestation; "the voice of the horn going on and becoming exceeding strong" represented the increase of this influx in approaching the lower parts, for it is said that "the people stood in the lower parts of the mount;" that "the people trembled exceedingly," and were admonished "not to approach nearer to the mountain lest they perish," signifies the effect of the flowing down of Divine truth with such as the sons of Jacob were. That interiorly they were utterly evil is evident from their worship of the calf after a month of days; moreover, if they had not stood afar off they would have perished, consequently they were in terror of death.

[4] "To sound horns" and "trumpets" represented and thus signified Divine truth coming down and flowing in out of heaven, as can be seen from the institution and use of trumpets among the sons of Israel. For it was commanded:

That trumpets should be made of silver, and that the sons of Aaron should sound them for convocations, for journeyings, on days of gladness, on feast days, in the beginnings of months, over sacrifices, for a memorial, and for battle (Numbers 10:1-10).

They were made of silver, because "silver" signifies truth from good, thus Divine truth. (That "silver" has this signification, see Arcana Coelestia 1551, 1552, 2954, 5658.) The "sons of Aaron sounded them," because Aaron himself as chief priest represented the Lord in relation to Divine good, and his sons the Lord in relation to Divine truth (See Arcana Coelestia 9806, 9807, 9966, 10017). They were sounded for convocations and journeyings, because Divine truth is what calls together, gathers together, teaches the way, and leads. They were sounded on days of gladness, at feasts, in the beginnings of months, and over sacrifices, because Divine truth coming down out of heaven produces gladness and the holiness of worship. They were sounded for wars and for battle to signify that with the evil, who are the "enemies" in the Word, Divine truth flowing down out of heaven produces the terror of death, puts to flight, and disperses; in this sense, and because of this effect, it is here said that "the seven angels sounded" in their order.

[5] Because it was commanded that they should sound trumpets for convocations, it is said by the Lord in Malachi:

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 the heavens to the other end (Matthew 24:31).

Here "angels with a great sound of a trumpet" signify the Divine truth that is to be revealed when the age is consummated, that is, when the church shall come to an end.

[6] In Isaiah:

In that day a great horn shall sound, and those perishing in the land of Assyria shall come, and the outcasts from the land of Egypt, and shall bow down to Jehovah in the mountain of holiness, at Jerusalem (Isaiah 27:13).

This is said of the Lord's coming; a convocation to the church and salvation by the Lord are signified by "In that day a great horn shall sound, and those perishing in the land of Assyria shall come, and the outcasts from the land of Egypt;" "to sound a horn" signifies Divine truth calling together and saving; "those perishing in the land of Assyria" mean those who are deceived by false reasonings, and "the outcasts from the land of Egypt" those who are deceived by knowledges (scientifica), thus the Gentiles that were in falsities from ignorance of the truth; that these shall worship the Lord from love and in truth is signified by "they shall bow down to Jehovah in the mountain of holiness, at Jerusalem;" "mountain of holiness" signifying the church in respect to the good of love, consequently also the good of love of the church, and "Jerusalem" signifying the church in respect to the truth of doctrine, consequently the truth of doctrine of the church. From this it is evident that "to sound with a horn" signifies Divine truth coming down out of heaven.

[7] Because Divine truth coming down from the Lord through the heavens makes the hearts glad and infuses the holiness of worship, and therefore trumpets were sounded on days of gladness and at the feasts, therefore it is said in David:

Sing unto Jehovah with the harp; with the harp and the voice of a psalm, with trumpets and the sound of a horn sound before the King Jehovah (Psalms 98:5, 6).

In Zephaniah:

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

This is said of the establishment of the church by the Lord; "trumpets," "sound of the horn," and "sounding," signify joy on account of Divine truth coming down out of heaven. In Job:

When the morning stars sang, and all the sons of God shouted [sounded] (Job 38:7).

This is said of the state of the church in its beginning; and "stars" signify the knowledges of truth and good, and "the sons of God" Divine truths; the joy of these, that is, of men because of these, is signified by their "singing and sounding."

[8] In David:

Praise God with the sound of the horn (Psalms 150:3).

In the same:

Blessed is that people who know the trumpet sound; they shall walk, O Jehovah, in the light of Thy face (Psalms 89:15).

"The sound of the horn" signifies Divine truth making the heart glad, therefore it is also said, "in the light of Thy face," which signifies Divine truth. That "the voices of the horn" and "sounds of trumpets" signify Divine truth coming down out of heaven, and terrifying the evil and dispersing them, as here in Revelation "the trumpets" with which the seven angels sounded, is evident in Isaiah:

Jehovah shall go forth as a hero, ¹ He shall stir up zeal like a man of war, He shall shout [sound] and shall cry out, He shall prevail over His enemies (Isaiah 42:13);

"enemies" meaning the evil. In Joel:

Blow ye with the horn in Zion, and sound in the mountain of My holiness; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of Jehovah cometh, a day of darkness and of thick darkness (Joel 2:1, 2).

"The day of Jehovah" is the coming of the Lord, when also the Last Judgment takes place on the evil.

[9] In Zechariah:

Jehovah shall be seen over them, and His arrow shall go forth as lightning; and the Lord Jehovih shall blow the horn, and shall go with the tempests of the south (Zechariah 9:14).

This, too, refers to the Lord's coming, when the evil are to perish; "to blow the horn" signifies to disperse by means of Divine truth; "the arrow shall go forth as lightning" signifies truth dispersing and destroying. "To blow the horn" has the same signification in Jeremiah 51:27; Hosea 5:8-9.

[10] Because the evil, where they are gathered together in the spiritual world, are deprived by the influx of Divine good and Divine truth of the truths and goods they have simulated in externals, and are let into their evils and falsities which they have inwardly cherished, and are thus separated from the good and cast down into the hells, and because when this takes place there are heard by those at a distance as it were horns and trumpets sounding, as has been said above repeatedly, so with the horns of Israel it was on this account commanded that they should sound with the trumpets for battle; and we read that this was done by Phinehas and by Gideon, in their combats against the Midianites and also at the taking of Jericho. It is said of Phinehas in Moses:

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 all the males and their kings (Numbers 31:1-8).

[11] Of Gideon it is said in the book of Judges:

That he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and put a horn in the hand of everyone, and empty pitchers and torches in the midst of the pitchers; and he said, When I blow the horn, I and all that are with me, blow ye also the horn about the whole camp. And when they blew the horns Jehovah set the sword of a man against his companion and against the whole camp, and the Midianites fled (Judges 7:16-22).

And of Jericho when it was taken, in Joshua:

It was commanded that seven priests should bear seven jubilee horns before the ark, and should go round the city six days, once each day, and on the seventh day they should go round the city seven times, and blow the horns; and when the people in Jericho heard the voice of the horn and the shoutings of the people, the wall of the city fell down under itself, and the people went up into the city and took it (Joshua 6:1-20).

These things represented the overcoming of the evil in the spiritual world, which is effected by Divine truth out of heaven, which is heard there when it flows down as a horn sounding, as was said above. All the miracles related in the Word were representative and thence significative of things Divine in the heavens; therefore the effect of the sound of horns against enemies on earth was like the effect against the evil in the spiritual world; for in the Word "enemies" represented and thence signified the evil, "the Midianites" those who are in the falsities of evil, and the city "Jericho" here the falsification of the knowledges of truth.

[12] From this the signification can be seen of the following in Jeremiah:

Sound against Babylon round about; she hath given her hand; her foundations are fallen, her walls are torn down (Jeremiah 50:15).

And in Zephaniah:

A day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and of thick darkness, a day of cloud and of gloominess, a day of the horn and of sounding upon the fenced cities, and upon the high corners (Zephaniah 1:15, 16).

From this it can now be seen what is signified by "the seven angels sounded the trumpets," and that such effects result therefrom as are here described; and thus that "to sound trumpets" signifies influx of Divine truth out of heaven, and the changes thence arising; for this and the following chapters of Revelation treat of the state of the church in the spiritual world before the judgment, and of the dispersion and casting into hell of the evil.

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