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, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads." And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun," signifies the Divine Love going forth from the Lord; "having the seal of the living God," signifies the Divine Will; "and he cried with a great voice," signifies Divine command: "to the four angels to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea," signifies that influx was not permitted so far as to become powerful; "saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees," signifies lest the good perish everywhere with the evil; "till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads," signifies that they who are in truths from good must be first separated.

6526. 'And the whole house of Joseph' means aspects of the celestial of the spiritual. This is clear from the representation of 'Joseph' as the celestial of the spiritual, dealt with in 4286, 4592, 4963, 5307, 5331, 5332; consequently aspects of the celestial of the spiritual are meant by 'the house of Joseph'.