851. And with Him a hundred forty-four thousand, signifies according to truths in the whole complex. This is evident from the signification of a "hundred forty-four thousand," as being truths in the whole complex (See above n. 430. These words of the Lord to His twelve disciples have a like signification:

Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that ye that have followed Me in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of His glory ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28).

This does not mean that the twelve disciples were to sit upon twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel, but it means that the Lord is to judge all according to truths from good, which are from Him, for "the twelve disciples" signify all who are of the church, and in an abstract sense all things of the church, which are truths from good. (But this may be seen explained above, n. 9, 206, 253, 270, 297, 430).

[2] "Elders and princes" have a like signification in Isaiah:

Jehovah hath stood up to plead, and standeth to judge the peoples. Jehovah will come to judgment with the elders of His people and the princes thereof (Isaiah 3:13, 14).

"The elders of the people and the princes thereof" have a similar signification as the twelve disciples, namely, all belonging to the church who are in its truths and goods, and in an abstract sense the truths and goods of the church in the whole complex. (That this is the signification of "elders" see above, n. 270; also of "princes," n. 29, 408).

[3] "A hundred forty-four thousand" means truths in the whole complex, because that number has a similar signification as the number "twelve" and "twelve" signifies truths and goods in the whole complex. "A hundred forty-four thousand" has a similar signification as twelve because composite numbers have a similar signification as the simple numbers from which they arise by multiplication; and the number one hundred forty-four arises from the multiplication of twelve by twelve. Again, one hundred forty-four thousand has a similar signification as one hundred forty-four. But on this see many things that were said in the explanation of the seventh chapter, which treats of the twelve thousand sealed out of each tribe, and the one hundred forty-four thousand sealed out of all the tribes together.

776. And ten horns, signifies much power. This is evident from what has been stated above n. 716, where "the dragon" that had "ten horns" was treated of. That much power which is attributed to the dragon and to this beast, is represented in the spiritual world by horns, and was therefore representatively exhibited to John as horns upon the beast of the dragon, is the power of reasonings by fallacies, thus by falsities, from the natural man. Such reasonings indeed have no real power in themselves, for all power belongs to truths; nevertheless, falsities from the fallacies of the senses and reasonings from these do have much power with men on earth before they are in truths from good, that is, before they have been regenerated by the Lord. For man from birth is in evils, and also in falsities therefrom; since falsities gush forth from evils like impure waters from an impure fountain; and those falsities when confirmed by reasonings from the fallacies of the senses appear like truths. And as man is from birth in falsities from evils he easily appropriates, acknowledges, and believes them, for they are in agreement with his first natural light and with the heat of that light, which is from the fire of the love of self or of the love of the world. And since man is easily, and as it were spontaneously, carried away to believe such things, and is thus misled, therefore much power is attributed here to the beast, and above to the dragon. But over the man who is in truths from good, or over one who is regenerated by the Lord, they have no power; and in every case they have less power in proportion as truths are multiplied with man, and finally none at all; for, as has been said above, all power is in truths from good, consequently there is none in falsities from evil.

[2] This may be confirmed by what is seen and perceived in the spiritual world. In certain places there those who are in falsities are continually contending with those who are like them and with those who are unlike them; and it was seen that the evil conquered by means of falsities, and drew a great many over to their side. When I wondered at this it was said and perceived that falsities have power over those who are in falsities; for it was observed that those who were conquered and thus drawn over were equally in falsities; and conversely, that falsities have no power over those who are in truths. It was further seen that those who were in falsities fought also with those who were in truths, and conquered them also; but still it was perceived that these were not in truths from good, but in truths without good. But when those who are in falsities fight against those who are in truths from good they have no effect whatever; they are like chaff in the air, that is dispersed and scattered in every direction by a man's breath, with no power of resistance. Thence it is clear why the evil are sometimes called in the Word "mighty and powerful." From this it is now evident why "ten horns" were seen upon the head of the dragon and upon the head of this beast, and likewise upon the head of the scarlet beast (Revelation 17:3).