429. And I heard the number of them that were sealed.- That this signifies the quality of those who are in good, and separated from the evil, is evident from the signification of number, which denotes the quality of the thing treated of, with which signification we shall deal presently; and from the signification of the sealed, as denoting those who are in good, distinct and separate from others. Concerning which signification see just above (n. 427:1).

Number and measure are mentioned in many places in the Word, and it is supposed that nothing more is meant by these than number and measure; but by number and measure in the spiritual sense is meant the quality of the thing treated of. The quality itself is determined by the numbers expressed, as in this place by a hundred and forty and four thousand, and afterwards by twelve thousand out of every tribe. The signification of these numbers shall therefore be explained in the following article. The reason why number signifies the quality of the thing treated of, is that the Word is spiritual, and consequently every detail contained in it is spiritual, and spiritual things are not numbered and measured, but yet they fall into numbers and measures when they [descend] out of the spiritual world, or out of heaven, where angels are, into the natural world or earth, where men are; and similarly, when they pass out of the spiritual sense of the Word in which angels are, into the natural sense of the Word in which men are. The natural sense of the Word is the sense of its letter. This is the reason that in this sense there are numbers, and that they signify spiritual things, or such as relate to heaven and the church. It has been often shown me that the spiritual things of heaven, such as those which the angels think and speak, also fall into numbers. When they were conversing, their discourse fell into pure numbers, and these were seen upon paper; they afterwards said that it was their discourse which had fallen into numbers, and that those numbers in a series contained everything they uttered. I was also instructed as to their signification, and how they were to be understood; upon this subject we shall have frequent occasion to speak in the following pages. But concerning writings from heaven in pure numbers, see Heaven and Hell 263). That all numbers in the Word signify things pertaining to heaven and the church, see also above (n. 203, 336).

351. (Verse 1) And I saw. That this signifies the manifestation of the states of those who belong to the church where the Word is, is clear from the things seen by John, treated of in this chapter, and in those immediately following, as denoting manifestations of the state of those who belong to the church, where the Word is. For the opening of the seals of the book which was in the Lord's hand is treated of, and the things which were then seen, which were four horses, one white, another red, the third black, and the fourth pale, and afterwards the souls of those that were slain for the Word of God, also an earthquake, and at length seven angels who had seven trumpets. By all these things are signified manifestations of the state of those who belong to the church, as is evident from the particulars viewed in the internal sense. It is said, the church where the Word is, because the Lord's church is in the whole earth, but specifically where the Word is, and where the Lord is thereby known. The state of those who belong to this church, is especially treated of in this prophetic book, here in general, but afterwards specifically. The reason why this church is especially treated of is, because the presence of the Lord, and thence of the angels of heaven, with the men of this earth, is by the Word, for this is written by pure correspondences; hence it is, that the presence of the Lord and of the angels of heaven, is also with those who are around or outside, and who are called Gentiles. (This is evident from those things that are mentioned and shown in the work on Heaven and Hell, concerning the conjunction of heaven with the man of the church, by the Word, n. 114, 303-310; and in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 244, 246, 255-266.)

[2] For the church in the whole earth appears before the Lord as one man, for it makes one with the angelic heaven. (That it appears before the Lord as one man, may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 59-102.) In this man, the church, where the Word is, and whereby the Lord is known, is like the heart and like the lungs. With those who are in celestial love, the church is like the heart; and with those who are in spiritual love, like the lungs; therefore, as all the members, viscera, and organs of the body live from the heart and from the lungs, and from their influx and thence presence, thus also all in the whole earth, those who constitute the universal church, [live] from the church where the Word is; for thence the Lord flows in with love and with light, and vivifies and enlightens all who are in any spiritual affection of truth, wherever they are. The light of heaven, or the light in which the angels of heaven are, who are from this earth, is from the Lord by means of the Word; thence light is shed forth as from the midst into the circumferences in every direction, thus to those who are there, who, as stated, are the Gentiles who are outside our church. But this shedding forth of light takes place in heaven from the Lord, and what is done in heaven also flows into the minds of men, for the minds of men make one with the minds of spirits and angels. Now this is the reason why, in this prophetical book, those are especially treated of who belong to the church where the Word is; those also are then treated of who belong to the church where the Word is not, although not proximately; for the arrangement of those who are around, is according to the order in which those are who are in the midst.