50. What the Most Ancient Church understood by 'the image of the Lord' exceeds everything one can say about it. Man is totally unaware of the fact that the Lord is governing him by means of angels and spirits, and that at least two spirits and two angels are present with everyone. By means of the spirits he is in communication with the world of spirits, and by means of the angels with heaven. Without this communication with the world of spirits by means of the spirits, and with heaven by means of the angels, and so by means of heaven with the Lord, a person cannot exist at all. His entire life depends upon that link, and if the spirits and angels were to withdraw he would perish instantly.

[2] As long as a person remains unregenerate he is governed in an entirely different way from when he is regenerate. As long as he is unregenerate, evil spirits reside with him, who have such dominion over him that angels, though present, can accomplish little more than simply distract him from plunging into utter evil and so divert him towards something good. Indeed they use his own unregenerate desires to divert him towards good, and his illusions of the senses to do so towards truth. At that point he is in communication with the world of spirits by means of the spirits who reside with him, but not in the same way with heaven, for the reason that evil spirits have dominion and angels simply forestall them.

[3] When however he is regenerate it is the angels who then have dominion, and they breathe into him every kind of good and truth, as well as a horror and dread of evils and falsifies. Angels do indeed lead, yet they are but servants, for it is the Lord alone who, by means of angels and spirits, governs a person. Now because this is done through the ministry of angels, it is said here, in the plural first of all, 'Let Us make man in Our image'. Yet because it is still He alone who rules and disposes, it is said in the following verse, in the singular, 'God created him in His image'. This the Lord also states plainly in Isaiah,

Thus said Jehovah, your Redeemer, He who formed you from the womb, I Jehovah make all things, stretching out the heavens Alone, spreading out the earth by Myself. Isaiah 44:24.

Angels themselves also profess that no power at all resides with themselves but that they act from the Lord alone.

602. And when he cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.- That this signifies instruction out of heaven and perception concerning the last state of the church, is evident from the signification of uttering voices, as denoting to instruct, in the present case, to instruct out of heaven, because it is said that the seven thunders uttered; and from the signification of the seven thunders, as denoting the Divine Truth as to understanding and perception (see above, n. 273). The thunders are said to be seven, because seven signifies all things, and what is full, and is used when things holy are treated of (see above, n. 20, 24, 257, 300). The reason why it relates to the last state of the church, concerning which John was instructed out of heaven by voices like thunder, is, that that state is treated of in the present chapter, as is evident from these words (in verse 7): "In the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God shall also be consummated; as he hath declared in good tidings to his servants the prophets." And that [Divine Truth] shall still be taught in the church, before that state, which is the end, shall come, is meant by the last words of this chapter, "Thou must prophesy again over peoples, and nations, and tongues, and many kings" (verse 11). It is evident from these things, that by the seven thunders uttered their voices is signified instruction out of heaven, and perception, concerning the last state of the church.