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.

493. That he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which is before the throne, signifies the conjunction of the heavens with those who are to be separated from the evil and saved. This is evident from the signification of "offering incense with prayers," as being to conjoin the good of the higher heavens by means of truths with those who are in worship from spiritual good (of which presently); also from the signification of "all the saints," as being those who are in good by means of truths, thus who are in spiritual good; that these are called "saints" may be seen above n. 204; again, from the signification of "the golden altar," as being the heaven where there is spiritual good, for the altar upon which incense was offered was called "the golden altar;" again, from the signification of "before the throne," as being conjunction with heaven, "to be before the throne" signifies that conjunction, as may be seen above (n. 462, 477, 489).

[2] That these words signify the conjunction of the heavens with those who are to be separated from the evil and saved, can be seen from the series of things in the internal sense, and from the connection of what goes before with what is now said and with what follows, and also from the signification of the words in the internal sense. For this and the following chapters treat of the last state of the church, or its state when its end has come and the judgment is at hand; but before this state is described, the separation of those who were to be saved is treated of, who are all such as are meant by "those sealed on their foreheads," and by "those clothed in white robes" who were treated of in the preceding chapter. Because these were at that time associated in societies with those who were to be damned, in this chapter the means by which they were separated and saved are described, namely, that the higher heavens were first closely conjoined with the Lord by Divine influx into celestial good, and through that into spiritual good, and afterwards by Divine influx through these goods, conjoined into one, into the lower regions where those who were to be saved and those who were to be damned were together in societies. This influx of the Lord out of the higher heavens was received by those who in the world had lived in good, for that good continued with them, therefore by means of that good they were conjoined to the higher heavens, and thus separated from those who were unable to receive the influx, because they had not lived in good but in evil while they were in the world.

[3] This also is what is meant by the Lord's words in the Gospels:

Then shall two men be in the field, one shall be taken, the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding, one shall be taken, the other shall be left (Matthew 24:40, 41; Luke 17:34-36).

This is the series of things in the internal sense, and the connection of those that precede with what is now said and with what follows (respecting which see more, n. 413, 418, 419, 426, 489). From this it can now be seen what the spiritual sense is of these words, "that he should offer the incense with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which is before the throne," namely, the conjunction of the higher heavens with those who were to be separated from the evil and saved. The "prayers" with which the incense was to be offered do not mean prayers, but truths from good, by means of which prayers are offered; for truths with man are what pray, and man is continually in such prayers when he lives according to truths. (That "prayers" mean in the Word truths from good which are with man, and not prayers of the mouth, may be seen above, n. 325)