574. And I heard the number of them, signifies their quality perceived. This is evident from the signification of "to hear," as being to perceive (See above, n. 14, 529); also from the signification of "number," as being the quality of the thing treated of (See above, n. 429); here the quality of the falsities of evil conspiring against the truths of good, from which falsities and in favor of which are the reasonings of the sensual man, which are signified by "the number of the armies of the horsemen" (of which just above). But the quality of these is further described in the next verse in these words, "And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and those that sat on them, having breast-plates fiery, and hyacinthine, and brimstone-like; and the heads of the horses as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceeded fire, and smoke, and brimstone." These words describe the quality here signified by "number." Something of number may seem to be meant here by "number," but in the spiritual world there are no numbers, for spaces and times there are not measured and determined by numbers as in the natural world, therefore all numbers in the Word signify things, and the number itself signifies the quality of the thing (See above, n. 203, 336, 429, 430; and in the work on Heaven and Hell 263).

203. Verse 7. And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, signifies those of the church who are in the faith of charity. This is evident from the things written to the angel of this church understood in the internal sense, for (as was said above, n. 20) the "seven churches" mean, not seven churches, but all persons whatever who are of the church, or all things whatsoever with man that constitute the church; for "seven" in the Word means all persons and all things; for every number in the Word signifies something either of thing or state, as can be most plainly seen in this prophetic book, in which numbers are so frequently mentioned; and also in Ezekiel (chap. 40-48), where the new temple and the new earth are described, which is done by measurements given in numbers. The "new temple" and "new earth," here mean a new church, and each measurement or each number signifies something pertaining to the church. (That all numbers in the Word signify things and states, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 263.)