494. Verse 4. And the smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints ascended out of the angel's hand before God, signifies the conjunction of all with the Lord. This is evident from the signification of "the smoke of the incense" as being the truths of spiritual good (of which presently); also from the signification of "the prayers of the saints," as being truths from good with those who were to be separated from the evil and saved (of which above, n. 493; also from the signification of this "angel" as being heaven (as above, n. 490; therefore "out of the hand of the angel" means by means of heaven; also from the signification of "before God," as being to be conjoined with the Lord (See above, n. 462, 477, 488); therefore "the smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints ascended out of the angel's hand before God" signifies the conjunction of all with the Lord effected by means of heaven. "The smoke of the incense" signifies truths from spiritual good, because "frankincense," from which the smoke came, signified spiritual good, and the "fire" with which the frankincense was kindled signified celestial good; thence the "smoke" ascending therefrom signifies truth from good, for all truth proceeds from good. This is why "smoke" became representative; "the smoke of the incense," which was agreeable from its fragrance and sweet odor, was a representative of truth from good; for "fragrance and sweet odor" signify what is agreeable and acceptable (See above, n. 324). "Smoke" has a similar signification in Moses:

The sons of Levi put smoke in Thy nostrils, and a whole burnt-offering upon Thine altar (Deuteronomy 33:10).

"The sons of Levi" mean those who are in truths of spiritual good; these truths are signified by "smoke," and celestial good is signified by "the whole burnt-offering." The smoke of incense is also called "a cloud of incense" (Ezekiel 8:11). Thence also "smoke" in the contrary sense signifies falsity from evil (in Isaiah 34:10; Joel 2:30; Nahum 2:13; Psalms 18:8; 37:20), because the fire that makes such smoke signifies the evil of love.

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)