569. Loose the four angels bound at the great river Euphrates, signifies the reasonings from fallacies pertaining to the sensual man, not before accepted. This is evident from the signification of "the angels at the river Euphrates," as being reasonings from the fallacies pertaining to the sensual man (of which presently); and because reasonings from such fallacies were not before accepted in the church these angels are said to be "bound" at that river, and they are said to be "four" because of the conjunction of falsity with evil, for this number signifies in the Word the conjunction of good and truth, and in the contrary sense, as here, the conjunction of evil and falsity (See above, n. 283, 384, 532). What precedes treats of the sensual man who is in the falsities of evil, and of the effect of the persuasions in which the sensual man is; therefore what now follows treats of the reasonings from the sensual. And because the sensual reasons only from such things as stand forth before the senses in the world, whenever it reasons respecting spiritual things, that is, the things of heaven and of the church, it reasons from fallacies, which are called the fallacies of the senses; therefore it is said here reasonings from the fallacies pertaining to the sensual man. But respecting these fallacies and reasoning from them more will be said in what follows.

[2] Here the state of the church at its very end is treated of, which is the state when the men of the church, having become sensual, reason from the fallacies of the senses; and when they reason from these respecting the things of heaven and the church they believe nothing at all because they understand nothing. It is known in the church that the natural man does not perceive the things of heaven unless the Lord flows in and enlightens, which influx is through the spiritual man; much less does the sensual man perceive these, for the sensual is the ultimate natural, to which the things of heaven, which are called spiritual things, are altogether in thick darkness. Genuine reasonings respecting spiritual things spring from the influx of heaven into the spiritual man, and thence through the rational into the knowledges and cognitions which are in the natural man, by means of which the spiritual man confirms himself. This way of reasoning respecting spiritual things is according to order. But reasonings about spiritual things that come from the natural man, and still more those that come from the sensual man, are entirely contrary to order; for the natural man cannot flow into the spiritual man and see anything there from itself, still less can the sensual man, since there is no physical influx; but the spiritual man can flow into the natural and from that into the sensual, since there is spiritual influx. (But on this see further in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 51, 277, 278.)

[3] From this what is meant by the things that now follow can be seen, namely, that at the very end of the church man speaks and reasons respecting spiritual things, or the things of heaven and the church, from the corporeal-sensual and thus from the fallacies of the senses; although therefore man then speaks in favor of Divine things he does not think in favor of them; for a man is able to speak in one way from the body while thinking in another way in his spirit; and while the spirit which thinks from the corporeal-sensual is unable to think in any other way than against Divine things, nevertheless from the corporeal-sensual it is able to speak in favor of them, and this especially for the reason that Divine things are to him the means of acquiring honor and gain. Every man has two memories, a natural memory and a spiritual memory, and he is able to think from either, from the natural memory when he is speaking with men in the world, but from the spiritual memory when he is speaking from the spirit; but man rarely speaks from the spirit with another, from the spirit he speaks only with himself, which is thinking. They who are sensual men are unable to speak with themselves from their spirit, or to think, in any other way than in favor of nature, consequently in favor of things corporeal and worldly, for the sensual man thinks from the sensual, and not from the spiritual; indeed, he is wholly ignorant of what the spiritual is, because he has closed the spiritual mind in himself, into which heaven flows with its light.

[4] But let us go on to explain these words, that "a voice was heard from the horns of the golden altar, saying to the sixth angel that he should loose the four angels bound at the river Euphrates." "The river Euphrates" signifies the rational, and thence also reasoning; this is the signification of this river because it divided Assyria from the land of Canaan, and "Assyria" or "Asshur" signifies the rational, and "the land of Canaan" the spiritual. There were three rivers, besides the sea, that were boundaries of the land of Canaan, namely, the river of Egypt, the river Euphrates, and the river Jordan. "The river of Egypt" signified the knowledge [scientia] of the natural man; "the river Euphrates" signified the rational which is in man from knowledges and cognitions; and "the river Jordan" signifies entrance into the internal or spiritual church; for "the regions beyond Jordan," where the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh had their inheritances allotted them, signified the external or natural church, and because that river was between those regions and the land of Canaan, and through it was the passage from one to the other, it signified entrance from the external church, which is natural, into the internal church which is spiritual. It was for this reason that baptism was there instituted, for baptism represented the regeneration of man, whereby the natural man is introduced into the church and becomes spiritual.

[5] This explains what these three rivers signify in the Word. All those places also outside of the land of Canaan signified such things as belong to the natural man, while those within the land of Canaan signified such things as belong to the spiritual man, thus the things of heaven and the church. Therefore the two rivers, "the river of Egypt" (or the Nile), and "the river of Assyria" (or the Euphrates), signified the terminations of the church, and also the introductions into the church. Moreover, cognitions and knowledges which are signified by "the river of Egypt," are what introduce, for without cognitions and knowledges no one can be introduced into the church nor perceive the things that belong to the church; for the spiritual man sees its spiritual things in knowledges [scientiae] by means of the rational, as man sees himself in a mirror, and recognizes himself in them, that is, its truths and goods, and moreover confirms its spiritual things by means of cognitions and knowledges, both those known from the Word and those known from the world.

[6] But "the river of Assyria" (or the Euphrates) signifies the rational, because man by the rational is introduced into the church. By the rational is meant the thought of the natural man from cognitions and knowledges, for a man who is imbued with knowledges [scientiae] is able to see things in series, that is, from first and mediate things to see the last, which is called the conclusion, and can therefore analytically arrange, turn over, separate, conjoin, and at length conclude things, even to a further end, and at length to the final end; which is the use that he loves. This, then, is the rational which is given to every man according to uses, which are the ends that he loves. Since everyone's rational comes into accord with the uses of his love, therefore it is the interior thought of the natural man from the influx of the light of heaven; and as man through rational thought is introduced into spiritual thought and becomes a church, so that river signifies the natural ¹ which introduces.

[7] It is one thing to be rational, and another to be spiritual; every spiritual man is also rational, but the rational man is not always spiritual, since the rational is in the natural man, that is, is its thought, while the spiritual is above the rational, and through the rational passes into the natural, into the cognitions and knowledges of its memory.

[8] But it is to be known that the rational does not introduce anyone into the spiritual, but it is only said to do so because such is the appearance; for the spiritual flows into the natural through the rational as a medium, and in this way it introduces. For the spiritual is the inflowing Divine, since it is the light of heaven, which is the Divine truth proceeding, and this light through the higher mind, which is called the spiritual mind, flows into the lower mind, which is called the natural mind, and conjoins this to itself, and through that conjunction causes the natural mind to make one with the spiritual; thus introduction is effected. Since it is contrary to Divine order for man to enter through his rational into the spiritual, therefore in the spiritual world there are angel guards to prevent this from taking place. This makes evident the signification of "the four angels bound at the river Euphrates," and afterwards the signification of "loosing" them. "The angels bound at the river Euphrates" signify the guard against man's natural entering into the spiritual things of heaven and the church, for thence would result nothing but errors and heresies, and at length denial.

[9] Moreover, in the spiritual world there are ways that lead to hell and ways that lead to heaven; also ways that lead from spiritual things to natural and thus to sensual things; and in those ways there are also guards lest anyone should go in the opposite direction, for thus he would fall into heresies and errors, as has just been said. These guards are set by the Lord at the beginning of the establishment of a church, and are also maintained, lest the man of the church from his own reason or his own understanding should invade the Divine things of the Word and thence of the church. But at the end, when the men of the church are no longer spiritual but are natural, and many are merely sensual, and thus there is no way open with the man of the church from the spiritual man into the natural, then these guards are removed and the ways are opened, and in these opened ways they advance in a contrary order, which is done by reasonings from fallacies. Thus ² it is that the man of the church speaks in favor of Divine things with the mouth, while in heart he thinks against them, that is, he is in favor of Divine things from the body and against them from the spirit; for reasoning respecting Divine things from the natural and sensual man has this effect. From this then the signification of "the four angels bound at the river Euphrates," and their being "loosed" can now be seen.

[10] That "the river Euphrates" signifies the rational, through which there is a way from the spiritual man into the natural, can be seen from the following passages in the Word. In Moses:

Jehovah made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed I will give this land, from the river of Egypt even to the great river, the river Euphrates (Genesis 15:18).

In the sense of the letter this describes the extension of the land of Canaan, but in the internal sense it describes the extension of the church from its first boundary to its last; its first boundary is the knowing faculty [scientificum] which is of the natural man, the other boundary is the rational which is of the thought; the first, namely, the knowing faculty, which is of the natural man, is signified by "the river of Egypt," the Nile; while the rational, which is of the thought, is signified by "the river of Assyria," the Euphrates; to these two the spiritual church, which is signified by "the land of Canaan," extends itself, so too does the spiritual mind which is with the man of the church. Both these, the knowing faculty and the rational, are in the natural man, the one limit of which is the knowing and cognitive faculty, and the other is the intuitive and thinking faculty, and into these limits the spiritual man flows when it flows into the natural man; the conjunction of the Lord with the church by means of these is signified by the "covenant" that Jehovah made with Abram. Such is the signification of these words in the internal sense, while in the highest sense, they mean the union of the Divine Essence with the Lord's Human; according to this sense these words are explained in the Arcana Coelestia 1863-1866).

[11] In Zechariah:

His dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth (Zechariah 9:10; also in Psalms 72:8).

This was said of the Lord and of His dominion over heaven and earth; and the "dominion from sea even to sea" signifies the extension of natural things, and "the dominion from the river even to the ends of the earth" signifies the extension of rational and spiritual things (See also above, n. 518).

[12] In Moses:

The land of the Canaanites and Lebanon, even to the great river, the river Euphrates, behold I have given the land before you; go in and possess it by inheritance (Deuteronomy 1:7, 8).

In the same:

Every place whereon the sole of your foot shall tread shall be yours from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates even unto the hinder sea shall your border be (Deuteronomy 11:24).

And in Joshua:

From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even to the great river, the river Euphrates, the whole land of the Hittites, and even to the great sea, the going down of the sun, shall be your border (Joshua 1:4).

In these passages the extension of the church from one limit to the other is described; one of its limits, which is the cognitive and knowing faculty, is signified by "Lebanon" and "the sea;" and the other limit, which is the intuitive and thinking faculty, is signified by "the river Euphrates;" the extension of the land of Canaan means the extension of the church, for in the Word "the land of Canaan" signifies the church. "River" is twice mentioned, namely, "the great river, the river Euphrates," because "the great river" signifies the influx of spiritual things into rational, and "the river Euphrates" the influx of rational things into natural, thus the two signify the influx of spiritual things through the rational into natural things.

[13] In Micah:

This is the day in which they shall even come to thee from Assyria, and to the cities of Egypt, and thence from Egypt even to the river, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain (Micah 7:12).

This describes the establishment of the church by the Lord among the Gentiles, "this day" signifying the Lord's coming; the extension of the church among them from one limit to the other is signified by "they shall come from Assyria to the cities of Egypt and from Egypt to the river;" the extension of truth from one limit to the other is signified by "from sea to sea," and the extension of good by "from mountain to mountain. "

[14] In David:

Thou hast caused a vine to go forth out of Egypt; Thou didst drive out the nations and didst plant it. Thou hast sent out its boughs even unto the sea, and its shoots unto the river (Psalms 80:8, 11).

The "vine that God caused to go forth out of Egypt" means the sons of Israel, and signifies the church, for a "vine" signifies the spiritual church, and this was signified also by "the sons of Israel;" and because the church is called a "vine," it is said, "Thou didst plant it, Thou hast sent out its boughs even unto the sea, and its shoots unto the river," which describes the extension of the spiritual things of the church, the "sea" meaning one of its limits, and the "river," by which is meant the Euphrates, the other. The Euphrates:

As the fourth river that went out of Eden (Genesis 2:14);

also signifies the rational, for "the garden of Eden" (or Paradise) signifies wisdom. The signification of the other three rivers may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 107-121).

[15] As "the river Euphrates" signifies the rational, so in the contrary sense it signifies reasoning; reasoning here means thinking and arguing from fallacies and falsities, while the rational means thinking and arguing from knowledges (scientiae) and from truths; for the rational is cultivated always by knowledges, and is formed by truths, therefore one who is led by truths or whom truths lead, is called a rational man; but a man who is not rational has the ability to reason, for by various reasonings he is able to confirm falsities, and also to induce the simple to believe them, which is done mainly by means of the fallacies of the senses (of which below).

[16] Such reasoning is signified by "the river Euphrates" in the following passages. In Jeremiah:

What hast thou to do with the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? And what hast thou to do with the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river? (Jeremiah 2:18)

This signifies that spiritual things must not be searched into by means of the knowledges [scientifica] of the natural man, nor by means of reasonings therefrom, but by the means of the Word, thus out of heaven from the Lord; for those who are in spiritual affection, and in spiritual thought therefrom, see the knowledges [scientifica] of the natural man and reasonings therefrom as below them, but from these no one can see spiritual things; from above one can look down on lower things on every side, but not the reverse. To search into spiritual things by means of the knowledges of the natural man is signified by "What hast thou to do with the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor?" and by means of reasonings therefrom is signified by "what hast thou to do with the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?" "Egypt and its river" signify the knowledges of the natural man, and "Assyria and its river" signify the reasonings from them.

[17] In Isaiah:

In that day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired in the crossings of the river, by means of the King of Assyria, the head and the hairs of the feet, and shall also consume the beard (Isaiah 7:20).

This treats of the state of the church at its end, when the Lord is about to come; that reasonings from falsities will then deprive the men of the church of all spiritual wisdom and intelligence is described by these words. The reasonings by which this is done are signified by "the king of Assyria, in the crossings of the river," namely, the Euphrates. The deprivation of spiritual wisdom and of spiritual intelligence therefrom is signified by "the hairs of the head and of the feet shall be shaven with a razor that is hired, and the beard shall be consumed;" for "hairs" signify natural things upon which spiritual things operate and into which they close; therefore "hairs" signify in the Word the ultimates of wisdom and intelligence, "the hair of the head" signifying the ultimates of wisdom, the "beard" the ultimates of intelligence, and "the hair of the feet" the ultimates of knowledge [scientia]. When these ultimates are not, there are no prior things, as when there is no base for the column, nor foundation for the house. Those who have deprived themselves of intelligence by means of reasonings from fallacies and from falsities appear bald in the spiritual world (See above, n. 66).

[18] In the same:

Behold the Lord hath made to go up upon them the waters of the river strong and many, the king of Assyria and all his glory; and he shall go up over all his channels, and shall go over all his banks; he shall go through Judah, he shall overflow and pass over (Isaiah 8:7, 8).

These words signify that each and every thing of the Word is to be falsified in the church by means of reasonings from fallacies and falsities; "the waters of the river strong and many, the king of Assyria," signifies reasonings from mere fallacies and falsities; "he shall go up over all his channels and over all his banks" signifies that by these each and every thing of the Word will be falsified; "Judah, which he will overflow and pass over," signifies the church where the Word is, and thus the Word.

[19] In Jeremiah:

Against the army of Pharaoh king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates which Nebuchadnezzar smote. Towards the north by the bank of the river Euphrates they stumbled and fell (Jeremiah 46:2, 6, 10).

This signifies the destruction of the church, and of its truths by false reasonings from knowledges [scientifica]; "the river Euphrates" signifies false reasonings; "Egypt and its army" confirming knowledges [scientifica]; "the north where they stumbled and fell," signifies the source of these falsities. (On this see above, n. 518.)

[20] In the same:

Jehovah told the prophet to buy a linen girdle, and to put it upon the loins, but not to draw it through water; and then to go to the Euphrates, and hide the girdle there in a hole of the rock. And he went and hid it by the Euphrates. Afterwards, at the end of many days, Jehovah said, Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence. And he went and took it, and behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing. Thus as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I made to cleave unto Me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, that they might be unto Me for a name, and for a praise, and for a splendor; but they would not hearken (Jeremiah 13:1-7, 11).

This represented of what quality the Israelitish and Jewish Church was and what it became; the "linen girdle which the prophet put upon his loins" signifies the conjunction of the church with the Lord by means of the Word; for the "prophet" signifies doctrine from the Word, and the "girdle upon the prophet's loins" signifies conjunction. Falsifications of the Word by evils of life and falsities of doctrine, and thence reasonings that favor these, are signified by "the girdle was marred in the hole of the rock by the Euphrates." For by means of the Word there is conjunction of the Lord with the church, and when the Word is perverted by reasonings that favor evils and falsities there is no longer any conjunction, and this also is what is meant by "the girdle was profitable for nothing." That this was done by the Jews is evident from the Word both of the Old and New Testaments. From the Word of the New Testament it is evident that they perverted all things written in the Word respecting the Lord, and all the essentials of the church, and that they falsified these by their traditions.

[21] In the same:

When thou hast made an end of reading this book thou shalt bind a stone to it and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates; and thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise again (Jeremiah 51:63, 64).

The prophet's "book" which he read, means in particular the Word that was in that book, but in general the whole Word; "he cast it into the midst of the Euphrates" signifies that in process of time the Word was falsified through reasonings that favor evils by those who are meant by "Babylon," who are such as adulterate the Word.

[22] In Isaiah:

And Jehovah shall make utterly accursed the tongue of the sea of Egypt; and with the vehemence of His wind shall He shake His hand over the river Euphrates, and shall smite it into seven brooks, to make a way with shoes. Then there shall be a highway for the remnant of His people which shall be left from Assyria; like as there was to Israel when he came up out of the land of Egypt (Isaiah 11:15, 16).

This signifies that before those who are in truths from good from the Lord, that is, who are of the church, all falsities and reasonings from them shall be dispersed, and that they shall pass safely as it were through the midst of them; this is so in the spiritual world with those whom the Lord protects. This has a similar meaning as "the drying up of the Sea Suph before the sons of Israel." Those who will pass through under the Lord's protection are signified by "the remnant of the people which shall be left from Assyria," "those left from Assyria" signifying those who have not perished by reasonings from falsities. The following in Revelation has a similar signification:

And the sixth angel poured out of his bowl upon the river Euphrates, and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings who are from the rising of the sun might be made ready (Revelation 16:12).

This will be more fully explained below in its place.

[23] From this it can now be seen that "the river Euphrates" signifies the rational by means of which the spiritual mind enters into the natural, and that in the contrary sense it signifies reasoning from fallacies and from falsities. But it is to be known that reasonings are in a like degree as the thoughts are, since they descend from the thoughts; thus there are reasonings from the spiritual man which might better be called conclusions from reasons and from truths; there are reasonings from the natural man, and there are reasonings from the sensual man. Reasonings from the spiritual man are rational, and therefore might better be called conclusions from reasons and from truths, because they are from the interior and from the light of heaven; but reasonings from the natural man respecting spiritual things are not rational, however rational they may be in things moral and civil, which are evident before the eyes, because they are from natural light alone; but reasonings from the sensual man respecting spiritual things are irrational, because they are from fallacies and thus from ideas that are false; these are the reasonings here treated of in Revelation.

각주:

430. A hundred and forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the sons of Israel, signifies all who are in truths from good, and thence in the Lord's church. This is evident from the signification of "a hundred and forty-four thousand," as being all things, and as being said of those who are in truths from good (of which presently); also from the signification of "the tribes of Israel," as being those who are in truths from good, and thence who are in the Lord's church, "tribes" signifying truths from good, and "Israel" the church. That this is the signification of "the tribe of Israel" will be seen in the following article. "A hundred and forty-four thousand" signifies all things and all persons, and is predicated of truths from good, because that number arises out of the number twelve, and "twelve" signifies all things and all persons, and is predicated of truths from good; for greater numbers, and those made up of smaller numbers, have a similar signification as the smaller and simple numbers from which they arise by multiplication (on which see Arcana Coelestia 5291, 5335, 5708, 7973). Thus "a hundred and forty-four" and "a hundred and forty-four thousand" have a similar significance as "twelve," for a hundred and forty-four arises out of twelve multiplied into itself, and a hundred and forty-four thousand out of twelve thousand multiplied into twelve.

[2] There are simple numbers that are more significative than others, and from which the greater numbers derive their significations, namely, the numbers two, three, five, and seven; "two" signifies union, and is predicated of good; "three" signifies fullness, and is predicated of truths; "five" signifies much and something; and "seven" signifies holiness. From the number two the numbers 4, 8, 16, 400, 800, 1, 600, 4, 000, 8, 000, and 16, 000 arise; and these numbers have a similar signification as two, because they arise from that simple number multiplied into itself, and multiplied by ten. From the number three the numbers 6, 12, 24, 72, 144, and 144, 000 arise; and these numbers have a similar signification as three, because they arise from this simple number by multiplication. From the number five the numbers 10, 50, 100, 1, 000, 10, 000, and 100, 000 arise, and these numbers have a similar signification as five, because ¹ they arise from it by multiplication. From the number seven the numbers 14, 70, 700, 7, 000, and 70, 000 arise, and these numbers have a similar signification as seven, because they arise from it. As the number "three" signifies fullness, and fullness implies all, the number twelve derives from this its signification of all things and all persons; and it is predicated of truths from good because it arises out of three multiplied into four, and three is predicated of truths, and four of good, as was said above.

[3] One who does not know that "twelve" signifies all things, and that the numbers that are multiples of it have a like signification, and who does not know that each tribe signifies some universal and essential constituent of the church, can have no other idea than that simply twelve thousand of every tribe of Israel were sealed, and consequently were received or are to be received into heaven; nevertheless the "twelve thousand" here do not mean twelve thousand, nor do the "tribes" here enumerated mean the tribes of Israel; but "twelve thousand" means all, and "the tribes of Israel" those who are in truths from good, ² and thus all, wherever on the earth they may be, who constitute the church of the Lord. That this is the signification, everyone who thinks intelligently can perceive; for where now are these tribes, and where were they when this was written by John? Have they not been scattered through a great part of the globe, and excepting the tribe of Judah, it is not known to anyone where they are? And yet it is said that they are to be sealed, that they may be introduced by the Lord into heaven and be with Him (as appears in Revelation 14:1, 3-4). Furthermore, it is known that eleven of the tribes here mentioned were banished from the land of Canaan on account of their idolatries and other abominations; and so too has the whole Jewish nation, the quality of which may be seen in The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine 248). From this it can be seen that "twelve thousand" does not mean twelve thousand, nor do "tribes" mean the tribes of Israel, but they mean all who are in truths from good, thus all who are of the Lord's church. This will become still clearer from the significations of each tribe in the spiritual sense; for each tribe signifies some universal or essential of the church, in which those are who are of the church.

Moreover, the universal of each has relation to truths from good, and truths are manifold; for all who are in the heavens differ from each other in respect to good, and thence also in respect to truth, since every truth that has life in man or angel is from good and in accordance with good. Furthermore, all who are of the Lord's church are in truths from good, while those who are in truths and not in good are not of the church; for, as was just said, every truth that has life in man or angel is from good. (On this see above, n. 6, 59, 136, 242, 286, 292; and in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, n. 11-27. That goods and truths therefrom are of infinite variety, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 56, 71, 405, 418, 486, 585, in the small work on the Last Judgment 13, ; also Arcana Coelestia 684, 690, 3241, 3267, 3470, 3519, 3744-3746, 3804, 3986, 4067, 4149, 4263, 5598, 6917, 7236, 7833, 7836, 9002). Goods and the truths from them are of infinite variety, because every angel and every man in whom is the church is his own good and his own truth therefrom; so, too, the universal heaven is arranged according to the affections that are of love to the Lord and of charity towards the neighbor, and of faith therefrom, and all good is of these affections.

[4] The number "a hundred and forty-four thousand," or the number twelve thousand multiplied into twelve ³ signifies all truths from good, in respect to their genera and species in the whole complex, as can be seen from the meaning of the number "one hundred and forty-four," which is twelve multiplied into twelve, in the following passages in Revelation, where the city New Jerusalem is described by measures expressed in numbers. Of the measure of its wall it is said:

He measured the wall thereof, a hundred and forty-four cubits, which is the measure of a man, that is, of an angel (Revelation 21:17).

"The city Jerusalem" here signifies a new church to be established by the Lord, and its doctrine; therefore all things that are mentioned, as the "wall," the "gates," and the "foundations," mean such things as belong to the church, consequently spiritual things; and as the church and its doctrine are here described in the sense of the letter by "the city Jerusalem," and a city can be measured, therefore the spiritual things of that church are designated by measures expressed in numbers, and its wall by the number "one hundred and forty-four," or by twelve multiplied into twelve, which number signifies truths from good in the whole complex; for a "wall" signifies truths defending against falsities and evils. That such is the signification of this number is clearly evident from its being said that the measure of a "hundred and forty-four cubits" is "the measure of a man, that is, of an angel." What this involves cannot be known unless it is known that measure, in the spiritual sense, has a similar signification as number, namely, the quality of the thing treated of; and that "man" signifies the reception of truth from spiritual affection, that is, from good, and intelligence therefrom; "angel" having a similar signification, since a man is an angel when he is in truths from good, and also becomes an angel after death. The number "a hundred and forty-four thousand" has a similar signification; for larger and smaller numbers, if from a similar origin, have a like signification, the larger number being made use of when the multitude is greater, or when many kinds together are included, as "a hundred and forty-four thousand," which includes all kinds of truth from good, which are signified by "twelve thousand ⁴ sealed out of every tribe;" and as the measure of the wall, which is said to be "a hundred and forty-four cubits," which includes both the gates and the foundations, which are twelve in number.

[5] So respecting the gates and the foundations it is said:

The New Jerusalem had a wall great and high, having twelve gates, and upon the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. And the wall had twelve foundations, and on them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And the foundations consisted of twelve kinds of precious stones (Revelation 21:12, 14, 19-21).

When it is known that "the New Jerusalem" means a new church, who will not perceive that the number "twelve" so often employed, means the chief and primary constituent of the church? And the chief and primary constituent of the church is truth from good, for everything of the church is from that, for truth is of its doctrine, and good is of a life according to doctrine. But the signification of "gates" and of "foundations" will be told when that chapter is explained.

[6] Because the number "twelve" signifies all things, and is predicated of truths from good, and "the New Jerusalem" signifies a new church, therefore the measurement of the city itself is indicated by a multiple of a like number, in these words:

The city lieth foursquare, and the length thereof is as great as the breadth; and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand stadia. The length and the breadth and the height are equal (Revelation 21:16).

What is signified by "length, breadth, and height" in the spiritual sense will also be told below in the explanation; "the city" means in that sense the doctrine of the church, and "twelve thousand stadia" all its truths from good.

[7] Again the number "twelve" is used here in reference to the fruits of the trees about the river, in these words:

In the midst of its street and of the river, on this side and on that, was there the tree of life, bearing twelve fruits, yielding its fruit every month (Revelation 22:2).

Since "the streets of the city" signify the truths of doctrine; "the river going forth thence" intelligence; "the tree of life" the perception of truth from good from the Lord, and "fruits" the good from which are truths, it is clear that "twelve" signifies truths from good, through which is intelligence, and of which the church is constituted.

[8] As a representative church was to be instituted among the sons of Jacob, it was provided by the Lord that he should have twelve sons (Genesis 29:32-35; 30:1-25; 35:22-26), that thus all together might represent all things of the church, and each one his part; and this is why twelve tribes sprang from them (Genesis 49:28), and these signify all things of the church, and each tribe signifies some essential of the church; so in what now follows it is said "twelve thousand were sealed out of every tribe," and these signify all who are in that essential of the church, or all who are in that kind of truth from good, since truth from good is what forms the church with all, for truth is of doctrine, and good is of the life, as was said above. (What truth from good is and what the nature of it is, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 24.)

[9] As the twelve tribes named from the twelve sons of Jacob represented the church, and all things belonging to it, the number "twelve," on account of such signification, was employed in various connections:

As that the princes of Israel were twelve in number (Numbers 1:44).

That these twelve princes brought to the dedication of the altar twelve chargers of silver, twelve bowls of silver, twelve spoons of gold, twelve bullocks, twelve rams, twelve lambs, and twelve goats (Numbers 7:84, 87).

Each one of these things that they brought signifies such things as have reference to truths from good. So too:

Twelve men were sent to explore the land of Canaan (Deuteronomy 1:23);

for "the land of Canaan" signifies the church. So too:

There were twelve precious stones in the breastplate of judgment, or the Urim and Thummim (Exodus 28:21; 39:14);

"precious stones" signifying truths from good. So again:

There were twelve cakes of bread placed in two rows upon the table, which were called the bread of faces (Leviticus 24:5, 6);

"bread" signifying the good of love, and the "table" its reception, thus also truth in general, since truth is what receives good. Again:

Moses built an altar below Mount Sinai, and erected twelve pillars for the twelve tribes ⁵ of Israel (Exodus 24:4);

for an "altar" signifies the good of the church, and "pillars" its truths, thence "the altar and twelve pillars" together signify all truths from good by which the church exists.

[10] Again:

Twelve men carried twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan which were set up in Gilgal, that they might be for a memorial to the sons of Israel. And also twelve stones were set up in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests that bare the ark stood (Joshua 4:1-9, 20);

"Jordan" in the Word signifying the introduction into the church, and "stones" therefrom and in its midst, the truths of the church through which introduction is effected.

[11] So again:

Elijah took twelve stones, and built an altar (1 Kings 18:31, 32);

"altar" signifying the good of the church, and "stones" its truths.

Moses sent twelve thousand of the sons of Israel, with Phinehas as commander, against Midian, and they returned with great spoil, with not a man missing (Numbers 31:5, 6, 49).

For "Midian" signifies those who are in the knowledges of truth, but not in a life according to them, therefore "twelve thousand" were sent against them. The "great spoil" taken from them, has a similar signification as the "raiment, silver, and gold," which the sons of Israel took from the Egyptians (Exodus 3:22; 12:35, 36), and a similar signification as the "unrighteous mammon" of which they should make to themselves friends (Luke 16:9, namely, the knowledges of truth therefrom, which they hold as doctrine and not in the life.

[12] So again:

Solomon placed upon twelve oxen the brazen sea that he made (1 Kings 7:25, 44);

"the brazen sea" signifying truth from good, the "water" in it, truth, and the "brass" out of which it was made, good; and "twelve oxen" signify all goods and all truths therefrom which serve as a foundation. Therefore also:

Solomon made a throne of ivory with six steps to it, and twelve lions standing upon the steps on the one side and on the other (1 Kings 10:18-20).

"The throne of Solomon" signified judgment, which is effected by truths from good, and it represented Divine truth from Divine good; "lions" signifying the truths of heaven and of the church in their power, and "twelve" all (See above, n. 253).

[13] Of Ishmael it is said:

That he should be blessed and multiplied, and that twelve princes should be born from him (Genesis 17:20; 25:16);

for the reason that "Ishmael" signified the external church with all its truths from good. Of Elisha it is said:

That Elijah found him plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he among the twelve; and that he cast his mantle upon him (1 Kings 19:19).

This was done and said because Elijah and Elisha represented the Lord in respect to the Word, in which are all truths from good; consequently when this representation was transferred from Elijah to Elisha, which was signified by his casting his mantle upon him, Elisha was seen "plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he among the twelve," which signifies the formation of the church by means of truths from good out of the Word (See above, n. 395). It is said below that:

There was seen a woman encompassed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars (Revelation 12:1).

This was seen because a "woman" signifies the church and "stars" the knowledges of truth: a "crown" the good of these knowledges, and the "head" intelligence.

[14] The Lord's twelve apostles had a similar representation as the twelve tribes of Israel; namely, they collectively represented the church, and each one of them some essential of the church, and for this reason there were twelve of them.

From this it can be seen why it is and what it signifies that the New Jerusalem (which signifies the church and its doctrine) is said:

To have twelve gates, and upon the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon which are the names of the twelve tribes of Israel; and that the wall had twelve foundations, and on these the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb (Revelation 21:12, 14);

the "twelve angels," the "twelve tribes," and the "twelve apostles" here meaning not angels, tribes, and apostles, but all the things of the church. Likewise it is said that:

The apostles are to sit upon twelve thrones, and judge the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30);

which does not mean that the apostles are to sit on twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel, but that the Lord alone is to judge all by Divine truth from Divine good see above, n. 9, 206, 253, 270, 297, 333).

[15] He who does not know that "twelve" signifies all things cannot know the arcanum that is signified by:

The twelve baskets of fragments that remained from the five loaves and two fishes with which the Lord fed five thousand men besides women and children (Matthew 14:15-21; Mark 6:37-44; Luke 9:12-17; John 6:9-13).

Each particular here, with the numbers themselves, is significative; "the five thousand men besides women and children," signify all who are of the church that are in truths from good; the "men" signifying those who are in truths, and the "women and children" those who are in good; "loaves" the goods and "fishes" the truths of the natural man; "eating" spiritual nourishment from the Lord; the "twelve baskets of fragments" the knowledges of truth and good therefrom in all abundance and fullness.

[16] Because "twelve" signifies all things, and is predicated of truths from good, which constitute the church:

When the Lord was twelve years old He left father and mother and remained in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them and asking them questions (Luke 2:42, 46);

by which is meant the initiation and introduction of His Human into all things of heaven and the church; therefore when He was found He said:

Wist ye not that I must be in the things that are My Father's? (verse 49).

Because "twelve" signifies all things, and is predicated of truths from good, the Lord said:

Are there not twelve hours of the day? If a man walk in the day he stumbleth not (John 11:9);

"day" signifying illustration in truths from good, and the "twelve hours of the day" all things of truth from good, and "to walk" signifying to live; these words, therefore, in the spiritual sense signify that one who is living in any kind of truth from good is in illustration, and does not stray into falsities. Because "twelve" signifies all things, the Lord said:

Thinkest thou that I cannot now beseech My Father and He will cause to stand by Me more than twelve legions of angels? (Matthew 26:53).

"Twelve legions of angels" meaning the whole heaven, and "more than these" signifying Divine omnipotence.

[17] From this it can now be seen what is signified by "a hundred and forty-four thousand out of every tribe," namely, all who are in truths from good; and "twelve thousand out of each tribe" all who are in that kind of truth from good which is signified by the tribe named; consequently, that twelve thousand are not meant, nor those who are of the tribes of Judah, Reuben, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin. Furthermore, it is to be known that all these, or "the hundred and forty-four thousand," mean those who were taken up into heaven before the Last Judgment; but those afterward mentioned, from verse 7:9-17to the end of this chapter, mean those that were preserved by the Lord until the Last Judgment, and were then first taken up into heaven (respecting whom see above, n. 391-392, 394, 397); for those who were in truths from good were all received into heaven before the judgment; but those who were in good, and not as yet in truths, were preserved, and in the meantime instructed and prepared for heaven. These are to be further treated of hereafter. Those who were taken up into heaven before the judgment are meant by those of whom it is said in chapter 14 of Revelation:

A Lamb was standing on the Mount Zion, and with Him a hundred and forty-four thousand, having the Father's name written on their foreheads (verse 14:1).

Of these it is said that:

No one could learn the song save the hundred and forty-four thousand bought from the earth. These are they who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins, bought from among men, the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb (verses 14:3-4); and the same are meant by those who are "of the first resurrection;" and the others are meant by those who were "of the second resurrection" (Revelation 20:4-6).

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