674. There was a great earthquake, signifies a notable change of state of the interiors with those who are of the church. This is evident from the signification of "a great earthquake," as being a notable change of the state of the church; for the "earth" signifies the church, "quaking" change of state, and "great" what is notable. (That an "earthquake" signifies in the Word a change of state of the church, see above, n. 400, 499.)

[2] The change of state in respect to the truths and goods of the church evidently sprang from causes that are described in the preceding verse, that is, because the two witnesses that had been killed and restored to life went up by command into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies beheld them. Thence it may be seen that the cause of this was the separation of the good from the evil, as has been shown in the preceding articles, where the going up of the two witnesses is explained. But this cannot be presented to the understanding unless it first be told how things are in the spiritual world; for the things described in this verse, namely, that "there was a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and there were killed in the earthquake names of men seven thousand, and the rest became afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven," are things that take place, and in fact have already taken place at the time when the Last Judgement was at hand, but in the spiritual world, and not in the natural world; for when the good there are to be separated from the evil, and the good are to be protected from being harmed by the evil, then the good are taken away from the societies and the evil are left, according to the Lord's words in Matthew:

Two [men] shall 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).

This may be seen explained in the Arcana Coelestia 4334, 4335). When the good are taken away there occurs in the societies in which the good and evil had been together, a notable change in respect to the things that pertain to the church.

[3] But the cause of this change shall be further disclosed. In the spiritual world there is a communication of all affections, and sometimes of thoughts; and within each society there is a general communication, extending itself from the middle of the society in every direction even to the boundaries, much as light spreads forth from a center to the circumferences. The variations and changes of the affections that arise from this communication and its extension spring from an influx of the affections from other societies, either above or at the sides, also from the newcomers that enter the society, and also from a few or many being taken away from the society.

[4] The societies upon which the Last Judgment came consisted both of the good and of the evil, but of such evil as were interiorly but not exteriorly opposed to the goods of love and the truths of doctrine; for exteriorly these were able to act rightly and justly and to speak piously and truly, not however for the sake of the right, of justice, of piety, and of truth, but from habit acquired in the world, for the sake of fame, glory, honor, gain, and the various delights of the natural loves, also on account of the laws and their penalties. For this reason, although they were interiorly evil, yet they could be together with those who were both exteriorly and interiorly good. When, therefore, the good were to be separated from those who merely appeared good in external form, their external good vanished, and their internal evil appeared; for they were held in that external good by communication with those within the same society who were not only exteriorly but also interiorly good, as has been said above. So when external good was taken away from the evil their interiors were opened; and these were full of mere evil and filthy things, which made evident of what quality they were in themselves. Such, then, is what is meant in particular by "the two witnesses going up by command into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies beholding them;" and here that "in that hour there was a great earthquake," namely, that when that state came a notable change took place in respect to those things that pertain to the church.

676. And there were killed in the earthquake names of men seven thousand, signifies that in that change of state all truths of good with them perished, and thus all things of heaven and the church. This is evident from the signification of "to be killed," as being to be killed spiritually, which is to perish by evils and falsities (See above, n. 315, 547, 572, 589); also from the signification of "earthquake," as being a change of state of the interiors with those who are of the church (See above, n. 674); also from the signification of "the names of men," as being the truths of good and the consequent understanding of truth (of which presently); and from the signification of "seven thousand," as being all things of heaven and the church, for "seven" signifies all things, and is predicated of the holy things of heaven and the church (of the signification of this number see above, n. 257; and its signification is retained when it is multiplied by ten, or one hundred, or one thousand, for these numbers signify all things. From this it can be seen that "there were killed in the earthquake names of men seven thousand" signifies that in that change of state all truths of good perished, and thus all things of heaven and the church.

[2] That "the names of men" signify the truths of good and the consequent understanding of truth can be seen from the signification of "name," as being the quality of a thing or state with man; and from the signification of "man," as being intelligence, thus also the understanding of truth. "Name" signifies the quality of a thing or state with man because in the spiritual world there are no names of persons as in the natural world. In the spiritual world all are named according to the quality of their life, thus with a difference within societies and out of them. Within the societies the quality of each one's state of life is constant, for each one there dwells in a quarter and also at a distance from the center according to the quality of his affection and of his intelligence; therefore his name is in accord with this quality. When, therefore, the name of anyone in a society is heard his quality is also recognized. This is why "name" signifies in the spiritual sense the quality of a thing and of a state of life. But outside of societies this naming according to one's state of life is not constant; for before a man-spirit enters into any society he passes through many states in order that he may put off the things that disagree with his ruling love and put on such as agree with it, and yet everyone is named according to the state in which he is, and also according to the idea and perception of what his state is. That names in the spiritual world are uttered spiritually may be seen above n. 102; therefore "name" signifies in the Word what the state of the life is n. 148. So, too, "the name of Jehovah" and "the name of the Lord" signify all things by which He is worshipped, thus all things of love and faith (n. 102, 135); and "man" signifies in the Word the spiritual affection of truth, and thence the understanding of truth (n. 280, 546). From this it is clear what "the names of men" signify.

[3] Why the truths of good and thus the understanding from them were destroyed by the notable change of state which was signified by "a great earthquake" has been told in the preceding article, namely, that at the end of the church, when the Last Judgment is at hand, those who are spiritually good are taken away from those who are only naturally good; and when this is done, then also from the latter all truths of good and consequently all understanding of truth are also taken away; for with the natural, who are destitute of anything spiritual, truths and goods reside in their externals, but falsities and evils in their internals; therefore when the good with whom they had communication as to externals are taken away the externals also are taken away and the internals are disclosed, and these, as has been said, are filled with mere falsities of evil. This is why these words signify that all truths of good and all understanding of truth perished with those who remained.