421. Verses 2, 3. And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God; and he cried with a great voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea; Saying, Hurt not the earth, nor the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.

2. "And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun," signifies the Divine love going forth from the Lord. n. 422); "having the seal of the living God," signifies the Divine will (n. 423); "and he cried with a great voice," signifies Divine command (n. 424); "to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea," signifies as yet preventing the influx from becoming intense (n. 425).

3. "Saying, Hurt not the earth, nor the sea, nor the trees," signifies lest the good perish with the evil wherever they are n. 426; "till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads," signifies that those who are in truths from good are first to be separated n. 427.

809. Verse 10. If anyone shall lead into captivity he shall go into captivity; if anyone shall kill with the sword he must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

10. "If anyone shall lead into captivity he shall go into captivity," signifies that those who have shut out others from truths are shut out from the Divine truths in the Word (n.810, 811); "if anyone shall kill with the sword he must be killed with the sword," signifies that those who have imbued others with falsities are imbued with falsities from hell n. 812. "Here is the patience and the faith of the saints," signifies that through these comes temptation and afterwards the implantation of truth with those who are made spiritual by the Lord. n. 813).