366. That they should kill one another. That this signifies the falsification or extinction of truths, is manifest from the signification of killing, as denoting to extinguish truths; for by killing in the Word is signified to kill spiritually, or to kill the spiritual part of man or his soul, which is to extinguish truths. The reason why it also denotes to falsify, is, because when truths are falsified, they are also extinguished; for by falsification a different understanding of them is arrived at, and truth is truth according to the understanding of any one concerning it; for the love and the principle which have rule in man, draw and apply all things to them, even truths themselves; wherefore, when the love is evil, or the principle false, then the truths are infected with the evil of the love, or the falsity of the principle, and so are extinguished; this therefore is what is here signified by, "that they should kill one another." That this takes place when there is no good with man, and especially when there is no good in the doctrine of his church, is manifest from the preceding words, where it is said: "When he had opened the second seal, there went out a red horse; and it was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth"; by which is signified a second state of the church, when the understanding of the Word is destroyed as to good, whence divisions arise in the church (concerning which see above, n. 361, 364, 365).

[2] That the understanding of the Word, or, what is the same, the understanding of truth, is destroyed when there is no good with man, that is, where there is no love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbour, may be seen above (n. 365); for good in man, or what is the same, love in him, is the fire of his life, and truth in him, or the faith of truth, is the light thence; therefore according to the quality of the good or the quality of the love in him, such is the truth, or the faith of truth in him. Hence it is evident that if man is in evil, or in an evil love, he cannot be in the truth, or in the faith of truth; for the quality of the light which issues from that fire, is light to those who are in hell, which is a fatuous light, like the light from burning coals, which light is turned into mere darkness from the light flowing in from heaven. Such also is the light called natural light (lumen) with the evil, when they reason against the things of the church.

[3] That they should falsify truths and thereby extinguish them, is also meant by the Lord's words in Matthew:

Jesus said to the disciples, "The brother shall deliver up the brother, the father the son; the children shall rise up against the parents, and cause them to be put to death" (10:21).

And in Luke:

"Ye shall be betrayed by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolk, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death" (21:16).

By parents, brethren, children, [kinsfolk,] and friends, are not meant here parents, brethren, children, kinsfolk, friends, nor by disciples are meant disciples, but the goods and truths of the church, also evils and falsities; and that evils will extinguish goods, and falsities truths. (That such things are signified by these names, see the Arcana Coelestia 10490.)

33. And to him be the glory and the strength unto the ages of the ages. That this signifies that those things, or Divine good and Divine truth, are from the Lord alone to eternity, is evident from the signification of glory, as being Divine truth in heaven (concerning which, see Arcana Coelestia 4809, 5922, 8267, 8427, 9429); and from the signification of strength, as denoting Divine good by Divine truth, because Divine good has all strength and all power by means of Divine truth (as may be seen, n. 3091, 3563, 6344, 6423, 8304, 9643, 10019, 10182; and in the work, Heaven and Hell, where the power of the angels of heaven from the Lord is treated of, n. 228-233). That unto the ages of the ages denotes to eternity, is evident without explanation. The reason why glory denotes Divine truth in heaven, is because Divine truth is the light there, and those things that exist from the light of heaven are called glory, because they exist from the Lord, and represent the Divine truth which is from Him, and declare His glory; especially those things that are within an angel, which pertain to intelligence and wisdom. (That, the light of heaven is Divine truth, and that all things in heaven, whether without or within an angel, exist from the light there, may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 126-140, 172, 173, 176.) It is believed in the world, that by "to God be glory" is meant that God desires glory from man for His own sake, and that He is affected thereby, and does good to man on that account; but this is an error. God desires glory from man for man's sake; for thus man attributes all things to the Divine, and nothing to himself; and when he does this, then the Divine can flow into him with Divine truth, and impart to him intelligence and wisdom. In this and in no other way is the Lord glorified in man. For the Lord loves everyone, and, from love, wills that His glory, that, is, Divine truth, may be in him. This also the Lord teaches in John:

"If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask whatever will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; and ye shall become my disciples" (15:7, 8).

(That the salvation of the human race is the glory of the Lord, see Arcana Coelestia 4347, 4593, 5957, 7550, 8263, 10646.)