549. But they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. (12:8) This symbolically means that they were convicted of being caught up in falsities and evils, and yet they persisted in them, and therefore they were forcibly withdrawn from any conjunction with heaven and cast down.

For this to be understood, we must first say something about the state of people who come after death into the other life. All are there instructed by angels and led from one society to another, and they are examined to see whether they are willing to accept the truths of heaven and live in accordance with them. However, all those who in the world convinced themselves of falsities do not accept the truths. Therefore they are admitted into societies where the inhabitants are caught up in the same falsities, and these societies have no conjunction with heaven, but conjunction with hell. Consequently, after a period of time in the world of spirits they sink down into hell and are relegated to their own places, each one in accordance with his evil and resulting falsity. This is what is meant by their being convicted of being caught up in falsities and evils, and yet their persisting in them, and by their being forcibly withdrawn therefore from any conjunction with heaven and cast down.

What their fate there is like may be seen in nos. 153, 531 above.

344. Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun. (7:2) This symbolizes the Lord providing and moderating.

The angel here means the Lord in respect to Divine love, because he ascended from the rising of the sun, and from the rising of the sun or from the east means from Divine love. For in the spiritual world the Lord is the sun and the east, and He is called that in respect to that love. His providing and moderating is apparent from His commandment to the four angels not to harm the earth and sea till the servants of God had been sealed on their foreheads.

That in the highest sense an angel means the Lord's Divine humanity is apparent from the following verses:

...the Angel of (Jehovah's) presence delivered them because of His love and His clemency. He redeemed them, and took them up, and carried them all the days of eternity. (Isaiah 63:9)

The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless (them). (Genesis 48:16)

The Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, even the Angel of the covenant, whom you are desiring. (Malachi 3:1)

...I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way... Beware of his presence...; for My name is in the midst of him. (Exodus 23:20-23)

"Angel" and "one sent" are, in Hebrew, the same word. That is why the Lord so often calls Himself one sent by the Father, meaning by it His Divine humanity.

In a relative sense, on the other hand, an angel is anyone who accepts the Lord, whether in heaven or in the world.