573. And the number of the armies of the horsemen was two myriads of myriads.- That this signifies innumerable falsities of evil, from which and on behalf of which there are reasonings, which conspire against the truths of good, is evident from the signification of armies, as denoting the falsities of evil, of which in what follows; and from the signification of horsemen, as denoting reasonings thence; for horses, in the Word, signify the understanding of truth, and in the opposite sense, the understanding perverted and destroyed, as may be seen above (n. 355, 364, 372, 373, 381, 382); horsemen, therefore, in this sense, signify reasonings from falsities, because these are of the understanding perverted and destroyed, for truths form the understanding, but falsities destroy it; and from the signification of two myriads of myriads, as denoting that they are innumerable and conspire against the truths of good; that the term myriads signifies what is innumerable and is used in reference to truths, may be seen above (n. 336). And it is said two myriads of myriads because things innumerable that conjoin, and unite, are signified, for the number two signifies conjunction, agreement, and union, as may be seen above (n. 283, 384). The reason why it is said, against the truths of good, is that the subject treated of in what follows is the destruction of truth by the armies of such horsemen. From these considerations it is clear, that the number of the armies of the horsemen being two myriads of myriads, signifies that the falsities of evil from which, and on behalf of which reasonings exist, are innumerable and conspire against the truths of good.

[2] In the Word, the term armies (hosts) is frequently used, and also the Lord is called Jehovah of Hosts or Zebaoth, and by hosts are there signified truths from good fighting against falsities from evil, and in the opposite sense, falsities from evil fighting against truths from good. Hosts signify such things in the Word, because the wars there mentioned, both in the historical and prophetical parts, signify in the internal sense spiritual wars waged against hell and the diabolical crew there, and such wars have relation to truths and goods combating against falsities and evils, and hence it is that armies signify all truths from good, and in the opposite sense, all falsities from evil. That they signify all truths from good, is evident from this fact, that the sun, the moon, the stars, and also the angels, are called the armies of Jehovah, because they signify all truths from good in their whole extent. Also the sons of Israel, because they signify the truths and goods of the church, are called armies; and because all truths and goods are from the Lord, and He alone combats for all in heaven, and for all in the church, against falsities and evils from hell, therefore He is called Jehovah Zebaoth, that is, [Jehovah] of armies [or hosts].

[3] That the sun, the moon, and the stars, are called armies [or hosts], is plain from numerous passages.

Thus in Moses:

"The heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them (Genesis 2:1).

So in David:

"By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth" (Psalm 33:6).

Again:

"Praise ye" Jehovah, "all his angels; praise ye him, all his hosts. Praise ye him, sun and moon; praise him, all ye stars of light" (Psalm 148:2, 3).

And in Isaiah:

"All the host of the heavens shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll; and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling [fig] from the fig-tree" (34:4).

And again, in the same prophet:

"I have made the earth, and created man upon it; my hands have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded" (45:12).

And again:

"Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number; he calleth them all by name" (40:26).

So in Jeremiah:

"As the host of the heavens is not numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured:" (33:22).

In these passages, the sun, the moon, and stars, are called a host [or army], because the sun signifies the good of love, the moon, truth from good, while the stars signify the cognitions of truth and good, consequently they signify goods and truths in their whole extent, and they are called an army, because they resist evils and falsities, and continually conquer them as enemies.

[4] So in Daniel:

One horn of the he-goat "waxed great, even to the host of the heavens; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and trampled upon them. Yea, it magnified itself even to the prince of the host, and from him the continual [burnt-offering] was taken away, and the dwellingplace of his sanctuary was cast down. And the host was delivered up upon the continual [burnt-offering] for transgression, because it cast down the truth to the ground. One holy one said, How long this vision, the continual [burnt-offering], and the desolating transgression, to give both the holy place and the host to be trampled upon? And he said unto the evening morning" (8:10-14).

The signification of the he-goat, here mentioned, of his horns, and of this horn which waxed great even to the host of the heavens, may be seen above (n. 316:16, 336, 535). By the host of the heavens, which he cast down to the earth, are meant the truths and goods of heaven; for the subject here treated of is the last state of the church, when the truths and goods of heaven are thought to be of no importance, and are rejected, which is signified by their being trampled upon; wherefore it also follows, that he cast down the truth to the earth. The prince of the host means the Lord, who is also called Jehovah God Zebaoth, or of armies [or hosts]. That all worship from the good of love and the truths of faith would perish, is signified by the continual [burnt-offering] being taken away from him, and the dwelling-place of his sanctuary being cast down. That this would come to pass at the end of the church, when the Lord would come into the world, is signified by unto the evening morning, the evening denoting the last time of the old church, and the morning, the commencement of the new church.

[5] That the angels are called hosts is evident from the following passages.

Thus in Joel:

"Jehovah uttered his voice before his army; for his camp is very great" (2:11).

And in Zechariah:

"I will place a camp to my house concerning the army, because of him that goeth away, and because of him that returneth; that the exactor may no more pass through over them" (9:8).

And in David:

"Bless ye Jehovah, all ye his hosts, ye ministers of his that do his pleasure" (103:21).

And in the 1st Book of Kings:

Micah the prophet said to the king, "I saw Jehovah sitting on his throne and all the host of the heavens standing by him on his right hand and on his left. And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner" (22:19, 20).

So in the Apocalypse:

"His armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean" (19:14).

And again:

"I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered together to make war against him that sat on the white horse, and against his army" (19:19).

The reason why angels gathered together or a consociation of them are called armies, is, that angels, like armies, signify Divine truths and goods, because they are the recipients of them from the Lord, concerning which, see above (n. 130, 200, 302).

[6] It is for the same reason also, that the sons of Israel are called armies, because they signify the truths and goods of the church.

Thus in Moses:

"Jehovah said, Bring out the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies" (Exodus 6:26).

Again:

"I will bring forth mine army, my people the sons of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments" (Exodus 7:4; 12:17).

Again:

"It came to pass even the self same day, that all the armies of Jehovah went out from the land of Egypt" (12:41).

And again:

Thou shalt number "every one going into the army" (Num. 1:3).

Again it is said:

That the camp should be pitched around the tent of meeting, and also that they should set out according to their armies (Num. 2:3, 9, 24);

and again,

that the Levites were chosen to wait upon the service (militia) to do the work in the tent of meeting (Num. 4:3, 23, 30, 39).

The sons of Israel were called the armies of Jehovah, because they represented the church, and signified all its truths and goods, as may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 5414, 5801, 5803, 5806, 5812, 5817, 5819, 5826, 5833, 5879, 5951, 6637, 6862, 6868, 7035, 7062, 7198, 7201, 7215, 7223, 7957, 8234, 8805, 9340). They were called armies in the plural, because each tribe was called an army, as is evident in Moses, for when it was commanded that all should be numbered according to their armies, they were numbered according to their tribes (Num. 1:3, and following verses). Similarly when the camp was pitched around the tent of Meeting, according to the tribes, it is said "according to their armies" (Num. 2:3, 9, and following verses). The tribes were called armies, because the twelve tribes taken together represented all the truths and goods of the church, and each tribe some universal essential of it; see above (n. 431).

[7] From these considerations it is evident, that the truths and goods of heaven and the church are meant by armies in the Word; and from these things the reason why Jehovah is called in the Word, Jehovah Zebaoth, and Jehovah God Zebaoth, that is, of armies, is perfectly clear (as in Isaiah 1:9, 24; 2:12; 3:1, 15; 5:7, 9, 16, 24; 6:3, 5; 8:13, 18; 14:22, 23, 24, 27; 17:3; 25:6; 28:5, 22, 29; 29:6; 31:4, 5; 37:16; Jerem. 5:14; 38:17; 44:7; Amos 5:16; Haggai 1:9, 14; 2:4, 8, 23; Zech. 1:3; Malachi 2:12; and various other places).

[8] From these things it is now evident, that armies signify the truths and goods of heaven and the church in their whole extent; and because most things in the Word have also an opposite sense, so also have armies, in which sense they signify falsities and evils in their whole extent. This will appear from the following passages of the Word.

Thus in Jeremiah:

"Upon the roofs" of the houses "they have burned incense unto all the host of the heavens, and have poured out drink-offerings unto other gods" (19:13).

And in Zephaniah:

"They worship the host of the heavens upon the house tops" (1:5).

And in Moses:

"Lest thou bow thyself and worship the sun, and moon, and the stars, and all the host of the heavens" (Deuteronomy 4:19; 17:3).

And in Jeremiah:

"They shall spread" the bones brought out from the sepulchre "before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of the heavens, whom they have loved, and whom they have served" (8:2).

Here by the host of the heavens, are meant the sun, moon, and stars, because these signify all goods and truths in the aggregate, but, in this case, all evils and falsities in the aggregate; for the sun, in the opposite sense, as here, signifies all evil springing from the love of self, the moon, the falsity of faith, while the stars signify falsities in general. That by the sun, moon, and stars, in the natural world, when they are worshipped instead of the sun and moon of the angelic heaven, are signified abominable evils and falsities, may be seen in Heaven and Hell 122, 123), and also above (n. 401, 402, 525). And since truths from good fight against falsities from evil, and, on the contrary, falsities from evil against truths from good, therefore they are called armies. There is therefore continual combat, because evils and falsities continually exhale from the hells, and endeavour to destroy the truths from good that are in heaven, and from heaven, and which continually offer resistance. For everywhere in the spiritual world there is an equilibrium between heaven and hell; and where an equilibrium exists, there two forces continually act against each other, one acting and the other reacting, and continual action and reaction is continual combat; but an equilibrium is always provided by the Lord, as may be seen in the Heaven and Hell 589-596, and n. 597-603). And because there is such a continual combat between heaven and hell, therefore, as all things of heaven are called armies, so also are all things of hell.

All things of heaven have reference to goods and truths, and all things of hell, to evils and falsities. Hence it is that in the following passages hosts signify the falsities of evil.

[9] Thus in Isaiah:

"The anger of Jehovah is against all nations, and his wrath against all their army; he hath devoted them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter" (34:2).

Here nations signify evils, and army, falsities from evil; the total destruction of these is signified by he hath devoted them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter.

[10] Again:

"The voice of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; the voice of the tumult of the kingdoms of nations gathered together; Jehovah Zebaoth leadeth the army" (13:4).

Here the voice of a multitude in the mountains, signifies falsities from evils, a multitude denoting falsities, and mountains denoting evils. Like as of a great people, signifies the appearance as it were of truth from good, the words, like as, denoting appearance, "people" denoting those who are in truths, and thus truths, while great is used in reference to good. The voice of the tumult of the kingdoms of nations gathered together, signifies dissension in the church springing from evils and falsities thence, the voice of the tumult denoting dissension, kingdoms, the church as to truths and falsities, and nations gathered together, as to evils and the falsities therefrom conspiring against the goods and truths of the church. Jehovah Zebaoth leadeth the army, signifies that it is accomplished by the Lord, for this is ascribed to the Lord, as is plain from the fifth verse immediately following in which it is said: "Jehovah cometh with the weapons of his anger, to destroy the whole land." This is attributed to the Lord just as evil, the punishment of evil, and the destruction of the church are also ascribed to Him in other passages of the Word, because such is the appearance of things, for the sense of the letter of the Word is written according to appearances. But in the spiritual sense, such things mean that the man of the church himself does them.

[11] Again, in Jeremiah:

"Spare ye not her young men; give to the curse all her host" (51:3).

The subject here treated of is Babylon; and by not sparing her young men, is signified the destruction of confirmed falsities. By giving to the curse all her army, is signified the total destruction of falsities from evils pertaining to her, thus the destruction of Babylon. Falsities from evil are signified also by the army of the Chaldeans, and the army of Pharaoh (Jeremiah 37:7-11, and following verses);

and in Moses, by

"The waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the army of Pharaoh" (Exodus 14:28; 15:4);

this is explained above (n. 355:37), and in the Arcana Coelestia 8230, 8275).

[12] So in Daniel:

"The king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and after the end of the times of the years he shall come with a great army and with much riches. And he shall stir up his powers and his heart against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall stir himself up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand" (11:13, 25).

The subject treated of in that chapter is the war between the king of the north and the king of the south, and by the king of the north are meant those within the church who are in the falsities of evil, and by the king of the south, those within the church who are in the truths of good; there collision and combat at the end of the church, in the spiritual sense are described by their war; therefore by the army of the king of the north are meant falsities of every kind, and by the army of the king of the south truths of every kind.

[13] So in Luke:

"When ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the devastation thereof is nigh" (21:20).

In that chapter the Lord speaks of the consummation of the age, which signifies the last time of the church. Jerusalem means the church as to doctrine; and its being compassed with armies, means the possession of it by falsities. That then the destruction of it comes, and presently the last judgment, is signified by its desolation being then nigh. It is supposed that these things were said concerning the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, but from the details of the chapter it is evident that it treats of the destruction of the church at its end; similarly in Matthew 24 from the first verse to the last, an explanation of which is given in the Arcana Coelestia. Nevertheless this is not opposed to the literal meaning concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, but that destruction represented and therefore signified the destruction of the church at its end; this is confirmed by every detail in the chapter, considered in the spiritual sense.

[14] Again, in David:

"God hath cast off, and put us to shame; and he hath not gone forth with our armies. Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy" (Psalm 44:9, 10).

Here by God not going forth with their armies, signifies that he did not defend them, because they were in falsities of evil, for armies denote falsities of evil; therefore it is said that they were cast off, and put to shame, and made to turn back from the enemy, the enemy denoting evil from hell.

[15] Again, in Joel:

"I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the canker-worm, and the grasshopper, and the palmer-worm, my great army which I sent among you" (2:25).

That the great army signifies falsities and evils of every kind, is evident from this fact, that by those destructive little creatures, - the locust, the canker-worm, the grasshopper, and the palmer-worm, are signified the falsities and evils which vastate or consume the truths and goods of the church, as may be seen above (n. 543:9), where this passage is explained, and where it is shown that the locust and grasshopper signify the falsities [and evils] of the sensual man. The signification of armies in the Word in both senses is now evident from these things. Similar things are signified by hosts (or armies) in the historical parts of the Word, for they, as well as the prophetical parts, contain a spiritual sense; but it shines forth less clearly because the mind, being detained in the historical circumstances, can be scarcely elevated above the worldly things therein so as to see the spiritual things which are stored up in them.

1042. 'I have given My bow in the cloud' means the state of a regenerate spiritual person, who is like a rainbow. Anyone may wonder that in the Word 'the bow in the cloud', or the rainbow, is taken as a sign of the covenant, for the rainbow is nothing else than something produced by the conversion of rays of sunlight in raindrops. It is a wholly natural phenomenon, unlike other signs of the covenant in the Church mentioned just above. But the fact that 'the bow in the cloud' represents regeneration and means the state of a regenerate spiritual person, nobody is able to know unless he is allowed to see and consequently know what exactly is involved. When spiritual angels, who have all been regenerate members of the spiritual Church, are in the next life manifested visibly as such, there appears around their head a rainbow so to speak. But the rainbows which appear accord completely with their state, and from this also their characters are recognized in heaven and in the world of spirits. The reason the likeness of a rainbow appears is that their natural things corresponding to spiritual present such visible shape. It is a conversion of spiritual light from the Lord within their natural things. These angels are those said to have been 'regenerated by water and the spirit' while celestial angels are those said to have been 'regenerated with fire'.

[2] In the case of; natural things, so that colour may be produced something dark and light, or black and white, is necessary. When rays of light from the sun fall on this, depending on the varying composition of the dark and light, or black and white, colours are produced from the modification of the inflowing rays of light. Some of those colours draw more, others less, on the dark and black, and some more, or less, on the light and white; and this is what gives rise to diversity of colour. Something comparable to this exists in spiritual things. In their case the intellectual side of the proprium, or falsity, constitutes 'the dark', and the will side of the proprium, or evil, which absorbs and extinguishes rays of light constitutes 'the black'. As for the 'light and white', these are the truth or good which a person imagines he does from himself, which reflects and casts back from itself the rays of light. The rays of light which fall on those things and so to speak modify them come from the Lord as the Sun of wisdom and intelligence; for the rays of spiritual light are no other and have no other source. It is because natural things correspond to spiritual that when in the next life that which is around a regenerate spiritual person is manifested visibly, there appears that which is similar to a bow in a cloud. This bow is a representation of the spiritual things present within his natural things. With the regenerate spiritual person an intellectual side of the proprium exists into which the Lord instills innocence, charity, and mercy. As is the person's reception of these gifts so is the appearance of his rainbow when manifested visibly - the more beautiful the more that the will side of his proprium has been taken away, disciplined, and reduced to a state of obedience.

[3] When the prophets had a vision of God, a bow as if in a cloud was also seen by them, as in Ezekiel's vision,

Above the firmament that was over the heads of the cherubim, in appearance like a sapphire stone, there was the likeness of a throne, and above the likeness of a throne, there was a likeness as it were of the appearance of a Man (Homo) upon it above. And I saw as it were the shape of coal burning bright, as the appearance of fire, within it round about from the appearance of His loins upwards. And from the appearance of His loins and downwards I saw as it were the appearance of fire, whose brightness was round about it, like the appearance of the bow when it is in the cloud on the day of rain; so was the appearance of brightness round about; this was the appearance of the likeness of the Glory of Jehovah. Ezekiel 1:26-28.

It may be clear to anyone that it was the Lord who was seen in this vision, and that on that occasion He represented heaven, for He Himself is heaven, that is, the All in all of heaven. He Himself is the 'Man' mentioned here, 'the throne' is heaven, 'the coal burning bright, as the appearance of fire, from the loins upwards' is the celestial element of love, 'the brightness of fire round about from the loins downwards, like the bow in the cloud' is the celestial-spiritual. In this way the celestial heaven, or heaven of celestial angels, was represented from the loins upwards, and the spiritual heaven, or heaven of spiritual angels, from the loins downwards. In fact the things that are below, from the loins down to the soles of the feet, mean in the Grand Man natural things. From this it is also clear that, when thus enlightened by spiritual light from the Lord, the natural things in man take on the appearance of 'the bow in the cloud'. The same appeased to John as well, see Revelation 4:2-3; 10:1.