609. Who created heaven and the things that are therein, and the earth and the things that are therein, and the sea and the things that are therein, signifies the Lord in respect to all things of heaven and the church, interior and exterior. This is evident from the signification of "to create," as being not only to cause to be, but also to be perpetually, by holding it together and sustaining it by the Divine proceeding; for the heavens have had existence and perpetually have existence, that is, subsist by means of the Lord's Divine, which is called the Divine truth united to Divine good. This received by angels makes heaven. Thence it is that when heaven is mentioned the Lord is meant, because heaven, where the angels are, is heaven from the Lord, that is from the Divine proceeding from Him. This, therefore, is what is signified here by "to create." (That "to create," in reference to the church and to men of the church, means to create anew, that is, to regenerate, may be seen above, n. 294.) The above is evident also from the signification of "heaven, earth, and sea, and the things that are in them," as being all things of heaven and the church, interior and exterior. "Heaven, earth, and sea," signify here in particular the higher and the lower heavens, since in the spiritual world the face of things is similar as in the natural world, that is, there are mountains, lands, and seas; the mountains there are the higher heavens, because the angels of those heavens dwell upon mountains, and the land and sea are the lower heavens, for the angels of these heavens dwell below the mountains upon the lands, and as it were in seas (See above, n. 594). Thence it is that the angel who spoke these things was seen "standing upon the earth and the sea." "The earth and the sea and the things that are in them" signify also all things of the church, both interior and exterior, because there are in the church things interior and exterior, as there are in the heavens things higher and lower, and the former correspond to the latter. (That "the sea and the earth," signify the church in respect to its exteriors and interiors, may be seen above, n. 600.) According to the sense of the letter, "heaven, earth, and sea," mean the visible heaven, the habitable earth, and the navigable sea, and "the things therein" mean birds, beasts, and fishes; but that this is not the meaning of these words is evident from this, that John was "in the spirit" when he saw the angel "standing upon the sea and upon the earth;" and what is seen "in the spirit" is seen not in the natural world but in the spiritual world, where also, as has been said just above, there are earths and seas, and angels and spirits in them. But respecting the appearance of the seas in that world, and those who are in them, see above n. 342.

489. And I saw the seven angels who stood before God.- This signifies all the heavens more interiorly and more closely conjoined to the Lord, as is evident from the signification of the seven angels, as denoting all the heavens. For by seven are signified all (omnes) and all things (omnia), as may be seen above (n. 257, 299); and that by angels are signified the heavens, see also above (n. 90, 302, 307); and from the signification of standing before God, as denoting to be conjoined to the Lord, concerning which see also above (n. 462, 477). The reason why the seven angels who stood before God signify that now all the heavens, were more interiorly and more closely conjoined to the Lord, will be explained in the following article.

[2] And to them were given seven trumpets.- That this signifies influx from them, and thence changes of state and separations, is evident from the signification of a trumpet, which denotes Divine Truth to be revealed, and revealed clearly and manifestly, concerning which see above (n. 55, 262). In the present case, the influx of Divine Good and Truth through the heavens from the Lord is signified, for by that influx all the changes and separations treated of in what follows were effected. For as often, therefore, as the angels sounded the trumpet, a change is described, and a separation effected; wherefore by sounding the trumpet, in what follows, is signified influx.

[3] That all changes of state and separations of the evil from the good, and vice versa, which took place before the judgment, and at the judgment, were effected by means of an interior influx of Divine Good and Truth from the Lord out of heaven, in a more powerful or more gentle degree, has been stated and shewn above (n. 413, 418:1, 419:1, 426), also the manner of it, and the effects arising from it. This is signified by the angel filling the censer with the fire of the altar, and casting it upon the earth (verse 5); and afterwards, by the angels sounding. Because these things were done by the Lord through the heavens, therefore the Lord first conjoined the heavens to Himself more interiorly and closely; for otherwise danger would have threatened even the heavens, therefore this is signified by the seven angels standing before God, to stand before God denoting to be conjoined to Him. And when they are conjoined to Him more interiorly and closely, then those with whom there is no spiritual good are separated; for spiritual good alone conjoins, and not any external or natural good, which does not derive its essence, and thence its existence, from spiritual good.

[4] That the evil are separated from the good when the Lord conjoins the angels to Himself more interiorly and closely, by a strong influx into their spiritual good, and by means of this into the interiors of the evil, may be comprehended by those who possess some degree of intelligence. For by means of that influx the interiors are also opened with the evil who have only made a pretence of what is good in externals, and these being opened, the evils and falsities which lie inwardly concealed are made manifest. The reason of this is, that they have no spiritual good; and external good without spiritual good is good only in appearance, in itself pretended and hypocritical; that this is of such a quality, does not appear until the interiors are unclosed and opened up. Spiritual good is formed in man from the Lord by means of truths and a life according to them, but external good separated from internal spiritual good, is formed by a moral life which has for its end self and the world, or honours, gain, and the pleasures of the flesh. If these alone are looked to, Divine truths are regarded as of no account, except as the means of acquiring fame, which has no other end than those external things mentioned above. Concerning the nature of internal good and external good with the good, and also with the evil, more may be seen in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 36-53). These things are stated to enable what follows to be understood. See also what has been said upon this subject in the places cited above (n. 413, 418, 419, 426).