9340. 'And I will set your boundary from the Sea Suph even to the Sea of the Philistines' means the full range of truths from factual ones to interior truths of faith. This is clear from the meaning of 'setting the boundary from one place to another', when it refers to spiritual truths, as the full range; from the meaning of 'the Sea Suph' as truths on the levels of the senses and of factual knowledge, which are the lowest levels of the human mind (the Sea Suph was the final boundary of the land of Egypt, and 'Egypt' means factual knowledge in both senses, that is, true factual knowledge and false, 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 2588, 4749, 4964, 4966, 5700, 6004, 6015, 6125, 6651, 6679, 6683, 6692, 6750, 7779 (end), 7926, 8146, 8148; in this instance true factual knowledge is meant since the subject is the full range of spiritual matters of faith among the children of Israel, who represented the spiritual Church, 4286, 4598, 6426, 6637, 6862, 6868, 7035, 7062, 7198, 7201, 7215, 7223, 8805); and from the meaning of 'the Sea of the Philistines' as interior truths of faith. The reason why these truths are meant by 'the Sea of the Philistines' is that the sea where Tyre and Sidon lay was the boundary of the land of Philistia, and 'Tyre and Sidon' means cognitions or knowledge of truth and good, 1201, while 'the land of Philistia' means the knowledge of interior matters of faith, 1197, 2504, 2726, 3463.

[2] Since 'the land of Canaan' represented the Lord's kingdom, which is heaven and the Church, all places in the land therefore meant such things as form part of the Lord's kingdom, or heaven and the Church, which things are called celestial and spiritual, and are connected with the good of love to the Lord and the truths of faith in Him. For this reason the seas and rivers which were boundaries meant the final limits there, and therefore 'from sea to sea' or 'from river to river' meant the full range of those things, as may be seen in 1585, 1866, 4116, 4240, 6516. From all this it becomes clear that 'the boundary from the Sea Suph even to the Sea of the Philistines' means the range of spiritual things, which are matters of truth, from external ones to internal, thus truths ranging from factual ones to interior truths of faith. But the range of celestial things, which are aspects of the good of love, is described next by the words 'from the wilderness even to the River'. The fact that places belonging to the land of Canaan, including seas and rivers, mean such things in the Word, has been shown in explanations everywhere.

[3] What the full range of truths from factual ones to interior truths of faith is must be stated briefly. Truths which exist in the external man are called factual ones, but truths which exist in the internal man are called interior truths of faith. Factual truths reside in a person's memory, and when they are brought out from there they pass into the person's immediate awareness. But interior truths of faith are truths of life itself which are inscribed on the internal man, but few of which show up in the memory. These however are matters which will in the Lord's Divine mercy be spoken of more fully elsewhere. Factual truths and interior truths of faith were meant in Genesis 1:6-7 by the waters under the expanse and the waters above the expanse, 24; for the first chapter of Genesis deals in the internal sense with the new creation or the regeneration of a member of the celestial Church.

[4] The reason why 'Philistia', which also bordered on the land of Canaan as far as Tyre and Sidon, meant the interior truths of faith was that there also the representative Ancient Church had existed, as is evident from the remnants of Divine worship among them which are alluded to in historical sections and prophetical parts of the Word in which the Philistines and the land of Philistia are the subject, such as - in the prophetical parts - Jeremiah 25:20; Jeremiah 47:1-end; Ezekiel 16:27, 57; 25:15-16; Amos 1:8; Zephaniah 2:5; Zechariah 9:6; Psalms 56:1; ¹ 60:8; 83:7; 108:9. The situation with the Philistines was the same as it was with all the nations in the land of Canaan, in that they represented the Church's forms of good and its truths, and also evils and falsities. When the representative Ancient Church existed among them they represented celestial things which were aspects of good and spiritual things which were matters of truth. But when they fell away from true representative worship they began to represent devilish things which were aspects of evil and hellish things which were matters of falsity. This is the reason why 'Philistia', like all the other nations belonging to the land of Canaan in the Word, means either forms of good and truths, or else evils and falsities.

[5] The fact that interior truths of faith are meant by 'the Philistines' is clear in David,

Glorious things are to be spoken in you, O city of God. I will mention Rahab and Babel among those who know Me; also Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia. The latter was born here. ² Psalms 87:3-4.

'The city of God' means teachings presenting the truth of faith that are drawn from the Word, 402, 2268, 2449, 2712, 2943, 3216, 4492, 4493, 5297; 'Tyre' means cognitions or knowledge of truth and good, 1201, and so does 'Ethiopia', 116, 117. From this it is evident that 'Philistia' means knowledge of the truths of faith.

[6] In Amos,

Are you not like the children of the Ethiopians to Me, O children of Israel? Did I not cause Israel to come up from the land of Egypt, and the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Syrians from Kir? Amos 9:7.

This refers to the corruption and destruction of the Church after it had been established. 'The children of the Ethiopians' here are those in possession of cognitions of goodness and truth, which they use to substantiate evils and falsities, 1163, 1164. 'The children of Israel from the land of Egypt' are those who had been brought to spiritual truths and forms of good by means of factual truths, 'the children of Israel' being people in possession of spiritual truths and forms of good, thus in the abstract sense spiritual truths and forms of good, see 5414, 5801, 5803, 5806, 5812, 5817, 5819, 5826, 5833, 5879, 5951, 7957, 8234, and 'the land of Egypt' being factual truth, as shown above. The same is meant by 'the Philistines from Caphtor' and by 'the Syrians from Kir', to whom they are therefore likened. 'The Philistines from Caphtor' are people who had been brought to interior truths by means of exterior ones, but who perverted them and used them to substantiate falsities and evils, 1197, 1198, 3412, 3413, 3762, 8093, 8096, 8099, 8313, whereas 'the Syrians from Kir' are those who were in possession of cognitions of goodness and truth, which they likewise perverted, 1232, 1234, 3051, 3249, 3664, 3680, 4112.

[7] In Jeremiah,

... because of the day that is coming to lay waste all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every helper that is left, for Jehovah is laying waste the Philistines, the remnants of the island of Caphtor. Jeremiah 47:4.

The subject in Jeremiah 47 is the laying waste of the Church's truths of faith, interior truths of faith being meant by 'the Philistines' and exterior truths by 'the remnants of the island of Caphtor'.

[8] In Joel,

What have you to do with Me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the borders of Philistia? Swiftly I will return your recompense upon your own head, inasmuch as you have taken My silver and My gold, and My good and desirable treasures you have carried into your temples. Joel 3:4-5.

'All the borders of Philistia' stands for all the interior and the exterior truths of faith; 'carrying silver and gold, and good and desirable treasures into their temples' stands for perverting truths and forms of good, and profaning them by putting them together with evils and falsities. For the meaning of 'silver and gold' as truths and forms of good, see 1551, 2954, 5658, 6112, 6914, 6917, 8932.

[9] In Obadiah,

At that time those in the south will be the heirs of the mountain of Esau, and of the plain of the Philistines, and they will become the heirs of the field of Ephraim; but Benjamin [will be the heir] of Gilead. Obad. verse 19.

This refers to the establishment of the Church; but spiritual things are implied by the names. 'Those in the south' are people who dwell in the light of truth, 1458, 3195, 3708, 5672, 5962; 'the mountain of Esau' is the good of love, 3300, 3322, 3494, 3504, 3576; 'the plain of the Philistines' is the truth of faith, 'the plain' being also that which constitutes matters of doctrine about faith, 2418; 'Ephraim' is the Church's power of understanding, 3969, 5354, 6222, 6234, 6238, 6267; 'Benjamin' is the Church's spiritual-celestial truth, 3969, 4592, 5686, 5689, 6440; and 'Gilead' is the corresponding exterior good, 4117, 4124, 4747.

[10] In Isaiah,

He will gather the outcasts of Israel, and will assemble the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. They will fly down onto the shoulder of the Philistines towards the sea, together they will plunder the sons of the east. Isaiah 11:12, 14.

Here 'Israel' and 'Judah' are not used to mean Israel and Judah; rather, 'Israel' means those who are governed by the good of faith, and 'Judah' those who are governed by the good of love. 'Flying down onto the shoulder of the Philistines' stands for receiving and taking into possession interior truths of faith; and 'plundering the sons of the east' stands for receiving and taking into possession interior forms of the good of faith, for 'the sons of the east' are people who are governed by forms of the good of faith and with whom cognitions or knowledge of good exists, 3249. 3762. For the meaning of 'plundering' as receiving and taking into possession, see what has been shown in 6914, 6917, regarding the plundering of the Egyptians by the children of Israel.

[11] Since 'the land of Philistia' meant knowledge of the interior truths of faith, and since Abraham and Isaac represented the Lord, and the sojourning of these two in places meant instruction received by the Lord in the truths and forms of the good of faith and love, which belong to God's wisdom, therefore - to provide a figurative representation of this - Abraham was commanded to sojourn in Philistia, Genesis 20:1-end, and so too was Isaac, Genesis 26:1-24. Therefore also Abimelech king of the Philistines made a covenant with Abraham, Genesis 21:22-end, and also with Isaac, Genesis 26:26-end. Regarding all this, see the explanations to those chapters.

Footnotes:

502. Verse 7 (Revelation 8:7). And the first angel sounded, signifies influx out of heaven, and in consequence the first change. This is evident from the signification of "sounding a trumpet," as being the influx of Divine truth out of heaven; and as the first change resulting therefrom is now described, this also is what is signified. "To sound a trumpet" signifies the influx of Divine truth out of heaven, because when Divine truth flows down out of heaven it is sometimes heard in the spiritual world as the sound of a horn or as the blast of a trumpet, and also to those who stand below there appear as it were angels having trumpets; but these are representations and appearances, such as exist below the heavens, for it is Divine truth descending or flowing down out of heaven towards the lower parts that is thus represented. This is why "to sound a trumpet" signifies the flowing down of Divine truth out of heaven.

[2] When this flowing down is strong it produces one effect with the good and another with the evil. With the good it illustrates the understanding, joins them more closely with heaven, and thence gladdens and vivifies their minds; but with the evil it disturbs the understanding, separates them from heaven, joins them more closely with hell, induces terror in their minds, and finally brings spiritual death. This makes clear that "sounding a trumpet" signifies, in its effect, the revelation and manifestation of Divine truth (See above, n. 55, 262); and in the contrary sense the deprivation of truth and desolation. Since it is here said that the angels sounded seven times, it is necessary to show from the Word what "to sound" signifies, and thence why it is said "the angel sounded."

[3] That "to sound trumpets" and "horns" signifies revelation and manifestation of Divine truth, is evident from the sound of a trumpet that was heard when Jehovah descended upon Mount Sinai and promulgated the Law, which is thus described in Moses:

And it came to pass on the third day when it was becoming morning, that there were voices and lightnings, and a heavy cloud upon the mount (Sinai), and the voice of a horn exceeding strong; and all the people that were in the camp trembled; when Jehovah descended upon it in fire. And the voice of the horn went on and became exceeding strong. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Go down, testify to the people lest they break through unto Jehovah to see, and many of them fall (Exodus 19:16-25).

The "Law" that was then promulgated signifies Divine truth; the "voice of a horn" represented its flowing down out of heaven and its manifestation; "the voice of the horn going on and becoming exceeding strong" represented the increase of this influx in approaching the lower parts, for it is said that "the people stood in the lower parts of the mount;" that "the people trembled exceedingly," and were admonished "not to approach nearer to the mountain lest they perish," signifies the effect of the flowing down of Divine truth with such as the sons of Jacob were. That interiorly they were utterly evil is evident from their worship of the calf after a month of days; moreover, if they had not stood afar off they would have perished, consequently they were in terror of death.

[4] "To sound horns" and "trumpets" represented and thus signified Divine truth coming down and flowing in out of heaven, as can be seen from the institution and use of trumpets among the sons of Israel. For it was commanded:

That trumpets should be made of silver, and that the sons of Aaron should sound them for convocations, for journeyings, on days of gladness, on feast days, in the beginnings of months, over sacrifices, for a memorial, and for battle (Numbers 10:1-10).

They were made of silver, because "silver" signifies truth from good, thus Divine truth. (That "silver" has this signification, see Arcana Coelestia 1551, 1552, 2954, 5658.) The "sons of Aaron sounded them," because Aaron himself as chief priest represented the Lord in relation to Divine good, and his sons the Lord in relation to Divine truth (See Arcana Coelestia 9806, 9807, 9966, 10017). They were sounded for convocations and journeyings, because Divine truth is what calls together, gathers together, teaches the way, and leads. They were sounded on days of gladness, at feasts, in the beginnings of months, and over sacrifices, because Divine truth coming down out of heaven produces gladness and the holiness of worship. They were sounded for wars and for battle to signify that with the evil, who are the "enemies" in the Word, Divine truth flowing down out of heaven produces the terror of death, puts to flight, and disperses; in this sense, and because of this effect, it is here said that "the seven angels sounded" in their order.

[5] Because it was commanded that they should sound trumpets for convocations, it is said by the Lord in Malachi:

He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other end (Matthew 24:31).

Here "angels with a great sound of a trumpet" signify the Divine truth that is to be revealed when the age is consummated, that is, when the church shall come to an end.

[6] In Isaiah:

In that day a great horn shall sound, and those perishing in the land of Assyria shall come, and the outcasts from the land of Egypt, and shall bow down to Jehovah in the mountain of holiness, at Jerusalem (Isaiah 27:13).

This is said of the Lord's coming; a convocation to the church and salvation by the Lord are signified by "In that day a great horn shall sound, and those perishing in the land of Assyria shall come, and the outcasts from the land of Egypt;" "to sound a horn" signifies Divine truth calling together and saving; "those perishing in the land of Assyria" mean those who are deceived by false reasonings, and "the outcasts from the land of Egypt" those who are deceived by knowledges (scientifica), thus the Gentiles that were in falsities from ignorance of the truth; that these shall worship the Lord from love and in truth is signified by "they shall bow down to Jehovah in the mountain of holiness, at Jerusalem;" "mountain of holiness" signifying the church in respect to the good of love, consequently also the good of love of the church, and "Jerusalem" signifying the church in respect to the truth of doctrine, consequently the truth of doctrine of the church. From this it is evident that "to sound with a horn" signifies Divine truth coming down out of heaven.

[7] Because Divine truth coming down from the Lord through the heavens makes the hearts glad and infuses the holiness of worship, and therefore trumpets were sounded on days of gladness and at the feasts, therefore it is said in David:

Sing unto Jehovah with the harp; with the harp and the voice of a psalm, with trumpets and the sound of a horn sound before the King Jehovah (Psalms 98:5, 6).

In Zephaniah:

Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout (sound), O Israel; be glad and exult with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem (Zephaniah 3:14).

This is said of the establishment of the church by the Lord; "trumpets," "sound of the horn," and "sounding," signify joy on account of Divine truth coming down out of heaven. In Job:

When the morning stars sang, and all the sons of God shouted [sounded] (Job 38:7).

This is said of the state of the church in its beginning; and "stars" signify the knowledges of truth and good, and "the sons of God" Divine truths; the joy of these, that is, of men because of these, is signified by their "singing and sounding."

[8] In David:

Praise God with the sound of the horn (Psalms 150:3).

In the same:

Blessed is that people who know the trumpet sound; they shall walk, O Jehovah, in the light of Thy face (Psalms 89:15).

"The sound of the horn" signifies Divine truth making the heart glad, therefore it is also said, "in the light of Thy face," which signifies Divine truth. That "the voices of the horn" and "sounds of trumpets" signify Divine truth coming down out of heaven, and terrifying the evil and dispersing them, as here in Revelation "the trumpets" with which the seven angels sounded, is evident in Isaiah:

Jehovah shall go forth as a hero, ¹ He shall stir up zeal like a man of war, He shall shout [sound] and shall cry out, He shall prevail over His enemies (Isaiah 42:13);

"enemies" meaning the evil. In Joel:

Blow ye with the horn in Zion, and sound in the mountain of My holiness; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of Jehovah cometh, a day of darkness and of thick darkness (Joel 2:1, 2).

"The day of Jehovah" is the coming of the Lord, when also the Last Judgment takes place on the evil.

[9] In Zechariah:

Jehovah shall be seen over them, and His arrow shall go forth as lightning; and the Lord Jehovih shall blow the horn, and shall go with the tempests of the south (Zechariah 9:14).

This, too, refers to the Lord's coming, when the evil are to perish; "to blow the horn" signifies to disperse by means of Divine truth; "the arrow shall go forth as lightning" signifies truth dispersing and destroying. "To blow the horn" has the same signification in Jeremiah 51:27; Hosea 5:8-9.

[10] Because the evil, where they are gathered together in the spiritual world, are deprived by the influx of Divine good and Divine truth of the truths and goods they have simulated in externals, and are let into their evils and falsities which they have inwardly cherished, and are thus separated from the good and cast down into the hells, and because when this takes place there are heard by those at a distance as it were horns and trumpets sounding, as has been said above repeatedly, so with the horns of Israel it was on this account commanded that they should sound with the trumpets for battle; and we read that this was done by Phinehas and by Gideon, in their combats against the Midianites and also at the taking of Jericho. It is said of Phinehas in Moses:

That Moses sent twelve thousand men armed, a thousand from each tribe, with the vessels of holiness and the trumpets, in the hand of Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, against Midian; and they slew all the males and their kings (Numbers 31:1-8).

[11] Of Gideon it is said in the book of Judges:

That he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and put a horn in the hand of everyone, and empty pitchers and torches in the midst of the pitchers; and he said, When I blow the horn, I and all that are with me, blow ye also the horn about the whole camp. And when they blew the horns Jehovah set the sword of a man against his companion and against the whole camp, and the Midianites fled (Judges 7:16-22).

And of Jericho when it was taken, in Joshua:

It was commanded that seven priests should bear seven jubilee horns before the ark, and should go round the city six days, once each day, and on the seventh day they should go round the city seven times, and blow the horns; and when the people in Jericho heard the voice of the horn and the shoutings of the people, the wall of the city fell down under itself, and the people went up into the city and took it (Joshua 6:1-20).

These things represented the overcoming of the evil in the spiritual world, which is effected by Divine truth out of heaven, which is heard there when it flows down as a horn sounding, as was said above. All the miracles related in the Word were representative and thence significative of things Divine in the heavens; therefore the effect of the sound of horns against enemies on earth was like the effect against the evil in the spiritual world; for in the Word "enemies" represented and thence signified the evil, "the Midianites" those who are in the falsities of evil, and the city "Jericho" here the falsification of the knowledges of truth.

[12] From this the signification can be seen of the following in Jeremiah:

Sound against Babylon round about; she hath given her hand; her foundations are fallen, her walls are torn down (Jeremiah 50:15).

And in Zephaniah:

A day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and of thick darkness, a day of cloud and of gloominess, a day of the horn and of sounding upon the fenced cities, and upon the high corners (Zephaniah 1:15, 16).

From this it can now be seen what is signified by "the seven angels sounded the trumpets," and that such effects result therefrom as are here described; and thus that "to sound trumpets" signifies influx of Divine truth out of heaven, and the changes thence arising; for this and the following chapters of Revelation treat of the state of the church in the spiritual world before the judgment, and of the dispersion and casting into hell of the evil.

Footnotes: