525. And the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars.- That this signifies that all the good of love, all the good and truth of faith, and all cognition of good and truth perished, is evident from the signification of the third part, as denoting all (see above, n. 506); from the signification of the sun, which denotes the good of love from the Lord; and from the signification of the moon, which denotes the good and truth of faith from the Lord (see above, n. 401); and from the signification of stars, which denote the cognitions of good and truth, also, from the Lord (see above, n. 72, 402); and from the signification of being smitten, when stated of the goods of love and faith, and of the cognitions of good and truth, as denoting to perish. It is therefore evident, that by the third part of the sun being smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars, is signified that all the good of love, all the good and truth of faith, and all cognition of good and truth, perished. The sun, moon, and stars, here mentioned, do not mean the sun, moon, and stars, seen by the eyes of men in our solar world, but the sun, moon, and stars, seen by the eyes of angels in the spiritual world; for there the Lord appears as a sun before the eyes of those who from Him, are in the good of love to Him, and as a moon before those who are in the good and truth of faith; hence it is that the sun signifies the good of love, and the moon the good and truth of faith. That sun, that moon, and those stars, were seen by John, as is evident from the fact of his being in the spirit when he saw them. That the Lord appears as a sun and as a moon in the angelic heavens may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 116-125). It is from appearance that those things are said to have been smitten, for when the good of love, and the good and truth of faith are no longer with man, they appear to him to have, as it were, no existence and to have perished; and the Word in the sense of the letter is written according to appearances.

7205. 'And I will redeem you with an outstretched arm' means leading out of hell by Divine power. This is clear from the meaning of 'redeeming' as leading out of hell (for the use of the word 'redemption' in connection with servitude, evil, and death, from which people are released, so that they are released from hell, and for the Lord's being called the Redeemer in respect of His Divine Human, see 6281); and from the meaning of 'an outstretched arm' as Divine. For 'arm' means power, see 878, 4931, 4932, 4934, 4935; but the reason why 'an out-stretched arm' means almighty or Divine power is that in heaven when an arm is seen outstretched it represents power from the Divine. When it is not outstretched however but bent, power in an ordinary sense is meant. This now explains why in the Word the expressions 'outstretched arm' and 'strong hand' are used many times to mean Divine power, as in Jeremiah,

I have made the earth, man, and beast that are on the face of the earth, by My great strength and by My outstretched arm. Jeremiah 17:5.

In the same prophet,

Ah, Lord Jehovih! Behold, You have made heaven and earth by Your great strength and by Your outstretched arm; there is no matter ¹ that is too wonderful for You. And You led Your people Israel out of the land of Egypt by signs and by miracles, and by a strong hand and by an outstretched arm. Jeremiah 32:17, 21.

In Ezekiel,

I will lead you out from the peoples, and gather you out of the lands into which you were scattered, by a strong hand and by an outstretched arm. Ezekiel 20:34.

In David,

He led Israel out from the midst of the Egyptians, by a strong hand and an outstretched arm. Psalms 136:11-12.

In addition to these places see Deuteronomy 4:34; 5:15; 7:19; 9:29; 11:2; 26:8; 1 Kings 8:42; 2 Kings 17:36.

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