257. Because in this prophetical book numbers are often mentioned; and as no one can know the spiritual sense of what is contained in those numbers unless he knows what the particular numbers signify; for all numbers in the Word, as well as all names, signify spiritual things; and because the number seven is often mentioned amongst others, I am desirous here of showing that seven signifies all, and all things, also what is full and complete for that which signifies all, and all things, signifies also what is full and complete. For what is full and complete is said of the magnitude of a thing, and all and all things of multitude.

That the number seven has such a signification is evident from the following passages. In Ezekiel:

"The inhabitants of the cities of Israel shall set fire to and burn the arms, the shield also and the buckler, with the bow and the arrows, and with the hand-staff, and with the spear; and they shall kindle a fire with them seven years; and they shall bury Gog and all his multitude, and they shall cleanse the land seven months" (39:9, 11, 12).

The subject here treated of is the desolation of all things in the church. The inhabitants of the cities of Israel signify all the goods of truth, to set on fire and burn signifies to consume by evils. The arms, the shield, the buckler, the bows, the arrows, the hand-staff, the spear, denote everything pertaining to doctrine; to kindle fire with them seven years denotes to consume them all and fully by evils. Gog signifies those who are in external worship, and in no internal worship; to bury them and cleanse the land denotes to destroy them all, and completely to purge the church of them.

[2] In Jeremiah:

"Their widows shall be multiplied more than the sand of the seas, and I will bring to them upon the mother of the youths the waster at noon-day. She who hath borne seven shall languish, she shall breathe out her soul" (15:8, 9).

By the widows which will be multiplied are signified those who are in good and desire truths, and, in the opposite sense, as in the present case, those who are in evil and desire falsities. By the mother of the youths is signified the church; by the waster at noon-day is signified the vastation of that church, however much they may be in truths from the Word. By she that hath borne seven shall languish, she shall breathe out her soul, is signified that the church, to which all truths were given because the Word was given them, should perish; for she that hath borne seven signifies those to whom all truths were given. This is specifically said concerning the Jews.

[3] Similarly, in the first book of Samuel:

"They that were hungry ceased, so that the barren hath borne seven, and she that hath many children hath failed" (2:5).

The hungry who ceased denote those who desire the goods and truths of the church; the barren who hath borne seven signifies those who are outside the church and are ignorant of truths because they have not the Word, as the Gentiles, to whom all things will be given; she that hath many children failing signifies those who have truths, from whom they will be taken away. Again, in David:

"Render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom" (79:12).

And in Moses,

That the Jews should be punished seven times for their sins (Leviticus 26:18, 21, 24, 28);

seven times here signifying fully.

[4] In Luke:

"And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent, thou shalt forgive him" (17:4).

Here, to forgive seven times, if he shall return seven times, denotes to forgive as often as the offender should return, and thus at all times. But lest Peter should understand seven times to be meant by these words, the Lord explains His meaning to him, as recorded in Matthew:

"Peter said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times, but until seventy times seven " (18:21, 22).

Seventy times seven is always, without counting. In David:

"Seven times a day do I praise thee for the judgments of justice" (Psalms 119:164).

Seven times a day denotes always, or at all times.

[5] Again:

"The sayings of Jehovah are pure sayings, as silver refined in a furnace of earth, purified seven times" (Psalms 12:6).

Here silver signifies truth from the Divine: purified seven times denotes that it is altogether and fully pure.

[6] In Isaiah:

"The light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days" (30:26).

The light of the sun signifies Divine truth from Divine good: and that this light should be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, signifies that the Divine truth in heaven should be without any falsity, thus that it should be altogether and fully pure.

[7] In Matthew,

The unclean spirit "shall take with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and he shall dwell there" (12:45; Luke 11:26).

Here profanation is treated of, and by the seven other spirits with which the unclean spirit is said to return are signified all falsities of evil, thus a plenary destruction of good and truth.

[8] Similar is the signification of the seven times which were to pass over the king of Babylon, in Daniel,

"His heart shall be changed from man, and the heart of a beast shall be given unto him; while seven times shall pass over him" (4:16, 25, 32).

By the king of Babylon are signified those who profane the goods and truths of the Word. By his heart being changed from that of a man to that of a beast is meant that nothing spiritual, that is, truly human, should remain with him, but that instead there should be everything diabolical. By the seven times which were to pass over him is meant profanation, which is a complete destruction of truth and good.

[9] Because the terms seven, and seven times, signified all things, and also what is full, the following commands were given to the children of Israel:

Seven days their hands should be filled (Exodus 29:35).

Seven days they should be sanctified (Exodus 29:37).

Seven days Aaron should put on the garments when he was being initiated (Exodus 29:30).

Seven days they should not go out of the tabernacle when they were being initiated into the priesthood (Leviticus 8:33, 34).

Seven times expiation should be made upon the horns of the altar (Leviticus 16:18, 19).

Seven times should the altar be sanctified with oil (Leviticus 8:11).

Seven times should the blood be sprinkled before the veil (Leviticus 4:16, 17).

Seven times should the blood be sprinkled with the finger towards the east, when Aaron went in to the mercy seat (Leviticus 16:12-15).

Seven times should the water of separation be sprinkled towards the tabernacle (Num. 19:4).

Seven times should blood be sprinkled for the cleansing of leprosy (Leviticus 14:7, 8, 27, 38, 51).

The lampstand had seven lamps (Exodus 25:32, 37; 37:18-25).

Feasts should be celebrated for seven days (Exodus 34:18; Leviticus 23:4-9, 39-44; Deuteronomy 16:3, 4, 8).

Seven days of the feast there should be a burnt offering of seven bullocks and seven rams daily (Ezekiel 45:23).

Baalam built seven altars, and sacrificed seven oxen and seven rams (Num. 23:1-7, 15-18, 29, 30).

They numbered seven weeks of years, seven times seven years, and then should cause the trumpet of the jubilee to be sounded in the seventh month (Leviticus 25:8, 9).

From the signification of the number seven, it is evident what is signified

By the seven days of creation (Genesis 1).

Also by four thousand men being filled from seven loaves, and that seven basketsful of fragments remained over (Matthew 15:34-37; Mark 8:5-9).

Hence now it is clear what is signified in the Apocalypse,

By the seven churches (1:4, 11).

By the seven golden lampstands, in the midst of which was the Son of man (1:13).

By the seven stars in His right hand (1:16, 20).

By the seven spirits of God (3:1).

By the seven lamps of fire burning before the throne (4:5).

By the book sealed with seven seals (5:1).

By the seven angels to whom were given seven trumpets (8:2).

By the seven thunders which uttered their voices (10:3, 4).

By the seven angels having the seven last plagues, (15:1, 6).

By seven vials full of the seven last plagues (16:1; 21:9)

and elsewhere in the Word, where seven is mentioned.

948. (Verse 5) And after these things I saw, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened. That this signifies interior Divine truth in the Word revealed from the Lord, is evident from the signification of temple, as denoting Divine truth from the Lord; see n. 220, 391, 915; and from the signification of the tabernacle of the testimony, as also denoting Divine truth, but interior; for the same is signified by tabernacle as by temple. But when it is said the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony, interior Divine truth is signified, the revelation of which is meant by its being seen opened in heaven. By interior Divine truth revealed, is meant the Word as to the internal sense. For the Word is Divine truth; and the internal or spiritual sense is the interior of it. By the testimony is meant the law deposited in the ark, which was therefore called the ark of the testimony. What the testimony, moreover, signifies in a broad and a strict sense may be seen above (n. 10, 392, 635, 649, 749).

[2] The subject treated of, in what now follows in this chapter, is the Word interiorly revealed, before the church is entirely devastated. For in the chapter following, its full devastation is treated of, which is described by the seven angels having seven vials full of the anger of God, and by their casting them into the earth.

The reason why the Word is interiorly revealed, that is, as to the spiritual sense, before the church is fully devastated is, that a New Church will then be established, into which those who belong to the former church are invited. And interior Divine truth is revealed for the New Church, which could not be revealed before, for reasons to be mentioned in what follows. The case herein is similar to what took place at the end of the Jewish Church; for at its end, which was when the Lord came into the world, the interior Word was opened; for the Lord, when He was in the world, revealed interior Divine truths which were to be serviceable to the New Church to be established by Him, and also were serviceable. At this day also, for similar reasons, the interior Word is opened, and Divine truths still more interior are revealed therefrom for the use of the New Church, which will be called the New Jerusalem.

[3] What was the nature of the Lord's Divine Providence in revealing Divine truths may be seen from the churches successively established. There have been several churches on our earth one after another. There was the Most Ancient, which was before the deluge; there was the Ancient, which was after the deluge; then the Hebrew, and afterwards the Israelitish; after this was the Christian Church, and now commences a New [Church]. Inmost Divine truths were revealed to those who belonged to the Most Ancient Church; but exterior Divine truths to those who belonged to the Ancient Church; and last or ultimate Divine truths to the Hebrew Church, and lastly to the Israelitish, with which at length all Divine truth perished. For at last there was nothing in the Word that was not adulterated. But after its end, interior Divine truths were revealed by the Lord for the Christian Church, and now still more interior truths for the church which is to come. Those interior truths are in the spiritual or internal sense of the Word.

From these things it is evident that there has been a progression of Divine truth from things inmost to ultimates, thus from wisdom to mere ignorance; and that now its progression is from ultimates to interiors, thus from ignorance again to wisdom.

Continuation:-

[4] Religion with man consists in a life according to the Divine precepts which are summarily contained in the Decalogue. With him who does not live according to them there can be no religion, because he does not fear God, still less does he love Him; nor does he fear man, still less does he love him. Can he who steals, commits adultery, kills, bears false witness fear God or man? Nevertheless, everyone is able to live according to them; and he who is wise does so live, as a civil, a moral man, and a natural man. But he who does not live according to them as a spiritual man cannot be saved. For to live according to them as a spiritual man is to do so for the sake of the Divine in them, whereas to live according to them as a civil man is [to do so] for the sake of what is just, and also to escape the punishments of the world; and to live according to them as a moral man is to do so for the sake of what is honest, and also to avoid the loss of fame and honour. But to live according to them as a natural man is [to do so] for the sake of what is human, and also to avoid the ill report of not being of a sound mind.

All laws, civil, moral, and natural, lay it down that [a man] must not steal, commit adultery, kill, or bear false witness. But still a man is not saved if he shuns those evils from such laws only, unless he also shuns them from spiritual law; that is, shuns them as sins. For with such a man there is religion, and the belief that there is a God, a heaven and a hell, and a life after death. Indeed, also, with such a one there are civil life, moral life, and natural life. Civil life, because there is what is just; moral life, because there is what is honest; and natural life, because there is what is human. But he who does not live according to those precepts as a spiritual man, is neither a civil, a moral, nor a natural man; for he has neither what is just, nor honest, nor indeed what is human, because there is not the Divine in them. For there cannot be any good, which is good in and from itself, except from God; consequently, there cannot be anything just, truly honest, and truly human, in itself and from itself, except from God, and unless the Divine is in it. Consider whether any one in whom is hell, or who is a devil, can do what is just from what is just, or for the sake of what is just; similarly what is honest, or anything truly human. The truly human is what is from order and according to order, and what is from sound reason. And God is Order; and sound reason is from God. In a word, he who does not shun evils as sins is not a man. Every one who makes those precepts essentials of his religion becomes a citizen and inhabitant of heaven; whereas, he who does not so make them, but yet, in externals, lives according to them from natural, moral, and civil law, becomes a citizen and inhabitant of the world, but not of heaven.

[5] Most nations know those precepts, and also make them essentials of their religion, and live according to them, because God so wills and has commanded. By that means they have communication with heaven, and conjunction with God; therefore, also, they are saved. But most of those in the Christian world at this day do not make them essentials of their religion, but of their civil and moral life. They do not, however, externally act fraudulently and make unlawful gains, commit adulteries, openly persecute others from deadly hatred and revenge, nor bear false witness. But they do not refrain from these things because they are sins, and against God, but because they stand in fear of losing their life, their reputation, their function, their business, their possessions, their honour and gain, and their pleasure; wherefore if they were not restrained by those bonds, they would do these things. Because such people have formed for themselves no communication with heaven, nor conjunction with the Lord, but with the world and self only, they cannot be saved. Consider, now, when those external bonds are taken away - as is the case with every man after death - whether, if there were no internal bonds, which are the fear and love of God, thus of religion, to restrain and hold you back, you would not rush, like a devil, into thefts, adulteries, murders, false witnesses, and lusts of every kind, from the love and delight of them. That it is so, I have both seen and heard.