681. And the seventh angel sounded.- That this signifies the influx of Divine Truth through the heavens from the Lord, and thence the consequent final changes is evident from the signification of sounding, in reference to an angel, as denoting the influx of Divine Truth from the Lord, and a consequent change in the lower parts, where the evil are (concerning this see above, n. 489, 502). To sound has this signification, because a trumpet and a horn signify Divine Truth about to be revealed, and also revealed, as may be seen above (n. 55, 262). The final change from the influx of Divine Truth from the Lord, is meant by the sounding of the seventh angel, because the number seven signifies what is full and final, as may be seen above (n. 20, 24, 257, 300, 486). The changes in the lower parts, where the evil are, caused by a stronger or milder influx of Divine Truth through the heavens from the Lord, and thus by various kinds of influx, have been amply treated of above (n. 413:2, 418, 419, 426, 489, 493); it is therefore unnecessary to say any more concerning them in this place. That the separation of the evil from the good, and the casting of the evil into hell, and many other changes, resulted from these various kinds of influx, may be seen in the places cited. From these things the signification of the seven angels sounding is now evident.

20. To the seven churches. That this signifies to all those who are in truths from good, or in faith from charity, is evident from the signification of seven, as being all. For, seven in the Word, signifies a beginning and an end, thus an entire period and a full state, just as a week does (Arcana Coelestia 728, 6508, 9228). And because it signifies what is full, it also signifies all, because all make what is full; for fulness in respect to those who constitute any society, in this case the church, denotes all therefore, when magnitude is treated of in the Word, seven signifies what is full, and when multitude is treated of, seven signifies all. Three, also, in the Word signifies full and all (as may be seen, n. 2788, 4495, 7715); but where anything holy is treated of in the Word, seven is used, and in other cases three (n. 10127). Here, therefore, seven is used, because the subject treated of is truths from good, which are the holy things of the church. This also appears from the signification of churches, as denoting those who are in truths from good, or in faith from charity. The reason why such persons are meant by churches is, because those truths constitute the church with every one; for those who are not in truths from good, although born within the church, yet are not of the church, because no church exists in them. This is why the Lord's church consists of all those, wheresoever they are, who are the church, that is, who are in truths from good. (That the church, like heaven, is in man, and not outside of him, and hence that the man who is in truths from good is a church, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 3884; and in the work, Heaven and Hell 53, 54, 57.) It is also said, "who are in faith from charity," because this is the same thing; for truth belongs to faith, and good to charity; that is to say, everything that a man believes is called truth, and everything that he loves is called good. (That all truth is from good, and everything of faith is from charity, may be seen in the small work, The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine 84-107, 108-122, and The Last Judgment 33-39; as also in Heaven and Hell 364, 424, 482, 526.) He who knows nothing of the internal sense of the Word, believes nothing else, when he reads these things, than that by the seven churches are meant the seven churches afterwards named (verse 11); but churches are not meant, but all those who belong to the church; such being the spiritual sense of the Word.