362. I heard the second animal saying. That this signifies out of the inmost heaven from the Lord, is clear from what was said above (n. 353); for by the animals are meant the cherubim, and the cherubim signify, in the highest sense, the Lord as to Providence, and as to defence, that He may not be approached except by means of the good of love; and in a respective sense, the inmost heaven (see above, n. 152, 277, 313, 322). The reason why the cherubim also signify the inmost heaven, is, because this heaven is in the good of love to the Lord, and the Lord cannot be approached except through the heavens, and into the inmost or third heaven there is not anything admitted which does not savour of the good of that heaven. The reason there were four animals or cherubim, is, because four signifies conjunction into one, and such is the conjunction with those who are there; for the Lord thus conjoins them by love to Him from Him. Hence it is that four were seen. From these things it is also evident, that the same is here meant by the second animal as by the first, and also by the third and fourth in the verses following. (That four signifies conjunction, may be seen in n. 1686, 8877, 9601, 9674.)

322. The four animals and the four-and-twenty elders fell down before the Lamb. That this signifies the acknowledgment and hence the glorification of the Lord by the angels of the higher heavens, is evident from the signification of the four animals and the four-and-twenty elders, as denoting, in general, the whole heaven, but specifically the inmost heavens, consequently, the angels of the higher heavens (concerning which see above, n. 313); here specifically the angels of those heavens, because in what follows glorification is made by the angels of the lower heavens; and from the signification of their falling down before the Lamb, as denoting acknowledgment from a humble heart. (That to fall down signifies humiliation, and then reception and acknowledgment of heart, may be seen above, n. 290.) That the acknowledgment of the Lord's Divine Human is meant is evident, for this is signified by the Lamb (see above, n. [314] ¹ ). What the higher heavens are, and what the lower heavens are, shall here be explained in a few words. There are three heavens; the third or inmost heaven is where the angels are who are in celestial love; the second or middle heaven is where the angels are who are in spiritual love; the first or ultimate heaven is where the angels who are in spiritual-natural love. The third or inmost heaven is conjoined with the second or middle by intermediate angels, who are called celestial-spiritual and spiritual-celestial angels; these, together with the angels of the third or inmost heaven, constitute the higher heavens; but the rest in the second or middle heaven, together with those who are in the first or ultimate heaven, constitute the lower heavens. The four animals signify specifically the third or inmost heaven, and the four-and-twenty elders the second or middle heaven, which is conjoined to the third or inmost; thus together they signify the higher heavens. (Concerning the intermediate angels, who are called celestial-spiritual, and spiritual-celestial, and concerning the conjunction of the third heaven with the second by them, see the Arcana Coelestia 1577, 1824, 2184, 4047, 4286, 4585, 4592, 4594, 6435, 6526, 8787, 8801, 9671.)

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