429. And I heard the number of them that were sealed.- That this signifies the quality of those who are in good, and separated from the evil, is evident from the signification of number, which denotes the quality of the thing treated of, with which signification we shall deal presently; and from the signification of the sealed, as denoting those who are in good, distinct and separate from others. Concerning which signification see just above (n. 427:1).

Number and measure are mentioned in many places in the Word, and it is supposed that nothing more is meant by these than number and measure; but by number and measure in the spiritual sense is meant the quality of the thing treated of. The quality itself is determined by the numbers expressed, as in this place by a hundred and forty and four thousand, and afterwards by twelve thousand out of every tribe. The signification of these numbers shall therefore be explained in the following article. The reason why number signifies the quality of the thing treated of, is that the Word is spiritual, and consequently every detail contained in it is spiritual, and spiritual things are not numbered and measured, but yet they fall into numbers and measures when they [descend] out of the spiritual world, or out of heaven, where angels are, into the natural world or earth, where men are; and similarly, when they pass out of the spiritual sense of the Word in which angels are, into the natural sense of the Word in which men are. The natural sense of the Word is the sense of its letter. This is the reason that in this sense there are numbers, and that they signify spiritual things, or such as relate to heaven and the church. It has been often shown me that the spiritual things of heaven, such as those which the angels think and speak, also fall into numbers. When they were conversing, their discourse fell into pure numbers, and these were seen upon paper; they afterwards said that it was their discourse which had fallen into numbers, and that those numbers in a series contained everything they uttered. I was also instructed as to their signification, and how they were to be understood; upon this subject we shall have frequent occasion to speak in the following pages. But concerning writings from heaven in pure numbers, see Heaven and Hell 263). That all numbers in the Word signify things pertaining to heaven and the church, see also above (n. 203, 336).

6. Which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants. That this signifies for those who are in truths from good, is evident from the signification of giving the revelation to Him to show, as denoting to declare predictions, or, what is the same thing, predictions for those persons; and from the signification of His servants, as denoting those who are in truths from good. The reason why such are meant by servants of God, is, that, in the Word, those who hearken to and obey God are called servants of God. Hearkening and obedience exist only with those who are in truths from good, but not with those who are in truths alone, or in truths without good; for the latter have truths in the memory only, but not in the life; whereas those who are in truths from good, have truths in the life, and those who have truths in the life do them from the heart, that is, from love. It should be known that no truth ever enters into the life of a man unless he is in good, for good belongs to love, and love constitutes the whole man; thus a man receives into his life all the truths which agree with his love. This is quite evident from the fact that a man appropriates to himself whatever he loves, rejecting and holding in aversion everything else. By good is meant here the good of love to the Lord and the good of love towards the neighbour, this being the only spiritual good, with which the truths of faith agree.