734. And there was war in heaven.- That this signifies combat of falsity against truth, and of truth against falsity, is evident from the signification [of war as denoting spiritual war, that is,] of falsity against truth and of truth against falsity, of which we shall speak presently. The falsity here meant is falsity from evil, while the truth is truth from good; for many kinds of falsities exist, but those only which are from evil fight against truths from good, since evil is opposed to good, and all truth is of good. All those are in the falsities of evil who in their life have given no thought to heaven and the Lord, but have thought only of themselves and the world. To think of heaven and the Lord in the life, is to think that one ought to act in such or such a manner, because the Word so teaches and commands; those who do this, since they live from the Word, live from the Lord and heaven. But to think only of oneself and the world, is to think that one ought to act in this or that manner because of the laws of the country, and for the sake of reputation, honours and gain. Such persons do not live for the Lord and heaven, but for themselves and the world; these are in evil as to life, and from evils in falsities; and those who are in falsities from this source fight against truths. But these do not fight against the Word, for they call it holy and Divine, but they fight against the genuine truths of the Word; they confirm their falsities by the Word, but by the sense of its letter only, which in some passages is of such a nature that it may be interpreted to confirm the most heretical principles, for the reason that the Word in that sense is adapted to the apprehension of children and the simple minded; these for the most part are sensual, and the sensual receive only those things that they see. And because the Word is such in the letter, therefore those who are in falsities from evil of life confirm their falsities by the Word, and thus falsify the Word. In fact those who separate faith from charity, so falsify the Word that wherever mention is made of acting or of deeds and works, they explain such passages - of which there are thousands - so as to make it appear that not the doing of deeds or works is meant, but only believing and faith; and so in other cases. These things have been said in order that the reader may know who are meant by those who are in falsities from evil, and who made war with Michael and his angels, as treated of in the following article.

[2] That war, in the Word, signifies spiritual war, which is that of falsity from evil against truth from good, and of truth from good against falsity from evil, or what is the same thing, that which is waged by those who are in falsities from evil against those who are in truths from good, is evident from a number of passages in the Word, of which we shall cite only the following.

In Isaiah:

"Many peoples shall go and say, Come and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob, who will teach us of his ways, that we may go in his paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the Word of Jehovah from Jerusalem; that he may judge among the nations, and rebuke peoples, who shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up the sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come ye, and we will go in the light of Jehovah" (2:3-5; Micah 4:3).

This treats of the Lord's coming, and of the fact that those who will be of His New Church are to be instructed in truths, by which they will be led to heaven. The mountain of Jehovah and the house of Jacob signify the church in which there are love to the Lord and worship from that love. The call to that church, and thus to the Lord, is signified by Many peoples shall go and say, Come, and let us go up to that mountain. That they are to be instructed in the truths by which they will be led, is signified by the words He will teach us of His ways, that we may go in His paths, - ways denoting truths, and paths precepts of life. That they will be taught by means of the doctrine of the good of love, and the doctrine of truth from that good, which are for the church out of heaven from the Lord, is signified by Out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the Word from Jerusalem, - the law denoting the doctrine of the good of love, and the Word, truth from that good. That evils of life and falsities of doctrine will then be dissipated is signified by He will judge among the nations and rebuke peoples, - nations signifying those who are in evils, and peoples those who are in falsities, thus, in an abstract sense, evils of life and falsities of doctrine.

[3] That, by common consent, combats will then cease is signified by They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks, - swords and spears denoting falsities from evil fighting against truths from good, and truths from good against falsities from evil, ploughshares denoting the goods of the church cultivated by means of truths. For a field that is tilled by the ploughshare denotes the church as to the good of life, and pruning-hooks denote truths of doctrine, because trees in gardens signify perceptions and cognitions of truth. The signification of Nation shall not lift the sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more is similar, war signifying combats in their whole extent. Come ye, and we will go in the light of Jehovah, signifies that such will live a life of wisdom, the light of Jehovah denoting the Divine Truth, and to go in it denoting to live according to it, thus a life of wisdom. That war here signifies spiritual war, which is that of falsities against truths and goods, and conversely, and that swords and spears, which are arms of war, signify such things as are used in spiritual combats, is manifestly evident, for the Lord, the church to be established by Him, and also the doctrine for that church, is the subject dealt with here, therefore it is said, "He shall teach us of his ways, that we may go in his paths;" also,

"Come ye, and we will go in the light of Jehovah."

[4] In Hosea:

"In that day I will make for them a covenant with the wild beast of the field, and with the bird of the heavens, and with the creeping thing of the earth; and the bow, and the sword, and the war, will I break off from the earth, and I will cause them to lie down securely" (2:18).

The signification of the wild beast of the field, the bird of the heavens, and the creeping thing of the earth, with which Jehovah in that day will make a covenant, may be seen above (n. 388:27, 701:20), where it is also shown that by breaking the bow, the sword, and the war, is signified to cease from all combat between falsity and truth, therefore it is added, "And I will cause them to lie down securely," which means security from the infestations of evils and falsities from hell.

[5] In Zechariah:

"I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of war shall be cut off; and he will speak peace to the nations" (9:10).

These words also have been explained above (n. 355:5, 357:1), and from them it is evident that the bow of war signifies doctrine of truth fighting against falsities, for this is said of the Lord.

In David:

Jehovah "who setteth desolations in the earth, who maketh wars to cease even to the end of the earth, who breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder, who burneth the chariots with fire" (Psalm 46:8, 9).

Here also, Jehovah making wars to cease to the end of the earth signifies that He causes combats understood in the spiritual sense, to cease, which are combats of falsities against the truths and goods of the church, as may be seen above (n. 357:28).

[6] In the same:

God "breaketh the flashings (scintillas) of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the war" (Psalm 76:3).

This has a similar signification, as may be seen above (n. 357:29, 365:38).

In Isaiah:

"Before the swords shall they wander, before the drawn sword and before the bended bow, because of the grievousness of war " (21:15).

The signification of these words may be seen above (n. 131:5, 357:8); also that grievousness of war signifies because of the strong assault of falsities against the knowledges of good, here signified by Arabia or Kedar.

In David:

Jehovah "who teacheth my hands war, so that a bow of brass may be let down upon my arms" (Psalm 18:34).

To teach the hands war does not mean war against enemies in this world, but against enemies in hell, which is carried on by combats of truth against falsities and against evils. The appearance is that such a war is here meant as David waged against his enemies, and thus that Jehovah taught him such war, and how to let down a bow of brass upon the arms; nevertheless spiritual war is meant, and also a spiritual bow, which is the doctrine of truth, and a bow of brass means the doctrine of the good of life, and this because the Word, regarded in its essence, is spiritual; but concerning these words also, see above (n. 357:4).

[7] In David:

"Strive, O Jehovah, with them that strive with me, fight against them that fight against me, take hold of shield and buckler and rise up for mine help, draw out the spear, and stop the way against my pursuers; say unto my soul, I am thy salvation" (Psalm 35:1-3).

Here to fight, to take hold of shield and buckler, and to draw out the spear, does not mean to use those arms of war, since this is said of Jehovah, but it is so said, because all arms of war signify such things as pertain to spiritual war. A shield, because it protects the head, signifies protection against falsities which destroy the understanding of truth; a buckler, because it protects the breast, signifies protection against the falsities which destroy charity, which is the will of good; while a spear, as it protects all parts of the body, signifies protection in general. Because such things are signified, it is therefore added, "Say to my soul, I am thy salvation."

[8] Since Jehovah, that is, the Lord, protects man from the hells, that is, from the evils and falsities which continually arise therefrom, therefore he is called Jehovah Zebaoth, that is Jehovah of armies (or hosts), and armies signify the truths and goods of heaven, and thus of the church in their whole extent, by means of which the Lord removes the hells in general, and with each one individually. This is why it is attributed to Jehovah that He fights and carries on war as a hero and man of war in battles, as is evident from the following passages.

In Isaiah:

"Jehovah Zebaoth shall come down to fight upon Mount Zion, and upon the hill thereof" (31:4).

In Zechariah:

"Jehovah shall go forth and fight against the nations, as on the day of his fighting in the day of battle" (14:3).

In Isaiah:

"Jehovah shall go forth as a hero; as a man of war he shall stir up zeal, he shall prevail over his enemies" (42:13).

In Moses:

"War of Jehovah against Amalek from generation to generation" (Exodus 17:16).

This is said because by Amalek are signified those falsities of evil which continually infest the truths and goods of the church.

[9] Moreover, the wars described in the historical parts of the Word, both those which are related in the books of Moses, and those in the books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and the Kings, signify spiritual wars; as for example, the wars against the Assyrians, Syrians, Egyptians, Philistines, and, in the beginning, those against the idolatrous nations in the land of Canaan beyond and on this side Jordan. But the signification of those wars becomes plain when it is known what kind of evil and falsity is signified by the Assyrians, the Babylonians, and Chaldeans, also by the Egyptians, Syrians, Philistines, and the rest. For all the nations and peoples who waged war with the sons of Israel represented the hells, which wished to do violence to the church represented by the sons of Israel. Those wars nevertheless actually took place as they are described, still they represented, and thus signified, spiritual wars, since nothing is said in the Word that is not interiorly spiritual, for the Word is Divine, and what proceeds from the Divine is spiritual, and is terminated in what is natural.

[10] That the ancients also possessed a Word both prophetical and historical, now lost, is evident in Moses (Numbers 21), where its prophecies are mentioned, which are there called Enunciations, and also its historical parts, which are called the Wars of Jehovah (verses 14 and 27). Those historical parts are called the Wars of Jehovah, because they signify the wars of the Lord with the hells, as is the case also with the wars in the historical parts of our Word. This, then, is why enemies, foes, assailants, pursuers, those that rise up, and moreover all arms of war, such as the spear, the buckler, the shield, the sword, the bow, arrows and the chariot, signify in the Word such things as pertain to combat and protection against the hells.

[11] In Moses:

"When thou goest out to war against the enemy, and seest the horse and the chariot, a people more than thou, thou shalt not be afraid of them, because Jehovah thy God is with thee." The priest shall say to them, when they draw near to the battle, "Ye draw near this day to the battle against your enemies, let not your heart soften, neither fear ye, nor tremble, nor be dismayed before them, for Jehovah your God goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, and to save you" (Deuteronomy 20:1-4).

He who does not know that there is a spiritual sense in every particular of the Word may suppose that nothing more interior is meant here than that which appears in the letter; and yet war, as elsewhere, signifies spiritual war, and therefore horse, chariot, and much people, signify the falsities of religion in which they trust, and from which they fight against the truths of the church, horse denoting the falsities of the understanding and reasonings therefrom, chariot, falsities of doctrine, and much people, falsities in general. Whether you say falsities, or those who are in falsities, it amounts to the same. They were not to be afraid of these or tremble, because they are in the truths of the church from the Lord. And because the Lord is in these truths with man, and thus from them fights for man against the hells, which are meant by enemies in the spiritual sense, therefore it is said, because Jehovah God is with thee, and goeth with thee to fight for you with your enemies, and to keep you. These two senses, the natural and the spiritual, make one by the correspondences which exist between all things of the world and all things of heaven, consequently there is a conjunction of heaven with man through the Word. But the spiritual sense which lies hidden in the historical parts of the Word is less easily seen than that in the prophetical parts, because the historical facts keep the mind fixed in themselves, and thus withdraw it from thinking of any other sense than that which appears in the letter; yet all the historical parts of the Word are representative of heavenly things, and the words, are significative.

[12] That all those who were in truths of doctrine, and thus had become men of the church, and not those that had not so become, were to fight, is signified by the following words in the same chapter:

"Afterwards the governors shall speak to the people, saying, What man is there that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? let him go and return unto his house, lest peradventure he die in the war, and another man dedicate it. Or what man is there that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not completed and gathered the fruits of it? let him go and return unto his house, lest peradventure he die in the war, and another man complete and gather the fruits of it. Or what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the war, and another man take her. What man is timid and faint in heart? let him go and return unto his house, lest the heart of his brethren melt as his heart" (Deuteronomy 20:5-8).

That those that had built new houses, and had not yet dedicated them, and those that had planted vineyards, and not yet gathered the fruits of them, and those that had betrothed wives, and not yet taken them, should remain at home, lest they should die in the war, and other men should dedicate their houses, gather the fruits of their vineyards, and take their wives, was commanded and sanctioned from causes in the spiritual world; and these no one can understand, except he knows the signification of building a house, planting a vineyard, and taking a wife, and also of dying in war. To build a house signifies to establish the church, and the same is meant by planting a vineyard; but a house signifies the church as to good, and a vineyard the church as to truth, for both good and truth must be implanted in man, in order that the church may be in him. The conjunction of these two, namely, of good and truth, is signified by betrothing and taking a wife; and war signifies spiritual war, which is a combat against evils and falsities from hell; while to die in the war, signifies to yield, before the church is implanted by means of those things, this also being effected by means of temptations, which are also signified in the Word by wars.

[13] From these things it may be understood what is signified by those statutes in the spiritual sense, namely, that the men of the church, that is, men in whom is the church, who are signified by the sons of Israel going out to the war, are those who are to fight against enemies, which are the hells, that is to say, those in whom is the church, and not those who have not yet become men of the church; therefore it is said that those that have built houses, and not yet dedicated them, also those that have planted vineyards, and not yet gathered the fruits of them, also those that have betrothed wives, and have not yet taken them, shall not go out to the war; for all these signify those in whom the church has not yet been implanted, that is those who have not yet become men of the church. And it is said that they should go and return to their houses, lest they should die in the war, which means that such will not prevail over their enemies, but their enemies over them, since those alone prevail over their spiritual enemies who are in truths from good, or with whom truth is conjoined with good. It is said also, lest another man dedicate the house, gather the fruit of the vineyard, and take the wife, which signifies lest falsities and evils conjoin themselves with good, or truth of another kind with the affection for good; for another man signifies falsity, also other truth, thus truth that is not concordant. That the timid and faint in heart should also return home signifies those who were not yet in the goods and truths of the church and by means of these in confidence in the Lord, for such fear the evil, and also cause others to fear them, and this is signified by Lest the heart of his brethren melt. These now are the interior reasons, or reasons from the spiritual world, why these things were commanded.

[14] That war signifies spiritual war, which is war against infernal things, is manifestly evident from this, that the offices and ministries of the Levites in connection with the tent of meeting were called military service, as is plain from these things in Moses:

"It was commanded Moses that the Levites should be numbered, from a son of thirty years to a son of fifty years, to do military service, to do the work in the tent of the assembly" (Numbers 4:23, 35, 39, 43, 47).

And in another place:

"This is the office of the Levites; from a son of twenty-five years and upwards he shall come to do military service in the ministry of the tent of meeting, but from a son of fifty years he shall cease from the military service of the ministry, neither shall he minister any more" (Numbers 8:24, 25).

The labours and ministry of the Levites in connection with the tent of meeting are called military service, because the Levites represented the truths of the church, and Aaron, to whom the Levites were given and assigned for service, represented the Lord as to the good of love, and as to the work of salvation. And as the Lord from the good of love by means of truths from the Word regenerates and saves men, and also removes evils and falsities which are from hell, against which He continually fights, therefore the offices and ministries of the Levites were called a military service. The same thing is further evident from this that their ministries were called a military service, although they did not go out to war against the enemies of the land. This shows that the priesthood is a military service, but a military service against evils and falsities. It is for this reason that the church at this day is called a church militant.

[15] In Isaiah:

"The voice of a multitude in the mountains, like that of a great people, a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of the nations gathered together; Jehovah Zebaoth numbereth the host of war" (13:4).

These words have been explained above (n. 453:6). To number the host of war signifies to arrange truths from good against the falsities from evil, which are signified by the kingdoms of the nations gathered together.

In the same:

"In that day Jehovah [Zebaoth] shall be for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to those who repel war from the gate" (28:5, 6).

This is said of those who are in the pride of [their] own intelligence, and who are meant in the first verse by the crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim. That those who are not in that pride shall have intelligence from the Lord, is signified by Jehovah shall be for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, judgment denoting the understanding of truth, thus intelligence. Jehovah shall be for strength to those who repel war from the gate, signifies that the Lord gives power to those who defend the Word and doctrine from the Word, and who endeavour to prevent them from suffering violence, a city denoting doctrine, and the gate which gives entrance to it denoting natural truths. This was the reason why the elders sat in the gates of the city to judge.

[16] And in Jeremiah:

"Sanctify ye the war" against the daughter of Zion; "arise and let us go up at noon, arise and let us go up in the night, and destroy her palaces. Cast up a mound against Jerusalem. Behold a people cometh from the land of the north, a cruel people, and they have no mercy; their voice resoundeth like the sea, they ride upon horses prepared as a man for war, against thee, O daughter of Zion" (6:3-6, 22, 23).

The subject there treated of is the falsification of the Word by those who are in [their] own intelligence, and who are meant by the people coming from the land of the north, for such persons in the spiritual world dwell in the north, because they are in falsifications from which truths cannot be seen; but a church which is in genuine truths is meant by the daughter of Zion. The attack upon truth and the destruction of the church by such is signified by Sanctify ye the war against the daughter of Zion, and cast up a mound against Jerusalem, - Jerusalem denoting the church as to doctrine, and thus the doctrine of the church. The effort to destroy truths openly is signified by Arise, let us go up at noon; and the effort to destroy them secretly is signified by Arise, let us go up in the night. The effort to destroy the understanding of truth is signified by Let us destroy her palaces; that they are wholly destitute of the love of truth, and have a love of falsity, is signified by A cruel people, and they have no mercy. That they reason from knowledges (scientia), and from [their] own intelligence, is signified by Their voice resoundeth like the sea, they ride upon horses; that they fight against truth is signified by their being prepared as a man for war.

[17] In David:

"Deliver me from the evil man, and save me from the man of violences, who think evils in the heart; all the day they gather together for war, they have sharpened their tongue like serpents" (Psalm 140:1-3).

The evil man and the man of violences signify those who pervert the truths of the Word; he is called a man of violences who from wicked intention offers violence to the truths of the Word, by perverting them; such wicked intention is further described by thinking evils in the heart, while the perversion of the truths of the Word is meant by gathering themselves together all the day for war; the reasonings by which they prevail are signified by wars, therefore it is also added, "They have sharpened their tongue like serpents."

[18] In Zechariah:

"They shall be as mighty men treading under foot the mire of the streets in the war, and they shall engage in battle, because Jehovah is with them, and they that ride upon horses shall be ashamed" (10:5).

This treats of the Lord's coming, and of those who are in truths from good from Him; of these it is said, that They shall be as mighty men treading under the foot the mire of the streets in the war, - which signifies that they will dissipate and utterly destroy falsities of doctrine, the mire of the streets denoting that falsity, because a city signifies doctrine, the streets of a city its truths, and the mire in them falsity from truth falsified. And they shall fight because Jehovah is with them, signifies that they will attack and overcome those falsities by power from the Lord; and they that ride upon horses shall be ashamed, signifies that everything of [their] own intelligence shall succumb; to be made ashamed denotes to succumb, because it is said of those who are conquered, while to ride upon horses denotes to trust in [their] own intelligence.

[19] In Hosea:

"I will have mercy on the house of Judah, and will save them by Jehovah their God; and I will not save them by the bow, nor by the sword, nor by warrior by horses, nor by horsemen" (1:7).

The house of Judah signifies the celestial church; to have compassion and to save them by Jehovah their God signifies salvation from the Lord. I will not save them by the bow, nor by the sword, nor by the war, nor by horses, nor by horsemen, signifies not by such things as belong to [man's] own intelligence. The signification of bow, sword, horses and horsemen, has been shown above in various places; war signifies combat from such things.

[20] In Ezekiel:

"Ye have not gone up into the breaches, neither made up the fence for the house of Israel, that ye might stand in the war in the day of Jehovah" (13:5).

This was said of the foolish prophets, who signify falsities of doctrine from the Word when it is falsified. That they were not able to correct the apostacies of the church, or amend anything of it is signified by Ye have not gone up into the breaches, neither made up the fence for the house of Israel, - the breaches of the house of Israel denoting the falling away of the church, and its fence that which prevents the invasion of falsity, and thus produces amendment. Not to stand in the war in the day of Jehovah, signifies not to fight against falsities of evil, which are from hell, in the day of a last judgment.

[21] And in Jeremiah:

"How is the city of glory not forsaken, the city of my joy? Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of war shall be cut off in that day" (49:25, 26; 50:30).

The doctrine of truth from the Word is meant by the city of glory, and by the city of the joy of Jehovah; that this is changed into a doctrine of falsity by falsifications of truth is signified by being forsaken or deserted. That all understanding of truth, and thus all intelligence, would perish, is signified by Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, - young men denoting the understanding of truth, and the streets, of that city falsities of doctrine. That there will no longer remain any truths fighting against falsities is signified by All the men of war shall be cut off, - men of war denoting those who are in truths, and who fight from them against falsities, and, in an abstract sense, truths themselves fighting against falsities.

[22] In Isaiah:

"Thy slain (confossi) are not slain with the sword, neither killed in war" (22:2).

This is said of the valley of vision, which signifies the sensual man, which looks at everything from the fallacies of the bodily senses; because it does not understand truths, and seizes upon falsities in the place of them, it is therefore said Thy slain are not slain with the sword, neither killed in war, - which signifies that truths have not been destroyed by reasonings from falsities, nor by any combats of falsity against truths, but from themselves, because from fallacies, in consequence of which truths are not seen.

[23] In the same:

"I will mingle Egypt against Egypt, that a man shall fight against his brother, and a man against his companion, city against city, kingdom against kingdom" (19:2).

This is said of the natural separated from the spiritual man, which is signified by Egypt. The crowd of falsities in the natural man reasoning and fighting against the truths and goods of the spiritual man is signified by I will mingle Egypt against Egypt, and a man shall fight against his brother, and a man against his companion, - a man and a brother signifying truth and good, and, in the opposite sense, falsity and evil, and a man and his companion truths among themselves, and, in the opposite sense, falsities among themselves. This division, and combat, take place when falsities rule, since falsities continually contend with falsities, but truths do not contend with truths. That there will be similar contentions of doctrines among themselves, or of churches among themselves, is signified by City shall fight against city, and kingdom against kingdom, - city denoting doctrine, and kingdom the church therefrom.

[24] From these things it is evident what is signified by the Lord's words in the Evangelists;

"Many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and shall lead many astray. But ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars; see that ye be not troubled; for nation shall rise up against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes" (Matthew 24:5-7; Mark 13:6-8; Luke 21:8-11).

This was said by the Lord to the disciples concerning the consummation of the age, which signifies the state of the church at its end, which is described in those chapters, therefore it also means the successive perversion and falsification of the truth and good of the Word, until nothing remains but falsity and evil therefrom. Those who shall come in His name and call themselves Christ, and shall lead many astray, signify that those shall come who will say that this is Divine Truth, when nevertheless it is truth falsified, which in itself is falsity; for by Christ is meant the Lord as to Divine Truth, but here, in the opposite sense, truth falsified. That they shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, signifies that there will be discussions and contentions about truths, and consequent falsifications. Nation shall rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, signifies that evil will fight against evil, and falsity against falsity, for evils never agree among themselves, nor falsities among themselves; this is why churches are divided, and why so many heresies have arisen; nation signifies those who are in evils, and kingdom those who are in falsities, and of these the church consists. There shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes, signifies that there will no longer be any knowledges of truth and good, and the state of the church will be changed by the falsities that will corrupt it, famine denoting a lack of the knowledges of truth and good, pestilences, corruptions by falsities, and earthquakes, the changes in the church.

[25] Since wars signify, in the Word, spiritual wars which are combats of falsity against truth, and of truth against falsity, therefore such combats are described by the war between the king of the north and the king of the south, and by the battle of the he-goat against the ram, in Daniel, - the war between the king of the north and the king of the south in chapter eleven, and the combat of the he-goat against the ram in chapter eight. And there the king of the north means those who are in falsities, and the king of the south those who are in truths. The he-goat signifies those who are in falsities of doctrine, because they are in evil of life, and the ram those who are in truths of doctrine, because they are in good of life.

[26] It is evident, from these things what is signified by war in other passages of the Apocalypse, as in the following:

When the witnesses "shall have finished their testimony, the beast coming up out of the abyss shall make war with them, and conquer them, and kill them" (11:7).

Again,

"The spirits of demons doing signs to go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them together to the war of that great day of God Almighty" (16:14):

And again,

"Satan shall go forth to lead the nations astray, Gog and Magog, that he may gather them together to war" (20:8).

In these passages also, war signifies spiritual war, which is that of falsity against truth and of truth against falsity. It is called a war of falsity against truth and of truth against falsity, but it must be understood that those who are in falsities fight against truths, but those who are in truths do not fight against falsities, for it is always those who are in falsities that attack while those who are in truths only defend, and in reference to the Lord, He does not even resist, but only protects truths. But we shall speak further upon this subject elsewhere.

453. Which no man could number.- That this signifies that the quality and measure of good and truth with them are known to the Lord alone, is evident from the signification of number, which denotes the quality of a thing; and of numbering, which denotes to know the quality of a thing, in the present case, the quality of good and truth with those who are now treated of. That it also signifies that the Lord alone knows this, is meant by no man being able to number them. For no man, or angel, knows what the quality of good and truth is with another, in their entire series and connexion, but merely something of it appearing in externals; and yet every quality is of infinite extension, for it is united and associated with innumerable things which lie interiorly concealed, which exist exteriorly, and are extended on all sides. None sees these things but the Lord alone. And therefore the Lord alone arranges and disposes all according to their quality, for He sees the nature and quality of every one, and what will happen to him to eternity, because the Lord's sight, which is called Omniscience, foresight, and providence, is eternal. For this reason no one knows the quality of good and truth with another, but the Lord alone. It appears to be a strange thing that to know the quality of good and truth is signified by numbering, for he who reads these words, remaining merely in the sense of the letter, cannot see any other meaning in them than that the multitude was so great that it could not be numbered; when nevertheless number, in the spiritual sense, signifies quality, and therefore numbering signifies to know the quality, and to arrange and dispose in agreement with it.

[2] On account of this signification of numbering punishment was inflicted, because David numbered the people, concerning which it is thus written in the second book of Samuel:

"The anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel, therefore he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah. And the king said to Joab, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people." Joab dissuaded him, but the word of the king prevailed. "And David's heart smote him after he had numbered the people; and David said, I have sinned greatly in what I have done; and now I beseech thee, O Jehovah, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly." Wherefore the prophet Gad was sent to David, offering him three punishments, of which he chose the pestilence, and of this seventy thousand men died" (2 Samuel 25:1 to end).

Who cannot see that no sin is committed in numbering a people, but that the sin was so great that a choice of one of three punishments was given to David, and he chose the pestilence of which seventy thousand men died? The reason of this was, that Israel and Judah represented, and thence signified, the kingdom of the Lord in the heavens and in the world, and numbering signified to know their quality, and to arrange and dispose accordingly, and this belongs to the Lord alone. It is therefore evident that to number, in the Word, has such a signification.

[3] Similarly in Moses:

"When thou takest the sum of the sons of Israel according to those that are numbered, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto Jehovah, in numbering them; that there be no plague among them in numbering them" (Exodus 30:12).

Numbering here also signifies to know their quality, or the quality of the church with them, and to arrange and dispose according to it; and because this belongs to the Lord alone, it is therefore said, "Every man shall give a ransom for his soul unto Jehovah, in numbering them; that there be no plague among them in numbering them." This passage is more fully explained in the Arcana Coelestia 10216-10232).

[4] In Daniel:

Because Belshazzar drank wine out of the vessels of gold and silver which were brought from the temple at Jerusalem, a hand went forth and wrote on the wall, "Thou art numbered, thou art weighed and art divided, God hath numbered thy kingdom and finished it" (5:2, 5, 25, 26).

In this passage, by being numbered is signified to be seen and explored in regard to the quality of good and truth; and he hath numbered the kingdom signifies to be arranged and disposed. What is signified by the rest may be seen above (n. 373:3).

Again, in Isaiah:

"By the cutting off my days, I shall go to the gates of hell (the grave) ¹ ; I am numbered, the residue of my years" (38:10).

These are the words of Hezekiah the king, when he was sick, and by being numbered is signified, explored and concluded.

[5] That to number, and to be numbered, have a different signification in the spiritual sense of the Word from that which appears in the letter or in its natural sense, is also evident from this fact, that with the angels in heaven, numbers and measures have no place in their spiritual ideas, that is to say they do not think from number or measurement, but from the quality of a thing, and such thought falls into numbers and measures when it descends thence into the natural sphere. And yet the Word is written equally for angels as for men, wherefore angels by numbers and by numbering, in the Word, perceive the quality of the thing treated of, while men understand numbers and numbering. This is still further evident from this fact, that every number in the Word signifies something connected with a thing or state. Concerning this see above (n. 203, 336, 429, 430).

[6] Since in some places in the Word the expression "to number" is used, which signifies to know the quality of a thing, and to arrange and dispose according to it I will also adduce the following by way of confirmation.

In Isaiah:

"A tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of the nations gathered together; Jehovah Zebaoth numbering the host of war" (13:4).

The kingdoms of the nations gathered together, of which there is a tumult, do not mean nations gathered together from kingdoms, for this is purely prophetical and not historical; but the kingdoms of the nations gathered together, signify the falsities of evil which they have made to cohere; and by their tumult is meant their threats, and their eagerness to fight against truths. For the term "kingdoms" is used of truths, and in the opposite sense of falsities, and nations signify goods, and in the opposite sense evils, as may be seen above (n. 175, 331). Tumult is stated of the eager desire to fight, in the present case, against truths; Jehovah Zebaoth numbering the host of war, signifies the arrangement by the Lord of truths from good against the falsities from evil. The Lord in the Word is called Jehovah Zebaoth, from truths and goods fighting against falsities and evils, for Zebaoth signifies hosts, and hosts signify the truths and goods of heaven and of the church; and to number signifies to arrange them, and war signifies spiritual combat.

[7] Again, in the same prophet:

"Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, who bringeth out their host by number; he calleth them all by name" (40:26).

The host of heaven, in the sense of the letter, means the sun, moon, and stars, for these in the Word are called the host of Jehovah; but, in the spiritual sense, host signifies all the goods and truths of heaven, and of the church in their entirety, for the sun signifies the good of love, the moon the good of faith, while the stars signify the knowledges of good and truth. It is therefore evident what is signified by, "Lift up your eyes, and behold who hath created these things." By creating, when used of goods and truths, is signified to form these in man, and to regenerate him; by leading out the host by number, is signified to arrange goods and truths according to their quality in those who possess them; to call them all by name, signifies to know the quality of all and to dispose according to it.

[8] For name in the Word signifies the quality of a thing and state, as in John:

"The sheep hear his voice; and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out" (10:3).

In this passage, by leading out and calling by name are signified similar things to those contained in the words above quoted from Isaiah. That name signifies the quality of a thing and state, see above (n. 102, 135, 148).

In David:

Jehovah "who numbereth the host of the stars; he calleth them all by names" (Psalm 147:4).

To number the host of the stars, and call them all by their names, signifies to know all goods and truths, and to dispose them according to their quality in heaven and the church. What other object could there be in saying, that Jehovah numbereth the stars, and calleth them by their names?

[9] In Jeremiah:

"In the cities of the mountain, in the cities of the plain, and in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the circuit of Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, shall the flocks pass again under the hands of him that numbereth" (33:13).

What is signified in this passage, in the spiritual sense, by the mountains, the plain, the south, the land of Benjamin, the circuit of Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, may be seen explained above (n. 449:6); by the flocks passing under the hands of him that numbereth them, are signified interior goods and truths according to their order and quality in the church. For by flocks are signified interior goods and truths, interior and spiritual goods and truths being meant by the animals of the flock, as lambs, sheep, she-goats, rams, and kids; but exterior or natural goods and truths, are meant by those of the herd, as calves, heifers, cows, and oxen. That this is the case may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 1565, 2566, 5913, 6048, 8937, 10609).

[10] Again, in David:

"Mount Zion shall be glad, the daughters of Judah shall exult, because of thy judgments. Walk about Zion, go round about her; number the towers thereof. Set your heart to her bulwarks, distinguish her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following" (Psalm 48:11-13).

Mount Zion, which shall be glad, signifies the celestial church, in which those are who are in love to the Lord; the daughters of Judah, who shall exult, signify the affections for good and truth with those who are of that church. Because of thy judgments signifies because of the Divine truths which they have from the Lord. Walk about Zion, and go round about her, signifies to embrace the things of that church from love. Number the towers thereof, signifies to meditate on the higher or interior truths of that church; to number means to see and meditate on their quality, and towers denote higher or interior truths. Set your heart to her bulwarks, signifies to love the exterior truths which defend that church against falsities. Distinguish her palaces, signifies to perceive the goods of truth, for houses denote goods, and palaces the nobler goods of truth; That ye may tell it to the generation following, signifies the permanence of them to eternity.

[11] In Isaiah:

"He that walketh in justice, and speaketh uprightly; shall see the king in his beauty; they shall behold the land that is far off. Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe? where is he that weighs? where is he that counted the towers? Thou shalt not see an obdurate people, a people of depths of lip" (Isaiah 33:15-19).

To walk in justice and speak uprightly, signifies to live in the good of love and charity, and to think and perceive truths. For to walk signifies to live, while the term "justice" is used in reference to good, and uprightness, in reference to truth. He shall see the king in his beauty, signifies that they shall become wise, for king signifies truth from good, and beauty its wisdom, for in this, Divine Truth is in its own beautiful form; They shall behold the land that is far off, signifies the extension of wisdom into heaven, for land signifies the church, and also heaven, and far off signifies extension there. Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe? where is he that weighs? where is he that counted the towers? signifies remembrance of the state of the church when there is neither intelligence nor wisdom, and when there is falsification of interior truths. Terror denotes that state, scribe denotes intelligence, he that weighs denotes wisdom, towers denote interior truths, and to destroy their quality by falsifications is here signified by numbering them. Thou shalt not see an obdurate people, signifies those who are in falsities of evil, and in the abstract, those falsities; A people of depths of lip, signifies falsities of doctrine confirmed even until they appear as truths; lip signifies the truth of doctrine, here, the falsity which they shall not see.

[12] That to number also signifies to dispose wickedly, consequently to destroy by falsifications, is evident in the same prophet:

"Ye have seen the breaches of the house of David, that they are many; and ye have gathered together the waters of the lower pool. And ye have numbered the houses of Jerusalem, in order that ye may break down the houses to fortify the wall" (Isaiah 22:9, 10).

The house of David means the church in regard to truths of doctrine; and the breaches thereof signify falsities breaking in. To gather together the waters of the lower pool, signifies to collect many things from the sense of the letter of the Word, and from the natural man. The pools in Jerusalem signified truths, such as they are in the exterior and interior senses of the Word; the waters of the higher pool, truths in the interior sense of the Word; and the waters of the lower pool, those in the exterior sense, which is the sense of the letter of the Word. For waters denote truths, and the pools in Jerusalem have a signification similar to that of the lakes and the seas outside Jerusalem, that is to say, the gathering together of truths. To number the houses of Jerusalem, signifies to falsify the goods of truth; for the houses of Jerusalem signify the goods of the truth of the church, and to number signifies to apprehend them perversely; and to dispose wickedly, that is to interpret falsely, or to falsify. In order that ye may break down the houses to fortify the wall, signifies, to destroy those goods in order to build up a doctrine in which are pure falsities, a wall denoting the truth of doctrine defending, in the present case, falsified, because destitute of good.

[13] From these things the signification of "the days are numbered," "steps," and "hairs," in the following passages is evident.

In David:

"To number our days" (Psalm 90:12).

In Job:

"Thou numberest my steps" (14:16).

And again:

"Doth he not see my ways, and number all my steps?" (31:4).

In Luke:

"The hairs of your head are all numbered" (12:7).

In all these passages, to number signifies to know the quality from the least to the greatest, and to arrange and dispose, that is, to provide in agreement with it. The signification of days, steps, and hairs, has been stated and shown elsewhere.

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