251. The reason why the “serpent” means all evil in general, and specifically the love of self, is that all evil has had its rise from that sensuous part of the mind, and also from that memory-knowledge [scientifico], which at first were signified by the “serpent;” and therefore it here denotes evil of every kind, and specifically the love of self, or hatred against the neighbor and the Lord, which is the same thing. As this evil or hatred was various, consisting of numerous genera and still more numerous species, it is described in the Word by various kinds of serpents, as “snakes” “cockatrices” “asps” “adders” “fiery serpents” “serpents that fly” and “that creep” and “vipers” according to the differences of the poison, which is hatred. Thus we read in Isaiah:

Rejoice not thou, whole Philistia, because the rod which smiteth thee is broken, for out of the serpent’s root shall go forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a flying fire-serpent (Isaiah 14:29).The “serpent’s root” denotes that part of the mind, or that principle, which is connected with the senses and with memory-knowledge [est sensuale et scientificum]; the “cockatrice” denotes evil originating in the falsity thence derived; and the “flying fire-serpent” the cupidity that comes from the love of self. By the same Prophet also similar things are elsewhere thus described:

They hatch cockatrice’s eggs, and weave the spider’s web; he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and when it is crushed there cometh out a viper (Isaiah 59:5).

The serpent described here in Genesis is called in the Revelation the “great and red dragon” and the “old serpent” and also the “devil and satan” that “deceives the whole world” (Revelation 12:3, 9; 20:2), where, and also in other places, by the “devil” is not meant any particular devil who is prince over the others, but the whole crew of evil spirits, and evil itself.

926. Verse 1. And I saw another sign in heaven, signifies revelation by the Lord of the state of the church just before the Last Judgment. This is evident from the signification of a "sign," as being revelation; also from the signification of "heaven," as being the Lord (of which presently). A "sign" signifies revelation because by a "sign" are meant those things that were seen by John, and that are described in what follows; and the things seen by him involve arcana respecting the state of the church just before the Last Judgment. For in general, whatever appears in heaven has precisely the same appearance as the things which exist in our material world in its three kingdoms; and such things appear before the eyes of the angels in just the same way as the things of the three kingdoms appear before the eyes of men in the world. There appear there gold, silver, copper, tin, lead, stones precious and not precious, soil, lands, mountains, hills, valleys, waters, fountains, and other things of the mineral kingdom. There appear paradises, gardens, forests, fruit trees of every kind, lawns, fields of grain, meadows filled with flowers, plants, and grasses of every kind; also things produced from these, as oils, wines, strong drinks, and other things of the vegetable kingdom. There appear animals of the earth, flying things of heaven, fishes of the sea, creeping things, and these of every kind, and so much like those on our earth that they cannot be distinguished. I have seen them, and could see no difference.

[2] Still there is this difference, that the things seen in heaven are from a spiritual origin, but those seen in our world are from a material origin; and things from a spiritual origin affect the senses of the angels because their senses are spiritual, as those from a material origin affect the senses of men because they are material. For spiritual things are homogeneous with spiritual beings, and material things are homogeneous with material beings. It is said that they are from a spiritual origin because they exist from the Divine that proceeds from the Lord as a sun; and the Divine proceeding from the Lord as a sun is spiritual. For the sun there is not fire, but is the Divine love, which appears before the eyes of angels as the sun of the world appears before the eyes of men; and whatever proceeds from the Divine love is Divine and is spiritual. That which proceeds appears in general as light, and is felt as heat; and yet that light as well as the heat is spiritual. For that light is the Divine wisdom, and is called the Divine truth, and that heat is the Divine love, and is called the Divine good, consequently that light inwardly enlightens the understanding of angels, and that heat inwardly fills the will of angels with the good of love. From that origin are all things that exist in the heavens; and they appear in forms like those in our world in its three kingdoms, as has been said above. Their appearing in such forms is according to the order of creation, which is that when the things pertaining to the wisdom of angels and to their love descend into the lower sphere in which angels are as to their bodies and their bodily sensations they are manifested in such forms and types. These are correspondences.

[3] This has been said to make known what is meant by the sign that John declares that he saw, also by the sign mentioned in the first and third verses of the twelfth chapter, namely, that it means revelation by such things as exist in heaven from a Divine spiritual origin, and thus contain in them Divine arcana; here arcana respecting the state of the church just before the Last Judgment. For seven angels were seen "with seven golden vials, clothed in linen clean and bright, and girded about the breasts with golden girdles;" there was also seen "a glassy sea mingled with fire;" also "those who had victory over the beast, having harps;" there was also seen "the temple of the Tabernacle of the testimony;" and the songs in which they glorified the Lord were heard; all these are called the "sign" that he saw, because they were significative. But the things signified by them can be seen only by correspondences; and because they contain Divine arcana, they cannot be seen unless the Lord reveals them.

[4] It is called a "sign from heaven," which means revelation by the Lord. It is said "by the Lord" because heaven is the Lord. Heaven indeed consists of angels; and yet the angels are not heaven, but the Lord is heaven, for heaven is the Divine that proceeds from the Lord, and this is called the Divine good and the Divine truth, and from it the angels have all their love and wisdom. Angels are angels from love and wisdom, and they have love and wisdom from the Lord; and because these are from the Lord they are the Lord's, and are thus the Lord with them, as can be seen from the Lord's words to His disciples:

That they are in the Lord and He in them (John 14:20);

And that He hath His abode in them in the Word from Him (John 14:22-24).

Since, then, heaven is from the angels, and angels are angels from the Lord, it follows that heaven is the Lord.