9372. And He said unto Moses. That this signifies that which concerns the Word in general, is evident from the representation of Moses, as being the Word (of which below); and from the signification of “He said,” as involving those things which follow in this chapter, thus those which concern the Word (see n. 9370). (That Moses represents the Word, can be seen from what has been often shown before about Moses, as from the preface to Genesis 18; and n. 4859, 5922, 6723, 6752, 6771, 6827, 7010, 7014, 7089, 7382, 8601, 8760, 8787, 8805.) Here Moses represents the Word in general, because it is said of him in what follows, that he alone should come near unto Jehovah (verse 2); and also that, being called unto out of the midst of the cloud, he entered into it, and went up the mount (verses 16-18).

[2] In the Word there are many who represent the Lord in respect to truth Divine, or in respect to the Word; but chief among them are Moses, Elijah, Elisha, and John the Baptist. That Moses does so, can be seen in the explications just cited above; that so do Elijah and Elisha, can be seen in the preface to Genesis 18; and n. 2762, 5247; and that John the Baptist does so is evident from the fact that he was “Elias who was to come.” He who does not know that John the Baptist represented the Lord as to the Word, cannot know what all those things infold and signify which are said about him in the New Testament; and therefore in order that this secret may stand open, and that at the same time it may appear that Elias, and also Moses, who were seen when the Lord was transfigured, signified the Word, some things may here be quoted which are spoken about John the Baptist; as in Matthew:

After the messengers of John had departed, Jesus began to speak concerning John, saying, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? a reed shaken by the wind? But what went ye out to see? a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that wear soft things are in kings’ houses. But what went ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, even more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, Behold I send Mine angel before Thy face, who shall prepare Thy way before Thee. Verily I say unto you, Among those who are born of women there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist; nevertheless he that is less in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he. All the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye are willing to believe, he is Elias who was to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear (Matthew 11:7-15; and also Luke 7:24-28).

No one can know how these things are to be understood, unless he knows that this John represented the Lord as to the Word, and unless he also knows from the internal sense what is signified by “the wilderness” in which he was, also what by “a reed shaken by the wind,” and likewise by “soft raiment in kings’ houses;” and further what is signified by his being “more than a prophet,” and by “none among those who are born of women being greater than he, and nevertheless he that is less in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he,” and lastly by his being “Elias.” For without a deeper sense, all these words are uttered merely from some comparison, and not from anything of weight.

[3] But it is very different when by John is understood the Lord as to the Word, or the Word representatively. Then by “the wilderness of Judea in which John was” is signified the state in which the Word was at the time when the Lord came into the world, namely, that it was “in the wilderness,” that is, it was in obscurity so great that the Lord was not at all acknowledged, neither was anything known about His heavenly kingdom; when yet all the prophets prophesied about Him, and about His kingdom, that it was to endure forever. (That “a wilderness” denotes such obscurity, see n. 2708, 4736, 7313.) For this reason the Word is compared to “a reed shaken by the wind” when it is explained at pleasure; for in the internal sense “a reed” denotes truth in the ultimate, such as is the Word in the letter.

[4] That the Word in the ultimate, or in the letter, is crude and obscure in the sight of men; but that in the internal sense it is soft and shining, is signified by their “not seeing a man clothed in soft raiment, for behold those who wear soft things are in kings’ houses.” That such things are signified by these words, is plain from the signification of “raiment,” or “garments,” as being truths (n. 2132, 2576, 4545, 4763, 5248, 6914, 6918, 9093); and for this reason the angels appear clothed in garments soft and shining according to the truths from good with them (n. 5248, 5319, 5954, 9212, 9216). The same is evident from the signification of “kings’ houses,” as being the abodes of the angels, and in the universal sense, the heavens; for “houses” are so called from good (n. 2233, 2234, 3128, 3652, 3720, 4622, 4982, 7836, 7891, 7996, 7997); and “kings,” from truth (n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 6148). Therefore by virtue of their reception of truth from the Lord, the angels are called “sons of the kingdom,” “sons of the king,” and also “kings.”

[5] That the Word is more than any doctrine in the world, and more than any truth in the world, is signified by “what went ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet;” and by, “there hath not arisen among those who are born of women a greater than John the Baptist;” for in the internal sense “a prophet” denotes doctrine (n. 2534, 7269); and “those who are born,” or are the sons, “of women” denote truths (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 2803, 2813, 3704, 4257).

[6] That in the internal sense, or such as it is in heaven, the Word is in a degree above the Word in the external sense, or such as it is in the world, and such as John the Baptist taught, is signified by, “he that is less in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he;” for as perceived in heaven the Word is of wisdom so great that it transcends all human apprehension. That the prophecies about the Lord and His coming, and that the representatives of the Lord and of His kingdom, ceased when the Lord came into the world, is signified by, “all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.” That the Word was represented by John, as by Elijah, is signified by his being “Elias who is to come.”

[7] The same is signified by these words in Matthew:

The disciples asked Jesus, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come? He answered and said, Elias must needs first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, that Elias hath come already, and they knew him not, but did unto him whatsoever they wished. Even so shall the Son of man also suffer of them. And they understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist (Matthew 17:10-13).

That “Elias hath come, and they knew him not, but did unto him whatsoever they wished” signifies that the Word has indeed taught them that the Lord is to come, but that still they did not wish to comprehend, interpreting it in favor of the rule of self, and thus extinguishing what is Divine in it. That they would do the same with the truth Divine itself, is signified by “even so shall the Son of man also suffer of them.” (That “the Son of man” denotes the Lord as to truth Divine, see n. 2803, 2813, 3704)

[8] From all this it is now evident what is meant by the prophecy about John in Malachi:

Behold I send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Jehovah cometh (Malachi 4:5).

Moreover, the Word in the ultimate, or such as it is in the external form in which it appears before man in the world, is described by the “clothing” and “food” of John the Baptist, in Matthew:

John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, had His clothing of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey (Matthew 3:1, 4).

In like manner it is described by Elijah in the second book of Kings:

He was a hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins (2 Kings 1:8).

By “clothing,” or a “garment,” when said of the Word, is signified truth Divine there in the ultimate form; by “camel’s hair” are signified memory-truths such as appear there before a man in the world; by the “leathern girdle” is signified the external bond connecting and keeping in order all the interior things; by “food” is signified spiritual nourishment from the knowledges of truth and of good out of the Word; by “locusts” are signified ultimate or most general truths; and by “wild honey” their pleasantness.

[9] That such things are signified by “clothing” and “food” has its origin in the representatives of the other life, where all appear clothed according to truths from good, and where food also is represented according to the desires of acquiring knowledge and growing wise. From this it is that “clothing,” or a “garment,” denotes truth (as may be seen from the citations above; and that “food” or “meat” denotes spiritual nourishment, n. 3114, 4459, 4792, 5147, 5293, 5340, 5342, 5576, 5579, 5915, 8562, 9003; that “a girdle” denotes a bond which gathers up and holds together interior things, n. 9341; that “leather” denotes what is external, n. 3540; and thus “a leathern girdle” denotes an external bond; that “hairs” denote ultimate or most general truths, n. 3301, 5569-5573; that “a camel” denotes memory-knowledge in general, n. 3048, 3071, 3143, 3145, 4156; that “a locust” denotes nourishing truth in the extremes, n. 7643; and that “honey” denotes the pleasantness thereof, n. 5620, 6857, 8056). It is called “wild honey,” or “honey of the field,” because by “a field” is signified the church (n. 2971, 3317, 3766, 7502, 7571, 9139, 9295). He who does not know that such things are signified, cannot possibly know why Elijah and John were so clothed. And yet that these things signified something peculiar to these prophets, can be thought by everyone who thinks well about the Word.

[10] Because John the Baptist represented the Lord as to the Word, therefore also when he spoke of the Lord, who was the Word itself, he said of himself that he was “not Elias, nor the prophet,” and that he was “not worthy to loose the latchet of the Lord’s shoe,” as in John:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory. The Jews from Jerusalem, priests and Levites, asked John who he was. And he confessed, and denied not, I am not the Christ. Therefore they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? But he said, I am not. Art thou the prophet? He answered, No. They said therefore unto him, Who art thou? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet. They said therefore, Why then baptizest thou, if thou art not the Christ, nor Elias, nor the prophet? He answered, I baptize with water; in the midst of you standeth one whom ye know not; He it is who is to come after me, who was before me, the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to unloose. When he saw Jesus, he said, Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, After me cometh a man who was before me; for he was before me (John 1:1, 14, 19-30).

From these words it is plain that when John spoke about the Lord Himself, who was Truth Divine itself, or the Word, he said that he himself was not anything, because the shadow disappears when the light itself appears, that is, the representative disappears when the original itself makes its appearance. (That the representatives had in view holy things, and the Lord Himself, and not at all the person that represented, see n. 665, 1097, 1361, 3147, 3881, 4208, 4281, 4288, 4292, 4307, 4444, 4500, 6304, 7048, 7439, 8588, 8788, 8806.) One who does not know that representatives vanish like shadows at the presence of light, cannot know why John denied that he was Elias and the prophet.

[11] From all this it can now be seen what is signified by Moses and Elias, who were seen in glory, and who spoke with the Lord when transfigured, of His departure which He should accomplish at Jerusalem (Luke 9:29-31); namely, that they signified the Word (“Moses” the historic Word, and “Elias” the prophetic Word), which in the internal sense throughout treats of the Lord, of His coming into the world, and of His departure out of the world; and therefore it is said that “Moses and Elias were seen in glory,” for “glory” denotes the internal sense of the Word, and the “cloud” its external sense (see the preface to Genesis 18, and n. 5922, 8427).

4281. That by “the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint in his wrestling with him,” is signified that this conjunction was wholly injured and displaced in Jacob’s posterity, is evident from the signification of being “out of joint” in the sense in question, as being to be displaced, and thus to be injured. That the “hollow of the thigh” denotes conjunction, is manifest from what was said above (n. 4280); and because in the Word “Jacob” denotes not only Jacob, but also all his posterity, as is evident from many passages in the Word (Numbers 23:7, 10, 21, 2 23:23; 24:5, 1 24:17, 19; Deuteronomy 33:10; Isaiah 40:27; 43:1, 22; 44:1-2, 21; 48:12; 59:20; Jeremiah 10:16, 25; 30:7, 10, 18; 31:7, 11; 46:27-28; Hosea 10:11 Amos 7:2; Micah 2:12; 3:8; Psalms 14:7; 24:6; 59:13; 78:5; 99:4 and elsewhere).

[2] That Jacob and his posterity were of such a character that with them celestial and spiritual love could not be conjoined with natural good (that is, the internal or spiritual man with the external or natural man), is manifest from everything which is related of that nation in the Word; for they did not know, nor were they willing to know, what the internal or spiritual man is, and therefore this was not revealed to them; for they believed that nothing exists in man except that which is external and natural. In all their worship they had regard to nothing else, insomuch that Divine worship was to them no otherwise than idolatrous; for when internal worship is separated from external, it is merely idolatrous. The church that was instituted with them was not a church, but only the representative of a church; for which reason that church is called a representative church. That a representative of a church is possible with such people may be seen above (n. 1361, 3670, 4208).

[3] For in representations the person is not reflected upon, but the thing which is represented; and therefore Divine, celestial, and spiritual things were represented not only by persons, but also by inanimate things, as by Aaron’s garments, the ark, the altar, the oxen and sheep that were sacrificed, the lampstand with its lamps, the bread of arrangement upon the golden table, the oil with which they were anointed, the frankincense, and other like things. Hence it was that their kings, the evil as well as the good, represented the Lord’s royalty; and the high priests, the evil as well as the good, represented the things that belong to the Lord’s Divine priesthood, when they discharged their office in an outward form according to the statutes and precepts. In order therefore that the representative of a church might come forth among them, such statutes and laws were given them by manifest revelation as were altogether representative; and therefore so long as they were in them and observed them strictly, so long they were able to represent; but when they turned aside from them, as to the statutes and laws of other nations, and especially to the worship of another god, they then deprived themselves of the faculty of representing. For this reason they were driven by outward means, such as captivities, disasters, threats, and miracles, to laws and statutes truly representative; but not by internal means, as are those who have internal worship in external. These things are signified by the “hollow of Jacob’s thigh being out of joint,” taken in the internal historical sense, which regards Jacob and his posterity.

502. And the first angel sounded.- This signifies influx out of heaven, and thence the first change, as is evident from the signification of sounding a trumpet, as denoting the influx of Divine Truth out of heaven; and because the first change resulting therefrom is now described, therefore this is also signified. To sound the trumpet signifies the influx of Divine Truth out of heaven, because when the Divine Truth flows down out of heaven, it is sometimes heard in the spiritual world as the sound of a horn [buccina], and as the clangour of a trumpet [tuba]; and by those who stand below there are also seen as it were angels having trumpets. But these things are representations and appearances, such as exist beneath the heavens, for it is the Divine Truth descending or flowing down out of heaven towards the lower parts, that is represented in this manner. This now is the reason that to sound a trumpet signifies the flowing down of the Divine Truth out of heaven.

[2] This flowing down, when powerful, produces one effect with the good and another with the evil. With the good, it enlightens the understanding, conjoins them more closely with heaven, and consequently gladdens and vivifies their minds; but with the evil it causes a disturbance of the understanding, separates them from heaven, conjoins them more closely with hell, carries terror to their minds, and at length induces spiritual death. It is therefore evident, that to sound a trumpet, signifies in regard to the effect, revelation and manifestation of Divine Truth, as may be seen above (n. 55, 262), and in the opposite sense, the deprivation of truth, and desolation. Since it is now said that the angels sounded seven times, it is necessary to show from the Word the signification of sounding, and thence why it is said that the angels sounded.

[3] That to sound with trumpets (tuba) and horns (buccina) signifies the revelation of Divine Truth, and its manifestation, is evident from the sound of a trumpet being heard when Jehovah descended upon Mount Sinai and promulgated the law; concerning which it is thus written in Moses:

"And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were voices and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon Mount Sinai, and the voice of a trumpet exceeding loud; and all the people that were in the camp trembled when Jehovah descended upon them in fire; and the voice of the trumpet sounded long and waxed louder. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto Jehovah, to gaze, and many of them perish" (Exodus 19:16-21).

The law which was promulgated at that time, signifies the Divine Truth; the voice of the trumpet represented the descent of that truth out of heaven, and its manifestation. The voice of the trumpet sounding long, and waxing louder, represented [Divine Truth] increasing toward the lower parts, for it is said that the people stood on the lower parts of the mount. The people trembling, and charged not to approach nearer to the mount lest they should perish, signified the effect of the flowing down of Divine Truth with people of such a nature and quality as the sons of Jacob were. It is evident that they were altogether evil interiorly, for they worshipped the golden calf after a month of days, and they would have perished if they had not stood afar off; hence their terror of death.

[4] That to sound with horns and trumpets represented and thence signified the Divine Truth descending and flowing in out of heaven, is plain from the institution and use of trumpets among the sons of Israel. It was commanded that trumpets should be made of silver, and that the sons of Aaron should sound them for the assemblies, for their journeyings, on days of gladness, at the feast, at the beginnings of months, over the sacrifices, for a memorial and for war (Num. 10:1-10). They were made of silver, because silver signifies truth from good, consequently the Divine Truth (see Arcana Coelestia 1551, 1552, 2954, 5658). The reason why the sons of Aaron sounded with them, was, that Aaron himself, as the chief priest, represented the Lord as the Divine Good, and his sons, the Lord as to the Divine Truth (see the Arcana Coelestia 9806, 9807, 9966, 10017). They were sounded for the assemblies and journeyings, because it is the Divine Truth which calls together, gathers together, teaches the way, and leads. They were sounded on the day of gladness, at the feasts, in the beginning of months, and over the sacrifices, because the Divine Truth, descending out of heaven, forms and fills with gladness what is holy in worship. They were sounded also for war and for battle, to signify that the Divine Truth flowing down out of heaven strikes with the terror of death, puts to flight, and scatters the evil who are called in the Word enemies. In this sense, and on account of this effect, it is here said, that the seven angels sounded in their order.

[5] Since it was commanded that they should sound with trumpets for their assemblies, therefore it is said by the Lord, in Matthew,

"He shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other" (24:31).

By the angels with a great sound of a trumpet is here signified the Divine Truth to be revealed at the consummation of the age, that is, when the end of the church should come.

[6] And in Isaiah:

"In that day, the great trumpet shall be blown, and those perishing in the land of Assyria shall come, and the outcasts from the land of Egypt, and shall worship Jehovah in the mountain of holiness at Jerusalem" (27:13).

These things were said concerning the coming of the Lord. A calling together to the church, and salvation by the Lord, are signified by the great trumpet being sounded in that day, and by the coming of those that were perishing in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts from the land of Egypt. To sound the trumpet signifies the Divine Truth calling together and saving; those who were perishing in the land of Assyria, are those who are deceived by false reasonings, and the outcasts from the land of Egypt, are those who are deceived by scientifics, thus the Gentiles who were in falsities from ignorance of the truth. That they will adore the Lord from love, and in truth, is signified by the words "and shall worship Jehovah in the mountain of holiness at Jerusalem." The mountain of holiness signifies the church as to the good of love, consequently also the good of love of the church; and Jerusalem signifies the church as to the truth of doctrine, consequently the truth of the doctrine of the church. It is therefore evident, that to sound with the trumpet signifies the Divine Truth descending out of heaven.

[7] Since the Divine Truth descending from the Lord through the heavens gladdens the heart, and infills worship with what is holy, and therefore the trumpets were sounded on the days of gladness, and in the feasts, it is therefore said in David:

"Sing unto Jehovah with the harp; with the harp and the voice of melody. With trumpets and sound of the horn make a joyful noise before Jehovah, the King" (Psalm 98:5, 6).

And in Zephaniah:

"Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem" (3:14).

This is spoken of the establishment of the church by the Lord. The trumpets, the sound of the horn, and the making of a joyful noise, signify joy on account of the Divine Truth descending out of heaven.

So in Job:

"When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy" (38:7).

This is said concerning the state of the church in its beginning, and by stars are signified the knowledges of truth and good, and by the sons of God, Divine truths; their joy, that is, the joy of men under their influence, is signified by their singing and shouting.

[8] Again, in David:

"Praise" God "with the sound of the trumpet" (Psalm 150:3).

And again:

"Blessed are the people that know the sound of the trumpet; they shall walk, O Jehovah, in the light of thy faces" (Psalm 89:15).

The trumpet sound signifies Divine Truth gladdening the heart, it is therefore said, "light of thy faces," which signifies Divine Truth. That the sound of the horn and of the trumpet signifies Divine truths descending out of heaven, terrifying the evil and scattering them, as here in the Apocalypse by the trumpets with which the seven angels sounded, is evident from the following passages.

In Isaiah it is said,

"Jehovah shall go forth as a lion, ¹ he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war; he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail over his enemies" (42:13).

Enemies are the evil.

So in Joel:

"Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of Jehovah cometh, a day of darkness and of gloominess" (2:1, 2).

The day of Jehovah is the coming of the Lord, when a last judgment upon the evil also takes place.

[9] And in Zechariah:

"And Jehovah shall be seen over them, and his dart shall go forth as the lightning; and the Lord Jehovah shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south" (9:14).

Here also the coming of the Lord is treated of, when the evil shall perish. By blowing the trumpet and sounding an alarm, is signified to disperse by means of Divine Truth; the dart also which shall go forth as lightning, signifies truth dispersing and destroying. The same is signified by blowing the trumpet in Jeremiah (51:27), and in Hosea (5:8, 9).

[10] Since the evil, when they are gathered together in the spiritual world, are deprived of the truths and goods of which they made a pretence in externals by the influx of Divine Good and Divine Truth, and are let into their own evils and falsities which they inwardly cherished, and are thus separated from the good and cast down into the hells, and since there is heard from a distance, when this takes place, as it were trumpets and horns sounding as stated above several times, therefore it was a statute with the children of Israel, that they should sound with the trumpets for battle; as is also related concerning Phinehas, and concerning Gideon, when they fought against the Midianites, and also when Jericho was taken. Thus, in Moses, it is said of Phinehas, that Moses sent twelve thousand men armed, a thousand from each tribe, with the vessels of holiness and the trumpets in the hand of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest, against Midian, and they slew every male, and their kings (Num. 31:1-8).

[11] Concerning Gideon it is said in the book of Judges, that he divided three hundred men into three companies, and placed a trumpet in the hand of each man, and empty pitchers, and torches within the pitchers; and he said,

"When I blow with the trumpet, I and all who are with me, blow ye also with the trumpets on every side around all the camp;" and when they sounded with the trumpets, Jehovah set every man's sword against his fellow, and against the whole camp, and the Midianites fled (7:16-22).

And in Joshua, concerning the taking of Jericho it was commanded that seven priests should carry seven trumpets sounding them before the ark, and should go round the city six days, once on each day, and that on the seventh day they should go round the city seven times, and blow with the trumpets; and "when the people in Jericho heard the voice of the trumpet, and the shoutings of the people, the wall of the city fell down flat, and the people went up into the city, and took it" (6:1-20). These things represented the routing of the evil in the spiritual world, which is effected by means of the Divine Truth out of heaven, which, when it flows down, is heard there as a trumpet sounding, as said above. All the miracles related in the Word were representative and thence significative of things Divine in the heavens. Hence the effect of the sound of the trumpets upon enemies on earth was similar to the effect upon the evil in the spiritual world. For enemies, in the Word, represented and thence signify the evil; the Midianites, those who are in the falsities of evil; and the city of Jericho, in this passage, signifies the falsification of the knowledges of truth.

[12] From these considerations the signification of these words in Jeremiah is clear:

"Shout against" Babel "round about; she hath given her hand; her foundations are fallen, her walls are thrown down" (50:15).

And in Zephaniah:

"A day of wasting and desolation, a day of darkness and thick darkness, a day of cloud and thick cloudiness, a day of the trumpet and alarm upon the fenced cities, and upon the high towers" (1:15, 16).

From what has been stated the signification of the seven angels sounding the trumpets is now evident, and that such effects followed as are here described. Thus, to sound with trumpets, signifies the influx of the Divine Truth out of heaven, and the changes which follow. For the subjects treated of in this chapter and in the following chapters of the Apocalypse are the state of the church in the spiritual world before the judgment, the scattering of the evil, and the casting of them down into hell.

Footnotes: