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).

8588. And Meribah. That this signifies the quality of the complaining, is evident from the fact that in the original tongue “Meribah” means “contention,” or “quarreling,” and “quarreling” signifies complaining (see n. 8563, 8566); and because names signify the quality of the thing (n. 8587), therefore “Meribah” here signifies the quality of the complaining. As regards this temptation itself and its quality, be it known that in this passage are described those who in temptations almost yield, namely, those who complain against heaven and also against the Divine Itself, and at last almost disbelieve in the Divine Providence. These things are signified in the internal sense by what precedes, and also by what follows in this verse, namely, the quality of the state of the temptation, which is signified by “Massah,” and the quality of the complaining in the temptation, which is signified by “Meribah.” That this quality is here signified by “Meribah,” is plain in David:

Thou calledst upon Me in distress, and I rescued thee; I answered thee in the secret place, I proved thee at the waters of Meribah (Psalms 81:7).

[2] But in the internal historical sense, in which the subject treated of is the state of religion with the Israelitish nation, that nation is described in respect to its quality toward Jehovah, namely, that they were not willing by supplication to entreat Him for aid, but that they expostulated. The reason was, that at heart they did not acknowledge Jehovah as the supreme God, but only in the mouth, when they saw the miracles. That at heart they did not acknowledge Him is very evident from the Egyptian calf which they made for themselves and worshiped, saying that these were their gods; also from their frequent apostasy (of which see n. 8301). This is what is here described in the internal historical sense; but in the internal spiritual sense is described the quality of the temptation with those who before they are liberated are brought to the last of temptation.

[3] That the quality of the Israelitish nation and of its religiosity is described by contention with Moses at Massah and Meribah, is also evident in the following passages:

Harden not your heart, as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the wilderness, where your fathers tempted Me; they tempted Me, and saw My work; for forty years did I feel loathing at the generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and the same have not known My ways, to whom I sware in Mine anger that they should not come unto My rest (Psalms 95:8-11).

Ye shall not tempt Jehovah your God, as ye tempted Him in Massah (Deuteronomy 6:16; 9:22, 24).

Of Leviticus he said, Thy Thummim and thy Urim are with the Holy Man, whom thou didst tempt at Massah, with whom thou didst contend at the waters of Meribah (Deuteronomy 33:8).

“The Holy Man” here denotes the Lord, whom they tempted, and whom Moses and Aaron did not sanctify.

[4] In the internal historical sense, in which the subject treated of is the religiosity of the Israelitish nation, by Moses and Aaron is not represented truth Divine, but the religiosity of that nation whose leaders and heads they were (n. 7041). Because this religiosity was such as said above, it was intimated to them that they should not bring the people into the land of Canaan, as is written in the book of Numbers:

Jehovah said unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye have not believed in Me, and sanctified Me in the eyes of the sons of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them; these are the waters of Meribah, because the sons of Israel contended with Jehovah (Numbers 20:12-13; 27:14).

Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, and shall not come into the land which I have given to the sons of Israel, because ye rebelled against My mouth at the waters of Meribah (Numbers 20:24).

The same is said of Moses (Deuteronomy 32:50-51).

[5] That still representative Divine worship was instituted with that nation, was because representative worship could be instituted with any nation that had holy externals of worship, and worshiped almost idolatrously; for what is representative does not regard the person, but the thing (n. 1361), and it was the genius of that nation, beyond any other nation, to worship merely external things as holy and Divine, without any internal; as for instance to worship as deities their fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and afterward Moses and David, and moreover to account holy and as Divine, and to worship, every stone and every piece of wood that had been inaugurated in their Divine worship; as the arks, the tables therein, the lamp, the altar, the garments of Aaron, the Urim and Thummim, and afterward the temple. Of the Lord’s Providence there was then given a communication of the angels of heaven with man by means of such things. For there must needs be somewhere a church, or the representative of a church, in order that there may be communication of heaven with the human race; and as that nation, beyond any other nation, could make Divine worship consist in external things, and thus act the representative of a church, therefore that nation was taken.

[6] At that time communication with the angels in heaven was effected by means of representatives in the following way. Their external worship was communicated to angelic spirits who are simple, and who do not reflect upon internal things, but still are interiorly good. Such are they who in the Grand Man correspond to the outer skin. These pay no attention whatever to the internal of man, but only to his external. If this appears holy, they think holily of the internal also. The more interior angels of heaven saw in those spirits the things that were represented, consequently the heavenly and Divine things that corresponded; for they could be present with these spirits, and see those things; but not with the men except by means of the spirits. For angels dwell with men in things interior; but where there are no such things, they dwell in the interior things of simple spirits; for the angels have no interest in other than spiritual and heavenly things, which are the interior things contained in representatives. From these few words it can be seen how there could be communication with heaven by means of such a people. But see what has been previously shown on this subject, namely: That with the Jews the holy of worship was miraculously elevated into heaven quite apart from them (n. 4307); that whatever their quality might be, the descendants of Jacob could represent what is holy, provided they closely observed the rituals commanded (n. 3147, 3479, 3480, 3881, 4208, 4281, 4288, 4289, 4293, 4307, 4444, 4500, 4680, 4825, 4844, 4847, 4899, 4912, 6304, 6306, 7048, 7051, 8301).

573. And the number of the armies of the horsemen was two myriads of myriads.- That this signifies innumerable falsities of evil, from which and on behalf of which there are reasonings, which conspire against the truths of good, is evident from the signification of armies, as denoting the falsities of evil, of which in what follows; and from the signification of horsemen, as denoting reasonings thence; for horses, in the Word, signify the understanding of truth, and in the opposite sense, the understanding perverted and destroyed, as may be seen above (n. 355, 364, 372, 373, 381, 382); horsemen, therefore, in this sense, signify reasonings from falsities, because these are of the understanding perverted and destroyed, for truths form the understanding, but falsities destroy it; and from the signification of two myriads of myriads, as denoting that they are innumerable and conspire against the truths of good; that the term myriads signifies what is innumerable and is used in reference to truths, may be seen above (n. 336). And it is said two myriads of myriads because things innumerable that conjoin, and unite, are signified, for the number two signifies conjunction, agreement, and union, as may be seen above (n. 283, 384). The reason why it is said, against the truths of good, is that the subject treated of in what follows is the destruction of truth by the armies of such horsemen. From these considerations it is clear, that the number of the armies of the horsemen being two myriads of myriads, signifies that the falsities of evil from which, and on behalf of which reasonings exist, are innumerable and conspire against the truths of good.

[2] In the Word, the term armies (hosts) is frequently used, and also the Lord is called Jehovah of Hosts or Zebaoth, and by hosts are there signified truths from good fighting against falsities from evil, and in the opposite sense, falsities from evil fighting against truths from good. Hosts signify such things in the Word, because the wars there mentioned, both in the historical and prophetical parts, signify in the internal sense spiritual wars waged against hell and the diabolical crew there, and such wars have relation to truths and goods combating against falsities and evils, and hence it is that armies signify all truths from good, and in the opposite sense, all falsities from evil. That they signify all truths from good, is evident from this fact, that the sun, the moon, the stars, and also the angels, are called the armies of Jehovah, because they signify all truths from good in their whole extent. Also the sons of Israel, because they signify the truths and goods of the church, are called armies; and because all truths and goods are from the Lord, and He alone combats for all in heaven, and for all in the church, against falsities and evils from hell, therefore He is called Jehovah Zebaoth, that is, [Jehovah] of armies [or hosts].

[3] That the sun, the moon, and the stars, are called armies [or hosts], is plain from numerous passages.

Thus in Moses:

"The heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them (Genesis 2:1).

So in David:

"By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth" (Psalm 33:6).

Again:

"Praise ye" Jehovah, "all his angels; praise ye him, all his hosts. Praise ye him, sun and moon; praise him, all ye stars of light" (Psalm 148:2, 3).

And in Isaiah:

"All the host of the heavens shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll; and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling [fig] from the fig-tree" (34:4).

And again, in the same prophet:

"I have made the earth, and created man upon it; my hands have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded" (45:12).

And again:

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

So in Jeremiah:

"As the host of the heavens is not numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured:" (33:22).

In these passages, the sun, the moon, and stars, are called a host [or army], because the sun signifies the good of love, the moon, truth from good, while the stars signify the cognitions of truth and good, consequently they signify goods and truths in their whole extent, and they are called an army, because they resist evils and falsities, and continually conquer them as enemies.

[4] So in Daniel:

One horn of the he-goat "waxed great, even to the host of the heavens; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and trampled upon them. Yea, it magnified itself even to the prince of the host, and from him the continual [burnt-offering] was taken away, and the dwellingplace of his sanctuary was cast down. And the host was delivered up upon the continual [burnt-offering] for transgression, because it cast down the truth to the ground. One holy one said, How long this vision, the continual [burnt-offering], and the desolating transgression, to give both the holy place and the host to be trampled upon? And he said unto the evening morning" (8:10-14).

The signification of the he-goat, here mentioned, of his horns, and of this horn which waxed great even to the host of the heavens, may be seen above (n. 316:16, 336, 535). By the host of the heavens, which he cast down to the earth, are meant the truths and goods of heaven; for the subject here treated of is the last state of the church, when the truths and goods of heaven are thought to be of no importance, and are rejected, which is signified by their being trampled upon; wherefore it also follows, that he cast down the truth to the earth. The prince of the host means the Lord, who is also called Jehovah God Zebaoth, or of armies [or hosts]. That all worship from the good of love and the truths of faith would perish, is signified by the continual [burnt-offering] being taken away from him, and the dwelling-place of his sanctuary being cast down. That this would come to pass at the end of the church, when the Lord would come into the world, is signified by unto the evening morning, the evening denoting the last time of the old church, and the morning, the commencement of the new church.

[5] That the angels are called hosts is evident from the following passages.

Thus in Joel:

"Jehovah uttered his voice before his army; for his camp is very great" (2:11).

And in Zechariah:

"I will place a camp to my house concerning the army, because of him that goeth away, and because of him that returneth; that the exactor may no more pass through over them" (9:8).

And in David:

"Bless ye Jehovah, all ye his hosts, ye ministers of his that do his pleasure" (103:21).

And in the 1st Book of Kings:

Micah the prophet said to the king, "I saw Jehovah sitting on his throne and all the host of the heavens standing by him on his right hand and on his left. And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner" (22:19, 20).

So in the Apocalypse:

"His armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean" (19:14).

And again:

"I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered together to make war against him that sat on the white horse, and against his army" (19:19).

The reason why angels gathered together or a consociation of them are called armies, is, that angels, like armies, signify Divine truths and goods, because they are the recipients of them from the Lord, concerning which, see above (n. 130, 200, 302).

[6] It is for the same reason also, that the sons of Israel are called armies, because they signify the truths and goods of the church.

Thus in Moses:

"Jehovah said, Bring out the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies" (Exodus 6:26).

Again:

"I will bring forth mine army, my people the sons of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments" (Exodus 7:4; 12:17).

Again:

"It came to pass even the self same day, that all the armies of Jehovah went out from the land of Egypt" (12:41).

And again:

Thou shalt number "every one going into the army" (Num. 1:3).

Again it is said:

That the camp should be pitched around the tent of meeting, and also that they should set out according to their armies (Num. 2:3, 9, 24);

and again,

that the Levites were chosen to wait upon the service (militia) to do the work in the tent of meeting (Num. 4:3, 23, 30, 39).

The sons of Israel were called the armies of Jehovah, because they represented the church, and signified all its truths and goods, as may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 5414, 5801, 5803, 5806, 5812, 5817, 5819, 5826, 5833, 5879, 5951, 6637, 6862, 6868, 7035, 7062, 7198, 7201, 7215, 7223, 7957, 8234, 8805, 9340). They were called armies in the plural, because each tribe was called an army, as is evident in Moses, for when it was commanded that all should be numbered according to their armies, they were numbered according to their tribes (Num. 1:3, and following verses). Similarly when the camp was pitched around the tent of Meeting, according to the tribes, it is said "according to their armies" (Num. 2:3, 9, and following verses). The tribes were called armies, because the twelve tribes taken together represented all the truths and goods of the church, and each tribe some universal essential of it; see above (n. 431).

[7] From these considerations it is evident, that the truths and goods of heaven and the church are meant by armies in the Word; and from these things the reason why Jehovah is called in the Word, Jehovah Zebaoth, and Jehovah God Zebaoth, that is, of armies, is perfectly clear (as in Isaiah 1:9, 24; 2:12; 3:1, 15; 5:7, 9, 16, 24; 6:3, 5; 8:13, 18; 14:22, 23, 24, 27; 17:3; 25:6; 28:5, 22, 29; 29:6; 31:4, 5; 37:16; Jerem. 5:14; 38:17; 44:7; Amos 5:16; Haggai 1:9, 14; 2:4, 8, 23; Zech. 1:3; Malachi 2:12; and various other places).

[8] From these things it is now evident, that armies signify the truths and goods of heaven and the church in their whole extent; and because most things in the Word have also an opposite sense, so also have armies, in which sense they signify falsities and evils in their whole extent. This will appear from the following passages of the Word.

Thus in Jeremiah:

"Upon the roofs" of the houses "they have burned incense unto all the host of the heavens, and have poured out drink-offerings unto other gods" (19:13).

And in Zephaniah:

"They worship the host of the heavens upon the house tops" (1:5).

And in Moses:

"Lest thou bow thyself and worship the sun, and moon, and the stars, and all the host of the heavens" (Deuteronomy 4:19; 17:3).

And in Jeremiah:

"They shall spread" the bones brought out from the sepulchre "before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of the heavens, whom they have loved, and whom they have served" (8:2).

Here by the host of the heavens, are meant the sun, moon, and stars, because these signify all goods and truths in the aggregate, but, in this case, all evils and falsities in the aggregate; for the sun, in the opposite sense, as here, signifies all evil springing from the love of self, the moon, the falsity of faith, while the stars signify falsities in general. That by the sun, moon, and stars, in the natural world, when they are worshipped instead of the sun and moon of the angelic heaven, are signified abominable evils and falsities, may be seen in Heaven and Hell 122, 123), and also above (n. 401, 402, 525). And since truths from good fight against falsities from evil, and, on the contrary, falsities from evil against truths from good, therefore they are called armies. There is therefore continual combat, because evils and falsities continually exhale from the hells, and endeavour to destroy the truths from good that are in heaven, and from heaven, and which continually offer resistance. For everywhere in the spiritual world there is an equilibrium between heaven and hell; and where an equilibrium exists, there two forces continually act against each other, one acting and the other reacting, and continual action and reaction is continual combat; but an equilibrium is always provided by the Lord, as may be seen in the Heaven and Hell 589-596, and n. 597-603). And because there is such a continual combat between heaven and hell, therefore, as all things of heaven are called armies, so also are all things of hell.

All things of heaven have reference to goods and truths, and all things of hell, to evils and falsities. Hence it is that in the following passages hosts signify the falsities of evil.

[9] Thus in Isaiah:

"The anger of Jehovah is against all nations, and his wrath against all their army; he hath devoted them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter" (34:2).

Here nations signify evils, and army, falsities from evil; the total destruction of these is signified by he hath devoted them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter.

[10] Again:

"The voice of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; the voice of the tumult of the kingdoms of nations gathered together; Jehovah Zebaoth leadeth the army" (13:4).

Here the voice of a multitude in the mountains, signifies falsities from evils, a multitude denoting falsities, and mountains denoting evils. Like as of a great people, signifies the appearance as it were of truth from good, the words, like as, denoting appearance, "people" denoting those who are in truths, and thus truths, while great is used in reference to good. The voice of the tumult of the kingdoms of nations gathered together, signifies dissension in the church springing from evils and falsities thence, the voice of the tumult denoting dissension, kingdoms, the church as to truths and falsities, and nations gathered together, as to evils and the falsities therefrom conspiring against the goods and truths of the church. Jehovah Zebaoth leadeth the army, signifies that it is accomplished by the Lord, for this is ascribed to the Lord, as is plain from the fifth verse immediately following in which it is said: "Jehovah cometh with the weapons of his anger, to destroy the whole land." This is attributed to the Lord just as evil, the punishment of evil, and the destruction of the church are also ascribed to Him in other passages of the Word, because such is the appearance of things, for the sense of the letter of the Word is written according to appearances. But in the spiritual sense, such things mean that the man of the church himself does them.

[11] Again, in Jeremiah:

"Spare ye not her young men; give to the curse all her host" (51:3).

The subject here treated of is Babylon; and by not sparing her young men, is signified the destruction of confirmed falsities. By giving to the curse all her army, is signified the total destruction of falsities from evils pertaining to her, thus the destruction of Babylon. Falsities from evil are signified also by the army of the Chaldeans, and the army of Pharaoh (Jeremiah 37:7-11, and following verses);

and in Moses, by

"The waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the army of Pharaoh" (Exodus 14:28; 15:4);

this is explained above (n. 355:37), and in the Arcana Coelestia 8230, 8275).

[12] So in Daniel:

"The king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and after the end of the times of the years he shall come with a great army and with much riches. And he shall stir up his powers and his heart against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall stir himself up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand" (11:13, 25).

The subject treated of in that chapter is the war between the king of the north and the king of the south, and by the king of the north are meant those within the church who are in the falsities of evil, and by the king of the south, those within the church who are in the truths of good; there collision and combat at the end of the church, in the spiritual sense are described by their war; therefore by the army of the king of the north are meant falsities of every kind, and by the army of the king of the south truths of every kind.

[13] So in Luke:

"When ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the devastation thereof is nigh" (21:20).

In that chapter the Lord speaks of the consummation of the age, which signifies the last time of the church. Jerusalem means the church as to doctrine; and its being compassed with armies, means the possession of it by falsities. That then the destruction of it comes, and presently the last judgment, is signified by its desolation being then nigh. It is supposed that these things were said concerning the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, but from the details of the chapter it is evident that it treats of the destruction of the church at its end; similarly in Matthew 24 from the first verse to the last, an explanation of which is given in the Arcana Coelestia. Nevertheless this is not opposed to the literal meaning concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, but that destruction represented and therefore signified the destruction of the church at its end; this is confirmed by every detail in the chapter, considered in the spiritual sense.

[14] Again, in David:

"God hath cast off, and put us to shame; and he hath not gone forth with our armies. Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy" (Psalm 44:9, 10).

Here by God not going forth with their armies, signifies that he did not defend them, because they were in falsities of evil, for armies denote falsities of evil; therefore it is said that they were cast off, and put to shame, and made to turn back from the enemy, the enemy denoting evil from hell.

[15] Again, in Joel:

"I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the canker-worm, and the grasshopper, and the palmer-worm, my great army which I sent among you" (2:25).

That the great army signifies falsities and evils of every kind, is evident from this fact, that by those destructive little creatures, - the locust, the canker-worm, the grasshopper, and the palmer-worm, are signified the falsities and evils which vastate or consume the truths and goods of the church, as may be seen above (n. 543:9), where this passage is explained, and where it is shown that the locust and grasshopper signify the falsities [and evils] of the sensual man. The signification of armies in the Word in both senses is now evident from these things. Similar things are signified by hosts (or armies) in the historical parts of the Word, for they, as well as the prophetical parts, contain a spiritual sense; but it shines forth less clearly because the mind, being detained in the historical circumstances, can be scarcely elevated above the worldly things therein so as to see the spiritual things which are stored up in them.