1808. And count the stars symbolizes a representation of goodness and truth when one is gazing at the constellations. This can be seen from the discussion just above and also from the representation and symbolism of stars as goodness and truth. The Word mentions stars quite often, and every time it does they symbolize goodness and truth or, in the negative sense, evil and falsity. To put the same thing another way, they symbolize angels or communities of angels and, in a negative sense, evil spirits and their assemblages. Stars that stand for angels and their communities are fixed, but those that stand for evil spirits and their assemblages wander. Wandering stars appear very often [in the other world].

[2] A plain sign that everything in the heavens and on earth represents heavenly and spiritual traits was visible to me in this: that the same celestial and terrestrial sights appearing before our eyes also present themselves to view in the world of spirits. Such sights are as clear as day there, where they are nothing but representations. For example, when the stars come out and they are standing still, it is instantly recognized that they symbolize what is good and true. When wandering stars appear, it is instantly recognized that they symbolize what is evil and false. The very gleam and twinkle of the stars indicates the quality. Not to mention countless other phenomena. Anyone who is willing to think wisely can see from this where it is that everything on earth comes from — namely, the Lord. The reason things manifest themselves physically rather than metaphysically on earth is that all heavenly and spiritual entities from the Lord are alive and real. (These are called "substantial.") ¹ So they also manifest themselves physically in the outermost, natural world. See §1632.

[3] The following passages in the Word show that stars represent and symbolize goodness and truth. In Isaiah:

The stars of the heavens and their constellations do not shed their light; the sun has been shadowed over in its emergence, and the moon does not radiate its light. And I will punish the world for its evil and the ungodly for their wickedness. (Isaiah 13:10-11)

This is about a day of punishment. Anyone can see that the stars and constellations mean not stars and constellations but true ideas and good impulses; that the sun means love, and the moon, faith. After all, it is talking about false ideas and evil impulses that cast a shadow.

[4] In Ezekiel:

When I blot you out I will cover the heavens; I will black out their stars; the sun I will cover with a cloud, and the moon will not make its light shine. All the lamps of light I will black out above you, and I will bring shadow over your land. (Ezekiel 32:7-8)

The meaning is similar. In Joel:

Before him the earth shook, the heavens trembled, the sun and moon turned black, and the stars withdrew their rays. (Joel 2:10; 3:15)

The meaning is similar. In David:

Praise Jehovah, sun and moon! Praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, heavens of heavens! (Psalms 148:3-4)

The meaning is similar.

[5] John says explicitly that "stars" do not mean stars; they mean what is good and true or, to put it another way, people committed to what is good and true, such as angels:

I saw the Son of Humankind, having in his right hand seven stars. "The mysteries of the seven stars that you saw atop my right hand, and the seven lampstands: The seven stars are angels of the seven churches. But the seven lampstands that you saw are seven churches." (Revelation 1:16, 20)

[6] In the same author:

The fourth angel trumpeted, so that a third of the sun was struck and a third of the moon and a third of the stars, so that a third of them would be shadowed over and the day would not shine for a third of it and the night likewise. (Revelation 8:12)

It is quite plain here that goodness and truth are what were shadowed over. In Daniel:

One small horn went out and grew mostly toward the south and toward the sunrise and toward the ornament [of Israel], ² and it grew right to the army of the heavens and threw down to the ground some of the army and some of the stars and trampled them. (Daniel 8:9-10)

Clearly the army of the heavens and the stars are goodness and truth, and these are what were trampled.

[7] From this can be seen what the Lord meant by these words in Matthew:

At the close of the age, immediately after the affliction of those days, the sun will go dark, and the moon will not shed its light, and the stars will fall down from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. (Matthew 24:

[3], 29)

And in Luke:

Then there will be signs in sun and moon and stars; and on earth, the distress of nations in despair, as sea and surf make noise. (Luke 21:25)

Not in the least does the sun here mean the sun; or the moon, the moon; the stars, the stars; the sea, the sea; they each mean whatever they represent. The sun symbolizes heavenly aspects of love; the moon, spiritual aspects; the stars, goodness and truth, or knowledge of goodness and truth. Around the close of the age, when there is no faith, which is to say no charity, they will be darkened in this way.

Footnotes:

458. At times evil spirits have conjectured that some heaven other than the Lord's could exist. They have received permission to look for it wherever they could. To their own chagrin, they have never been able to locate one.

Evil spirits rush headlong into all kinds of craziness, both because they hate the Lord and because hell is so painful, and these are the kinds of fantasies they seize on.