3. That 'horse' signifies understanding comes from no other source than from representatives in the spiritual world; horses are seen there very often, and those seated on horses, and even chariots, and everyone knows there that they signify things of the intellect and doctrine. It seemed to me quite often, when any there were thinking by using their own understanding of things, that they appeared as if they were riding on horses; this was how their meditating presented itself before others, though they themselves were unaware of it. There is also a place there where many come together who, using their own understanding of things, think and talk about the truths contained in doctrine; and when others come there they see that whole plain full of chariots and horses; and newcomers, who wonder where all this comes from, are taught that this is a manifestation resulting from their own intellectual thought; this place is called the Assembly of the Intelligent and Wise. There even appeared to me horses beaming with light and chariots of fire, when certain souls were taken up into heaven, which was a sign that they were at that time instructed in the truths contained in heavenly doctrine, and made intelligent, and thus were taken up. As a result of my seeing this, there came into my mind what was signified by the chariot of fire and the horses of fire by which Elijah was taken up into heaven; and also by the horses and chariots of fire seen by Elisha's servant when his eyes were opened.

3992. 'I will pass through all your flock today' means that [the good of truth] recognizes the nature of all that good. This is clear from the meaning of 'flock' as good, dealt with in 343, 3518, and from the meaning of 'passing through it all' as knowing and perceiving the nature of it.

1624. The form of one of the large rainbows was shown to me, so that from it I could get to know what their smallest forms were like. It was a pure white light with a kind of border, in the middle of which was a dark object as if made of earth. This was surrounded by an extremely luminous halo, itself variegated and divided up by another luminescence that had yellow dots like tiny stars. Additional variegations were produced by flowers of different colours entering the luminous area. The colours of these flowers emanated not from a white light but from a flame-like one. All of these appearances were representative of celestial and spiritual things. All the colours that are seen in the next life represent that which is celestial or spiritual. The colours emanating from the flame-like light represent things that belong to love and the affection for good, whereas colours emanating from the white light represent those that belong to faith and the affection for truth. These are the sources of all colours in the next life, and they are therefore so resplendent that the colours of this world cannot compare with them. Colours also exist there which are never seen in this world.