502. Verse 7 (Revelation 8:7). And the first angel sounded, signifies influx out of heaven, and in consequence the first change. This is evident from the signification of "sounding a trumpet," as being the influx of Divine truth out of heaven; and as the first change resulting therefrom is now described, this also is what is signified. "To sound a trumpet" signifies the influx of Divine truth out of heaven, because when Divine truth flows down out of heaven it is sometimes heard in the spiritual world as the sound of a horn or as the blast of a trumpet, and also to those who stand below there appear as it were angels having trumpets; but these are representations and appearances, such as exist below the heavens, for it is Divine truth descending or flowing down out of heaven towards the lower parts that is thus represented. This is why "to sound a trumpet" signifies the flowing down of Divine truth out of heaven.

[2] When this flowing down is strong it produces one effect with the good and another with the evil. With the good it illustrates the understanding, joins them more closely with heaven, and thence gladdens and vivifies their minds; but with the evil it disturbs the understanding, separates them from heaven, joins them more closely with hell, induces terror in their minds, and finally brings spiritual death. This makes clear that "sounding a trumpet" signifies, in its effect, the revelation and manifestation of Divine truth (See above, n. 55, 262); and in the contrary sense the deprivation of truth and desolation. Since it is here said that the angels sounded seven times, it is necessary to show from the Word what "to sound" signifies, and thence why it is said "the angel sounded."

[3] That "to sound trumpets" and "horns" signifies revelation and manifestation of Divine truth, is evident from the sound of a trumpet that was heard when Jehovah descended upon Mount Sinai and promulgated the Law, which is thus described in Moses:

And it came to pass on the third day when it was becoming morning, that there were voices and lightnings, and a heavy cloud upon the mount (Sinai), and the voice of a horn exceeding strong; and all the people that were in the camp trembled; when Jehovah descended upon it in fire. And the voice of the horn went on and became exceeding strong. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Go down, testify to the people lest they break through unto Jehovah to see, and many of them fall (Exodus 19:16-25).

The "Law" that was then promulgated signifies Divine truth; the "voice of a horn" represented its flowing down out of heaven and its manifestation; "the voice of the horn going on and becoming exceeding strong" represented the increase of this influx in approaching the lower parts, for it is said that "the people stood in the lower parts of the mount;" that "the people trembled exceedingly," and were admonished "not to approach nearer to the mountain lest they perish," signifies the effect of the flowing down of Divine truth with such as the sons of Jacob were. That interiorly they were utterly evil is evident from their worship of the calf after a month of days; moreover, if they had not stood afar off they would have perished, consequently they were in terror of death.

[4] "To sound horns" and "trumpets" represented and thus signified Divine truth coming down and flowing in out of heaven, as can be seen from the institution and use of trumpets among the sons of Israel. For it was commanded:

That trumpets should be made of silver, and that the sons of Aaron should sound them for convocations, for journeyings, on days of gladness, on feast days, in the beginnings of months, over sacrifices, for a memorial, and for battle (Numbers 10:1-10).

They were made of silver, because "silver" signifies truth from good, thus Divine truth. (That "silver" has this signification, see Arcana Coelestia 1551, 1552, 2954, 5658.) The "sons of Aaron sounded them," because Aaron himself as chief priest represented the Lord in relation to Divine good, and his sons the Lord in relation to Divine truth (See Arcana Coelestia 9806, 9807, 9966, 10017). They were sounded for convocations and journeyings, because Divine truth is what calls together, gathers together, teaches the way, and leads. They were sounded on days of gladness, at feasts, in the beginnings of months, and over sacrifices, because Divine truth coming down out of heaven produces gladness and the holiness of worship. They were sounded for wars and for battle to signify that with the evil, who are the "enemies" in the Word, Divine truth flowing down out of heaven produces the terror of death, puts to flight, and disperses; in this sense, and because of this effect, it is here said that "the seven angels sounded" in their order.

[5] Because it was commanded that they should sound trumpets for convocations, it is said by the Lord in Malachi:

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 the heavens to the other end (Matthew 24:31).

Here "angels with a great sound of a trumpet" signify the Divine truth that is to be revealed when the age is consummated, that is, when the church shall come to an end.

[6] In Isaiah:

In that day a great horn shall sound, and those perishing in the land of Assyria shall come, and the outcasts from the land of Egypt, and shall bow down to Jehovah in the mountain of holiness, at Jerusalem (Isaiah 27:13).

This is said of the Lord's coming; a convocation to the church and salvation by the Lord are signified by "In that day a great horn shall sound, and those perishing in the land of Assyria shall come, and the outcasts from the land of Egypt;" "to sound a horn" signifies Divine truth calling together and saving; "those perishing in the land of Assyria" mean those who are deceived by false reasonings, and "the outcasts from the land of Egypt" those who are deceived by knowledges (scientifica), thus the Gentiles that were in falsities from ignorance of the truth; that these shall worship the Lord from love and in truth is signified by "they shall bow down to Jehovah in the mountain of holiness, at Jerusalem;" "mountain of holiness" signifying the church in respect to the good of love, consequently also the good of love of the church, and "Jerusalem" signifying the church in respect to the truth of doctrine, consequently the truth of doctrine of the church. From this it is evident that "to sound with a horn" signifies Divine truth coming down out of heaven.

[7] Because Divine truth coming down from the Lord through the heavens makes the hearts glad and infuses the holiness of worship, and therefore trumpets were sounded on days of gladness and at the feasts, therefore it is said in David:

Sing unto Jehovah with the harp; with the harp and the voice of a psalm, with trumpets and the sound of a horn sound before the King Jehovah (Psalms 98:5, 6).

In Zephaniah:

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

This is said of the establishment of the church by the Lord; "trumpets," "sound of the horn," and "sounding," signify joy on account of Divine truth coming down out of heaven. In Job:

When the morning stars sang, and all the sons of God shouted [sounded] (Job 38:7).

This is said of the state of the church in its beginning; and "stars" signify the knowledges of truth and good, and "the sons of God" Divine truths; the joy of these, that is, of men because of these, is signified by their "singing and sounding."

[8] In David:

Praise God with the sound of the horn (Psalms 150:3).

In the same:

Blessed is that people who know the trumpet sound; they shall walk, O Jehovah, in the light of Thy face (Psalms 89:15).

"The sound of the horn" signifies Divine truth making the heart glad, therefore it is also said, "in the light of Thy face," which signifies Divine truth. That "the voices of the horn" and "sounds of trumpets" signify Divine truth coming down out of heaven, and terrifying the evil and dispersing them, as here in Revelation "the trumpets" with which the seven angels sounded, is evident in Isaiah:

Jehovah shall go forth as a hero, ¹ He shall stir up zeal like a man of war, He shall shout [sound] and shall cry out, He shall prevail over His enemies (Isaiah 42:13);

"enemies" meaning the evil. In Joel:

Blow ye with the horn in Zion, and sound in the mountain of My holiness; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of Jehovah cometh, a day of darkness and of thick darkness (Joel 2:1, 2).

"The day of Jehovah" is the coming of the Lord, when also the Last Judgment takes place on the evil.

[9] In Zechariah:

Jehovah shall be seen over them, and His arrow shall go forth as lightning; and the Lord Jehovih shall blow the horn, and shall go with the tempests of the south (Zechariah 9:14).

This, too, refers to the Lord's coming, when the evil are to perish; "to blow the horn" signifies to disperse by means of Divine truth; "the arrow shall go forth as lightning" signifies truth dispersing and destroying. "To blow the horn" has the same signification in Jeremiah 51:27; Hosea 5:8-9.

[10] Because the evil, where they are gathered together in the spiritual world, are deprived by the influx of Divine good and Divine truth of the truths and goods they have simulated in externals, and are let into their evils and falsities which they have inwardly cherished, and are thus separated from the good and cast down into the hells, and because when this takes place there are heard by those at a distance as it were horns and trumpets sounding, as has been said above repeatedly, so with the horns of Israel it was on this account commanded that they should sound with the trumpets for battle; and we read that this was done by Phinehas and by Gideon, in their combats against the Midianites and also at the taking of Jericho. It is said of Phinehas in Moses:

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 all the males and their kings (Numbers 31:1-8).

[11] Of Gideon it is said in the book of Judges:

That he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and put a horn in the hand of everyone, and empty pitchers and torches in the midst of the pitchers; and he said, When I blow the horn, I and all that are with me, blow ye also the horn about the whole camp. And when they blew the horns Jehovah set the sword of a man against his companion and against the whole camp, and the Midianites fled (Judges 7:16-22).

And of Jericho when it was taken, in Joshua:

It was commanded that seven priests should bear seven jubilee horns before the ark, and should go round the city six days, once each day, and on the seventh day they should go round the city seven times, and blow the horns; and when the people in Jericho heard the voice of the horn and the shoutings of the people, the wall of the city fell down under itself, and the people went up into the city and took it (Joshua 6:1-20).

These things represented the overcoming of the evil in the spiritual world, which is effected by Divine truth out of heaven, which is heard there when it flows down as a horn sounding, as was said above. All the miracles related in the Word were representative and thence significative of things Divine in the heavens; therefore the effect of the sound of horns against enemies on earth was like the effect against the evil in the spiritual world; for in the Word "enemies" represented and thence signified the evil, "the Midianites" those who are in the falsities of evil, and the city "Jericho" here the falsification of the knowledges of truth.

[12] From this the signification can be seen of the following in Jeremiah:

Sound against Babylon round about; she hath given her hand; her foundations are fallen, her walls are torn down (Jeremiah 50:15).

And in Zephaniah:

A day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and of thick darkness, a day of cloud and of gloominess, a day of the horn and of sounding upon the fenced cities, and upon the high corners (Zephaniah 1:15, 16).

From this it can now be seen what is signified by "the seven angels sounded the trumpets," and that such effects result therefrom as are here described; and thus that "to sound trumpets" signifies influx of Divine truth out of heaven, and the changes thence arising; for this and the following chapters of Revelation treat of the state of the church in the spiritual world before the judgment, and of the dispersion and casting into hell of the evil.

Фусноте:

395. Verse 11. And white robes were given to every one of them, signifies Divine truth from the Lord with them, and protection. This is evident from the signification of "a white robe" as being Divine truth from the Lord, for "robe" signifies truth in general, because it is a general covering; and "white" is predicated of truths which are from the Lord; for whiteness pertains to light, and the light proceeding from the Lord as a sun is in its essence Divine truth. That "white robes were given to everyone of them" signifies also protection, will be told further on; but let it first be told why "a white robe" signifies Divine truth from the Lord. All spirits and angels are clothed according to their intelligence, or according to their reception of truth in the life, this constituting intelligence; for the light of their intelligence is formed into garments, and when these are thus formed they do not merely appear as garments, but they also are garments. For all things that exist in the spiritual world, and appear before the eyes of those there, exist from the light and heat that proceed from the Lord as a sun; from that origin have been created and formed not only all things in the spiritual world, but also all things in the natural world; for the natural world exists and subsists by means of the spiritual world from the Lord. From this it can be seen that the appearances that exist in heaven before the angels are altogether real; in like manner also the garments. As spirits and angels are clothed according to intelligence, and all intelligence is of truth, and angelic intelligence is of Divine truth, so they are clothed according to truths; this is why "garments" signify truths; "the garments" that are next to the body, that is, the inner garments, signify interior truths; but the garments that are outside of these and encompass them, signify exterior truths; therefore "a robe," "a mantle," and "a cloak," which are general coverings, signify truths in general, and "a white robe" Divine truth in general, which they have from the Lord. (But see what has been shown respecting The Garments with which Angels are Clothed, in the work on Heaven and Hell 177-182; and what has been said above about the signification of garments, n. 64-65, 195, 271.)

[2] "There were given to those who were under the altar white robes" signifies also protection by the Lord, because "the white robes" given to them represented the presence about them of the Lord with Divine truth; and by means of Divine truth the Lord protects His own, for He surrounds them with a sphere of light, from which they have white robes; and when encompassed by this sphere they can no longer be infested by evil spirits; for, as said above, they were infested by evil spirits, and were therefore hidden by the Lord. This also takes place with those who are elevated by the Lord into heaven. They are then clothed with white garments, which is an indication that they are in Divine truth, and thus in safety. But respecting those who were clothed in white robes more will be shown in the explanation of the following chapter (Revelation 7:9, 13-17).

[3] That "robe," "mantle," and "cloak" signify Divine truth in general can be seen also from the following passages. In Zechariah:

The prophets shall be ashamed every man of his vision which he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a mantle of hair to dissemble (Zechariah 13:4).

"Prophets" signify those who teach truths from the Word, and in an abstract sense, the truths of doctrine from the Word; and because of this signification of "prophets" they were clothed with a mantle of hair, "the mantle of hair" signifying Divine truth in ultimates, which is Divine truth in general, for the ultimate contains all things interior; "hair," too, signifies the ultimate. This is why:

Elijah, from his mantle, was called a hairy man (2 Kings 1:7-8);

And John the Baptist, who was as Elijah by reason of a like representation, had a garment of camel's hair (Matthew 3:4).

This makes clear the signification of "the prophets shall not wear a mantle of hair to dissemble," namely, that they shall not declare truths to be falsities, and falsities to be truths; this is what is signified by "dissembling."

[4] Because Elijah represented the Lord in relation to the Word, which is the doctrine of truth itself, and Elisha continued the representation, and because "mantle" signified Divine truth in general, which is the Word in ultimates, so the mantle divided the waters of Jordan, according to the following in the books of the Kings:

When Elijah found Elisha he cast his mantle upon him (1 Kings 19:19).

Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters of Jordan, and they were divided hither and thither, and they two passed over on the dry ground (2 Kings 2:8).

Elisha seeing when Elijah was carried up by a whirlwind into heaven, took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; and he took that mantle and smote the waters; and they were divided hither and thither, and he passed over (2 Kings 2:12-14).

"Elijah's casting his mantle upon Elisha" signified the transference to Elisha of the representation of the Lord in relation to the Word; and that "the mantle fell from Elijah when he was taken away, and was taken up by Elisha," signified that this representation was then transferred to Elisha, for Elijah and Elisha represented the Lord in relation to the Word, and they were clothed according to what they represented, "the mantle" signifying the Word in which is Divine truth in general, or Divine truth in the whole complex. "The dividing of the waters of Jordan by Elijah's mantle," first by Elijah and afterwards by Elisha, signified the power of Divine truth in ultimates; "the waters of Jordan" signifying, moreover, the first truths through which there is introduction into the church, and these first truths are such as are in the ultimates of the Word. From this, too, it can be seen that "a mantle" and "a robe" signify Divine truth in general. (That "Elijah" represented the Lord in relation to the Word, so, too, "Elisha," see Arcana Coelestia 2762, 5247. That the ultimate contains the interior things, and thus signifies all things in general, n. 634, 6239, 6465, 9215, 9216, 9828; that thus strength and power are in ultimates, n. 9836; that "Jordan" signifies the entrance into the church, and thus "the waters of Jordan" signify the first truths through which there is entrance, n. 1585, 4255; and that "waters" mean truths, see above, n. 71.) First truths are also ultimate truths, such as are in the sense of the letter of the Word, for through these entrance is effected, for these are first learned, and in them are all interior things which constitute the internal sense of the Word.

[5] One who does not know what "robe" or "mantle" signifies, does not know what "cloak" signifies, for a cloak, as well as a mantle, was a general garment, encompassing the tunic or inner garment, therefore it has a like signification. Neither does he know what was signified by Saul's rending the skirt of Samuel's cloak; by David's cutting off the skirt of Saul's cloak; by Jonathan's giving David his cloak and garments; and by kings' daughters being arrayed in cloaks of various colors; neither does he know the meaning of many other passages in which cloaks are mentioned in the Word. Of Saul's rending the skirt of Samuel's cloak, we read:

Samuel turned to go away, but he laid hold upon the skirt of his cloak and it was rent. And Samuel said, Jehovah hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to thy companion, who is better than thou (1 Samuel 15:27-28).

The words of Samuel make clear that "the rending of the skirt of the cloak" signified the rending of the kingdom from Saul, for he said after it was done, "Jehovah hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day," "a king" and "his kingdom" signifying the Divine truth of the church, and "the skirt of a cloak" signifying Divine truth in ultimates, that is, all Divine truth in general; for the kings that were over the sons of Israel represented the Lord in relation to Divine truth, and their kingdom signified the church in relation to Divine truth; therefore this historical fact signifies that king Saul was such that he could no longer represent the Lord, and that the representation of the church would perish if the kingdom were not rent from him. (That "kings" represented the Lord in relation to Divine truth, and thus "a kingdom" signified the church in relation to Divine truth, see above, n. 29, 31.)

[6] The same is signified by David's cutting off the skirt of Saul's cloak, of which we read:

David entered into the cave where Saul was, and cut off the skirt of his cloak, and when he afterwards showed it to Saul, Saul said, Now I know that thou shalt reign, and the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thy hand (1 Samuel 24:3-5, 11, 20).

This was done by David of Divine Providence, that the like might be represented as above, "the skirt of the cloak," and "King Saul and his kingdom," having the like meaning as above.

[7] That Jonathan the son of Saul stripped himself of his cloak and his garments, and gave them to David, of which we read as follows, has a like signification:

Jonathan stripped off the cloak that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, and even his sword and his bow and even to his girdle (1 Samuel 18:4).

This signified that Jonathan, the heir of the kingdom, transferred all his right to David; for all the things that Jonathan gave to David were representative of the kingdom, that is, of the Divine truth of the church, which Saul represented; for as was said above, all the kings who were over the sons of Israel represented the Lord in relation to Divine truth, and their kingdom represented the church in relation to Divine truth.

[8] Because "cloaks" and "robes" signify Divine truth in general:

The king's daughters that were virgins were clad in robes of diverse colors (2 Samuel 13:18).

"The king's daughters that were virgins" signified the affections of truth, and thus the church, as can be seen from a thousand passages in the Word in which "the king's daughter," "the daughter of Zion," "the daughter of Jerusalem," also "the virgin of Zion," and "the virgin of Jerusalem" are mentioned; therefore "the king's daughters" represented also the truths of that affection by their garments, and in general by their robes, which, were therefore, variegated with diverse colors. So also truths from good, or truths from affection, are represented by the garments of the virgins in heaven; which truths are more fully described by:

The garments of the king's daughter (Psalms 45:9-10, 13-14).

[9] As mourning in the Ancient Churches signified spiritual mourning, which is from the deprivation of truth, they represented this in their mourning, then by rending their mantles or cloaks, as is evident in Job:

When Job had lost all things, then he arose, rent his mantle, and said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return (Job 1:20-21).

Job's three friends, when they saw him, wept and rent their cloaks (Job 2:12).

(That "rending the garments" was a representative of mourning because of truth injured or destroyed, see Arcana Coelestia 4763.) And again in Ezekiel:

All the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones, and shall put away their cloaks and strip off their broidered garments; they shall be clothed with terrors; they shall sit upon the earth (Ezekiel 26:16).

This is said of Tyre, which signifies the church in respect to the knowledges of truth and good, here the church where these are destroyed. That there are no longer any truths through which there can be a church, is signified by "all the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones;" "the princes of the sea" meaning true primary knowledges [scientifica]; "to come down from thrones" signifying that these have been destroyed, and consequently that there is no intelligence. The like is signified by "they shall cast away their cloaks and strip off their broidered garments," "cloaks" meaning truths in general, and "broidered garments" the knowledges of truth; the consequent damnation is signified by "they shall be clothed with terrors; they shall sit upon the earth."

[10] In Micah:

My people have set up an enemy for themselves for the sake of a garment; ye strip off the mantle from them that pass by securely, returning from war (Micah 2:8).

These words do not mean that "the sons of Israel have set up an enemy for the sake of a garment, and have stripped off the mantle from those that pass by securely;" but they mean that they held as enemies those who spoke truths, and deprived of all truth those who had lived well and had shaken off falsities, "garment" meaning truth, "mantle" all truth because it means truth in general; "to pass by securely" means to live well; "men returning from war" mean those who have shaken off falsities, "war" meaning the combat of truth against falsity. Who cannot see that this is the spiritual meaning of the Word; and not that the people of Israel held some one as an enemy for the sake of a garment, or stripped off the mantle from those who passed by?

[11] In Matthew:

The scribes and Pharisees do all their works that they may be seen of men, and make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their robes (Matthew 23:5).

This the scribes and Pharisees did, but it also represented and signified that they talked about, and applied to life and to their traditions many things from the ultimates of the Word, in order that they might appear holy and learned. "Their phylacteries which they make broad," signify goods in outward form, for "phylacteries" were worn upon the hands, and "hands" signify deeds, because these are done by the hands; "the borders of their robes which they enlarge," signify external truths; external truths are those that are in the ultimate sense of the letter; "robes" mean truths in general, and "borders" their ultimates. (That "borders of robes" signify such truths, see Arcana Coelestia 9917.)

[12] In Isaiah:

I will rejoice in Jehovah, my soul shall exult in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation; He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10).

"To rejoice in Jehovah" signifies to rejoice in Divine good; "to exult in God" signifies to exult in Divine truth; for the Lord is called "Jehovah" from Divine good, and "God" from Divine truth, and from these is all spiritual joy. "To clothe with the garments of salvation" signifies to instruct and to gift with truths; and "to cover with the robe of righteousness" signifies to fill with every truth from good, "robe" meaning all truth, because it means truth in general, and "righteousness" is predicated of good.

[13] In the same:

He put on the garments of vengeance, and covered Himself with zeal as with a robe (Isaiah 59:17).

This is said of the Lord and of His combat with the hells; for when He was in the world He reduced all things in the hells and in the heavens to order, and this by Divine truth from Divine love. "Garments of vengeance" signify the truths by which, and "zeal as a robe" the Divine love from which this was done; "robe" is mentioned to signify that it was done through Divine truths from Divine love. (But what "the robe of the ephod" signifies, in which Aaron was arrayed, and upon the borders of which were pomegranates and bells, of which in Exodus 28:31-35 and Leviticus 8:7, see Arcana Coelestia 9910-9928).