751. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them.- That this signifies the salvation and consequent joy of those who become spiritual by the reception of Divine Truth, is evident from the signification of rejoicing, as denoting joy on account of salvation; from the signification of the heavens, as denoting those who are spiritual (concerning which we shall speak presently); and from the signification of ye that dwell, as denoting those who live, here spiritually. That to dwell signifies to live, may be seen above (n. 133, 479, 662). The heavens signify those who are spiritual, because all who are in the heavens are spiritual, and because men who have become spiritual are also in the heavens, although they are in the world as to the body; therefore ye that dwell in the heavens means not only angels, but also men, for every man with whom the interior mind, which is called the spiritual mind, has been opened, is in the heavens, indeed, he also sometimes appears amongst the angels there. That this is so, has not been known in the world up to the present time. It must therefore be understood, that man as to his spirit is among spirits and angels, and indeed in that society of them into which he is to come after death. The reason of this is that the spiritual mind of man is formed exactly according to the image of heaven, and in such a way that it is a heaven in least form; consequently that mind, although still in the body, must nevertheless be where its form is. But this has been more fully dealt with in Heaven and Hell 51-58), where it is shown that every angel, and also every man as to his interiors, if he be spiritual, is a heaven in its least form, corresponding to heaven in its greatest form. For this reason where the Word treats of the creation of heaven and earth, the internal and external church is in general meant, and, in particular, the internal and external man, that is the spiritual and natural man. From these things it is evident that the heavens and those that dwell in them signify all who are there, and also those men who are becoming spiritual by the reception of Divine Truth in doctrine and life.

662. Because those two prophets tormented them that dwell upon the earth.- That this signifies anxiety of heart in the devastated church from these, is clear from the signification of the two witnesses, here called two prophets, as denoting the goods and truths of doctrine; from the signification of tormenting, as denoting anxiety of heart; and from the signification of them that dwell upon the earth, as denoting those who live in the church, in this case, in the devastated church. By these words therefore is signified anxiety of heart from the goods of love and truths of doctrine with those who are of the devastated church. For the subject here treated of is the end of the church, when the loves of self and of the world, and their lusts (concupiscentiae), and the evils and falsities of those lusts, have dominion; then men are tormented by the goods of love and truths of doctrine, for interiorly or in their hearts they hold these in hatred, howsoever they may profess them with their lips; and when that which a man holds in hatred enters, it interiorly torments him.

[2] But such a man of the church, during his abode in the world, does not know that he holds those two witnesses in such hatred, and that he is interiorly tormented by them, for he does not know the state of his interior thought and affection, but only the state of the exterior thought and affection that pass immediately into the speech. But when he comes into the spiritual world, his exterior thought and affection are laid asleep, and the interior opened, and then he feels such a repugnance from hatred of the goods of love and truths of doctrine, that he cannot bear to hear them. When such a man therefore enters any angelic society, where spiritual love and faith prevail, he is severely tormented, which is a sign of interior repugnance, from hatred of them. The signification of those two prophets tormenting them that dwell on the earth is evident from these things. By them that dwell on the earth are meant, in a good sense, those in the church who are in good as to life but here, those who are in evil, for such are interiorly tormented by the goods of love and truths of doctrine. That to dwell signifies to live, and thus life, is evident from those passages in the Word, where to dwell is mentioned, as Isaiah 9:2; 13:20; 37:16; Jeremiah 2:6; 51:13; Dan. 2:22; 4:12; Ezekiel 31:6; Hosea 9:3; Psalm 23:6; 27:4; 80:1; 101:7; Zeph. 3:6; and elsewhere.