674. There was a great earthquake.- That this signifies a remarkable change of the state of the interiors in those who are of the church, is evident from the signification of a great earthquake (terrae motus), as denoting a remarkable change of the state of the church; for the earth (terra) signifies the church, motion, change of state, and great, what is remarkable. That an earthquake, in the Word, signifies a change of the state of the church, may be seen above (n.400:2, 499).

[2] That a change of state as to the truths and goods of the church, sprang from causes involved in the preceding verse, is evident; that is, because the two witnesses that had been slain and restored to life ascended by command into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies saw them. It is therefore clear that the cause was the separation of the good from the evil, as shown in preceding articles, where the ascent of the two witnesses has been explained. But these things cannot be made plain to the understanding, until the state of the case in the spiritual world be made known. For the things described in this verse - namely, that there was a great earthquake, that the tenth part of the city fell, and that there were killed in the earthquake names of men seven thousand, also, that the rest became afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven - do take place, and also did take place at the time of the Last Judgment, but in the spiritual world, not in the natural world. For when it is necessary for the good there to be separated from the evil, and the good to be protected from being injured by the evil, then the good are removed from the societies, and the evil left, according to the words of the Lord in Matthew:

"Two shall be in the field, one shall be taken, the other shall be left; two [women] grinding, one shall be taken, the other shall be left" (24:40, 41);

this may be seen explained in the Arcana Coelestia 4334, 4335). When the good are taken away, then in the societies in which the good and evil were intermingled, a remarkable change takes place as to those things which pertain to the church.

[3] But the cause of that change shall be further explained. In the spiritual world there is a communication of all affections, and sometimes of thoughts; and within every society there is a general communication, extending itself from the midst in every direction, even to the boundaries, almost as light spreads from the centre to the circumference. The variations and changes of the affections arising from communication and its extension, spring from an influx of affections from other societies, which are either above or at the sides, also from the new comers who enter the society, and also from the fact of few or many being removed from the society.

[4] The societies upon which the Last Judgment took place, consisted of both the good and the evil, the evil being those who were interiorly, but not outwardly, opposed to the goods of love and the truths of doctrine, for outwardly they could act according to what was right and just, and speak what was pious and true not for the sake of rectitude, justice, piety, and truth, but from habit acquired in the world, for the sake of fame, glory, honour, gain, and various delights of the natural loves; also on account of the laws and their penalties. Such persons therefore, although interiorly evil, were still able to associate with those who were not only outwardly but also interiorly good. When therefore the good were being separated from those who appeared good only in external form, then the external good [of the latter] vanished, and their interior evil became apparent; for they were kept in such external good by communication with those within the same society, who, as said above, were not only outwardly but also interiorly, good. When external good then was removed from the evil, their interiors, which were full of mere evil and filthy things were opened, and consequently their real quality was made manifest. These are the things, therefore, that are specifically meant by the two witnesses ascending by command into heaven in a cloud, and their enemies seeing them; and here, that in that hour there was a great earthquake, that is, that when that state came, a remarkable change took place as to those things which pertain to the church.

9604. 'Five curtains shall be joined together, each one to the next, and five curtains joined together, each one to the next' means unceasing communication of truth with good and of good with truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'five' as all on one side, for 'ten' means all of the whole, 9595; and from the meaning of 'curtains' as interior truths of faith which belong to the new understanding, also dealt with above in 9595. Hence because the ten curtains were joined together five and five, a reciprocal communication of truth and good and of good and truth is meant by them, for the communication between them must be reciprocal, in order that the truth and good may be joined together and be married. They are similar in meaning to things on the left side and those on the right in a human being - to those on the right side in that they have connection with the good from which truth springs, but to those on the left side in that they have connection with the truth that springs from the good. And in the middle between them the communication of good with truth and of truth with good takes place, so that they are perpetually and unceasingly joined together. Such are the realities meant by the words, Five curtains joined together, each one to the next, and five curtains joined together, each one to the next.