910. The measure of a man, that is, of an angel. This symbolizes the character of the New Church as being united with heaven.

A measure symbolizes the character of a thing (nos. 313, 486). A man here symbolizes the church, which is composed of people, and an angel symbolizes heaven, which is composed of angels. Therefore the measure of a man, that is, of an angel, symbolizes the character of the church as being united with heaven.

A man in the Word symbolizes intelligence and wisdom gained from the Word (no. 243), and intelligence and wisdom from the Word in a person constitute the church in him. Consequently a man in a concrete or generic sense - that is, when a society or company of people is called a man - in the spiritual sense means the church. That is why prophets were called sons of man, and why the Lord called Himself Son of Man. A son of man means a church's truth from the Word, and when applied to the Lord, it means the Word itself on which the church is founded.

An angel has three symbolic meanings: in the highest sense the Lord; in a general sense heaven or a heavenly society; and in a particular sense Divine truth. That an angel has these three symbolic meanings may be seen in nos. 5, 65, 170, 258, 342, 344, 415, 465, 644, 647, 648, 657, 718. Here the angel symbolizes the heaven with which the Lord's New Church will be united.

A church that is founded on the Word, thus on the Lord, is a church affiliated with heaven and conjoined with the Lord, as may be seen in no. 818 above. Not so a church not founded on the Lord's Word.