Apocalypse Explained, Vol. 3

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED.

There were seen "four chariots coming out from between two mountains of brass," to which there were horses; and the angel said, "These are the four winds of the heavens, going forth from standing near the Lord of the whole earth" (vi. 1, 5).

This treats of the church which is to be extended among those who have not yet been in any light of truth of the church, because they have not had the Word. What "the four chariots" and "the four horses," and the many things respecting them signify, may be seen above (n. 355[b]), and what "the mountains of brass" signify, also above (n. 364[b], 405[d]), where they are explained. Here "the four winds" signify everything Divine going forth, that is, the Divine good and Divine truth that constitute the church; it is therefore said "the winds of the heavens going forth from standing near the Lord of the whole earth;" "to go forth from standing near Him" signifying to proceed. "Chariots" and "horses" are called winds because "chariots" signify doctrinals of good and truth, and "horses" an understanding of them, and both of these go forth from the Divine of the Lord. [5.] In the Gospels:

The Son of man "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" (Matt. xxiv. 31; Mark xiii. 27).

All the successive states of the church, even to its end, when a last judgment takes place, are here predicted by the Lord; and "the angels with a great sound of a trumpet" signifies proclaiming the good tidings respecting the Lord; and "gathering together the elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other," signifies the establishment of a new church, "the elect" mean those who are in the good of love and of faith, "the four winds" mean all states of good and truth, "from one end of the heavens to the other" means the internals and the externals of the church. (This may be seen more clearly explained in A.C., n. 4060.) [6.] In Daniel:

"The he-goat made himself very great; but when he was strong the great horn was broken, and there came up in appearance four in its place towards the four winds of the heavens" (viii. 8).

What is meant by "the he-goat" and "ram" in this chapter may be seen above (n. 316[e]), namely, that "he-goat" signifies faith separate from charity, and therefore those who expect to be saved by knowing doctrinals and the truths of the Word, and give no thought to a life according to them; "horns" signify truths, and in the contrary sense, as here, falsities; "the great horn" signifies the ruling falsity, which is, that salvation comes