Apocalypse Explained, Vol. 3

CHAP. VII., VERSE I.—N. 418[b].

merely through knowing and thus believing; “the great horn was broken, and there came up four in its place toward the four winds of heaven,” signifies that out of one principle, faith alone, many falsities conjoined with evils arise, “the great horn” signifying the ruling falsity, which is, that faith alone saves, “broken” signifying its division into many falsities begotten therefrom, “four in its place” signifying the conjunction of these with evils, “toward the four winds of heaven” signifying in respect to each and all things of falsity and evil, for “the four winds of heaven” signify every good and truth of heaven and the church and their conjunction, but in the contrary sense every evil and falsity and their conjunction. “The four winds of heaven” signify also every evil and falsity, because in the four quarters in the spiritual world not only those who are in the good of love and in truths therefrom dwell, but also those who are in evils and in falsities therefrom; for the hells are in the same quarters, but deep down under the heavens, for the most part in caverns, caves, and vaults (respecting which see above, n. 410[a]). [7.] In this same sense “the winds of the heavens” are mentioned in Jeremiah:

“Upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four ends of the heavens, and I will scatter him toward all those winds, that there may be no nation to which one from the outcasts of Elam shall not come” (xlix. 36).

Here “Elam” signifies those who are in knowledges that are called knowledges of faith, but not at the same time in any charity; “the four winds from the four ends of the heavens” signify falsities conjoined with evils; and “to scatter him toward all those winds” signifies into falsities of evil of every kind; “that there may be no nation to which one from the outcasts of Elam shall not come” signifies that there may be no evil to which falsity cannot be adapted, “nation” meaning evil, for knowledges alone without a life of charity bring forth innumerable falsities of evil. [8.] In Daniel:

“I was seeing in my vision when it was night, and behold, the four winds of the heavens rushed upon the great sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea” (vii. 2, 3).

Here, too, “the four winds” signify falsities conjoined with evils, “the great sea” signifies hell from which they come, and “the four beasts” signify evils of every kind: but on this more in what follows.

“The four winds” have the same signification in Daniel (xi. 4); also in Zechariah (ii. 6, 7).