447. [verse s6] 'And the number of the armies of horsemen two myriads of myriads' signifies the reasonings concerning faith alone, with which the interiors of their mind were crammed full, derived from sheer untruths in abundance. By 'armies' are signified goods and truths and in the opposite sense evils and untruths; here, the untruths of evil, concerning which something follows. By 'horsemen' are signified reasonings concerning faith alone because by a 'horse' is signified the understanding of the Word (n. 298), and also the destroyed understanding of the Word (n. 305, 312, 320). Consequently by 'horsemen' are signified reasonings derived from a destroyed understanding of the Word, here concerning faith alone because it treats of those who are in that faith. By 'two myriads of myriads' is not understood so many in number, but a great abundance. 'Two' are mentioned because 'two' are predicated of good, and in the opposite sense of evil (n. 322), and 'myriads' are predicated of truths, and in the opposite sense of untruths (n. 287). Resulting from these considerations it can be seen that by 'the number of the armies of horsemen two myriads of myriads' are signified the reasonings concerning faith alone with which the interiors of their mind were full, derived from sheer untruths of evil in abundance. [2] That by 'armies' in the Word are signified goods and truths of heaven and the Church, and in the opposite sense evils and untruths, can be established from those places where the sun, the moon and the stars are called 'armies', and by 'sun' is signified the good of love, by 'moon' the truth of faith and by 'stars' cognitions of good and truth, and the contrary in the opposite sense (n. 51, 53, 332, 413). All of these (illa et haec) are termed armies in these passages:-
Praise Jehovah all His armies, praise Him sun and moon, praise Him all the stars Ps. cxlviii 2, 3.
My hands have stretched out the heavens, and all their armies have I commanded Isa. xlv 12.
By the Word of Jehovah were the heavens made, and the whole army of them by the breath of His mouth Ps. xxxiii 6.
The heavens and the earth were finished, and all their armies Gen. ii 1.
The horn of the he-goat grew as far as to the army of the heavens, and it cast down unto the earth from the army and the stars, yea, it raised itself up as far as to the prince of the army: and the army was delivered to it on account of the continual [sacrifice] for transgression, because he cast down the truth (veritas) to the ground: the holy one said, How long is the holy place and the army given to be trodden down? Dan. viii 10-14.
Jehovah shall utter His voice before the army Joel ii 11.
Upon the roofs of the houses they have offered incense to every army of the heavens Jer. xix 13.
Lest thou shouldest bow down and be a servant to the sun, the moon and the stars, and every army of the heavens Deut. iv 19; xvii 3; Jer. viii 2.
Likewise Isa. xiii 4; xxxiv 4; xl 26; Jer. xxxiii 22; Zech. ix 8; Rev. xix 14. [3] Since the goods and truths of heaven and the Church are signified by 'the armies of the heavens', therefore the Lord is called Jehovah Zebaoth, that is, Jehovah of the armies and on this account the ministry of the Levites was called 'military service' (Num. iv 3, 23, 30, 39), and it is said in David:-
Bless Jehovah all His armies, His ministers doing His will Ps. ciii 21.
Evils and untruths in the Church are signified by:-
The army of the nations Isa. xxxiv 2.
The army of the king of the north, with which he came against the king of the south Dan. xi 13, 15, 20.
'The king of the north' is the untruth of evil in the Church, and 'the king of the south' is the truth of good there. It is said by the Lord:-
When you shall see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, know that the devastation thereof is near Luke xxi 20.
There by 'Jerusalem' is signified the Church, and by 'armies' the evils and untruths that were devastating it. It treats there of the consummation of the age, which is the last time of the Church. Evils and untruths are signified by the 'army' in Joel:-
I will make up to you the years that the locust has consumed, the cankerworm, the bruchus, and the caterpillar, the great army which I have sent among you Joel ii 25.
That untruth in the outermost parts is signified by the 'locust' and the rest, may be seen above (n. 424).
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