869. Verse 13. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, signifies the external and natural men of the church called together to judgment. By "the sea" is signified the external of the church, which is natural, therefore by those whom "the sea gave up" are signified the external and natural men of the church. That "the sea" signifies the external of the church, which is natural, may be seen above (n. 238, 239 at the end, 402-405, 470, 565b, 567, 659, 661). By "the dead" are meant they who had died out of the earth, as above (n. 866, 868). The reason why by "the dead whom the sea gave up" are meant the external men of the church, is because no others were judged but those who were in some worship, for all who have spurned the holy things of the church, and have denied God, the Word, and the life after death, were judged immediately after death, and conjoined with those who were in hell, whither they were afterwards cast down. But they who had been external and natural men, and professed with the mouths that there is a God, that there are a heaven and a hell, and in a certain way had acknowledged the Word, these are they who were called together to judgment. Out of these who were from "the sea," many were saved, for we do not read that all these "were cast into the lake of fire," as "death and hell" were, but that "if anyone of them was not found written in the book of life, he was cast therein" (verse 16). Such of these as were saved, are also meant by "the rest of the dead which lived not again until the thousand years were finished" (verse 5). From what has been said it may now appear, that by "the sea gave up the dead that were in it," are signified the external and natural men of the church called together to judgment.