82. I was permitted to see how the spirits of that earth after they have been prepared, are taken up into heaven and become angels. There then appear chariots and horses bright as with fire, by which they are carried away like Elijah. Chariots and horses bright as with fire appear, because it is thus represented that they have been instructed and prepared to enter heaven; since "chariots" signify the doctrinals of the church, and "bright horses" the understanding enlightened.# # "Chariots signify the doctrinals of the church (n. 2761, 5321, 8215). "Horses" signify the intellectual faculty (n. 2760, 2761, 2762, 3217, 5321, 6125, 6400, 6534, 7024, 8146, 8148, 8351). "The white horse" in the Apocalypse signifies the understanding of the word (n. 2760). By "Elijah" in the representative sense is meant the word (n. 2762, 5247). And because all the doctrine of the church and the understanding of it are from the word, Elijah was called "the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof" (n. 2762). He was therefore taken up by a fiery chariot and horses of fire (n. 2762, 8029).