Spiritual Meaning of REVELATION 8:2
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AR 390. Verse 2. And I saw the seven angels who stood before God, signifies the entire spiritual heaven in the presence of the Lord, hearing and doing what He commands. By "seven angels" is signified the entire heaven, because "seven" signifies all, or all things, thence the whole and entire (n. 10); and by "angels," in the highest sense, is signified the Lord, and, in a relative sense, heaven (n. 5, 65, 342, 344); here, the spiritual heaven, as may appear from what was said in (n. 387, 388). That "to stand before God" signifies to hear and do what He commands, see in (n. 366).

AR 391. And there were given to them seven trumpets, signifies the exploration and disclosure of the state of the church, and thence of the life of those who are in faith alone. Here, by "trumpets" the same thing is signified as by "sounding," because they sounded with them, and by "sounding with trumpets" is signified to call together upon solemn occasions, which were various; in this case, to explore and discover the quality of those who are in faith alone, thus the quality of those who are at this day of the churches of the Reformed. It should be known, that the church in the Reformed world is at this day divided into three, from the three leaders, Luther, Calvin, and Melancthon, and that these three churches differ in various things; but in this article, that man is justified by faith without the works of the law, they all agree, which is remarkable. That by "sounding with trumpets" is signified to call together, will be seen below (n. 397).

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Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772). Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002. www.BibleMeanings.info