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735. Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels.- That this signifies combat between those who are for a life of love and charity, and for the Divine of the Lord in His Human, and those who are for faith alone and separated from charity, and who are opposed to the Divine of the Lord in His Human, is evident from the signification of Michael and his angels, as denoting those who are for the Divine of the Lord in His Human, and for a life of love and charity (of which we shall speak presently); and from the signification of the dragon, as denoting those who are for faith alone and separated from the life of love and of charity, and also opposed to the Divine of the Lord in His Human. That those who are in faith separated from charity, which is called faith alone, are meant by the dragon, was shown above (n. 714, 715, 716). The reason why these are also opposed to the Divine of the Lord in His Human, that is the Divine Human, is that most of those who have confirmed themselves in faith alone are merely natural and sensual; and the natural and sensual man, separated from the spiritual, can have no idea of the Divine in the Human. For they think of the Human of the Lord, naturally and sensually, and not at the same time from any spiritual idea; therefore they think of the Lord as of an ordinary man like themselves, and this they also teach; consequently in the idea of their thought they place the Divine of the Lord above His Human, and thus completely separate these two. And they do this although their doctrine, which is the doctrine of Athanasius, concerning the Trinity teaches otherwise, for this teaches that the Divine and Human are united in person, and that these two are one, like the soul and body. Let any one of these examine himself, and he will perceive that such is their idea concerning the Lord.
From these things it is evident what is meant by Michael and his angels, who fought with the dragon, namely, those who acknowledge the Divine Human of the Lord and are for a life of love and charity. For such cannot but acknowledge the Divine Human of the Lord, because otherwise they could not be in any love to the Lord, nor thus in any charity towards the neighbour, since these are solely from the Lord's Divine Human, and not from the Divine separated from His Human, nor from the Human separated from His Divine; consequently, after the dragon with his angels was cast down unto the earth, a voice out of heaven said, "Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the power (potestas) of His Christ" (verse 10). This makes it clear what is meant by Michael and angels.
[2] In regard to Michael in particular, it is believed from the sense of the letter that he is one of the archangels, but there is no archangel in the heavens. There are indeed higher and lower angels, and also wiser and less wise and in the societies of angels there are governors who are set over the rest, yet there are no archangels who keep others in obedience by the exercise of arbitrary authority. Such government has no place in the heavens, for there no one acknowledges in heart that any one is above himself but the Lord alone; this is meant by these words of the Lord in Matthew:
"Be not ye called teacher, for one is your teacher, the Christ, but all ye are brethren. And call no man your father on earth, for one is your Father who is in the heavens. Neither be ye called master, for one is your Master, the Christ. He that is greatest among you shall be your minister" (23:8-11).
But those angels that are mentioned in the Word, as Michael and Raphael, mean administrations and functions, and, in general, fixed and determined parts of the administration and function of all the angels. So here Michael means that part of the angelic function which was spoken of above, namely, the defending of that part of doctrine from the Word which teaches that the Human of the Lord is Divine, and also that man must live a life of love to the Lord and of charity towards the neighbour in order that he may receive salvation from the Lord. That part of the angelic function is therefore meant which fights against those who separate the Divine from the Human of the Lord, and who separate faith from the life of love and of charity; in fact those who show forth charity with the lips but not with the life.
[3] Moreover, angels, in the Word, in the spiritual sense do not mean angels, but Divine truths from the Lord, as may be seen above (n. 10:13, 21; 12:1), and signifies there as here, genuine truth from the Word, which is for those who will belong to the church to be established by the Lord; for Michael means those who will be in favour of the doctrine of the New Jerusalem, the two essentials of which doctrine are, that the Human of the Lord is Divine, and that a life of love and charity must be lived.
[4] Michael is also mentioned in the Epistle of Jude, in these words:
"When Michael the archangel, contending with the devil, disputed about the body of Moses, he durst not utter a sentence of reproach, but said, The Lord rebuke thee" (verse 9).
The apostle Jude quoted these words from ancient books which were written by correspondences, and by Moses in those books the Word was meant, and by his body, the sense of the letter of the Word. And as the same persons are here meant by the devil as are meant in the Apocalypse by the dragon, called also the devil and Satan, it is evident what is signified by Michael, contending with the devil, disputed about the body of Moses, namely, that such falsified the sense of the letter of the Word. And because the Word in the letter is of such a nature that the evil can turn it aside from its real meaning, and that nevertheless it can be received by the good according to its true meaning, therefore it was said by the ancient peoples, from whom these words of Jude were received, that "Michael durst not utter a sentence of reproach." That Moses, in the spiritual sense, signifies the law, thus the Word, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 4859 at end, 5922, 6723, 6752, 6827, 7010, 7014, 7089, 7382, 8787, 8805, 9372, 9414, 9419, 9429, 10234, 10563, 10571, 10607, 10614).
735. Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels, signifies the combat between those who are for the life of love and charity and for the Divine of the Lord in His Human, against those who are for faith alone and faith separate and are against the Divine of the Lord in His Human. This is evident from the signification of "Michael and his angels," as being those who are for the Divine of the Lord in His Human, and for the life of love and charity (of which presently); also from the signification of "the dragon," as being those who are for faith alone and separated from the life of love and charity, and also against the Divine of the Lord in His Human. That those who are in faith separated from charity, which faith is called faith alone, are meant by "the dragon," has been shown above (n. 714-715, 716).
The same are also against the Divine of the Lord in His Human, that is, against the Divine Human, because most of those who have confirmed themselves in faith alone are merely natural and sensual, and the natural and sensual man separated from the spiritual can have no idea of the Divine in the Human, for they think of the Human of the Lord naturally and sensually, and not at the same time from any spiritual idea; therefore they think of the Lord in the same way as they think of an ordinary man altogether like themselves, and this they also teach; consequently in the idea of their thought they set the Divine of the Lord above His Human, and thus they altogether separate those two, namely the Divine and the Human of the Lord; and this they do although their doctrine, which is the doctrine of Athanasius respecting the Trinity, teaches otherwise, for this teaches that the Divine and Human are a united person, and that the two are one like soul and body. Let any one of them examine himself, and he will perceive that such is their idea respecting the Lord. From this it is clear what is meant by "Michael and his angels" who fought with the dragon, namely, those who acknowledge the Lord's Divine Human and are for the life of love and charity, for they who are such cannot do otherwise than acknowledge the Divine Human of the Lord, and for the reason that otherwise they could not be in any love to the Lord nor in any charity towards the neighbor thence, since this charity and love are solely from the Lord's Divine Human, and not from a Divine separated from His Human, nor from the Human separated from His Divine; consequently also after the dragon was cast down into the earth with his angels a voice said out of heaven:
Now is come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ (verse 10).
From this it is clear what is meant by "Michael and his angels."
[2] As to Michael in particular, it is believed from the sense of the letter that he is one of the archangels; but there is no archangel in the heavens. There are, indeed, higher and lower angels, also wiser and less wise; and in the societies of angels there are governors who are set over the rest; but yet there are no archangels in obedience to whom others are held by any authority. There is no such government in the heavens, for no one there acknowledges in heart anyone above himself except the Lord only; this is what is meant by the Lord's words in Matthew:
Be not ye called teacher, for one is your Teacher, Christ, but all ye are brethren. And call no man your father on earth, for one is your Father, who is in the heavens. Neither be ye called masters, for one is your Master, Christ. He that is greatest among you shall be your minister (Matthew 23:8-11).
But by those angels that are mentioned in the Word, as "Michael" and "Raphael," administrations and functions are meant, and in general, limited and certain departments of the administration and function of all the angels; so here "Michael" means that department of angelic function that has been referred to above, namely, the defense of that part of the doctrine from the Word that teaches that the Lord's Human is Divine, and that man must live a life of love to the Lord and of charity towards the neighbor that he may receive salvation from the Lord, consequently that department of function is meant that is for fighting against those who separate the Divine from the Human of the Lord, and who separate faith from the life of love and charity, and who even profess charity with the lips but not in the life.
[3] Moreover, in the Word "angels" do not mean angels in the spiritual sense, but Divine truths from the Lord (See above, n. Daniel 10:13, 21; 12:1, and signifies there like as here the genuine truth from the Word, which will be for those who are of the church to be established by the Lord; for "Michael" means those who will favor the doctrine of the New Jerusalem, the two essentials of which doctrine are, that the Human of the Lord is Divine, and that there must be a life of love and charity.
[4] Michael is also mentioned in the Epistle of Jude in these words:
Michael the archangel, when contending with 1the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not pronounce a sentence of blasphemy, but said, The Lord rebuke thee (Arcana Coelestia 4859 at the end, 5922, 6723, 6752, 6827, 7010, 7014, 7089, 7382, 8787, 8805, 9372, 9414, 9419, 9429, 10234, 10563, 10571, 10607, 10614.)
Footnotes:
1. The Latin has "de," which means "about."
735. "Michael et angeli ejus pugnarunt cum dracone, et draco pugnavit et angeli ejus." - Quod significet pugnam inter illos qui pro vita amoris et charitatis sunt, et pro Divino Domini in Humano Ipsius, contra illos qui pro fide sola et separata, et qui contra Divinum Domini in Humano Ipsius sunt, constat ex significatione "Michaelis et angelorum ejus", quod sint qui pro Divino Domini in Humano Ipsius sunt, et pro vita amoris et charitatis (de qua sequitur); et ex significatione "draconis", quod sint qui pro fide sola et separata a vita amoris et charitatis, et quoque contra Divinum Domini in Humano Ipsius: quod illi qui in fide separata a charitate sunt, quae fides vocatur sola fides, intelligantur per "draconem", supra (n. 714, 715, 716) ostensum est: quod etiam iidem sint contra Divinum Domini in Humano Ipsius, hoc est, contra Divinum Humanum, est quia plerique eorum qui se confirmaverunt in sola fide, mere naturales et sensuales sunt; ac naturalis et sensualis, homo separatus a spirituali non aliquam ideam Divini in Humano potest habere, cogitant enim naturaliter et sensualiter de Humano Domini, et non simul ex aliqua idea spirituali; inde est quod de Domino cogitent sicut de vulgari homine sibi ipsis prorsus simili, quod etiam docent; inde est quod Divinum Domini supra Humanum Ipsius in idea cogitationis suae ponant, et sic duo illa, nempe Divinum et Humanum Domini, prorsus separant: et hoc faciunt, tametsi doctrina illorum, quae est Doctrina Athanasii de Trinitate, aliud docet; haec enim docet quod Divinum et Humanum sit unita Persona, ac utrumque unum sicut anima et corpus: consulat quisque eorum semet, et percipiet quod talis eis idea de Domino sit. Ex his constare potest quid intelligitur per "Michaelem et angelos ejus", qui cum dracone pugnarunt; quod nempe illi qui Humanum Domini Divinum agnoscunt, et qui pro vita amoris et charitatis sunt; nam qui pro hac sunt, non possunt aliter quam agnoscere Divinum Humanum Domini, ex causa, quia alioqui non in aliquo amore in Dominum, et inde nec in charitate erga proximum possunt esse; haec enim charitas et ille amor est unice a Divino Humano Domini, et non a Divino separato ab Humano Ipsius, nec ex Humano separato a Divino Ipsius; quare etiam postquam "projectus est draco in terram cum angelis ejus", vox dicta est e caelo,
"Nunc facta est salus, et potentia, et regnum Dei nostri, et potestas Christi Ipsius" (vers. 10).
Ex his constare potest quid per "Michaelem et angelos ejus" intelligitur.
[2] Quod Michaelem in specie concernit; creditur ex sensu litterae quod sit unus ex archangelis; sed non est aliquis archangelus in caelis: sunt quidem angeli superiores et inferiores, tum sapientiores magis et minus; et quoque in societatibus angelorum sunt moderatores reliquis ibi praefecti; sed usque non sunt archangeli, sub quorum obedientia ex aliquo arbitrio stant; tale regimen non datur in caelis, omnes enim ibi non alium supra se corde agnoscunt quam solum Dominum; quod intelligitur per Domini verba apud Matthaeum,
"Vos.. nolite vocari doctor; unus enim est vester Doctor, Christus; omnes autem vos fratres estis. Et patrem ne vocetis vestrum in terra; unus namque est Pater vester qui in caelis est. Neque vocemini magistri; unus enim vester est Magister, Christus. Qui.. maximus est vestrum, erit minister vester" (23:8-11):
per illos autem angelos qui nominantur in Verbo, ut per "Michaelem" et "Raphaelem", intelliguntur administrationes et functiones, et in genere partes determinatae et certae administrationis et functionis omnium angelorum; quare hic per "Michaelem" intelligitur id functionis angelorum quod supra dictum est, nempe defensio illius partis doctrinae ex Verbo quod Humanum Domini Divinum sit, et quoque quod vita amoris in Dominum et charitatis erga proximum vivenda sit, ut alicui sit salus a Domino; consequenter id functionis ut pugnetur contra illos qui separant Divinum ab Humano Domini, et qui fidem separant a vita amoris et charitatis, immo qui charitatem ore ferunt et non vita.
[3] Praeterea per "angelos" in Verbo in spirituali sensu non intelliguntur angeli, sed Divina vera a Domino (videatur supra, n. 130, 302), ex causa quia angeli non sunt angeli ex suo proprio, sed ex receptione Divini Veri a Domino; similiter archangeli, qui illud Divinum Verum significant quod supra dictum est. Etiam angelis in caelis non sunt nomina sicut hominibus in terris, sed sunt illis nomina functionum illorum, et in genere datur cuivis nomen ex quali ejus; inde est quod "nomen" in Verbo significet quale rei et status. Nomen "Michael", ex derivatione ejus in lingua Hebraea, significat, "Quis sicut Deus?" Quare per "Michaelem" significatur Dominus quoad Divinum illud Verum quod Dominus sit Deus etiam quoad Humanum, et quod vivendum sit ab Ipso, ita in amore in Ipsum ab Ipso, et in amore erga proximum. Nominatur etiam Michael apud Danielem (cap. 10:13, 21; 12:1); et per illum ibi significatur genuinum verum ex Verbo, quod pro illis qui ab ecclesia a Domino instauranda, erit; similiter ut hic; nam per "Michaelem" intelliguntur qui pro doctrina Novae Hierosolymae erunt, cujus doctrinae duo essentialia sunt, nempe quod Humanum Domini sit Divinum, et quod vita amoris et charitatis vivenda sit.
[4] Nominatur etiam Michael in Epistola Judae Apostoli, his verbis,
"Michael archangelus, quando 1
cum diabolo disputans coarguit de Mosis corpore, non ausus est sententiam efferre blasphemiae, dixit, Increpet te Dominus" (ver. 9):
haec Judas Apostolus ex libris vetustis, qui per correspondentias conscripti fuerunt, adduxit; et in illis per "Mosen" intellectum est Verbum, et per "ejus corpus" sensus litterae Verbi; et quia illi per "diabolum" intellecti sunt, qui hic in Apocalypsi per "draconem", qui etiam vocatur "satanas" et "diabolus", patet quid significatur per quod "Michael disputans coarguerit diabolum de Mosis corpore", nempe quod sensum litterae Verbi falsificaverint: et quia Verbum in littera tale est, ut e genuino suo sensu a malis detorqueri possit, et tamen a bonis recipi secundum intellectum ejus, ideo dictum est ab antiquis, a quibus illa verba Judae desumpta fuerunt, quod "Michael non ausus sit efferre sententiam blasphemiae."
(Quod "Moses" in sensu spirituali significet Legem, ita Verbum, videatur in Arcanis Caelestibus, n. 4859 fin. , 5922, 6723, 6752, 6827, 7010, 7014, 7089, 7382, 8787, 8805, 9372, 9414, 9419, 2
9429, 10234, 10563, 10571, 10607, 10614.)
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.
2. The editors made a correction or note here.