604. And I heard a voice out of heaven saying unto me, Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.- That this signifies a command from the Lord that those things should be reserved and not yet be manifested, is evident from the signification of hearing a voice out of heaven, as denoting a command from the Lord, which is, "write them not;" and from the signification of sealing up those things which the seven thunders uttered, as denoting that those things in which he was instructed, and which he perceived, concerning the last state of the church should be kept secret and reserved; and from the signification of, "write them not," as denoting that they are not yet to be made manifest: see just above (n. 603). That to seal up denotes to keep secret, and reserve until another time, is evident from what follows in this book where the middle state of the church is treated of, which occurs between the sounding of the sixth and seventh angels, that is, between the last state but one of the church and its last state, wherefore the things that are to take place in the last state, are those which must be reserved, and not yet manifested.