548. [verse 7] 'And a war was waged in heaven, Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels' signifies the untruths of the former Church fighting against the truths of the New Church. By 'a war' is signified a spiritual war, which is of untruth against truth, and of truth against untruth (n. 500), for in heaven, where it is said to have taken place, no other 'war' can be waged. Nor can it take place in a heaven once formed from angels, but it was waged in the 'former heaven' that 'passed away', treated of in Rev. xxi 1, concerning which heaven the Exposition there may be seen. For that heaven passed away by means of the last judgment upon 'the dragon and his angels', and this is indeed signified by the dragon's having been cast down and his place no longer found in heaven, as it follows on. What sort of untruths are understood by 'the dragon', and that are going to fight against the truths of the New Church, may be seen above (n. 537). By 'Michael' is not understood any archangel, nor by 'Gabriel' and 'Raphael', but ministries in heaven are understood. The ministry that is 'Michael' there, is with those who confirm out of the Word that the Lord is the God of heaven and earth and that God the Father and He are one as soul and body are one, also that [life] must be lived in accordance with the precepts of the Decalogue, and that in that case a man has charity and faith. 'Michael' is named in Daniel also (x 13, 21; xii 1), and by him a like ministry is understood, as is plain there from chapters ix, x, xi, and the last verses of chapter xii. By 'Gabriel', however, is understood the ministry with those who teach out of the Word that Jehovah has come into the world and that the Human He acquired there is the Son of God and Divine. For this reason the angel who announced this to Mary is called 'Gabriel' (Luke i 19, 26-35). Those who are in those ministries are also named 'Michaels' and 'Gabriels' in heaven. That by 'an angel' in the highest sense is understood the Lord, and in the relative sense the heaven [formed] out of angels, then also the angelic societies, may be seen above (n. 5, 65, 258, 342, 344, 415, 465). Here, however, a ministry [is understood] because they are named, and 'Michael' in Daniel is called 'a prince', and by 'a prince' in the Word is signified a principal truth, and by 'a king' the Truth itself (n. 20).