473. Verse 4. And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write, and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not, signifies that these things indeed are made manifest, but that they are not received till after they who are meant by "the dragon," "the beast," and "the false prophet," are cast out of the world of spirits, because there would be danger were they to be received before. "The voices" which the seven thunders uttered, are the things just mentioned above (n. 472), which are three times mentioned, because they are the very essentials of the New Church. By "writing," in the natural sense, is signified to commit to paper, and thus for the information of posterity, but, in the spiritual sense, by "writing" is signified to commit to the heart for reception; hence by "sealing them up and not writing them," is signified that they will not be committed to the heart and received, till after the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, are cast out of the world of spirits, because there would be danger if they were received before. The reason is, because by "the dragon," "the beast," and "the false prophet," are signified they who are in faith separated from charity, and these constantly and tenaciously adhere to their belief, that God the Father is to be approached, and not the Lord immediately, and that the Lord is not the God of heaven and earth as to His Human; therefore if the above-mentioned doctrine (n. 472), which has been manifested and is still being manifested, which is signified by "the little book was opened," were to be received by any others than those who are in charity and its faith, who also are those who are signified by "John" (n. 5, 17), before the dragon is cast out, it would be rejected not only by them, but also through them, by the rest; and if not rejected, still it would be falsified, yea, profaned. [2] That this is the case, evidently appears from what now follows in Revelation, when seen in its series, as, that they killed the Lord's two witnesses (Rev. 11:7); that the dragon stood by the woman who was about to be delivered, that he might devour her offspring; and after he had fought with Michael he persecuted the woman (Rev. 12:1-17); and that the two beasts which came up, one out of the sea, and the other out of the earth, made one with him (Rev. 13:1-18); as also that he gathered together his followers to battle at the place called Armageddon (Rev. 16:16); and, finally, that they assembled the nations, Gog and Magog, to war (Rev. 20:8, 9). But that the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, were cast into the lake of fire and brimstone (Rev. 20:10); and this being effected, the New Church, which is to be the Lamb's wife, came down out of heaven (Rev. 21-22). Such is the signification of these words: