604. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up the things which the seven thunders spake, and write them not, signifies command by the Lord that these things should be reserved and not yet be disclosed. This is evident from the signification of "to hear a voice from heaven," as being a command by the Lord, which is, "write them not;" also from the signification of "to seal up the things which the seven thunders spake," as being that these things in which he was instructed, and which he perceived respecting the last state of the church, were to be kept secret and reserved; also from the signification of "write them not," as being that they must not yet be disclosed (see just above, n. 603). That "to seal up" means to keep secret and to reserve until another time can be seen from what follows in this book; for what follows treats of the middle state of the church, which intervenes between the sounding of the sixth and of the seventh angel, that is, between next to the last state of the church and the last, therefore the things that are to take place in the last state are what must be reserved and not yet disclosed.