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914. (Verse 17) And another angel went out from the temple, which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. That this signifies manifestation from the Lord concerning the devastation of the church as to Divine truth, such as exists in heaven, after exploration, is evident from the signification of an angel going out and saying, as denoting manifestation from the Lord, as above (n. 869, 878, 883); and from the signification of the temple, as denoting heaven and the church as to Divine truth (concerning which also see above, n. 220); and from the signification of a sharp sickle, as denoting Divine truth minutely exploring and separating (concerning which see above, n. 908); in this case also devastating after exploration. For by those things said concerning the former angel (vers. 15, 16) is also signified visitation and exploration, also annunciation that the church was completely devastated. But by the things said concerning these two angels (vers. 17-19) is signified the devastation of the church; namely, by the one who went out from the temple which is in heaven, the devastation of the church as to truth; and by the other who went out from the altar, the devastation of the church as to good. For temple, in the highest sense, signified Divine truth; and altar, Divine good; both proceeding from the Lord. From this it is evident, that by the first angel, in verse 15, is meant manifestation from the Lord, also exploration as to what was the quality of the church, and that it was found to be desolated. It follows, therefore, that by another angel going out from the temple which is in heaven, having also a sharp sickle, is signified manifestation from the Lord concerning the devastation of the church as to Divine truth, such as it exists in heaven, after exploration.
[2] It is said, Divine truth such as it exists in heaven, because this is falsified, and not so the Divine truth such as exists on earth or in the church there. Divine truth in heaven is such as the Word is in the spiritual sense; but Divine truth on earth is such as the Word is in the natural sense, or in the sense of the letter. The latter Divine truth is for men, and constitutes the church with them; whereas the former Divine truth is for angels, and constitutes heaven with them. They also differ from each other, just as what is spiritual differs from what is natural; and this difference is like that between the wisdom of angels and the wisdom of men. The wisdom of men compared to the wisdom of angels is like knowledge to intelligence; this difference is so great that it cannot be described.
[3] As to the devastation of the church as to Divine truth, it results from the falsification of the Word; for when the Word is explained to favour earthly loves, and to confirm falsities of doctrine, then the church is vastated. But it is not vastated, when the Word is understood in simplicity according to the sense of the letter; but when it is explained even to the destruction of the Divine truth in heaven, then it is vastated. For by this means heaven is closed, and when this takes place there is no longer any church with man.
Within the church there are those who explain the sense of the letter of the Word even to the destruction of the Divine truth in heaven; and there are those who do not explain it to that degree; the latter do not devastate the church in themselves, but the former do. The understanding of the sense of the letter in simplicity does no injury to any spiritual truth in heaven; but the explanation of the sense of the letter according to falsities of doctrine, and to favour evil loves, does injury; for the sense of the letter of the Word is natural Divine truth. This Divine truth indeed differs from the former, as what is natural from what is spiritual, yet they make one by correspondences. But when natural Divine truth is explained even to the destruction of spiritual Divine truth, then it can no longer make one with it by correspondence; but the falsity, according to which natural Divine truth is explained, destroys the spiritual Divine truth; and herein consists the falsification of the Word, and the devastation of the church by falsifications.
But this subject is further explained, where the dragon and his two beasts are treated of; and more remains to be said upon it when we come to treat of the whore sitting on the scarlet beast, and concerning Babylon, in the following pages.
914. Verse 17. And another angel went out from the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle, signifies manifestation by the Lord of the devastation of the church as to the Divine truth such as it is in heaven, after exploration. This is evident from the signification of "an angel going out and saying," as being manifestation by the Lord (as above, n. Revelation 14:17-19) signifies the devastation of the church; what is said of "the one that went out from the temple which is in heaven" signifying the devastation of the church as to truth, and of the other "who went out from the altar" the devastation of the church as to good; for "temple" signifies in the highest sense the Divine truth, and "altar" the Divine good, both proceeding from the Lord. All this makes clear that "the first angel" (in verse 15) means manifestation by the Lord, also exploration of what the church was, and that it was found to be desolated. From this it follows that "another angel went out from the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle," signifies manifestation by the Lord of the devastation of the church, as to the Divine truth such as it is in heaven, after exploration.
[2] It is said "the Divine truth such as it is in heaven," because this is what is falsified, and not the Divine truth such as it is on earth or in the church there. The Divine truth in heaven is such as the Word is in the spiritual sense; while the Divine truth on earth is such as the Word is in the natural sense, or the sense of the letter. This Divine truth is for men, and makes the church with them; while the other Divine truth is for the angels, and makes heaven with them. These differ as what is spiritual differs from what is natural; and this difference is like the difference between the wisdom of angels and the wisdom of men. The wisdom of men as compared with the wisdom of angels is as knowledge compared with intelligence, which difference is so great that it cannot be described.
[3] As to the devastation of the church in respect to the Divine truth, it is wrought by the falsification of the Word; for when the Word is explained to favor earthly loves and to confirm falsities of doctrine the church is laid waste. It is not laid waste when the Word is understood in simplicity according to the sense of the letter; but it is laid waste when the Word is so explained as to destroy even the Divine truth in heaven; for then heaven is closed up, and when heaven is closed up there is no longer any church with man. There are those within the church who explain the sense of the letter of the Word even so as to destroy the Divine truth in heaven; and there are those who do not misinterpret it to that degree, and these do not devastate the church with them, but the former do. The sense of the letter understood in simplicity does no harm to any spiritual truth in heaven; but the sense of the letter explained according to falsities of doctrine, and in harmony with evils of the love, does harm to it, for the sense of the letter of the Word is natural Divine truth. This Divine truth differs indeed from spiritual truth as what is natural differs from what is spiritual, and yet they make one by correspondences. But when natural Divine truth is so explained as even to destroy spiritual Divine truth they can no longer make one by correspondence; but the falsity according to which natural Divine truth is explained destroys the spiritual Divine truth. This, then, is the falsification of the Word and the devastation of the church by falsifications. But on this more has been said where "the dragon and his two beasts" are treated of; and more will be said upon it where "the harlot sitting on the scarlet beast," and "Babylon," are treated of in what follows.
914. [Vers. 17.] "Et alius angelus exivit e templo quod in caelo, habens et ille falcem acutam." Quod significet manifestationem a Domino de devastatione ecclesiae quoad Divinum Verum, quale est in caelo, post explorationem, constat ex significatione "angeli exeuntis et dicentis", quod sit manifestatio a Domino (ut supra, n. 869, 878, 883); ex significatione "templi", quod sit caelum et ecclesia quoad Divinum Verum (de qua etiam supra, n. 220); et ex significatione "falcis acutae", quod sit Divinum Verum exquisite explorans et separans (de qua supra, n. 908); hic etiam devastans post explorationem, nam per illa quae de priori angelo (vers. 15, 16) dicta sunt, significatur etiam visitatio et exploratio, ac annuntiatio quod ecclesia prorsus devastata esset; per haec autem quae de binis his angelis (vers. 17-19) dicuntur, significatur devastatio ecclesiae; per unum, qui nempe "exivit e templo quod in caelo", devastatio ecclesiae quoad verum; per alterum, qui nempe "exivit ex altari", devastatio ecclesiae quoad bonum; "templum" enim in supremo sensu significabat Divinum Verum, et "altare" Divinum Bonum, utrumque procedens a Domino: ex quibus patet quod per "primum angelum", (de quo vers. 15, ) intelligatur manifestatio a Domino, tum exploratio qualis esset ecclesia, et quod deprehensa sit esse desolata: ex his sequitur quod per quod "alius angelus exiverit e templo quod in caelo, habens et ille falcem acutam", significetur manifestatio a Domino de devastatione ecclesiae quoad Divinum Verum, quale est in caelo, post explorationem.
[2] Divinum Verum quale est in caelo dicitur, quia hoc falsificatur; non ita Divinum Verum quale est in terra, seu in ecclesia ibi; Divinum Verum in caelo, est quale est Verbum in sensu spirituali; Divinum autem Verum in terra, est quale est Verbum in sensu naturali, seu in sensu litterae; hoc Divinum Verum est pro hominibus et facit ecclesiam apud illos, at illud Divinum Verum est pro angelis et facit caelum apud illos; differunt illa inter se, sicut differt spirituale a naturali; differentia est sicut inter sapientiam angelorum et sapientiam hominum; sapientia hominum ad sapientiam angelorum, est sicut scientia ad intelligentiam, quae differentia est tanta ut non describi possit.
[3] Quod devastationem ecclesiae quoad Divinum Verum attinet, fit devastatio per falsificationem Verbi; cum enim Verbum explicatur ad favorem amorum terrestrium, et ad confirmationem falsorum doctrinae, tunc vastatur ecclesia: sed non vastatur cum Verbum simpliciter intelligitur secundum sensum litterae, at tunc vastatur quando explicatur usque ad destructionem Divini Veri in caelo; sic enim caelum clauditur, et cum caelum clausum est tunc non est aliqua ecclesia apud hominem. Sunt intra ecclesiam illi qui Verbi sensum litterae explicant usque ad destructionem Divini Veri in caelo, et sunt qui eo usque non explicant illud; hi non devastant ecclesiam apud se, sed illi: sensus litterae simpliciter intellectus non facit damnum alicui vero spirituali quod est in caelo, sed sensus litterae explicatus secundum falsa doctrinae, et secundum mala amorum, facit damnum; sensus enim litterae Verbi est Divinum Verum naturale; hoc Divinum Verum quidem differt ab illo sicut naturale a spirituali, sed usque unum facit per correspondentias; sed cum Divinum Verum naturale explicatur usque ad destructionem Divini Veri spiritualis, tunc non amplius unum per correspondentiam cum illo potest facere; sed falsum, secundum quod explicatur Divinum Verum naturale, destruit Divinum Verum spirituale: hoc nunc est falsificatio Verbi, ac devastatio ecclesiae per falsificationes. At de hac re plura dicta sunt ubi de "dracone" et ejus binis "bestiis" actum est; et adhuc plura dicenda sunt ubi de "meretrice supra bestia coccinea" et de "Babylonia" in sequentibus.