477. But in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound. (10:7) This symbolizes the final examination and exposure of the state of the church - that it will perish if the Lord does not establish a new one.

Sounding a trumpet means, symbolically, to examine and expose the state of life of people in the church, thus also the state of the church, as may be seen in no. 397 above. And because there were seven angels who sounded, the sounding of the seventh angel symbolizes the final examination and exposure, showing that the church would perish if the Lord did not establish a new one. That it would perish is meant by the statement that there should be no more time (no. 476); and that the Lord would establish a new one is meant by the statement that follows next.