395. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. (8:5) This symbolizes spiritual love, containing celestial love, and its influx into the lower regions where those people were who were caught up in a faith divorced from charity.
A censer, just like incense, symbolizes worship springing from a spiritual love. This is apparent from what we have already shown, and from the fact that in the Word, a container has the same symbolism as what it contains, even as a cup and plate have the same symbolism as wine and food (Matthew 23:25-26, Luke 22:20, and elsewhere).
Fire from the altar of burnt offering symbolizes Divinely given celestial love, because that altar symbolized worship springing from that love (see no. 392 above). And fire in the highest sense symbolizes Divine love (no. 494).
Spiritual love, or charity, takes its essence from celestial love, or love toward the Lord. Apart from that love, spiritual love or charity has in it no vitality, for spirit and life have no other origin than the Lord.
This was represented in the Israelite Church by their taking fire for their censers and burning incense only from the altar of burnt offering, as can be seen in the books of Moses (Leviticus 16:12-13).
It was also a statute, therefore, that fire burn continually on the altar of burnt offering and not go out (Leviticus 6:13). The reason was that the fire of that altar symbolized the Lord's Divine love, and thus love toward the Lord.
Throwing the censer to the earth symbolizes an influx into lower regions.
