496. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with the fire of the altar. This signifies the conjunction of celestial and spiritual love, as is evident from the signification of a censer, which denotes spiritual good (see above, n. 491); therefore also, spiritual love, since all good is of love; and from the signification of fire of the altar, as denoting celestial love, for fire signifies in the Word love in both senses, that is, celestial love and infernal love. The fire of the altar signifies celestial love, because the altar of burnt-offering, upon which was the fire, was the chief representative of the worship of the Lord from that love, as may be seen above (n. 490). And because this love of the Lord is perpetual, it was therefore appointed that fire should be kept burning continually upon the altar, and that they should take of that fire in the censers, and burn incense, which was done to represent the conjunction of celestial love with spiritual love.

[2] That the fire burned continually upon the altar, is plain in Moses:

"The fire upon the altar shall be kept burning thereon; it shall not go out; and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt-offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace-offerings. The fire shall be kept burning upon the altar continually, it shall not go out" (Leviticus 6:12, 13).

This represented that the Lord's Divine Love is perpetual and eternal.

[3] That they were to take of the fire of the altar in censers and burn incense is also seen in Moses:

"And" Aaron "shall take burning coals of fire from off the altar before Jehovah in a censer, and he shall put the incense upon the fire before Jehovah" (Leviticus 16:12, 13).

And Aaron took fire from off the altar, and "put incense thereon and made an expiation for the people" (Num. 16:46, 47).

This represented, that all propitiation and expiation were from the Divine Love of the Lord; likewise that every thing is heard and received by the Lord in which that love is. The ascending of the smoke of the incense represented also hearing and reception.

[4] And because Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, and their company, took fire from the altar and burned incense, and consequently sanctified their censers, therefore, after they had been swallowed up by the earth, it was commanded that their censers, which were of brass, should be taken up, and that after the fire had been scattered abroad, they should be beaten out into plates to cover the altar (Num. 16:36-39). This also represented the sanctity of the Lord's Divine Love. And because the incenses derived their sanctity from the fire of the altar, therefore offerings of incense from strange fire were profane; wherefore Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, were consumed by fire from heaven, because they offered incense from strange fire (Leviticus 10:1, 2). Incense from strange fire represented worship from love other than the Divine, and worship from any other love is profane.

[5] These passages are adduced to shew, that the fire of the altar signifies the Divine Love of the Lord, and this love in heaven is called celestial Divine Love and spiritual Divine Love; celestial Divine Love in the celestial kingdom of the Lord, and spiritual Divine Love in the spiritual kingdom of the Lord. All the heavens are distinguished into two kingdoms, the celestial kingdom and the spiritual kingdom; celestial Divine Love makes the celestial kingdom, and spiritual Divine Love the spiritual kingdom. That all the heavens are distinguished into those two kingdoms, may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 20-28); and that those two loves make those two kingdoms, or all the heavens (n. 13-19). It must, however, be understood, that the Divine Love of the Lord in the heavens is called celestial and spiritual from its reception by the angels, and not from any division in itself; also, that spiritual love exists from celestial love, as an effect from its efficient cause, and as truth exists from good; for the good of spiritual love in its essence is the truth of the good of celestial love. Hence it is that those two kingdoms are conjoined, and form one in the sight of the Lord. These observations are made for those who love to search into things of an interior nature. That fire signifies love in both senses, will be seen confirmed from the Word in what follows.

490. And another angel came and stood at the altar.- This signifies the conjunction of heaven with the Lord by means of celestial good, as is evident from the signification of an angel, as denoting heaven, concerning which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of altar, as denoting good of love to the Lord, concerning which we shall also speak presently. An angel signifies the angelic heaven, because the things seen by John were representative. And because heaven could not be presented to his view, therefore angels were seen instead of the heavens, thus also, as stated above, seven angels who stood before God (n. 489); and there were also four-and-twenty elders and four animals, and that these represented the heavens was shown above (n. 313:1, 322, 362, 462); and similarly here, the angel who stood at the altar. The angels seen by John represented heaven, because the whole heaven in the presence of the Lord is as one angelic man, and similarly every society of heaven; also because an angel derives his angelic form, which is the human form, from the whole heaven. Concerning this fact see Heaven and Hell 51-58, 59-67, 68-72, 73-77, 78-86), where this interior truth is fully unfolded. For this reason when an angel is representatively seen, he signifies either that society of heaven to which he belongs, or several societies together, or even the whole heaven in regard to that special aspect of heaven and the church which is treated of. That by angels in the Word are signified complete societies in heaven, and also the whole heaven, may be seen above (n. 90, 302, 307). By this angel who stood at the altar, is signified the inmost or third heaven, because the altar signifies the good of love to the Lord, and all those who are in the inmost or third heaven are in that good.

[2] It is not to be supposed that, because an altar was seen in heaven, any altar, such as the Israelites had, exists there; but as that altar is often mentioned in the Word, and because it signifies the good of love to the Lord, and worship from that good, therefore an altar was seen by John, by whom also the Word was to be written in order that the Word might be everywhere consistent with itself. For the same reason he saw a golden altar, which was for incenses, also the censer and incenses, which are mentioned presently, and also the ark of the covenant (chap. 11:19). For many representatives appear in heaven to those who stand below, which still do not actually exist there, for they are only forms representative of such things as are thought of by the angels there from the influx of the Lord, and therefore all those things signify Divine things. Thus, for instance, animals appeared, which were cherubim, also a book sealed with seven seals, and at the opening of the first four seals horses went forth besides similar things mentioned elsewhere. Here also, for example, an altar, a censer and incenses appeared, and these were seen by John, because they are mentioned in the Word, and therein signify Divine things, and because the Word by means of similar things was also to be written in the Apocalypse. There were two altars in use with the Israelitish nation, one of which was called the altar of burnt-offering, the other, the altar of incense, and this, being overlaid with gold, was called the golden altar. The altar of burnt-offering was representative of the Lord, and the worship of Him from celestial good, while the altar of incense was representative of the Lord, and the worship of Him from spiritual good. Celestial good is the good of love to the Lord, and spiritual good is the good of charity towards the neighbour. But the general and specific representation and signification of altars may be seen above (n. 391).