658. For in them the wrath of God is complete. This symbolizes the destruction of the church and its end then.

Its being complete symbolizes the destruction of the church and its end then, as explained below. The wrath of God symbolizes the evil in people, which, because it is in opposition to God, is called the wrath of God. Not that God is angry at people, but that people's evil causes them to be angry at God. Moreover, because, when a person is punished or tormented on account of his evil - as happens in hell after death - it seems to him that it is God's doing, therefore in the Word we find anger and wrath, even evil, attributed to God. But that is the case only in the literal sense, because that sense has been written in terms of appearances and correspondences; but not so in the spiritual sense, for that sense contains no appearance or correspondent imagery, but truth in its own light. For more on the wrath of God, see nos. 525, 635 above.

This verse says that in the seven last plagues the wrath of God is complete, and we say that this symbolizes the destruction of the church and its end then. We need to explain why. The reason is that every church declines in the process of time as it turns away from the goodness of love and from truths of faith, until nothing is left of them, which is occasioned by gradually increasing evil and falsity. And then, when there is no longer any goodness of love and faith, there remains only evil and falsity, and when this is the case, the church is at an end. In this final state a person knows no better than to think that evil is good and that falsity is truth; for the delight he finds in them causes him to love evil and falsity and therefore to defend them.

This is the final state symbolized by an end, consummation or completion called a destruction in the following passages:

...I have heard from... Jehovah... a consummation and destruction upon the whole earth. (Isaiah 28:22)

A consummation is decreed, overflowing with righteousness. For the Lord, Jehovih of hosts, is making an end and destruction throughout the land. (Isaiah 10:22-23)

The whole land shall be devoured by the fire of (Jehovah's) zeal, for He will make speedy end of all those who dwell in the land. (Zephaniah 1:18)

(At length) on the bird of abominations shall be desolation, even until the consummation and destruction shall it drop upon the devastation. (Daniel 9:27)

The whole land shall be a wasteland, yet I will not make an end. (Jeremiah 4:27)

(Jehovah said,) "I will go down... and see whether they have come to an end according to the outcry... that has come to Me." (Genesis 18:21)

The last said in regard to Sodom.

...the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete. (Genesis 15:16)

The church's end is also meant by the end of the age spoken of by the Lord in the following passages:

(The disciples asked Jesus,) "What will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?" (Matthew 24:3)

...at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares... to burn them. Gather the wheat into my barn. ...so it will be at the end of the age. (Matthew 13:30, 40)

...at the end of the age... the angels will come forth and separate the wicked from among the just... (Matthew 13:49)

(Jesus said to His disciples,) "Lo, I am with you... even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)

Even to the end of the age means to the end of the church, when there will be a new church with which the Lord will then be present.

62. Those who have perceived that merely human properties are unworthy of God, though these are attributed to Him, have said, in order to defend the system of justification, once it was conceived, and to cover it over with an appearance of rectitude, that anger, revenge, damnation and the like are predicated of His justice, and are therefore mentioned in several places in the Word, and so are thus appropriated to God. But in the Word, the anger of God signifies evil in man which is called the anger of God because it is contrary to God. Thus, it is not that God is angry with man, but that man, from the evil in him, is angry with God; and, as evil carries with it its own punishment, as good does its own reward, therefore, while evil punishes the evil-doer, it appears to him as though he were being punished by God. The case is like that of a criminal who attributes his punishment to the law, or like a person who blames the fire for burning him when he puts his hand into it, or like one who blames a drawn sword in the hand of a man who is defending himself for wounding him when he rushes upon its point. Such is the justice of God.

But more of this may be seen in THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED, where it treats of justice and judgment in God and from God,THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED 668. That anger is ascribed to Him may be seen inTHE APOCALYPSE REVEALED 635; likewise revenge,THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED 658. But this is only in the literal sense, because that sense is written according to appearances and correspondences; it is not so in the spiritual sense where truth is in its own light. I can affirm that whenever the angels hear anyone say that God determined in anger the damnation of the human race, and, as an enemy, was reconciled by His Son, as by another God begotten from Himself, they are affected in a manner similar to those who, from a disturbance in their bowels and stomach, are reduced to vomiting; and they exclaim: "What insanity to be able to say such things about God!"