674. 15:8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power. This symbolizes the inmost of heaven filled with spiritual and celestial Divine truth from the Lord.

The temple symbolizes the inmost of heaven, as shown in no. 669 above. Smoke symbolizes the Divine in outmost expressions, as will be seen below. Glory symbolizes spiritual Divine truth (nos. 249, 629), and power symbolizes celestial Divine truth (no. 373). Consequently the temple's being filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power symbolizes the inmost of heaven filled with spiritual and celestial Divine truth.

Smoke symbolizes Divine truth in its outmost expressions because the fire giving off the smoke symbolizes love - the fire of the altar of burnt offering symbolizing celestial love (nos. 395, 494), and the fire of the altar of incense symbolizing spiritual love (nos. 277, 392, 394).

That smoke has this symbolic meaning can be seen from the following passages:

Jehovah will create above every dwelling place of Mount Zion... a cloud by day and smoke... by night. For over all the glory there will be a covering. (Isaiah 4:5)

The posts of the thresholds were shaken by the voice of (the seraphim) that cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. (Isaiah 6:4)

The smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints ascended before God from the angel's hand. (Revelation 8:4)

...smoking flax He will not extinguish; in truth He will bring forth judgment. (Isaiah 42:3)

In an opposite sense smoke symbolizes the falsities of lusts, as may be seen in no. 422 above; and the falsities arising from a conceit in one's own intelligence, in no. 452. Moreover, in many places smoke has the same symbolic meaning as a cloud.

[674 repeated.] And no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were ended. This symbolically means, to such a degree there that no higher truth could be endured, and this until that church was destroyed and its end became apparent.

That no one was able to enter the temple means symbolically that the inmost of heaven was filled with spiritual and celestial Divine truth to such a degree that no higher truth could be endured. The temple symbolizes, here as before, the inmost of heaven. Till the seven plagues of the seven angels were ended means, symbolically, this until the destruction of the church and its end (no. 658). And the seven plagues of the seven angels symbolize the evils and falsities that destroy the church and bring about its end (no. 657).