Apocalypse Explained # 495
495. Verses 5, 6. And the angel took the censer, and filled it from the fire of the altar, and cast it unto the earth; and there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings, and an earthquake. And the seven angels having the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
5. "And the angel took the censer, and filled it from the fire of the altar," signifies the conjunction of celestial love and spiritual love n. 496; "and cast it unto the earth," signifies influx into the lower parts, where those were who were to be separated and removed (n. 497); "and there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings," signifies reasoning from the disturbance of the affections and of the thoughts therefrom, respecting good and evil and respecting truth and falsity (n. 498); "and an earthquake," signifies changes of state of the church (n. 499).
6. "And the seven angels having the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound," signifies changes in their order to arise from the influx out of heaven (n. 500).
Deuteronomy 5:23-25
23
It happened, when you heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, that you came near to me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders;
24
and you said, "Behold, Yahweh our God has shown us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God does speak with man, and he lives.
25
Now therefore why should we die? For this great fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of Yahweh our God any more, then we shall die.
