Apocalypse Revealed #658
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.
Matthew 13
1
The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
2
And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
3
And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
4
And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
5
Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
6
And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
7
And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
8
But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
9
Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10
And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
11
He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
12
For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
13
Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
14
And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15
For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
16
But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
17
For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
18
Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
19
When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
20
But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
21
Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
22
He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
23
But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
24
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
25
But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
26
But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
27
So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
28
He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
29
But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
30
Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
31
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:
32
Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.
33
Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
34
All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
35
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
36
Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
37
He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
38
The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
39
The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
40
As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
41
The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
42
And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43
Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
44
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
45
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
46
Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
47
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
48
Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.
49
So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
50
And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
51
Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.
52
Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.
53
And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.
54
And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?
55
Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
56
And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?
57
And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
58
And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
