954. (Verse 7) And one of the four animals gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the anger of God, who liveth unto ages of ages. That this signifies manifestation from the Lord by means of Divine truth, or the Word, of all the falsities of evil which have destroyed the spiritual life of the men of the church, is evident from the signification of the four animals, as denoting the inmost heaven (concerning which see n. 277, 322, 462), and as denoting the Word (n. 717); consequently, the Lord as to heaven and as to the Word; for heaven is heaven from the Lord, and in like manner the Word; and from the signification of the seven angels, as denoting manifestations by Divine truth, or the Word (see above, n. 949); and from the signification of the seven vials as denoting all falsities and evils. For by the seven vials similar things are signified as by the seven plagues (ver. 6), namely, evils and the falsities therefrom, and falsities and the evils therefrom (see above, n. 949). These are said to be full of the anger of God, who liveth unto ages of ages, because they lay waste the church, and destroy the spiritual life of the men of the church. These are the things signified by the anger of God. From these considerations it is evident, that by one of the four animals giving unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the anger of God, who liveth unto ages of ages, is signified, manifestation from the Lord by means of Divine truth, or the Word, of all the falsities of evil that have destroyed the spiritual life of the men of the church. The reason why vials are mentioned instead of plagues is, that vials are things containing, and plagues are things contained; and, in the Word, the things containing are frequently mentioned instead of the things contained, because the things containing are ultimates, in order that the sense of the letter of the Word may be in ultimates; similarly, where cups and chalices are mentioned instead of wine. But we shall speak further upon this subject in the following chapter, where the seven vials and the seven plagues therein are treated of.

Continuation concerning the First Precept:-

[2] So far as a man resists his own two loves, which are the love of ruling from the sole delight of it, and the love of possessing the goods of the world from the delight of mere possession, and thus, so far as he shuns as sins the evils mentioned in the Decalogue, so far there flows in through heaven from the Lord [that which causes him to acknowledge] that there is a God, who is the Creator and Preserver of the universe, and also indeed that God is one. The reason why this then flows in is that when evils are removed, heaven is opened; and when heaven is opened, a man no longer thinks from himself, but by heaven from the Lord. This is the universal [principle] in heaven, embracing all others, that there is a God, and also that God is one. That, man from influx alone knows and, as it were, sees that God is one, is evident from the common confession of all nations, and from repugnance to think that there are several. The interior thought of man, which is the thought of his spirit, is either from hell or from heaven; it is from hell before evils are removed, but from heaven when they are removed. When it is from hell, then a man recognises only nature as God, and considers that the inmost of nature is what is called Divine. Such a man after death, when he becomes a spirit, calls any one a god who prevails in power, and he also seeks for power himself, in order that he may be called a god; all the evil have such madness lurking inwardly in their spirit. But when man thinks from heaven, as is the case when evils are removed, then he sees from the light from heaven that there is a God, and that He is one. Seeing from light from heaven is what is meant by influx.

2235. That 'righteousness' means in regard to good, and 'judgement' to truth, becomes clear from the meaning of 'righteousness' and from the meaning of 'judgement'. Righteousness and judgement are mentioned together many times in the Word, but what they mean in the internal sense has not yet been known. In the proximate sense 'righteousness' has reference to that which is righteous, and 'judgement' to that which is upright. That which is righteous occurs when something is judged from good, and according to conscience, but that which is upright when it is judged from law, and so from the righteous demands of the law, thus also according to conscience since the law gives conscience its standards. In the internal sense however, 'righteousness' is that which stems from good, and 'judgement' that which stems from truth. Good is everything that belongs to love and charity, truth everything that belongs to faith derived from love and charity. Truth derives its essence from good, and is called truth derived from good, just as faith is derived from love, and so also judgement from righteousness.

[2] That such is the meaning of 'righteousness and judgement' is clear from the following places in the Word: In Jeremiah,

Thus said Jehovah, Do judgement and righteousness, and deliver the plundered out of the hand of the oppressor. Woe to him who builds his house in unrighteousness, and his upper rooms not in judgement! Did not your father eat and drink, and do judgement and righteousness? Then it was well with him. Jeremiah 22:3, 13, 15.

'Judgement' stands for the things connected with truth, 'righteousness' for those connected with good. In Ezekiel,

If the wicked man turns away from his sin and does judgement and righteousness, all his sins which he has committed will not be remembered; he has done judgement and righteousness; he will surely live. When the wicked turns away from his wickedness and does judgement and righteousness he will live because of these. Ezekiel 33:14, 16, 19.

Here similarly 'judgement' stands for the truth of faith, and 'righteousness' for the good of charity.

[3] In Amos,

Let judgement flow like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream. Amos 5:24.

Here the meaning is similar. In Isaiah,

Thus said Jehovah, Keep judgement and do righteousness, for My salvation is near to come, and My righteousness to reveal itself. Isaiah 56:1.

In the same prophet,

To peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it in judgement and righteousness, from now and even for evermore. Isaiah 9:7.

Here 'judgement and righteousness' stands for the existence with them of the truths of faith, and of the goods of charity. In the same prophet,

Jehovah is exalted, for He dwells on high. He has filled Zion with judgement and righteousness. Isaiah 33:5.

'Judgement' stands for faith, 'righteousness' for love, 'Zion' for the Church. 'Judgement' is mentioned first because love comes through faith; but when 'righteousness' is mentioned first it is for the reason that faith is derived from love, as in Hosea,

I will betroth you to Me for ever, and I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and judgement, and in mercy and in compassion, ¹ and I will betroth you to Me in faith, and you will know Jehovah. Hosea 2:19-20.

Here 'righteousness' is mentioned first, as also is 'mercy', which are the attributes of love, while 'judgement' is mentioned second, as also is 'compassion', which are the attributes of faith that is derived from love. And both are called 'faith' or faithfulness.

[4] In David,

O Jehovah, Your mercy is in the heavens; Your truth reaches up to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God, Your judgements like the great deep. Psalms 36:5-6.

Here both 'mercy' and 'righteousness' are in a similar way the attributes of love, while 'truth' and 'judgements' are those of faith. In the same author,

Let truth spring out of the ground, and let righteousness look down from heaven. Jehovah will indeed give what is good, and our land will give its increase. Psalms 85:11-12.

Here 'truth', which constitutes faith, stands for judgement, and 'righteousness' for love or mercy. In Zechariah,

I will lead them and they will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and they will be My people, and I will be their God in truth and in righteousness. Zechariah 8:8.

From this place also it is evident that 'judgement' is truth and 'righteousness' good, since 'truth' is mentioned here in place of judgement. Similarly in David,

He who walks blameless and performs righteousness and speaks the truth. Psalms 15:2.

[5] Because faith is grounded in charity, that is, because truth is grounded in good, truths rooted in good are in various places called 'the judgements of righteousness', so that 'judgements' has virtually the same meaning as commandments, as in Isaiah,

Let them seek Me day by day and desire the knowledge of My ways, as though a nation that does righteousness and does not forsake the judgement of their God. Let them ask of Me the judgements of righteousness, let them desire the approach of God. Isaiah 58:2.

That 'commandments' means virtually the same may be seen in David,

Seven times in the day I have praised You for Your judgements of righteousness. All Your commandments are righteousness. Psalms 119:164, 172.

It is said in particular of the Lord that He performs 'judgement and righteousness' when He creates man anew, as in Jeremiah,

Let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am Jehovah who performs mercy, judgement and righteousness in the earth; for in these things I am well pleased. Jeremiah 9:24.

Here mercy, which is an attribute of love, is described as 'judgement and righteousness'. In the same prophet,

I will raise up for David a righteous branch, and he will rule as king, and act intelligently, and execute judgement and righteousness in the land. Jeremiah 23:5; 33:15.

[6] Hence the following in John,

If I go away I will send the Paraclete to you. And when He comes He will convince the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgement: in regard to sin, because they do not believe in Me; in regard to righteousness, because I go away to the Father, and you will see Me no more; in regard to judgement, because the prince of this world is judged. John 16:7-11.

'Sin' here stands for all faithlessness. 'He will convince in regard to righteousness' means in regard to everything that is contrary to good, when yet the Lord united the Human to the Divine to save the world, meant by 'I go away to the Father and you will see Me no more'. 'In regard to judgement' means in regard to everything that is contrary to the truth, when yet evils were cast down into their own hells so that they could not do harm any more, meant by 'the prince of this world is judged'. In general 'He will convince in regard to sin, righteousness, and judgement' means in regard to all faithlessness contrary to good and truth, and so means that no charity and faith exist. For in ancient times righteousness and judgement were used, in reference to the Lord, to mean all mercy and grace, but in reference to man all charity and faith.

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