413. (Verse 17) For the great day of his anger is come. That this signifies the Last Judgment upon the evil, will be plain from the following passages from the Word; the Last Judgment, which is signified by the great day, is upon both the evil and the good; judgment upon the evil is called a day of indignation, of wrath, of anger, and of vengeance, whereas judgment upon the good is called the time of the Lord's coming, the year of [the Lord's] good pleasure, the year of the redeemed, the year of salvation. Every one, as well the evil as the good, is judged immediately after death, when he enters into the spiritual world, where he is to live for ever; for a man is then immediately designed either for heaven or for hell; he who [is designed] for heaven is connected with a certain heavenly society, into which he will afterwards come, and he who [is designed] for hell is connected with the infernal society into which he will afterwards come. Still, however, [some] time intervenes before they go thither, in order principally that they may be prepared, the good to be divested of the evils which adhere to them from the body in the world, and the evil, to be divested of the goods which outwardly adhere to them from teachers and religion, according to the Lord's words in Matthew:

"Whosoever hath, to him shall be given, that he may have more abundantly; whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath" (13:12; 25:29).

This delay also takes place for this reason, that the affections, which are of many kinds, may be so arranged and reduced to a ruling love that the man-spirit may become wholly his own love. Still, however, many both evil and good, are reserved to the Last Judgment; but only those of the evil who from habit acquired in the world, could live a moral life in externals, and those of the good who had imbibed falsities from ignorance and from their religion; but others, after a definite time, are separated from them, the good being elevated into heaven, and the evil cast into hell, and this before the Last Judgment.

[2] The reason why the Last Judgment is called the great day of the anger of God, is, because it appears to the evil, who are cast down into hell, as if God from anger and wrath did this, because then destruction [overtakes] them, which comes from above, and also from the east, where the Lord is as a Sun, and because then they are in terrors, grief, and also torments. Nevertheless there is no anger at all in the Lord, for He is love and mercy itself, and good itself, and pure love and essential good cannot be angry, for this is contrary to its essence. But this appearance is from this fact: when the last state [of the church arrives], which is when evils on the earth and at the same time in the spiritual world are so much increased that dominion inclines on their side, and the equilibrium between heaven and hell is thereby destroyed, this having perished, the heavens where the angels are begin to labour, then the Lord from the Sun displays His strength, that is His love for protecting the angels, and for restoring the state which labours and begins to grow weak; from which strength and power, the Divine truth united to the Divine good, which in its essence is the Divine love, penetrates through the heavens to the places below, where the evil have come together; and because they cannot bear such an influx and presence of the Divine love, they begin to tremble, to be in anguish and torment; for thereby the goods and truths are dissipated which they had learnt to counterfeit in their speech and actions only in externals, and their internals are opened, which are nothing but evils and falsities; and because they are diametrically opposite to the goods and truths which flow in from the interior, and yet they have made evils and falsities their life, hence they experience trembling, anguish, and torment, to such a degree, that they can no longer endure them, whence they flee away, and cast themselves into the hells which are under the mountains and rocks, where they can be in their evils and in the falsity of evils. This is specifically signified by the words explained above:

"They said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the anger of the Lamb."

[3] From these things it is evident why it is that the anger of the Lamb is mentioned, and why it is that the Last Judgment is called the great day of His wrath, although it is the Divine love, whose operation, strictly considered, is that all may be saved, for it is the desire to save, thus not anger at all, but love. The same also happens when an evil spirit, who is able to counterfeit an angel of light, ascends into heaven. When he comes thither, since be cannot bear the Divine good and Divine truth, which are therein, he begins to feel anguish and torment, insomuch that he casts himself down with all his might, nor rests until he is in the hell corresponding with his evil. It is from this appearance, and also from the fact of their being punished whilst they do evils, that in the Word there are so often attributed to Jehovah, that is, to the Lord, indignation, anger, wrath, yea, fury, and vengeance; but to adduce all the passages where those things are attributed to Jehovah, that is, to the Lord, is here passed over because of their abundance. Some only shall be adduced, in which the Last Judgment is called a day of the indignation, of the anger, of the wrath, and of the vengeance of Jehovah and God.

[4] As in the following. In Isaiah:

"Behold the day of Jehovah cometh, cruel both with indignation and with the wrath of anger, to lay the land desolate, and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. I will shake the heaven; the earth shall be shaken out of her place, in the indignation of Jehovah, and in the day of the wrath of his anger" (13:9, 13).

By a day cruel and of the wrath of Jehovah's anger is meant the Last Judgment; and because it is evil which waxes hot, and falsity which is angry, therefore it is called a day of the wrath of anger. By the land, which shall be laid desolate, and which shall be shaken out of her place, is meant the earth which is in the spiritual world, for there just as in our world there are lands; and those lands, during the continuance of the Last Judgment, are laid desolate and shaken out of their places, for then the mountains and hills are overturned, and the valleys sink into marshes, and the face of all things is changed. Still, however, by the earth, in the spiritual sense, is meant the church everywhere, for in the spiritual world the face of the earth is like the state of the church with those who dwell upon the earth there, therefore when the church perishes the earth also perishes, for they make one; and then in place of the former earth, a new one exists; but these changes are unknown to us on our earth. Nevertheless, they are to be declared, that it may be known what is meant by, the earth shall be laid waste, and shall be shaken out of its place.

[5] In Zephaniah:

"While the wrath of the anger of Jehovah has not yet come upon you; while the day of Jehovah's anger has not yet come upon you, ye shall peradventure be hid in the day of Jehovah's anger" (2:2, 3).

Here also, by the wrath of anger and by the day of Jehovah's anger is meant the Last Judgment. In Lamentations:

"He remembered not the footstool of his feet in the day of his anger" (2:1).

By the footstool of Jehovah's feet is meant the worship of the Lord in the natural world, for this reason that the whole heaven, together with the church in the world, is before the Lord as the image of one man (as may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 78-86). The inmost heaven constitutes the head, the other [heavens] the breast and legs; and the church on earth constitutes the feet; hence also it is that the feet signify the natural part; the heavens also rest upon the church which is with mankind, as a man upon his feet, as is evident from those things which are shown in the same work (n. 87-102, also 291-302). Because the Last Judgment comes when there is no longer any faith because no charity, thus when the church is at an end, it is evident what is meant by, "He remembered not the footstool of his feet in the day of his anger." And elsewhere:

"Not in the day of Jehovah's anger was there any who escaped and remained; those whom I have educated and nourished hath mine enemy consumed" (Lamentations 2:22).

The day of Jehovah's anger is the Last Judgment; that there is then no longer any good of love and truth of faith in the church, but evil and falsity, is signified by, there was not any "who escaped and remained; those whom I have educated and nourished hath mine enemy consumed." That there was none who escaped and remained, signifies that there was no good and truth; whom I have educated and nourished, denote those who are of the church, who have all spiritual food, or the knowledge of good and truth from the Word; the enemy who hath consumed them, denoting evil and falsity.

[6] In the Apocalypse:

"Thy wrath is come, the time of judging the dead, and of giving reward unto thy servants, and to them that fear thy name, both small and great; and of destroying them that destroy the earth" (11:18).

From these words it is evident that by anger, or the day of anger, is meant the Last Judgment, for it is said, "Thy wrath is come, the time of judging the dead."

In Isaiah:

"For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. And I have trodden the people in mine anger, and made them drunk in my wrath" (Isaiah 63:4-6).

The combats of the Lord, by which He subjugated the hells, are here treated of, thus the Last Judgment, which was accomplished by Him when He was in the world; for by the combats, which were temptations admitted into Himself, He subjugated them and thus effected the Last Judgment. This is the judgment which is meant by the day of Jehovah's anger and wrath in the Word of the Old Testament; but the Last Judgment which is at this day performed by the Lord, is meant by the day of His anger as mentioned in the Apocalypse. That a last judgment was performed by the Lord, when He was in the world, may be seen in the work concerning the Last Judgment 46. The subjugation of the hells is there signified by, "I have trodden them in mine anger, and have made them drunk in my wrath"; the year of the redeemed signifies, judgment upon the good who are saved.

In the same:

"The Spirit of the Lord Jehovih is upon me; to proclaim the acceptable year of Jehovah, and the day of the vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn" (61:1, 2).

[7] In the same:

"The day of the vengeance of Jehovah, and the year of retributions for the controversy of Zion" (34:8).

By the day of vengeance of Jehovah, just as by the day of His anger and wrath, is signified the Last Judgment, for revenge is attributed to Jehovah or the Lord for the same reason as anger and wrath, namely, from appearance. Those who denied the Divine, and were hostile in heart and mind against the goods and truths of the church, consequently, against the Lord from whom they are, who are all such as live wickedly, are cast down into hell; and because this takes place with them as with enemies, vengeance like anger is attributed to the Lord (concerning which see above). The year of retributions signifies the same as the day of vengeance, but it is said of falsities, whereas the day of vengeance [is said] of evils; the controversy of Zion signifies the rejection of the truth and good of the church, Zion denoting the church. Moreover, the time of the Last Judgment is in other places called the day of Jehovah, the day of visitation, the day of slaughter, and the day of the coming; the day of the Lord's coming in Malachi 3:2; and in Matthew 24:3, 27, 37, 39.

9828. 'And a belt' means a common bond to ensure that everything has the same end in view. This is clear from the meaning of 'a belt' or girdle as a common bond; for it gathers together, encloses, holds in connection within itself, and strengthens everything within, which without it would fall apart and drift away. The reason why it is a common bond whose purpose is to ensure that everything has the same end in view is that in the spiritual world the end in view holds sway, so much so that everything there should be called an end. For the Lord's kingdom, which is a spiritual world, is a kingdom of useful services, and such services there are ends in view, so that it is a kingdom of ends. But the ends there follow one another in various order, and they also stand in association with one another. The ends which follow one another are called middle ends, but those which stand in association with one another are called associate ends. All these ends have been so linked together and made subordinate to one another that without exception they have one end in view. This end is the Lord; and in heaven, among those who accept it, it is a love of and faith in Him. Love there is the end in view of all the powers of the will there, and faith is the end in view of all the powers of thought, which are those of the understanding.

[2] When every single thing has the same end in view all things are then held in uninterrupted connection and make one; for everything is then under the eye, government, and providence of the One who, acting in accord with the laws of subordination and association, turns everyone towards Himself, and thereby joins them to Himself. At the same time He turns all to face their companions, and thereby joins them to one another. This explains why the faces of all who are in heaven are kept turned towards the Lord, who is the Sun there, and so is the centre point in front of everyone's eyes; and the marvel is that He is there in whatever direction angels turn round to face, 3638. And since the Lord is present within the good of mutual love and within the good of charity towards the neighbour - for all are loved by Him, and are joined to one another by Him through love - their regard for their companions, which that love gives them, also serves to turn them towards the Lord.

[3] Those things therefore on last and lowest levels, gathering others together and enclosing them so they may be held, every single one, in such connection, were represented by belts or girdles, which in the spiritual world are nothing other than the forms of good and the truths present on lowest or outermost levels which enclose more internal ones. Celestial forms of good on lowest or outermost levels were represented by girdles that went around the loins, and spiritual forms of good and truths on those levels by girdles that went around the thighs and also around the breast.

[4] Such things are meant by 'girdles around the loins' in the following places: In Jeremiah,

Jehovah said to the prophet, Buy yourself a linen girdle, and place it over your loins; but you are not to pass it through water. I therefore bought a girdle, and placed it over my loins. Then the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, Take the girdle, and go away to the Euphrates, and hide it in the cleft of a rock. At the end of many days I went away to the Euphrates, and took the girdle, and behold, it was ruined; it was profitable for nothing. Then Jehovah said, This people is evil, refusing to hear My words; and they have gone after other gods. Therefore they will be just like this girdle that is profitable for nothing. Jeremiah 13:1-12.

'A linen girdle' here is used to mean in the spiritual sense the Church's good, which encloses the truths there and holds them in connection within itself. The non-existence of the Church's good at that time, and the consequent dispersal of its truths, are the reason for its being said that the girdle was not to be passed through water; for 'water' means truth that purifies and thereby restores. 'The cleft of a rock' in which it was hidden is falsified truth; 'the Euphrates' is the full extent and boundary of the celestial realities that belong to good on its lowest level. Anyone unacquainted with the essential nature of the Word may think that the passage is no more than a comparison of the people and their ruination with a girdle and its ruination. But in the Word all comparisons and metaphorical ways of speaking are real correspondences, 3579, 8989. Unless each detail in this description were of a correspondential nature the prophet would never have been told not to pass the girdle through water, or to place it over his loins, or to go to the Euphrates and hide it there in the cleft of a rock. The reason why it says that the girdle should be placed over his loins is that by 'the loins', because of their correspondence, is meant the good of celestial love, 3021, 4280, 5050-5062. A girdle placed over the loins accordingly means being joined to the Lord through the good of love, the Word serving as the intermediary.

[5] The meaning of 'a girdle' as good that acts as a boundary and holds things together is also evident in Isaiah,

There will come forth a shoot from the trunk of Jesse. Righteousness will be the girdle of His loins, and truth the girdle of His thighs. Isaiah 11:1, 5.

This refers to the Lord. 'Righteousness' that will be 'the girdle of His loins' is the good of His love, which protects heaven and the Church. The requirement stated in Exodus 12:11 that when the children of Israel ate the Passover their loins were to be girded means that all things should be present in their proper order, made ready to receive good from the Lord and to take action, 7863. This explains why those who have been made ready are said to be 'girded', as is also said of the seven angels in the Book of Revelation,

Out of the temple came the seven angels having the seven plagues, clothed in linen, white and splendid, and girded around their breasts with golden girdles. Revelation 15:6.

[6] It is said of Elijah in 2 Kings 1:8 that he was a hairy man and wore a girdle of skin around his loins. Much the same is said of John,

John had a garment of camel hair and a skin girdle around his waist. Matthew 3:4.

The reason why Elijah and John were clothed and girded in this way was that both men represented the Word, and therefore their clothes mean the Word in its external sense, which is the natural sense. For 'hair' means the natural, 3301, 5247, 5569-5573, and 'camels' general facts within the natural, 3048, 3071, 3143, 3145. And 'skin' means the external, 3540, so that 'a girdle of skin' means that which collects together, encloses, and holds in connection the things within itself. For the representation of Elijah as the Word, see Preface to Genesis 18, and 2762, 5247 (end), and John the Baptist similarly, 9372.

[7] Since truths and forms of good are dissolved and dispersed by wicked deeds it says of Joab that after he had tricked and killed Abner he put the blood of war on his girdle that was on his loins, 1 Kings 2:5. This means that he dispersed and destroyed such truths and forms of good. This accounts for its being said, when truths have been dispersed and destroyed, that instead of a girdle there will be a falling apart, and instead of well-set hair, baldness, Isaiah 3:24. This refers to the daughters of Zion, by whom forms of good belonging to the celestial Church are meant. 'Instead of a girdle, a falling apart' stands for the dispersal of celestial good.

[8] It is also said in Ezekiel of Oholibah, who is Jerusalem, that when she looked at men portrayed on the wall, images of Chaldeans portrayed in vermilion, girded with girdles on their loins, she fell in love with them, Ezekiel 23:14-16. Here truths which have been rendered profane are meant, for 'the Chaldeans' are those who outwardly claim to believe in truths but inwardly repudiate them, and in so doing render them profane. 'Men portrayed on the wall' are the appearances of truth in outward things, as in like manner are 'images portrayed in vermilion'. 'Girdles' with which their loins were girded are the forms of good which they fake to induce belief in their truths.

[9] From all this it may now be clear what it was that girdles gathering garments into one served to mean in the representative Church. Yet the natural man can scarcely be brought to believe that such things were meant, because he finds it difficult to put aside the natural idea of a girdle, and in general of garments, and instead adopt a spiritual idea, which is that of good holding truths in connection within itself. For the natural level on which a person sees things holds the mind down on that level, and it is not removed from there unless the sight of the understanding is able to be raised right up into the light of heaven and the person is for this reason able to think on a level virtually divorced from natural things. When this happens to a person spiritual ideas of the truth of faith and of the good of love, which the merely natural man cannot understand, enter in.