750. "Until the words of God are fulfilled." This symbolically means, until all the things foretold about them have been fulfilled.

To be fulfilled means, symbolically, to be brought to completion, and the words of God symbolize the things that have been foretold in the Word. Because we are also told they are to be fulfilled, it symbolically means, until they all are. This is said in reference to Protestants and the fact that they will give their kingdom to the beast, which is to say, that they will acknowledge the Word and found the church upon it, as just said in no. 749 above.

But though Protestants acknowledge the Word indeed, and say that the church is founded on it, they nevertheless found the doctrine of their church on a single saying of Paul, that "a person is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law" (Romans 3:28), which they completely misunderstand (no. 417).

Because the text says here, "until the words of God are fulfilled," we will also say what the Lord's last words to His disciples symbolized, when He said:

Go... and make disciples of all nations..., teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen. (Matthew 28:19-20)

Even to the end of the age means even to the end of the church (no. 658); and if people then do not turn to the Lord Himself, and live in accordance with His commandments, they are forsaken by the Lord, and people forsaken by the Lord become as pagans, having no religion. The Lord then is present only with people who will be those of His New Church.

This is the symbolic meaning of the declarations, "until the Words of God are fulfilled," and "even to the end of the age."

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.