Spiritual Meaning of REVELATION 15:7
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AR 672. Verse 7. And one of the four animals gave to the seven angels seven golden vials, signifies those truths and goods by which the evils and falsities of the church are disclosed, taken from the sense of the letter of the Word. That "the four animals," which are cherubim, signify the Word in ultimates, and guards lest its genuine truths and goods should be violated, may be seen above (n. 239): and because the interior truths and goods of the Word are guarded by the sense of its letter, that sense of the Word is therefore signified by "one of the four animals." The same is signified by "the seven vials" as by "the seven plagues," for they are that which contains; and that which contains in the Word signifies the same as the things which are contained; as by "a cup" the same as by "wine," and by "a platter" the same as by "food." That by "cups," "goblets," "vials," and "plates," similar things are signified as by their contents, will be seen in what now follows. What is signified by "the seven angels" has been said above. That "vials were given to them," is because the subject treated of is the influx of truth and good into the church, that evils and falsities may be disclosed: and naked goods and truths cannot flow in, for these are not received; but truths clothed, such as are in the sense of the letter of the Word. And besides, the Lord always operates from inmosts through ultimates, or in fulness. This is the reason that "vials were given to the angels", by which is signified, containing truths and goods such as those are of the sense of the letter of the Word, by which falsities and evils are detected. That the sense of the letter of the Word is a containant may be seen in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture (Sacred n. 27-36, 37-49). That by "vials," "plates," "cups," and "goblets," and by "bottles," those things are signified which are contained in them; may be evident from the following passages:--

The same as by "a goblet" and "a cup" is also signified by a "vial," likewise by "a bottle" (Matt. 9:17; Luke 5:37, 38; Jer. 13:12; 48:12; Hab. 2:15). By "vials," "censers," and "incense-boxes," containing incense, the same is signified as by "incense": in general, by vessels of every kind the same is signified as by the things in them.

AR 673. Full of the anger of God that liveth for ages of ages, signifies the evils and falsities that are to appear and are to be exposed by the pure and genuine truths and goods of the Word. It is said that the vials were "full of the anger of God," because they were full of the plagues; by which are signified the evils and falsities of the church (n. 657); but still they were not full of these, but full of pure and genuine truths and goods from the Word, by which the evils and falsities of the church would be disclosed; but still they were not vials, with truths and goods in them; but by them the influx from heaven into the church was signified. It is according to the style of the Word in the sense of its letter, that they are said to be "full of the anger of the living God"; as may be evident from the passages adduced above, in which "anger" and "wrath" are ascribed to Jehovah; when yet Jehovah has no anger and wrath, but man has it against Him. The reason that it is so said in the sense of the letter, may be seen above (n. 525, 635, 658). From this it is manifest that by "the vials full of the anger of God that liveth for ages of ages," are signified the direful evils and falsities of the church that are to appear and be exposed by the goods and truths of the Word. Evils and falsities are exposed in no other way than by truths and goods; for these are in the light of heaven, but falsities and evils are in the darkness of hell: and in darkness nothing is exposed, because nothing but evil and falsity appears there. But by light from heaven all things are exposed, because in that all things appear: for the light of heaven is the Divine truth of the Lord‘s Divine wisdom.

Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772).

Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002.

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