1087. Until the words of God shall be consummated. That this signifies even to the last state of the church, when judgment takes place, and afterwards a new [state], is evident from the signification of being consummated, as denoting to have an end, specifically, when there is no longer any good and truth of doctrine and life remaining; thus, when it is the last state of the church. That consummation signifies the last state of the church may be seen (n. 624, 911). And because, when it is the last state of the church, the Last Judgment comes, and after that a new church is established by the Lord, therefore by being consummated is signified the last state of the church, when judgment [takes place], and afterwards a new [state]. And from the signification of the words of God, as denoting predictions in the Word. Therefore by the Words of God being consummated, is signified when the predictions are fulfilled. The reason why it is said, that those who are signified by the ten horns of the beast would devastate the whore, devour her flesh, and burn her with fire, and that they would give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God shall be consummated is, that then those who have altogether withdrawn from Babylon and rejected her profanities, are also devastated as to all the goods and truths of heaven; or, because they have equally falsified the Word, not from a principle of domination over the holy things of the church and over heaven, but from a principle of separation of works from faith; after which separation it is no longer possible to live from the Lord, but to live from self and from the world; this life is one of evil from falsity. Therefore by, then the words of God shall be consummated, is also meant, when they also are devastated.
Continuation concerning the Word:-
[2] Now because in the ultimate sense of the Word, which is called the literal sense, are all interior things, that is to say, the spiritual and celestial things that are in the Words of the three heavens together - for those things are there that are in the Word with the angels of the third heaven, in its inmost contents; and those that are in the Words of the angels of the lower heavens, in its mediate contents, and these are encompassed with and included in such things as exist in nature in our world - the literal sense of our Word is from the latter and the former. Hence it is evident that the Divine truth in the literal sense of our Word is in its fulness. That is called full which contains in itself all prior things from the first, or all things higher from the highest, the ultimate being that which includes them. The fulness of the Word may be compared to a common marble vessel, wherein are innumerable smaller crystal vessels, and in these still more numerous made of precious stones, in which and around which are the most exquisite delicacies of heaven; these are for those who from the Word perform excellent uses. That the Word is of such a quality is not seen by a man while he is in the world, but it is seen when he becomes an angel.
[3] Because the Word in ultimates is such, it follows that it is not fully the Word before it is in that ultimate, thus before it is in the literal sense. For if that were not the case the Word would be like a temple in the air and not on the earth; or like a man with flesh without bones. And whereas Divine truth in its ultimate is in its fulness, and also in its power, for while it is that it is also in all, therefore the Lord never operates except from primaries by means of ultimates, consequently in fulness. For He does not reform and regenerate a man except by means of truths in ultimates, which are natural. And it is from this that such as is a man's quality in the world, such he remains after his departure out of the world, to eternity. It is from this also that heaven and hell are from the human race, and that, angels were not immediately created; for a man in the world is in his fulness, therefore he can be conceived and born there, and afterwards be filled with knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom, and become an angel. To create angels otherwise is not possible.
[4] Because the Lord does all things from primaries by means of ultimates, and in ultimates He is in His power and in His fulness, therefore it pleased the Lord to take upon Him the Human, and to be made Divine truth, that is, the Word; and thus from Himself to bring into order all things in heaven, and all things in hell, that is, to execute a Last Judgment. This the Lord could accomplish from the Divine in Himself, which was in primaries, by His Human, which was in ultimates, and not from His presence or abode in the men of the church, as formerly; for these had entirely fallen away from the truths and goods of the Word, in which the Lord had His habitation with men previously. This was the primary cause of the Lord's Advent into the world; and also that He might make His Human Divine. For by this means He had the power of keeping all things in heaven and all things in hell in order for ever. This is meant by sitting at the right hand of God (Mark xvi. 19). The right hand of God is the Divine Omnipotence, and to sit at the right hand of God denotes the being in that by means of the Human. That the Lord ascended into heaven with His Human glorified even to the ultimates, He Himself witnesses in Luke:
Jesus said unto his disciples, "See my hands and my feet, that I myself am, feel me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have." (xxiv. 39).
These things the Lord said just after His resurrection. Flesh and bones are the ultimates of the human body, on which the strength of it depends.
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