340. [verse 17] 'Because the great day of His wrath is coming, and who is able to stand?' signifies that they became such from themselves through separation from the good and the faithful on account of the last judgment, which they would not otherwise endure. By 'the great day of the wrath of the Lamb' is signified the day of the last judgment: and by 'who is able to stand?' is signified inability to hold out by reason of torment; for when a last judgment is impending the Lord approaches with heaven, and out of those who are below in the world of spirits no others are able to endure the Lord's coming but those who are interiorly good, and they are interiorly good who shun evils as sins and look to the Lord. That 'the day of the Lord's wrath' signifies a last judgment is quite plain from these passages:-
For as long as the growing anger of wrath of Jehovah is not yet coming upon you, for as long as the day of wrath of Jehovah is not yet coming upon you, it may be you shall be hid in the day of wrath of Jehovah Zeph. ii 2, 3.
Behold the day of Jehovah is coming, cruel, both with displeasure and the growing anger of wrath Isa. xiii 9, 13.
The great day of Jehovah is near, a day, this, of growing anger, a day of narrowness and crowding together, a day of darkness and thick darkness Zeph. i 14, 15.
Thy wrath is come, and the time of judging the dead, and of rewarding Thy servants, and of destroying those destroying the land Rev. xi 18.
Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, because His wrath is soon kindled. Blessed are all those trusting in Him Ps. ii 12.
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