674. [verse 8] 'And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His vigour (virtus)' signifies the inmost of heaven full of spiritual and celestial Divine Truth from the Lord. By 'the temple' is signified the inmost of heaven, of which above (n. 669); by 'smoke' is signified the Divine in ultimates, concerning which [something] follows; by 'glory' is signified spiritual Divine Truth (n. 249, 629); and by 'vigour' is signified celestial Divine Truth (n. 373). Consequently by 'the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His vigour' is signified the inmost heaven full of spiritual and celestial Divine Truth. 'Smoke' signifies Divine Truth in ultimates, because the 'fire' from which the fumes come signifies love; the 'fire' of the altar of burnt offering, celestial love (n. 395, 494); and the 'fire' of the altar of incense, spiritual love (n. 277, 392, 394). That 'smoke' signifies these things can be established from these passages:-
Jehovah will create upon every habitation of Mount Zion a cloud by day, and smoke and the shining of a fire by night, for upon all the glory [shall be] a covering Isa. iv 5.
The posts of the thresholds were violently moved at the voice of the seraphs crying out, and the house was filled with smoke Isa. vi 4.
The smoke of the incenses with the prayers of the angels* ascended up out of the angel's hand before God Rev. viii 4.
The smoking flax shall He not quench, He shall bring forth judgment into the truth (veritas) Isa. xlii 3.
That 'smoke' in the opposite sense signifies the untruths of lusts may be seen above (n. 422); also the untruths arising from the pride of self-intelligence (n. 452). Besides this, in many places 'smoke' signifies something similar to 'cloud'.
[674a.]** 'And no one was able to enter into the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were consummated' signifies to this degree there that more could not be endured, and this until after the devastation the end of that Church was seen. By 'no one' being 'able to enter into the temple' is signified that the inmost of heaven was full of spiritual and celestial Divine Truth to such a degree that more could not be endured. By 'the temple' is signified, here as above, the inmost of heaven; by 'until the seven plagues of the seven angels were consummated' is signified this until after the devastation pertaining to the end of the Church (n. 658); and by 'the seven plagues of the seven angels' are signified the evils and untruths that devastate the Church and make an end of it (n. 657). * So in Original Edition, but Greek and chap. viii have 'saints'. ** This paragraph is not numbered in the Original Edition.
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