The reason of this signification of the altar shall also be here explained in a few words. In the church instituted among the sons of Israel, there were two chief things of worship - the tent of the assembly and the altar; and afterwards the temple and the altar. In the temple the Word was taught, and upon the altar the sacrifices were offered; these were the chief things of their worship. And because the church instituted among them was representative, therefore, those two represented all things of the church in summary; all of which have reference to the truth of doctrine from the Word, and to the good of love and charity; from these two, also, arises all worship in the church. And since all the representatives of the church looked to the Lord as the end and the cause - thus to whom and from whom all things are - therefore by the temple was represented the Lord as to Divine truth; and by the altar the Lord as to Divine good. Concerning this representation of the temple, see above (n. 220); and of the altar (n. 391, 490).

Now because all things of the church, and thence of worship, have reference to those two things, namely, to the truth of doctrine and to the good of love, and all things of heaven to the Divine truth and the Divine good - both from the Lord: and, since, when these are vastated, there is no longer any church, therefore two angels were seen by John, by whom the devastation of the church as to both was represented.