The reason why it is said concerning this angel, that he had power over fire is, that the subject treated of is the devastation of the church as to the good of love; and devastation as to that is ascribed to this angel; as the devastation as to truth of doctrine is ascribed to the former angel, who, therefore, had a sharp sickle in his hand. It is evident, therefore, what is meant by its being said, that this angel had power over fire, namely, that he lays waste celestial and spiritual love, and all things thereof in the church.

[2] The devastation of the church is ascribed to the angel, as elsewhere in the Word it is ascribed to the Lord. But this is only said of Him in the sense of the letter; but it is not so understood in the spiritual sense. For truth, in the sense of the letter, is like a face seen through a veil; but truth in the spiritual sense is like that face uncovered. Or, truth, in the sense of the letter, is like a cloud; but truth, in the spiritual sense, is like light and its splendour. Or, truth, in the sense of the letter, is what appears as truth before the sensual man; but truth, in the spiritual sense, is truth before the spiritual-rational man. As, for example, in the Word, it is said of the sun, that it rises, progresses, sets, and causes days and years, that is entirely according to the appearance before the sensual man. But the rational man thinks of the sun as immovable, and of the earth as progressing. It is therefore evident that the understanding thinks inversely of those things that appear before the senses, in order that it may place them before us in the light of truth.

The case is similar with the things here said in the Apocalypse concerning him who sat on the white cloud, and concerning the angels; that is, that they thrust in the sickle into the harvest, and reap it, and that they gather the clusters of the grapes from the vineyard of the earth, and cast them into the winepress of the wrath of God. These things are said, in like manner, according to appearances before the sensual man; yet they are to be inverted and understood according to their spiritual sense.

[3] From these things it is also evident that the sensual man - such as man is in the periods of infancy and childhood - as also the simple-minded, may think of and believe these and other similar things according to the sense of the letter; as that God takes away good and truth from men on account of their wickedness. But an adult man, who desires to be wise, will not explain such things so as to make God the doer of them. As, for example, that He takes away from man all good and truth, and infuses in their place evil and falsity, or that He devastates the church; neither indeed that He is angry and wrathful. For if a wise adult should explain such things according to the sense of the letter, and confirm them by reasonings, then he would, by such means, destroy the genuine truth itself, such as it is in heaven, and consequently close heaven to himself. For who can enter heaven with the belief that God is angry, revengeful, that He punishes, and similar things; when the angels of heaven are in the perception that God is never angry, never revenges, or punishes any one? Would they not turn away from him, and bid him depart, and immediately close the door after him? Thus, also, heaven is closed to those who, while they live in the world, explain the sense of the letter of the Word, even to the destruction of the Divine truth in the heavens; this truth being the same as the truth of the spiritual sense, which is contained in the particular truths of the natural sense that constitute the sense of the letter of the Word.