914. Verse 17. And another angel went out from the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle, signifies manifestation by the Lord of the devastation of the church as to the Divine truth such as it is in heaven, after exploration. This is evident from the signification of "an angel going out and saying," as being manifestation by the Lord (as above, n. 869, 878, 883); also from the signification of "temple," as being heaven and the church as to the Divine truth (see above, n. 220); also from the signification of "a sharp sickle," as being the Divine truth accurately exploring and separating (see above, n. 908), but here, devastating also after exploration, for what was said respecting the former angel (verses 15, 16) also signified visitation and exploration, and announcement that the church was wholly devastated; but what is here said respecting these two angels (verses 17-19) signifies the devastation of the church; what is said of "the one that went out from the temple which is in heaven" signifying the devastation of the church as to truth, and of the other "who went out from the altar" the devastation of the church as to good; for "temple" signifies in the highest sense the Divine truth, and "altar" the Divine good, both proceeding from the Lord. All this makes clear that "the first angel" (in verse 15) means manifestation by the Lord, also exploration of what the church was, and that it was found to be desolated. From this it follows that "another angel went out from the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle," signifies manifestation by the Lord of the devastation of the church, as to the Divine truth such as it is in heaven, after exploration. [2] It is said "the Divine truth such as it is in heaven," because this is what is falsified, and not the Divine truth such as it is on earth or in the church there. The Divine truth in heaven is such as the Word is in the spiritual sense; while the Divine truth on earth is such as the Word is in the natural sense, or the sense of the letter. This Divine truth is for men, and makes the church with them; while the other Divine truth is for the angels, and makes heaven with them. These differ as what is spiritual differs from what is natural; and this difference is like the difference between the wisdom of angels and the wisdom of men. The wisdom of men as compared with the wisdom of angels is as knowledge compared with intelligence, which difference is so great that it cannot be described. [3] As to the devastation of the church in respect to the Divine truth, it is wrought by the falsification of the Word; for when the Word is explained to favor earthly loves and to confirm falsities of doctrine the church is laid waste. It is not laid waste when the Word is understood in simplicity according to the sense of the letter; but it is laid waste when the Word is so explained as to destroy even the Divine truth in heaven; for then heaven is closed up, and when heaven is closed up there is no longer any church with man. There are those within the church who explain the sense of the letter of the Word even so as to destroy the Divine truth in heaven; and there are those who do not misinterpret it to that degree, and these do not devastate the church with them, but the former do. The sense of the letter understood in simplicity does no harm to any spiritual truth in heaven; but the sense of the letter explained according to falsities of doctrine, and in harmony with evils of the love, does harm to it, for the sense of the letter of the Word is natural Divine truth. This Divine truth differs indeed from spiritual truth as what is natural differs from what is spiritual, and yet they make one by correspondences. But when natural Divine truth is so explained as even to destroy spiritual Divine truth they can no longer make one by correspondence; but the falsity according to which natural Divine truth is explained destroys the spiritual Divine truth. This, then, is the falsification of the Word and the devastation of the church by falsifications. But on this more has been said where "the dragon and his two beasts" are treated of; and more will be said upon it where "the harlot sitting on the scarlet beast," and "Babylon," are treated of in what follows.