670. Verse 6. And the seven angels that had the seven plagues came out of the temple, signifies the preparation by the Lord for influx from the inmost of heaven into the church, that its evils and falsities may be universally disclosed, and thus the evil be separated from the good. That by "the seven angels" the Lord is meant, see above (n. 657); that by "the seven plagues" are signified all evils and falsities understood universally, see also above (n. 657). By "the temple" is meant the inmost of heaven, where the Word and the Decalogue are, as above (n. 669). That by "their going out from the temple" is signified preparation for influx is because they went out that afterward they might receive the vials, and cast the plagues in the vials into the earth, the sea, the rivers, and fountains, the sun, upon the throne of the beast, and into the air; by which is signified influx into the church, that its evils and falsities might be disclosed. That this was done for the sake of separating them from the good, will be seen in the next chapter.