519. Verse 15. And the seventh angel sounded, signifies the exploration and manifestation of the state of the church after the consummation, when the coming of the Lord and of His kingdom takes place. By "sounding with a trumpet" is signified to explore and make manifest the state of the church after its consummation, when the coming of the Lord and of His kingdom takes place. The reason is, because this is signified by "the seventh angel sounding"; for by the six angels and their trumpets sounding, were signified explorations and manifestations of the state of the consummated church, as appears from the foregoing chapter, where its consummation only is treated of; but that now its state after consummation, which is the coming of the Lord and of His kingdom, is treated of, appears from what follows in this verse, and afterwards in this verse:
And the seventh angel sounded, and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of the world are become our Lord's and His Christ's, and He shall reign for ages of ages (Rev. 11:15).
The reason why this manifestation is effected by "the sounding of the seventh angel," is, because "seven" signifies the same as a week, and six days of the week are days of labor, and of what belongs to man, and the seventh is holy and the Lord's. That by consummation is meant the devastation of the church when there is no longer any truth of doctrine and good of life therein, thus when its end has come, may be seen (n. 658, 750); and because then is the coming of the Lord and of His kingdom, therefore both "the consummation of the age" and "the coming of the Lord" are spoken of in Matt. 24:3, and they are both also foretold in that chapter.