597# “两脚像火柱”表示终端中的神性真理或圣言，它是属世的，支撑那里的内层事物，并充满爱之良善。这从“脚”、“柱”和“火”的含义清楚可知：“脚”当论及主时，是指属世神性之爱的神性良善，也就是神序的终端(参看AE 65, 69节)；“柱”是指支撑高层真理的低层真理(参看AE 219节)；“火”当论及主时，是指神性之爱(也可参看AE 68, 496, 504a–d节)。由此可见，“天使的两脚像火柱”表示终端中的神性真理或圣言，它作为支撑内层事物的属世事物，充满爱之良善。终端中的神性真理是指字义上的圣言；由于这层意义是属世的，属世的是神序的终端，所以它支撑属灵和属天的神性真理，就像柱子支撑房屋，或脚支撑身体。事实上，没有圣言的属世意义，属灵和属天的圣言内层事物就会分崩离析，就像除去支柱的房屋。因此，包含在圣言的终端或属世意义中的一切事物，甚至直到最细微的细节，都是永恒的对应，也就是说，它们对应于天堂里的属灵和属天事物，因而也表示它们。由此可在某种程度上看出，属世的神性真理，也就是世上的圣言，如何像柱子支撑房屋那样支撑属灵和属天的神性真理，也就是天堂里的神性真理。这也清楚表明，为何天使的脚看似“火柱”。此外，终端或属世意义上的圣言充满爱之良善，这一点可从主的这些话明显看出来：
你要尽你的心，尽你的灵魂，尽你的头脑，爱主你的神。这是第一且是大的诫命。其次与它相仿，就是要爱邻如己。整个律法和先知都系于这两条诫命。(马太福音22:37–40)
“律法和先知”表示在一切事物或整个范围和每个细节上的圣言；因此，这些话的意思是，圣言中的每一个和一切事物都依赖于对主之爱的良善和对邻之仁的良善。
启示录10:2–4
597. And his feet as pillars of fire. - That this signifies Divine Truth or the Word in ultimates, which is natural, sustaining the interior things therein, also full of the good of love, is evident from the signification of feet, when used in reference to the Lord, as denoting the Divine Good of natural Divine Love, which is the ultimate in Divine order (see above, n. 65, 69); and from the signification of pillars, as denoting lower truths which sustain the higher (see also above, n. 219); and from the signification of fire, when used in reference to the Lord, as denoting the Divine Love (see also above, n. 68, 496, 504). From these things it is evident, that by the feet of the angel seen as pillars of fire, is signified the Divine Truth, or the Word in its ultimates, which, as the natural sustaining the interior things therein, is full of the good of love. Divine Truth in the ultimates means the Word in the sense of the letter; and because this sense is natural, and the Natural is the ultimate of Divine order, therefore it sustains spiritual and celestial Divine Truth, just as pillars sustain a house, and as the feet, sustain the body. For without the natural sense of the Word, interior things, which are spiritual and celestial, would fall to ruin, as a house if its pillars were removed. Therefore all things, even to the most minute details contained in the ultimate, or natural sense of the Word, are perpetual correspondences, that is, they correspond to spiritual and celestial things in the heavens, and therefore are also significative of them. It may, in some degree, be evident from this fact, how the natural Divine Truth, which is the Word in the world, sustains the spiritual and celestial Divine Truth, which is the Divine Truth in heaven, as pillars support a house. It is therefore evident, why the feet of the angel were seen as pillars of fire.
That the Word also in its ultimate or natural sense is full of the good of love, is evident from these words of the Lord:
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and in all thy soul, and in all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang [all] the law and the prophets" (Matthew 22:37-40).
Here by the law and the prophets is meant the Word in its entire compass and detail; consequently by these words is meant that each and all things in the Word depend on the good of love to the Lord, and on the good of charity towards the neighbour.
597. And his feet as pillars of fire, signifies Divine truth, or the Word in ultimates, which is natural, sustaining interior things there, and full of the good of love. This is evident from the signification of "feet," as being in reference to the Lord the Divine good of natural Divine love, which is the ultimate in Divine order (See above, n. 65, 69); from the signification of "pillars," as being lower truths which sustain the higher (See above, n. 219); and from the signification of "fire," as being in reference to the Lord the Divine love (See also above, n. 68, 496, 504). From this it can be seen that "the feet of the angel seen as pillars of fire" signify Divine truth or the Word in ultimates, which, as the natural sustaining interior things, is full of the good of love. Divine truth in ultimates means the Word in the sense of the letter; and because this sense is natural, and the natural is the ultimate of Divine order, therefore this is what sustains spiritual and celestial Divine truth, exactly as pillars sustain a house or feet sustain the body; for without the natural sense of the Word its interiors, which are spiritual and celestial, would fall apart, like a house when its pillars are removed. Each and all things, therefore, that are in the natural or ultimate sense of the Word are perpetual correspondences, that is, they correspond to the spiritual and celestial things that are in the heavens, and thus also they signify them. From this it can in some measure be seen how natural Divine truth, which is the Word in the world, sustains spiritual and celestial Divine truth, which is Divine truth in heaven, as pillars sustain a house. This makes clear also why the feet of the angel were seen as "pillars of fire." Moreover, that the Word in its ultimate or natural sense is full of the good of love can be seen from these words of the Lord:
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and in all thy soul and in all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. The second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang the whole law and the prophets (Matthew 22:37-40).
"The law and the prophets" mean the Word in all things and in every particular; consequently these words mean that each and all things in the Word hang upon the good of love to the Lord, and the good of charity toward the neighbor.
597. "Et pedes ejus sicut columnae ignis." - Quod significet Divinum Verum seu Verbum in ultimis, quod naturale sustentans interiora ibi, etiam plenum bono amori, constat ex significatione "pedum", cum de Domino, quod sit Divinum Bonum Divini Amoris naturalis, quod est ultimum in ordine Divino (de qua supra, n. 65, 69); ex significatione "columnarum", quod sint vera inferiora quae sustentant superiora (de qua supra, n. 219); et ex significatione "ignis", cum de Domino, quod sit Divinus Amor (de qua etiam supra, 68, 496, 504 [a-d]): ex his constare potest quod per "pedes angeli visos sicut columnae ignis" significetur Divinum Verum seu Verbum in ultimis, quod naturale sustentans interiora sit plenum bono amoris. Per Divinum Verum in ultimis intelligitur Verbum in sensu litterae; et quia hic sensus est naturalis, et naturale est ultimum ordinis Divini, ideo id sustentat Divinum Verum spirituale et caeleste, prorsus sicut columnae domum, et sicut pedes corpus; nam absque naturali sensu Verbi diffluerent interiora, quae sunt spiritualia et caelestia, sicut domus submotis columnis. Quare omnia et singula quae in sensu naturali seu ultimo Verbi sunt, perpetuae correspondentiae sunt; hoc est, correspondent spiritualibus et caelestibus quae in caelis sunt, et inde quoque significant illa. Ex quibus aliquatenus patere potest quomodo Divinum Verum naturale, quod est Verbum in mundo, sustentat Divinum Verum spirituale et caeleste, quod est Divinum Verum in caelo, sicut columnae domum. Inde constare potest unde est quod pedes angeli visi sint "sicut columnae ignis." Quod Verbum etiam in sensu ultimo seu naturali sit plenum bono amoris, constare potest ex his Domini verbis,
"Amabis Dominum Deum tuum ex toto corde tuo, et in tota anima tua, et in tota mente tua; hoc est primarium et magnum mandatum. Secundum simile est illi, Amabis proximum tuum sicut te ipsum: ex his duobus mandatis [tota] Lex et Prophetae pendent" (Matthaeus 22:37-39 [, 40]):
per "Legem et Prophetas" intelligitur Verbum in omnibus et singulis; proinde per illa verba intelligitur quod omnia et singula Verbi pendeant ex bono amoris in Dominum, et ex bono charitatis erga proximum.