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504. So far we have shown the signification of hail; we shall now show the signification of fire. Fire signifies in the Word, the good of celestial love, and flame, the good of spiritual love; but in the opposite sense, fire signifies the evil arising from the love of self, and flame, the evil arising from the love of the world. It must be understood that goods of every kind derive their existence from celestial love and spiritual love, and that evils of every kind derive their existence from the love of self and the love of the world. And because love, in both senses, is signified in the Word by fire, therefore also all good and all evil, which exist from those two loves, are signified. Since the term fire, in the Word, is used both of heaven and of hell, and since it has been hitherto unknown that love is signified by fire, I will adduce some passages from the Word in order to make it clear, that fire, in a good sense, there signifies celestial love, and, in a bad sense, infernal love.
[2] That celestial love is signified by fire in the Word, is clear, first from the signification of the fire of the altar, which denotes celestial love, or love to the Lord, concerning which see above (n. 152, 277, 313, 322, 362, 462). And because the third heaven is signified chiefly by these, and as the Lord is above the heavens, therefore also the Lord was seen upon a throne above the cherubim. The fire seen in the midst of the cherubim, with brightness round about, and lightning therefrom, and also about the throne, and from the loins of Him that sat on the throne, upwards and downwards, clearly signifies celestial Divine Love. For the Lord Himself is Divine Love, and whatever proceeds from the Lord, proceeds from his Divine Love; this is therefore the fire which had brightness round about it.
[3] Similarly in Daniel:
"He came to the Ancient of days whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool; his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him" (vii.
[13], 9, 10).
The Ancient of days also means the Lord; the Son of man, in this place the Lord as to Divine Truth, and the Ancient of days, the Lord as to Divine Good or Divine Love. He was called the Ancient of days, from the remotest time, when the celestial church existed, which was in love to the Lord. This church, and the heaven of those who were from it, are meant by the throne, which was like a fiery flame; but the wheels which were as a fire burning, signify the doctrine of celestial love; the Divine Love itself proceeding from the Lord is signified by the fire going forth and issuing from before him.
[4] It is also said by Daniel, that there appeared to him
"A man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with gold of Uphaz; His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as torches of fire, and his arms and his feet like the brightness of polished brass" (10:5, 6).
That it was the Lord who was thus seen by Daniel is evident from the Apocalypse, where the Lord was represented before John in an almost similar manner, concerning Whom it is said,
"In the midst of the seven lampstands one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire, and his feet like unto polished brass, as if they burned in a furnace, and his countenance like the sun" (1:13-15, 2:18).
From the similarity of the description of the Son of man seen by John in the midst of the seven lampstands, and of the man clothed in linen, and also of the Ancient of days seen by Daniel, it is clear that they both saw the Lord. His face being seen as lightning and His eyes as a flame of fire, signifies the Divine Love of the Lord. For with man the face is an image representative of the affection of his love, and this is especially the case in regard to the eyes, for from them love shines forth, whence they sparkle as it were from fire.
[5] It is also said of him who sat on the white horse,
"His eyes were as a flame of fire" (Apoc. 19:12).
It is evident that it is the Lord, as to the Word, who was there represented as sitting upon a white horse, for it is said that he who sat on the white horse is called the Word of God, and that he is King of kings, and Lord of lords. Because fire signifies the Divine Love, therefore the Lord was seen by Moses upon Mount Horeb in a flame of fire in the bush (Exodus 3:2). So also the Lord was seen by Moses and all the Israelitish people when He descended upon Mount Sinai in fire, concerning which it is thus written:
"Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke because Jehovah descended upon it in fire; and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace" (Exodus 19:18; Deuteronomy 4:36).
The fire also seen there represented the Divine Love.
[6] Since fire, in the highest sense, signifies the Divine Love of the Lord, it was therefore commanded that fire should be kept burning continually upon the altar, and that they should take of that fire for the offering of incense. It was, on this account, a religious rite among both the Greeks and Romans to keep a fire burning continually, over which the Vestal virgins presided. They derived their worship of fire as a holy thing from the ancient churches which were in Asia, wherein everything connected with worship was representative. Since fire in the highest sense signifies the Divine Love, therefore a lampstand was placed in the tent of assembly, on which were seven lamps, which were kept burning continually. Concerning this, it is thus written in Moses:
"Command the sons of Israel, that they bring unto thee [pure] oil of olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to burn continually. Aaron shall order it from the evening unto the morning before Jehovah continually. He shall order the lamps upon the pure lampstand before Jehovah continually" (Leviticus 24:2-4).
Concerning the lampstand itself, see Exodus 25:31 to end, 37:17-24, 40:24, 25; Num. 8:2-4. The signification of the seven lamps of fire burning before the throne of God (Rev. 4:5) is similar. But the fire of the altar signified celestial Divine Love, and the fire of the lampstand, which was flame, signified spiritual Divine Love; and therefore the oil, from which the fire of the flame arose in the lamps of the lampstand, signifies the Divine Love, and also the oil which the five wise virgins had in their lamps, but which the five foolish virgins had not (Matthew 25:1-12).
[7] The Lord's Divine Love is also signified by fire in the Evangelists. John said:
"I baptize with water" but Jesus "shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire" (Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16).
To baptize with the Holy Spirit, and with fire, signifies to regenerate man by means of the Divine Truth and the Divine Good of love from Himself, for the Holy Spirit is the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord, and the fire, His Divine Love, from which [that truth proceeds].
[8] Similarly what is signified by fire, is also signified by a fire-hearth, in Isaiah:
Jehovah "who hath His fire-hearth in Zion, and His oven in Jerusalem" (31:9).
It is said, "who hath his fire-hearth in Zion," because Zion signifies the church in which is celestial love; and "his oven in Jerusalem," because Jerusalem signifies the church in which is the truth of doctrine; celestial love being respectively like a fire-hearth, and the truth of doctrine like an oven, in which bread is prepared.
[9] Because the good of love is signified by fire, and worship from the good of love was represented by the burnt-offerings, therefore fire was sometimes sent down out of heaven, and consumed the burnt-offering; as when a burnt-offering was offered for the expiation of the people, concerning which as follows in Moses:
This being done "there came forth fire from before Jehovah, and consumed upon the altar the burnt-offering and the fat; and all the people beheld, and shouted and fell on their faces" (Leviticus 9:24).
Similarly it is said, that fire
"consumed the burnt-sacrifice of Elijah, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the waters that were round about in the trench" (1 Kings 17:38).
This fire also signified the Divine Love, and consequently the acceptance of worship from the good of love. Similarly the fire that ascended out of the rock, and devoured the flesh and unleavened cakes, which Gideon brought to the angel of God (Judges 6:21). The Divine Love was also signified by the lamb being roasted by fire, and not sodden by water, and by what remained until the morning being burnt by fire (Exodus 12:8, 9,
[10]). These verses are explained in the Arcana Coelestia 7852-7861).
[10] The Divine Love of the Lord was also signified by the fire into which He went before the sons of Israel in the desert, when they were on their journey; also, by the fire over the tabernacle of the congregation at night, concerning which as follows in Moses:
"Jehovah went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them in the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light. The pillar of the cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, departed not from before the people" (Exodus 13:21, 22; Num. 9:15-23; Deuteronomy 1:33).
And again,
"For the cloud of Jehovah was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys" (Exodus 40:38; Psalm 105:32, 39).
The cloud appearing in the day, and the fire by night, represented the guarding of heaven and the church by the Lord. For the tabernacle represented heaven and the church; the cloud and fire, guardianship; for the day, when the cloud appeared, signified the Divine Truth in light, and the night the Divine Truth in shade. Lest they should be injured by too great a light they were protected by a cloud, and by a shining fire lest they should be injured by too much shade.
[11] That such was the representation of these things is evident in Isaiah:
"Jehovah shall create over every dwelling-place of Mount Zion, and over her assemblies, a cloud by day, and the smoke and shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory a covering. And there shall be a tabernacle for a shade in the day on account of the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert against the inundation and rain" (4:5, 6).
The dwelling-place of Mount Zion signifies the good of the celestial church, and her assemblies signify the truths of that good; guardianship from injury by too much light or too much shade, is signified by a cloud by day and by the smoke and shining of a flaming fire by night; therefore it is said, "over all the glory a covering," and that there shall be "a tabernacle for a shade in the day on account of the heat." Lest falsities should break in, because of too much light or too much shade, is signified by its being a refuge and covert against inundation and rain, for inundation and rain denote the rushing in of falsities.
[12] In Zechariah:
"I will be" unto Jerusalem "a wall of fire round about, and in glory I will be in the midst of her" (2:5).
A wall of fire signifies protection by the Divine Love, for this the hells cannot approach; the glory in the midst of her is the Divine Truth in the light on every side. Because fire signified the Divine Love, therefore also the burnt-offerings were called "offerings made by fire to Jehovah," and "offerings made by fire of an odour of rest to Jehovah" (Exodus 29:18; Leviticus 1:9, 13, 17; 2:2, 9, 10, 11; 3:5, 16; 4:35; 5:12; 7:30; 21:6; Num. 28:2; Deuteronomy 18:1). The signification of this is that they were accepted, on account of the representation of worship from the good of love; this worship was represented by the burnt-offerings, because in them the cattle were burnt whole in the fire, and consumed.
[13] Because the Word is the Divine Truth itself united to the Divine Good - for the marriage of good and truth is everywhere in it - therefore Elijah was seen to ascend up into heaven in a chariot of fire and horses of fire (2 Kings 2:11); and for the same reason the mountain around Elisha was seen to be filled with horses and chariots of fire (6:17); for Elijah and Elisha represented the Lord as to the Word, and therefore the chariot signified doctrine from the Word, and horses, the understanding of the Word.
[14] That fire signifies love, is also clear in David, in which it is said of Jehovah,
"Who maketh his angels spirits, his ministers a flaming fire" (130, 200, 302); and that ministers signify the recipients of the Divine Good, which is of the Divine Love, may be seen also above (n. 155). It is therefore evident that a flaming fire signifies the good of love. Fire signifies love, because the Lord, from His Divine Love, appears in the angelic heaven as a Sun, from which Sun heat and light proceed; and in the heavens the heat from the Lord as the Sun is the Divine Good of love, and the light from the Lord as the Sun is the Divine Truth; for this reason, fire signifies, in the Word, the good of love, and light, the truth from good. That the Lord appears in the angelic heaven as the Sun, from Divine Love, may be seen in Heaven and Hell 116-125); and also that the light from that Sun is Divine Truth, and the heat from that Sun, Divine Good (n. 126-140; also n. 567, 568). It is from the correspondence between fire and love, that, in common discourse, when speaking of the affections which are of love, we use the expressions to grow warm, to be inflamed, to burn, to become hot, to be on fire, and others of a similar kind. Also a man grows warm from his love, of whatever kind it be, according to its degree.
[15] So far concerning the signification of fire in the Word, when ascribed to the Lord, and also when spoken of heaven and the church. On the other hand, when fire in the Word is used in reference to the evil and the hells, it then signifies the love of self and of the world, and thence every evil affection and desire which torments [cruciat] the wicked in hell after death. Fire has this opposite signification, because the Divine Love, when it descends out of heaven, and passes into the societies where the evil are, is turned into a love contrary to the Divine Love, and thence into various burning desires and lusts, and thus into evils of every kind; and therefore also into torments, because evils carry with them their own punishment. In consequence of this conversion of the Divine Love into infernal love with the evil, the hells, where the loves of self and of the world, and hatreds and revenge reign, appear like a flaming fire, both within and round about, although no fire is perceived by the devilish crew who are in them. In fact, in consequence of these loves, those who are in such hells, appear with their faces inflamed and reddened as though from fire. Hence the signification of fire in the following passages is evident.
[16] In Isaiah,
"For wickedness shall burn as a fire; it shall devour the briar and thorn, and shall kindle the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke; and the people shall become as the fuel of the fire; no man shall spare his brother" (9:18, 19).
Again:
All the people "shall be for burning, for fuel of fire" (9:5).
Again:
O Assyrians, "conceive chaff, bring forth stubble, your breath, a fire that shall devour you. Thus the peoples shall be as the burnings of lime, thorns cut down which are burned in the fire. Who shall remain to us with the devouring fire? Who shall remain to us with burnings of eternity?" (33:11, 12, 14).
The Assyrians mean those who, from falsities and fallacies, reason against the goods and truths of the church from their own intelligence, that is, from the love of self; these are here described.
[17] Again:
In the day of the vengeance of Jehovah "the streams of the land shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch. It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up for ever" (34:8-10).
Again:
"They became as stubble; the fire burnt them; they shall not deliver their soul from the power of the flame" (47:14).
And again:
"Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks; walk in the light of your fire, and among the sparks that ye have kindled" (50:11).
And again:
"Their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched" (66:24).
In Ezekiel:
"I will deliver thee into the hand of burning men. Thou shalt be for fuel to the fire" (21:31, 32).
In David:
"Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger, and the fire shall devour them" (Psalm 21:9).
Again:
"Let burning coals fall upon the wicked; let the fire cast them into deep pits, that they rise not again" (140:10).
So in Matthew:
"Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. He will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire" (3:10, 12; Luke 3:9, 17).
Again:
"As the tares are burned with fire, so shall it be in the consummation of the age."
Again:
"The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire" (Matthew 13:41, 42, 50).
In the same:
He shall say unto them on his left hand, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire (ignem oeternum), prepared for the devil and his angels" (25:41).
Again:
"Whosoever shall say to his brother, Thou fool, shall be in danger of the gehenna of fire" (Matthew 5:22; 18:8, 9, Mark 9:45, 47).
In Luke:
The rich man in hell 1(in inferno) said, "Father Abraham, send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame" (16:24).
Again:
"When Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed" (Luke 17:29, 30).
In the Apocalypse:
"If any man worship the beast he shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone" (xiv.
[9], 10).
The beast and the false prophet "were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone" (Heaven and Hell 566-575), where the meaning of infernal fire, and of the gnashing of teeth, is shown.
[18] In the article above, where hail was treated of, it was stated that the Divine, when it descends out of heaven, produces in the lower sphere, where the evil are, an effect contrary to that which it causes in heaven itself; for in heaven it vivifies and conjoins, but in the lower parts where the evil are, it induces death (mortified) and disjoins. The reason of this, is that the Divine influx from heaven opens the spiritual mind of the good, and adapts it for reception; but with the evil, in whom there is no spiritual mind, it opens the interiors of their natural mind, where evils and falsities reside, and these cause them to cherish a repugnance to every good of heaven, hatred of truths, and the lust to commit every sort of crime; they are consequently separated from the good, and their condemnation follows soon after. This influx with the good, of which we are now speaking, appears in the heavens as a fire vivifying, reanimating, and conjoining; while with the evil below, it appears as a fire consuming and destroying.
[19] Because such is the effect of the Divine Love flowing down out of heaven, therefore, in the Word, anger and wrath are so frequently ascribed to Jehovah, that is, to the Lord, anger, from fire, and wrath, from the heat of fire. Mention is also made of the fire of His anger, and He is said to be a consuming fire; there are many other expressions of a similar kind, which are not used because fire proceeding from the Lord is of such a nature, for this in its origin is Divine Love, but because it becomes such with the evil, who from its influx become angry and wrathful. That this is the case is evident from the fire which appeared on mount Sinai, when the Lord descended upon it, and promulgated the law. Although this fire in its origin was Divine Love, from which is Divine Truth, still it appeared to the people of Israel as a consuming fire, in the presence of which they feared exceedingly (Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 248).
[20] For this reason Jehovah, that is, the Lord, is called in the Word a consuming fire; as in the following passages:
"Jehovah thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God" (Deuteronomy 4:24).
In Isaiah:
"For behold, Jehovah will come in fire, and his chariots like a whirlwind, in flames of fire. For in fire and in his sword will Jehovah contend with all flesh; and the slain of Jehovah shall be multiplied" (66:15, 16).
Again:
"Thou shalt be visited with the flame of devouring fire" (29:6).
And again:
Jehovah "in the indignation of his anger, and, with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, and inundation, and hailstones" (30:30).
In David:
"There went up a smoke out of his nostril, and a devouring fire out of his mouth; coals were kindled from it. By the brightness before him his thick clouds passed, hailstones and coals of fire. Jehovah also thundered from the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice; hailstones and coals of fire" (Psalm 18:8, 12,13).
Again:
"Our God shall come, and shall [not] keep silence; a fire shall devour before him" (Psalm 50:3).
And again:
"Upon the wicked" Jehovah "shall rain snares, fire and brimstone" (Psalm 11:6).
In Ezekiel:
"I will set my faces against them; that although they shall go out from the fire, nevertheless fire shall devour them. And I will make the land desolate, because they have committed a trespass" (15:7, 8).
In Moses:
"For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains" (Deuteronomy 32:22).
Such things appear in the spiritual world, when the Divine Good and Truth descend out of heaven towards the lower parts there, where the evil are, who are to be separated from the good, and dispersed; those things were said from appearances there. And because when fire, which in its origin is Divine Love, descends out of the heavens, and is received by the evil, becomes a consuming fire, therefore, such fire, in the Word, is spoken of in reference to Jehovah. Infernal fire is nothing else than the changing of the Divine Love into evil loves, and into mischievous desires to hurt and do evil.
[21] This was also represented by the fire which fell from heaven and consumed Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:24); also by the fire which consumed Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, because they offered incense with strange fire (Leviticus 10:1, and following verses). The incense of strange fire signifies worship from other love than love to the Lord. So again the same thing is signified by the fire which consumed the uttermost parts of the camp of the sons of Israel because of their evil lusts (Num. 11:1-3). Again, the representation was similar in the case of the Egyptians perishing in the Sea Suph (Red Sea), when Jehovah looked upon their camp out of the pillar of fire and of the cloud (Exodus 14:24-27). That that fire, in its origin, was the Divine Love, giving light before the sons of Israel during their journeyings, and over the tabernacle in the night time, has been shown above in this article; but yet, the looking thence by Jehovah altogether disturbed and destroyed the camp of the Egyptians.
[22] That fire, descending from heaven appeared to consume the evil in the spiritual world, is evident from the Apocalypse, where that was seen by John, for he says, that fire came down out of heaven, and devoured Gog and Magog (20:9; Ezekiel 38:22). To devour signifies there to disperse and to cast into hell. Thus again it is said in Isaiah,
"And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorn and his briar in one day" (10:17).
The thorn and briar signify evils and falsities of the doctrine of the church; the destruction of them by the Divine Truth descending out of heaven is signified by the words "the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame."
[23] Because fire, in the opposite sense, or in regard to the evil, properly signifies the love of self, and flame, the love of the world, therefore also fire signifies every evil, as enmity, hatred, revenge, and many others, for all evils flow from these two sources, as may be seen in the Doctrine of the Jerusalem (n. 26:11).
The destruction of the evil who are here meant by people and enemies, is described by hatred and by fire.
[24] In the same:
"When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou passest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee" (43:2).
To pass through the waters and through the rivers, and not to be overflowed, signifies that falsities and reasonings from falsities against truths shall not enter and corrupt; for waters here denote falsities, and rivers, reasonings from falsities against truths. By passing through the fire and not being burned, and by the flame not kindling upon them, is signified, that evils, and the desires arising from them, shall not hurt them, for fire signifies evils, and flame signifies the desires therefrom.
[25] Again:
"Our house of holiness and our glory, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire; and all our desirable things are laid waste" (64:11).
The house of holiness and our glory signifies the celestial and the spiritual church; the house of holiness signifies the celestial church, and glory the spiritual church. Where our fathers praised thee, signifies the worship of the Ancient Church, to praise signifies to worship, and fathers, those who were of the Ancient Church; to be burned up with fire, signifies that all the goods of that Church were turned into evils, by which the goods were consumed and perished. And all our desirable things are laid waste, signifies that all truths were similarly consumed; desirable things in the Word denote the truths of the church.
[26] In the same:
"For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water. And the strong shall be as tow, and his work as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none quenching" (1:30, 31).
An oak signifies the natural man, and its leaves the scientifics and cognitions of truth therein; a garden signifies the rational man. Ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water, signifies that there shall be no more any scientific truth or rational truth. The strong and his work signifies that which is produced from [man's] own intelligence. He is sometimes called strong, in the Word, who trusts to himself and his own intelligence, for he supposes himself, and the work which he thence produces, to be strong; and because the proprium of man drinks in every kind of evil and falsity, and by means of these destroys all good and truth, it is therefore said the strong shall be as tow, and his work as a spark, and they shall both burn together; to be burned denotes to perish by falsities of evil.
[27] In Ezekiel:
"Thy mother is like a vine. Now she is planted in the desert, in a dry and thirsty land. Fire is gone out from a rod of her branches, it hath devoured them and her fruit" (19:10, 12- 14).
By the mother who is like a vine, is signified the Ancient Church which was in the good of life, and thence in truths; that the church is now without goods and truths is signified by her being now planted in the desert, in a dry and thirsty land; a dry land denotes the church where there is no good, and a thirsty land where there is no truth; a fire going forth from a rod of her branches and devouring them and the fruit thereof, signifies that the evil of falsity had destroyed all truth and good; fire denotes evil, a rod of branches the falsity of doctrine in which is evil, and to devour them and the fruit thereof, denotes to destroy truth and good; the evil of falsity, is the evil which is from the falsity of doctrine.
[28] Again, in Zechariah:
"Behold, the Lord will impoverish" Tyre, "and he will shake off her wealth in the sea; and she herself shall be devoured with fire" (9:4).
Tyre signifies the church as to the cognitions of truth and good, and therefore Tyre signifies the cognitions of truth and good pertaining to the church; the vastation thereof by falsities and evils is signified by the Lord shaking off her wealth into the sea, and by she herself being consumed by fire.
[29] Again in David:
"Enemies have set thy sanctuary on fire, they have defiled the dwelling-place of thy name even to the earth; they have burned up all God's places of assembly in the land until there is no more any prophet; neither among us any that knoweth how long" (Psalm 74:7-9).
That desires arising from evil loves destroyed the goods and truths of the church, is signified by the enemies setting the sanctuary on fire, and defiling the dwelling-place of the name of Jehovah; that they altogether destroyed everything of Divine worship, is signified by their burning all God's places of assembly in the earth, that there was no longer any doctrine of truth, or understanding of truth, is signified by "there is no more any prophet; neither among us any that knoweth [how long]."
[30] In Moses, it is said if wicked men have drawn away the inhabitants of a city to serve other gods, they shall all be smitten with the edge of the sword, and the city with all the spoil shall be burnt with fire (Deuteronomy 13:13-16). These words signify in the spiritual sense, that the doctrine, from which there is worship, that acknowledges any other God than the Lord, should be wiped out, because in it there is nothing but falsities originating in evil desires. This is the signification in the spiritual sense of the above words, because a city, in the Word, signifies doctrine, and serving other gods signifies to acknowledge and worship some other God than the Lord; a sword signifies the destruction of truth by falsity; and fire, the destruction of good by evil.
[31] The Lord said in Luke that He came to send fire upon the earth, and what would He if it were already kindled (12:49). This signifies hostilities and combats between evil and good, and between falsity and truth. For before the Lord came into the world, there was nothing but absolute falsities and evils in the church, consequently there was no combat between them and truths and goods; but after truths and goods were disclosed by the Lord, then combats could first begin to exist, and without combats between them reformation is not possible. This is what is meant therefore by the Lord saying what would He if the fire were already kindled. That these words are to be thus understood is evident from what follows, namely that He came to cause division;
"for from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother" (verses 51-53).
By the father against the son, and the son against the father, is meant evil against truth, and truth against evil; and by the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother, is meant the desire for falsity against the affection for truth, and the reverse. In one house, signifies in one man.
[32] Since sons signify in the Word the truths of the church, and daughters, the goods thereof, the signification of the burning of sons and daughters, as recorded in Jeremiah is evident:
"They have built the high places of Tophet in the valley of the [son] of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters" (7:31).
Again:
"I will cause an alarm of war to be heard against Rabbah [of the children] of Ammon; and her daughters shall be burned with fire" (49:2).
And in Ezekiel:
"When ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire" (20:31).
By burning their sons and daughters in the fire, is signified to destroy the truths and goods of the church by evil desires, or by evil loves. Suppose that they actually committed such abomination, still, the destruction of the truth and good of the church by filthy and abominable lusts, which they confirmed by falsities is signified by them.
[33] From these things it is now evident that by hail and fire mingled with blood, and cast upon the earth, whence a third part of the trees was burnt up, and all green grass burnt up, is signified the influx out of heaven, and the first change thence before the Last Judgment. But what is signified by tree and by green grass, will be explained in what follows. Similar things are also said concerning the plagues in Egypt, which preceded their final extinction, or drowning in the Sea Suph (Red Sea); as for example, that, upon the land of Egypt it rained hail, and fire mingled with the hail, and the herb of the field was struck and every tree of the field was broken (Exodus 9:23-26).
[34] That similar things would take place before the day of Jehovah, which is the Last Judgment, is also predicted in the prophets.
In Joel:
"The day of Jehovah; a day of darkness and of thick darkness. A fire shall devour before it; and behind it a flame shall burn" (2:1, 2, 3).
In the same:
"I will show wonders in heaven, and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of Jehovah come" (2:30, 31).
Again:
"Fire hath devoured the habitations of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field" (1:19, 20).
And in Ezekiel:
"Say to the forest of the south, Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, which shall devour every green tree in thee; the flame of the grievous flame shall not be quenched, whence all faces from the south even to the north shall be burned therein" (20:47).
The forest of the south signifies the church, which may be in the light of truth from the Word, but which, now destitute of spiritual light, is in knowledges alone; the trees which the fire shall devour, signify such knowledges; that evil desires also would deprive them of all spiritual life, and that there would be no longer any truth in clearness, nor even any remains thereof in obscurity, is signified by "all faces of the earth from the south to the north shall be burned." From the known signification of fire in both senses, it can be seen what is signified in the Word by the expressions to grow warm, to be inflamed, to be set on fire, to grow hot, to be burnt up, and to be consumed; by heating, flame, ardour, burning, enkindling, hearth, coals, and many other terms.
Footnotes:
1. Greek en to adei.
504. It has been shown thus far what "hail" signifies; it remains to show what "fire" signifies. "Fire" signifies in the Word the good of celestial love, and "flame" the good of spiritual love; but in the contrary sense "fire" signifies the evil arising from the love of self, and "flame" the evil arising from the love of the world. It is to be noted, that all goods whatsoever derive their existence from celestial love and from spiritual love, and that all evils whatsoever derive their existence from the love of self and the love of the world; and as "fire" signifies in the Word love in both senses, so it signifies every good and every evil that springs from either of these loves. Because "fire" is predicated in the Word both of heaven and of hell, and it has not been known heretofore that "fire" signifies love, some passages shall be cited from the Word to show in clear light that in a good sense "fire" means heavenly love, and in a bad sense infernal love.
[2] That "fire" signifies in the Word heavenly love is evident first from the signification of "the fire of the altar," as meaning heavenly love, or love to the Lord (See above, n. 152, 277, 313, 322, 362, 462); and as they especially signify the third heaven, and the Lord is above the heavens, so the Lord was seen "upon a throne above the cherubim." So, too, the "fire that appeared in the midst of the cherubim, that had brightness round about, and out of which went forth lightning;" also "about the throne and from the loins of Him that sat on the throne, upwards and downwards," signifies evidently Divine celestial love; for the Lord is Himself Divine love, and whatever proceeds from the Lord proceeds from His Divine love; this therefore is the "fire that had brightness round about it."
[3] Likewise in Daniel:
He came to the Ancient of Days; His vesture is like white snow, and the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne is a flame of fire, His wheels a glowing fire; a stream of fire issues and goes forth from Him (Daniel 7:9, 10, 13).
"The Ancient of Days" also means the Lord; here "the Son of man" means the Lord in relation to Divine truth, and "the Ancient of Days" the Lord in relation to Divine good or Divine love, and He is called "the Ancient of Days" from that most ancient time when there was a celestial church, which was in love to the Lord. That church and the heaven of those who were from it are meant by "the throne which was like a flame of fire;" but "the wheels which were like a glowing fire" signify the doctrine of celestial love: the Divine love itself proceeding from the Lord is signified by "the fire issuing and going forth from before Him."
[4] It is also related by Daniel that he saw:
A man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with gold of Uphaz; His body was also like a tharshish-stone, and His face as the appearance of lightning, and His eyes as torches of fire, and His arms and His feet like the splendor of brass (Daniel 10:5, 6).
That it was the Lord who was thus seen by Daniel is evident from Revelation, where He was represented before John in nearly the same way, of whom it is said:
In the midst of the seven lampstands one like unto the Son of man, girt about at the paps with a golden girdle; and His head and hairs white as white wool, as snow; and His eyes as a flame of fire; and His feet like unto burnished brass, as if made glowing in a furnace. His appearance was like the sun (Revelation 1:13-16; 2:18).
From this similarity of the description of "the Son of man" seen by John in the midst of the seven lampstands, and of "the man clothed in linen" and "the Ancient of Days" seen by Daniel, it was evidently the Lord whom they both saw. "His face appeared as lightning and His eyes as a flame of fire" to signify the Lord's Divine love; for with man the face is a representative image of the affection of his love, and especially the eyes, for from these the love shines forth, from which they sparkle as from fire.
[5] Also of the One sitting on the white horse it is said:
His eyes were as a flame of fire (Revelation 19:12).
Evidently it was the Lord in respect to the Word who was there represented as sitting upon a white horse, for it is said that He who sat on the white horse is called "the Word of God," and that He is "King of kings, and Lord of lords." Because "fire" signifies the Divine love:
The Lord was seen by Moses on Mount Horeb in fire in a bush (Exodus 3:1-3).
So, too, the Lord was seen "in fire" by Moses and all the Israelitish people when He came down upon Mount Sinai, which is thus described in Moses:
And Mount Sinai was altogether on smoke because Jehovah descended upon it in fire, so that the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace (Exodus 19:18; Deuteronomy 4:36).
Here, too, the "fire" that was seen represented the Divine love.
[6] Because "fire" signifies in the highest sense the Lord's Divine love, it was commanded that fire should burn continually on the altar, and that they should take of that fire for the incense-offerings. It was on this account that the Greeks and Romans had a perpetual fire among their religious observances, of which the vestal virgins had charge. That they worshiped fire as holy was derived from the ancient churches that were in Asia, all things of which worship were representative. Because "fire" signifies in the highest sense the Divine love, a lampstand was placed in the Tent of meeting, on which were seven lamps that burned continually, which is thus described in Moses:
Command the sons of Israel that they bring unto thee pure oil of the olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to go up continually. Aaron shall order it from evening to morning before Jehovah continually. He shall order the lamps upon the pure lampstand before Jehovah continually (Leviticus 24:2-4. Respecting this lampstand itself see Exodus 25:31-40; 37:17-24; 40:24, 25; Numbers 8:2-4).
The like is signified by the seven lamps of fire burning before the throne of God (Revelation 4:5).
But "the fire of the altar" signified Divine celestial love, and "the fire of the lampstand," which was a flame, signified Divine spiritual love. From this it is that the "oil," too, which produced the fire of the flame in the lamps of the lampstand, signifies the Divine love; also the "oil" that the five prudent virgins had in their lamps, and that the five foolish virgins did not have (Matthew 25:1-12).
[7] Again "fire" signifies the Lord's Divine love, in the Gospels:
John said, I baptize you with water, but Jesus shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16).
"Baptizing with the Holy Spirit and with fire" signifies the regeneration of man by means of the Divine truth and the Divine good of love from the Lord, the "Holy Spirit" meaning the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, and "fire" the Divine love from which it springs.
[8] The like that is signified by "fire" is also signified by "a place for fire" in Isaiah:
Jehovah who hath His place for fire in Zion, and His oven in Jerusalem (Isaiah 31:9).
It is said "who hath His place for fire in Zion" because "Zion" signifies the church in which is celestial love; and "His oven in Jerusalem" because "Jerusalem" signifies the church in which is the truth of doctrine; celestial love is comparatively "a place for fire," and truth of doctrine is like an "oven" in which bread is prepared.
[9] Because the good of love is signified by "fire," and worship from the good of love was represented by "whole burnt-offerings," sometimes fire was sent down out of heaven and consumed the whole burnt-offering; as when a whole burnt-offering was made for the expiation of the people, which is thus described in Moses:
When the offering was made, fire went forth from before Jehovah and devoured upon the altar the whole burnt-offering and the fat; and all the people saw it, and shouted aloud and fell on their faces (Arcana Coelestia 7852-7861.)
[10] Again the Lord's Divine love was signified by the fire in which the Lord went before the sons of Israel in the wilderness, when they were journeying; also by the fire over the Tent of meeting during the night, which is thus described in Moses:
Jehovah went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them in the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light; neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night departed from before the people (Exodus 13:21, 22; Numbers 9:15-23; Deuteronomy 1:33).
The cloud of Jehovah was upon the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the eyes of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys (Exodus 40:38; Psalms 105:32, 39).
The "cloud appearing by day, and the fire by night," represented the Lord's protection of heaven and the church; for "the tabernacle" represented heaven and the church, "cloud and fire" protection; for "the day when there was the cloud" signifies Divine truth in light, and the "night" signifies Divine truth in shade. Lest they might be hurt by too much light they were guarded by a cloud, and from being hurt by too much shade they were guarded by a shining fire.
[11] That such was represented thereby can be seen in Isaiah:
Jehovah will create over every dwelling place of Mount Zion and over her convocations a cloud by day and a smoke and the brightness of a flame of fire by night; for over all the glory shall be a covering. And there shall be a covert for a shade in the daytime from the heat, and for a shelter and hiding place from inundation and from rain (Isaiah 4:5, 6).
"The dwelling place of Mount Zion" signifies the good of the celestial church, and "her convocations" signify the truths of that good; protection lest it be hurt by too much light and by too much shade is signified by "a cloud by day," and by "a smoke and the brightness of a flame of fire by night;" therefore it is said "over all the glory shall be a covering," and that "there shall be a covert for a shade in the daytime from the heat." Lest falsities should break in because of too much light or too much shade is signified by "it shall be for a shelter and a hiding place from the inundation and from rain," "inundation and rain" meaning a breaking in of falsities.
[12] In Zechariah:
I will be unto Jerusalem a wall of fire round about, and in glory I will be in the midst of her (Zechariah 2:5).
"A wall of fire" signifies defense by Divine love, for this the hells cannot assault; "glory in the midst of her" is Divine truth therefrom in light on every side. Because "fire" signifies the Divine love, the whole burnt-offerings were called:
Offerings made by fire to Jehovah, and offerings made by fire for an odor of rest to Jehovah (Exodus 29:18; Leviticus 1:9, 13, 17; 2:2, 9, 10, 11; 3:5, 164:35; 5:12; 7:30; 21:6; Numbers 28:2; Deuteronomy 18:1); this signifying that they were adopted in order to represent worship from the good of love, "whole burnt-offerings" representing that worship, because in them the entire animals were burned in the fire and consumed.
[13] Because the Word is Divine truth itself united to Divine good, for everywhere in it there is a marriage of good and truth, therefore:
Elijah was seen to ascend up into heaven by a chariot of fire and horses of fire (2 Kings 2:11).
For the same reason the mountain was seen to be full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha (2 Kings 6:17).
For Elijah and Elisha represented the Lord in relation to the Word; therefore the "chariot" signified doctrine from the Word, and "the horses" the understanding of the Word.
[14] Again, that "fire" signifies love is evident in David:
Jehovah maketh His angels spirits, His ministers a flaming fire (130, 200, 302; and that "ministers" signify recipients of the Divine good which is of Divine love, see also above, n. 155.) From this it is clear that "a flaming fire" signifies the good of love. "Fire" signifies love, because the Lord from Divine love appears in the angelic heaven as a sun, from which sun heat and light proceed; and in the heavens heat from the Lord as a sun is the Divine good of love, and light from the Lord as a sun is the Divine truth; this is why "fire" signifies in the Word the good of love, and "light" truth from good. (That the Lord from Divine love appears in the angelic heaven as a sun may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell 116-125; and that light from that sun is Divine truth, and heat from that sun is Divine good, n. 126-140; also n. 567, 568.) It is from the correspondence between fire and love that in ordinary language, in speaking of the affections that belong to love, the expressions "to grow hot," "to burn," "to glow," "to boil," "to be on fire," and others of like meaning are used. Moreover, man grows warm from love of any kind, according to its degree.
[15] So far respecting the signification of "fire" in the Word, when it is attributed to the Lord, or when it is predicated of heaven and the church. But when "fire" is predicated in the Word of the evil and of the hells, it signifies the love of self and of the world, and thence every evil affection and cupidity that torments the wicked after death in the hells. "Fire" has this contrary signification for the reason that Divine love, when it comes down out of heaven and falls into the societies where the evil are, is changed into a love contrary to the Divine love, and thus into various heats of cupidity and of lusts, and so into evils of every kind, and also into torments, because evils carry with them the punishments of evil. From this change of the Divine love into infernal love with the evil, the hells where the love of self and the world and hatreds and revenge prevail, appear to be as if on fire, both within and round about, although the infernal crew that is in them perceive nothing fiery. Indeed, from these loves the crew that is in such hells appear with faces inflamed and reddened as from fire.
[16] This, therefore, is the signification of "fire" in the following passages. In Isaiah:
Wickedness shall burn as a fire; it shall devour the briars and brambles, and shall kindle the thickets of the forest, that they may roll upward in the elation of smoke. And the people are become as food of the fire; a man shall not pity his brother (Exodus 9:18, 19).
In the same:
The whole people shall be for the burning, food for fire (Isaiah 9:5).
Ye Assyrians, conceive chaff, bring forth stubble; your spirit, fire shall devour you. So shall the peoples be burnt for lime; thorns cut down which are kindled with fire. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire; who among us shall sojourn with the burnings of eternity (Isaiah 33:11, 12, 14).
"The Assyrians" mean those who from falsities and fallacies reason against the truths and goods of the church from self-intelligence, thus from self-love; these are here described.
[17] In the same:
In the day of Jehovah's vengeance, the brooks of the land shall be turned into pitch, and its dust into brimstone, and the land shall become burning pitch; it shall not be quenched night or day, the smoke thereof shall go up forever (Heaven and Hell 566-575, where it is shown what is meant by "infernal fire" and by "the gnashing of teeth."
[18] In the article above, in which "hail" was treated of, it was said that the Divine, when it comes down out of heaven into the lower sphere where the evil are, presents an effect which is the opposite of its effect in heaven itself; that is, in heaven it vivifies and conjoins, but in the lower parts where the evil are it produces death and disjunction. This is because the Divine influx out of heaven opens, in the good, the spiritual mind, and fits it to receive; but in the evil, who have no spiritual mind, it opens the interiors of their natural mind, where evils and falsities reside, and from this they then have an aversion to every good of heaven, and hatred for truths, and a lust for every crime, and in consequence they are separated from the good, and then damned. This influx with the good, of which we are now speaking, appears in the heavens as a fire vivifying, recreating, and conjoining; but below with the evil, it appears as a devouring and wasting fire.
[19] It is because of this effect of the Divine love flowing down out of heaven, that in the Word anger and wrath are so often attributed to Jehovah, that is, to the Lord, anger from fire, and wrath from the heat of fire; there is also the expression "the fire of His anger," and that "He is a consuming fire," with many other like expressions, which do not mean that the fire proceeding from the Lord is such, for in its origin it is Divine love, but that it becomes such with the evil, who by reason of its flowing into them become angry and wrathful. That this is so can be seen from the fire that appeared on Mount Sinai, when the Lord descended upon it and promulgated the law; this fire, although in its origin it was Divine love and the source of Divine truth, appeared to the Israelitish people as a consuming fire, before which they trembled greatly. (The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 248.)
[20] This is why Jehovah, that is the Lord, is called in the Word "a consuming fire," as in the following passages:
Jehovah God is a consuming fire (Deuteronomy 4:24).
In Isaiah:
Behold, Jehovah will come in fire and His chariots like a storm, in flames of fire. For in fire Jehovah will plead, and in His sword with all flesh; and the slain of Jehovah shall be multiplied (Isaiah 66:15, 16).
In the same:
Thou shalt be visited with a flame of devouring fire (Isaiah 29:6).
In the same:
In the indignation of the anger of Jehovah, and in a flame of a devouring fire, in scattering, and inundation, and hailstones (Isaiah 30:30).
In David:
There went up a smoke out of His nostrils, and fire out of His mouth devoured; coals were kindled by it. At the brightness that was before Him the clouds passed, hail and coals of fire. Jehovah thundered out of the heavens, and the Most High gave forth His voice, hail and coals of fire (Psalms 18:8, 12, 13).
Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence; a fire shall devour before Him (Psalms 50:3).
In the same:
Jehovah shall rain upon the wicked snares, fire, and brimstone (Psalms 11:6).
In Ezekiel:
I will set My faces against them, that although they go out from the fire yet the fire shall devour them. And I will make the land a waste, because they have committed trespasses (Ezekiel 15:4, 6-8).
In Moses:
A fire has been kindled in Mine anger, and shall burn even unto the lowest hell, and it shall devour the earth and its produce, and shall set on fire the foundations of the mountains (Deuteronomy 32:22).
Such things appear in the spiritual world when Divine good and truth come down out of heaven towards the lower parts where the evil are who are to be separated from the good and dispersed; and these things are said because of these appearances there. And as the fire that comes down out of heaven, which in its origin is Divine love, becomes, when it is received by the evil there, a consuming fire, in the Word such fire is predicated of Jehovah. Infernal fire has no other source than the change of the Divine love into evil loves, and into direful cupidities of doing evil and inflicting injury.
[21] This was represented also by:
The fire that fell from heaven and consumed Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:24);
And the fire that consumed Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, because they offered incense with strange fire (Leviticus 10:1, et seq.).
"Incense offered with strange fire" signifies worship from other love than love to the Lord. Also by:
The fire that consumed the uttermost part of the camp of the sons of Israel, because of their lusts (Numbers 11:1-3).
The same was represented by:
The Egyptians that perished in the Red Sea when Jehovah looked out from the pillar of fire and of cloud towards their camp (Exodus 14:24-27).
That this fire was in its origin the Divine love, shining before the sons of Israel in their journeyings and over the tabernacle in the nighttime, has been shown above in this article; and yet Jehovah's looking out from it threw the camps of the Egyptians into utter disorder and destroyed them.
[22] It is shown in Revelation that fire appeared descending from heaven to consume the evil in the spiritual world, and was seen there by John, for he says that:
Fire came down out of heaven, and consumed Gog and Magog and their crew (Revelation 20:9; Ezekiel 38:22).
"To consume" signifies here to disperse and to cast into hell. So again it is said in Isaiah:
The light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame, and it shall burn and consume his briers and brambles in one day (Isaiah 10:17).
"Briers and brambles" signify the evils and falsities of the doctrine of the church; the destruction of these by Divine truth descending out of heaven is signified by "the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame."
[23] Because "fire" in the contrary sense, or in respect to the evil, properly signifies the love of self, and "flame" the love of the world, so also "fire" signifies every evil, as enmity, hatred, revenge, and many others, for all evils swarm forth from these two origins (See The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 75); consequently "fire" signifies also the destruction of man in respect to spiritual life, and thus damnation and hell. All these things are signified by "fire" because love is signified by "fire," as can be seen still further from the following passages. In Isaiah:
The peoples shall behold, and be ashamed 1of the hatred; yea, fire shall devour thine enemies (Isaiah 26:11).
The destruction of the evil, who are here meant by "peoples" and "enemies," is described by "hatred" and "fire."
[24] In the same:
When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee, and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee; when thou goest through the fire thou shall not be scorched, neither shall the flame burn thee (Isaiah 43:2).
"To pass through waters and through rivers and not be overflowed" signifies that falsities and reasonings from falsities against truths shall not enter and corrupt, "waters" here meaning falsities, and "rivers" reasonings from falsities against truths; "to go through the fire and not be scorched, and not to have the flame burn" signifies that evils and the cupidities arising from them shall do no harm, "fire" signifying evils, and "flame" the cupidities therefrom.
[25] In the same:
The house of our holiness and our splendor, where our fathers praised Thee, is burned up with fire; and all our desirable things are laid waste (Isaiah 64:11).
"The house of holiness and splendor" signifies the celestial and the spiritual church, "the house of holiness" the celestial church, and "splendor" the spiritual church; "where our fathers praised Thee" signifies the worship of the Ancient Church, "to praise" signifying to worship, and "fathers" those who were of the Ancient Church; "to be burned up with fire" signifies that all the goods of that church were turned into evils by which the goods were consumed and destroyed; "and all our desirable things are laid waste" signifies that all truths also were consumed, "desirable things" signifying in the Word the truths of the church.
[26] In the same:
Ye shall be as an oak casting its leaves, and as a garden that hath no waters. And the strong one shall be as tow, and his work as a spark, that they may both burn together and no one quench them (Isaiah 1:30, 31).
An "oak" signifies the natural man, and "leaves" knowledges and cognitions of truth therein; "garden" signifies the rational man; so "ye shall be as an oak casting its leaves, and as a garden that hath no waters," signifies that there shall no longer be any true knowledge or rational truth. "The strong one" and "his work" signifies what is hatched out from self-intelligence; he who trusts in himself and his own intelligence is often called "strong" in the Word, for he regards himself and his work that he brings forth as strong; and as man's own [proprium] drinks in every evil and falsity and thereby destroys every good and truth, it is said, "the strong shall be as tow, and his work as a spark, and they shall both burn together;" "to be burned" signifying to perish by the falsities of evil.
[27] In Ezekiel:
Thy mother is like a vine. Now she is planted in the wilderness, in a land of drought and thirst; fire hath gone out from the rod of her branches, it hath devoured them and her fruit (Ezekiel 19:10, 12-14).
"The mother who was like a vine" signifies the Ancient Church, which was in the good of life and in the truths therefrom; "now she is planted in the wilderness in a land of drought and thirst," signifies that the church is now destitute of goods and truths, "a land of drought" meaning the church where there is no good, and "a land of thirst" where there is no truth; "fire hath gone out from the rod of her branches, it hath devoured them and her fruit," signifies that the evil of falsity has destroyed every truth and good, "fire" means evil, "the rod of the branches" the falsity of doctrine in which is evil, and "to devour them and her fruit" means to destroy truth and good; the evil of falsity is the evil that is from the falsity of doctrine.
[28] In Zechariah:
The Lord will impoverish Tyre, and smite her wealth in the sea; and she shall be devoured by fire (Zechariah 9:4).
"Tyre" signifies the church in respect to the knowledges of truth and good, thus "Tyre" signifies the knowledges of truth and good that belong to the church; its devastation by falsities and evils is signified by "the Lord shall smite her wealth in the sea, and she shall be devoured by fire."
[29] In David:
Enemies have set Thy sanctuary on fire, they have profaned the tabernacle of Thy name even to the earth; they have burned all God's festal places to the earth. There is no more any prophet, neither is there with us anyone that knoweth (Psalms 74:7-9).
That cupidities arising from evil loves have destroyed the truths and goods of the church is signified by "enemies have set the sanctuary on fire, and have profaned the tabernacle of the name of Jehovah;" that they utterly destroyed all things of Divine worship is signified by "they have burned all God's festal places to the earth;" that there was no longer any doctrine of truth or understanding of truth is signified by "there is no more any prophet, neither is there with us anyone that knoweth."
[30] In Moses:
If men of Belial should impel the inhabitants of a city to serve other gods they should all be smitten with the edge of the swords, and the city with all its spoil should be burned with fire (Deuteronomy 13:14-17).
This signifies in the spiritual sense that a doctrine from which is worship that acknowledges any other god than the Lord must be destroyed, because in such doctrine there is nothing but falsities from evil cupidities. This is signified in the spiritual sense by these words, because a "city" in the Word signifies doctrine, and "to serve other gods" signifies to acknowledge and worship some other god than the Lord; "sword" signifies the destruction of truth by falsity, and "fire" the destruction of good by evil.
[31] In Luke:
The Lord said that He came to send fire on the earth; and what would He if it were already kindled? (Luke 12:49);
which signifies hostilities and combats between good and evil, and between truth and falsity; for before the Lord came into the world there were in the church nothing but falsities and evils, consequently there was no combat between these and truths and goods; but when truths and goods had been unveiled by the Lord, then it was possible for combats to exist, and without combats between these there can be no reformation; this therefore is what is meant by the Lord's "willing that fire be already kindled." That this is the meaning of these words can be seen from those that follow:
That He had come to give division; for from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided; the father shall be divided against the son and the son against the father, the mother against the daughter and the daughter against the mother (Luke 12 verses 51-53).
"The father against the son and the son against the father" means evil against truth and truth against evil; and "the mother against the daughter and the daughter against the mother" means the cupidity of falsity against the affection of truth, and the affection of truth against the cupidity of falsity; "in one house" means with one man.
[32] As "sons" signify in the Word the truths of the church, and "daughters" its goods, it can be seen what is signified by "burning sons and daughters" in Jeremiah:
They have built the high places of Topheth, in the valley of Hinnom, for burning their sons and their daughters (Jeremiah 7:31).
I will cause an alarm of war to be heard against Rabbah of Ammon; and her daughters shall be burned with fire (Jeremiah 49:2).
And in Ezekiel:
When ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire (Ezekiel 20:31).
"To burn sons and daughters with fire" signifies to destroy the truths and goods of the church by evil cupidities or by evil loves; whether or not such abominations were committed, yet they signify the destruction of the truth and good of the church by filthy abominable lusts, which are confirmed by falsities.
[33] From this the signification of "hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast unto the earth, so that a third part of the trees was burnt up," can now be seen, namely, influx out of heaven, and thence the first change before the Last Judgment; but what "tree" and "green grass" signify will be told in what follows. Like things are also said in the description of the plagues in Egypt that preceded their final destruction, which was the drowning in the Red Sea, namely:
That hail in which ran fire rained on the land of Egypt, by which every herb of the field was smitten, and every tree of the field was broken down (Exodus 9:18-35).
[34] That like things are to occur before "the day of Jehovah," which is the Last Judgment, is predicted in the Prophets. In Joel:
The day of Jehovah, a day of darkness and of thick darkness; a fire devoureth before it, and after it a flame burneth (Joel 2:1-3).
In the same:
And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and fearful day of Jehovah cometh (Joel 2:30, 31).
In the same:
The fire hath devoured the habitations of the desert, and the flame hath set in flames all the trees of the field (Joel 1:19, 20).
In Ezekiel:
Say to the forest of the south, Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee; the flame of the grievous flame shall not be quenched; wherefore all the faces from the south even to the north shall be burned therein (Ezekiel 20:46, 47).
"The forest of the south" signifies a church that can be in the light of truth from the Word, but that is now in knowledges alone without spiritual light; "the trees that the fire will devour" signify such knowledges; that evil cupidities will deprive such knowledges of all spiritual life, and that there will be no longer any truth in clearness, nor even a remnant of it in obscurity, is signified by "all the faces (of the land) from the south to the north shall be burned therein." Now that the signification of "fire" in both senses is known, the signification in the Word of "to become warm," "to be inflamed," "to glow," "to boil up," "to be burned," "to be burnt up," also of "warmth," "flame," "glow," "burning," "conflagration," "place for fire," "coals," and the like, can be seen.
Footnotes:
1. The photolithograph has "pine away."
504. Hactenus ostensum est quid significatur per "grandinem"; superest etiam ut ostendatur quid significatur per "ignem." Per "ignem" in Verbo significatur bonum amoris caelestis, ac per "flammam" bonum amoris spiritualis; in oppoSito autem sensu per "ignem" significatur malum oriundum ex amore sui, ac per "flammam" malum oriundum ex amore mundi. Sciendum est quod omnia bona quaecunque sunt, suam existentiam ducant ex amore caelesti et ex amore spirituali; et quod omnia mala quaecunque sunt, suam existentiam ducant ex amore sui et ex amore mundi; et quia amor in utroque sensu per "ignem" in Verbo significatur, ideo etiam omne bonum et omne malum, quae ex amoribus illis binis existunt. Quoniam in Verbo "ignis" dicitur et de caelo et de inferno, et adhuc ignotum est quod amor per "ignem" ibi significetur, velim plura loca e Verbo afferre, ut in lucem mittatur quod per "ignem" in bono sensu ibi intelligatur amor caelestis, et in malo sensu amor infernalis.
[2] Quod per "ignem" in Verbo significetur amor caelestis patet primum ex significatione "ignis altaris", quod sit amor caelestis, seu amor in Dominum (videatur supra, n. 496); et quod similiter "ignis" non altaris, constare potest ex sequentibus locis:
- Apud Ezechielem,
"Vidi cum ecce ventus procellae venit ex septentrione, nubes magna, et ignis in se ipsum se recipiens, cui splendor circumcirca, et quasi species prunae 1
in medio ignis: et e medio ejus similitudo quatuor animalium:.... aspectus animalium sicut prunae ignis 2
ardentes juxta aspectum lampadum; idem incedens inter animalia; ita ut splendor igni, et ex igne exiens fulgur.... . Supra expansum, quod super capite eorum, erat.... . similitudo throni, super quo aspectus hominis;.... et vidi sicut speciem prunae juxta speciem ignis intra 3
illam circumcirca, ab aspectu lumborum Ejus et sursum, et ab aspectu lumborum Ejus et deorsum Vidi quasi aspectum ignis, cui splendor circumcirca" (Ezechiel 1:4, [5] , 13, 26, 27; Ezech. 8:2 4
):
per "cherubos", qui visi sicut animalia, intelligitur Dominus quoad Divinam providentiam, et quoad custodiam ne adeatur nisi quam per bonum amoris; et quia ipsa custodia est in caelis, ac praecipue in caelo intimo seu tertio, ideo quoque hoc caelum per "cherubos" significatur (videatur supra, n. 152, 277, 313, 322, 362, 462): et quia tertium caelum imprimis per illos significatur, ac Dominus est supra caelos, ideo quoque visus est Dominus "super throno, supra cherubos": quod itaque "ignis" visus sit in medio cheruborum, cui splendor circumcirca, et ex quo fulgur, et quoque circa thronum, et a lumbis Sedentis super illo sursum et deorsum, significet Divinum Amorem caelestem, patet; nam Ipse Dominus est Divinus Amor, et quicquid procedit ex Domino procedit ex Divino Ipsius Amore; hic itaque est "ignis" cui splendor circumcirca.
[3] Similiter apud Danielem,
"Venit ad Antiquum dierum... vestis Ejus sicut nix alba, et crinis capitis Ejus sicut lana munda; thronus Ejus flamma ignis, rotae Ejus ignis ardens; flumen ignis emanans et exiens ex illo" (Daniel 7:7, 9, 10, [13]):
per "Antiquum dierum" etiam intelligitur Dominus; per "Filium hominis" ibi Dominus quoad Divinum Verum, et per "Antiquum dierum" Dominus quoad Divinum Bonum seu Divinum Amorem, qui "Antiquus dierum" dicitur ex tempore antiquissimo, quando ecclesia caelestis erat, quae in amore in Dominum fuit: illa ecclesia, et caelum ex illis qui inde fuerunt, intelligitur per "thronum", qui sicut "flamma ignis"; per "rotas" autem, quae sicut "ignis ardens", significatur doctrina amoris caelestis; ipse Divinus Amor procedens ex Domino significatur per "ignem emanantem et exeuntem a coram Ipso."
[4] Memoratur etiam a Daniele quod ei visus sit
"Vir indutus linteis, cujus lumbi cincti auro Uphasi, et corpus Ejus sicut Tharschisch, et facies Ejus sicut aspectus fulguris, et oculi Ejus sicut faces ignis; et brachia et pedes Ejus sicut splendor aeris levigati" (10:5, 6).
Quod Dominus fuerit qui ita visus Danieli, constare potest ex Apocalypsi, ubi Dominus coram Johanne paene similiter repraesentatus est, de Quo ita,
"In medio septem candelabrorum similis Filio hominis, .... circumcinctus ad ubera zona aurea; caput Ipsius et capilli albi sicut lana alba, sicut nix, et oculi Ejus sicut flamma ignis; pedes Ejus similes chalcolibano quasi in camino igniti facti;.... aspectus Ejus sicut sol" (1:13-16; 2:18):
ex descriptione paene simili "Filii hominis" visi Johanni in medio septem candelabrorum, ac "Viri induti linteis", tum "Antiqui dierum" visi Danieli, patet quod sit Dominus qui utrique visus est; quod "facies Ipsius visa sit sicut fulgur, et oculi sicut flamma ignis, significat Divinum Domini Amorem; facies enim apud hominem est imago repraesentativa affectionis quae amoris ejus; et oculi imprimis, nam ex illis amor elucet, scintillant enim inde sicut ex igne.
[5] Etiam de Sedente super Equo albo dicitur quod
Oculi Ipsius visi sint sicut flamma ignis (Apocalypsis 19:12):
quod sit Dominus quoad Verbum qui ibi repraesentatus est sedens super Equo albo, constat, nam dicitur quod Sedens super Equo albo appelletur "Verbum Dei", et quod sit "Rex regum, et Dominus dominorum." Quoniam per "ignem" significatur Divinus Amor, ideo
Dominus Visus est Mosi super Monte chorebo in rubo in igne (Exodus 3:1-3):
ac ideo quoque Dominus visus est Mosi et universo populo Israelitico, cum descenderet super Montem Sinai, "in igne"; de quo ita apud Mosen,
"Mons Sinai totus fumabat, propterea quod descendit super eum Jehovah in igne, adeo ut ascenderet fumus ejus sicut fumus fornacis" (Exodus 19:18; Deuteronomius 4:36): per "ignem" visum etiam ibi repraesentatus est Divinus Amor.
[6] Quoniam "ignis" in supremo sensu significat Divinum Amorem Domini, ideo mandatum est ut ignis jugiter arderet super altari, et quod ex illo igne sumeretur ad suffitus: ex hoc erat quod apud Graecos et Romanos inter religiosa eorum fuerit ignis perpetuus, cui praeerant Virgines Vestales; quod etiam illi coluerint ignem ut sanctum, duxerunt ab Ecclesiis Antiquis, quae fuerunt in Asia, quarum omnia cultus repraesentativa erant. Quoniam "ignis" in supremo sensu significat Divinum Amorem, ideo quoque in Tentorio conventus positum erat candelabrum in quo septem lucernae, quae jugiter arderent; de quo ita apud Mosen,
"Praecipe filiis Israelis ut adferant ad te oleum olivae [purum] contusum pro candelabro, ad ascendere faciendum lucernas jugiter:.... ordinabit illud Aharon a vespera usque ad mane coram Jehovah jugiter:.... super candelabro mundo ordinabit lucernas coram Jehovah jugiter" (Leviticus 24:2-4): (Et de ipso candelabro, Exodus 25:31 ad fin. ; cap. 37:17-24; 40:24, 25; Numeri 8:2-4):
Simile significatur per "septem lampades ignis" ardentes coram throno Dei (Apoc. 4:5 5
):
sed per "ignem altaris" significabatur Divinus Amor caelestis; et per "ignem candelabri", qui erat flamma, significabatur Divinus Amor spiritualis. Inde etiam est quod per "oleum" ex quo ignis flammae in lucernis candelabri significetur Divinus Amor;
ita per "oleum" quod quinque virgines prudentes habebant in lampadibus, et quod quinque virgines stultae non habebant ( 6
[7] Per "ignem" etiam significatur Divinus Amor Domini, apud Evangelistas,
Johannes dixit, "Ego baptizo aqua.... , at" Jesus "baptizabit spiritu sancto et igne" (Matthaeus 3:11; Luca 3:16):
"baptizare spiritu sancto et igne" significat regenerare hominem per Divinum Verum et Divinum Bonum Amoris ab Ipso; "spiritus sanctus" est Divinum Verum procedens a Domino, et "ignis" est Divinus Amor ex quo.
[8] Simile quod significatur per "ignem", etiam significatur per "focum" apud Esaiam,
Jehovah "cui focus in Zione, et clibanus Illi in Hierosolyma" (31:6):
"cui focus in Zione" dicitur, quia per "Zionem" significatur ecclesia in qua amor caelestis; et "clibanus in Hierosolyma", quia per "Hierosolymam" significatur ecclesia in qua verum doctrinae; amor caelestis est respective focus, et verum doctrinae sicut clibanus in quo parantur panes.
[9] Quia bonum amoris per "ignem" significatur, et cultus ex bono amoris per "holocausta" repraesentatus est, ideo ignis e caelo quandoque demissus est, et consumpsit holocaustum; ut dum holocaustum fiebat pro expiatione populi, de quo ita apud Mosen,
Quo facto "exivit ignis a coram Jehovah, et comedit super altari holocaustum et adipes; et vidit universus populus, et applauserunt, et ceciderunt super facies suas" (Leviticus 9:24);
similiter
Quod ignis e caelo comederit holocastum Eliae, et ligna et lapides, et pulverem, et quod lamberit aquas quae circum in aquaeductu ([1 Reg.] 18:38);
per hunc "ignem " etiam significabatur Divinus Amor, et inde acceptatio cultus ex bono amoris.
Pariter per ignem qui ascendit de petra, et comedit carnem et azyma, quae Guideon apportavit angelo Dei (Judicum 6:21).
Divinus etiam Amor significabatur per
Quod pecus assaretur igne, et non coqueretur aquis, et quod residuum ad mane combureretur igne (Exodus 12:8, 9 [, 10]).
(Explicatio horum versuum videatur in Arcanis Caelestibus n. 7852-7861.)
[10] Divinus etiam Amor Domini significabatur per ignem in quo Dominus praeivit filiis Israelis in deserto, quando proficiscebantur; tum per ignem super Tentorio conventus tempore noctis, de quibus ita apud Mosen,
"Jehovah ibat coram illis interdiu in columna nubis, ad ducendum illos via, et noctu in columna ignis ad lucendum illis;.... nec recedebat columna nubis interdiu, nec columna ignis noctu coram populo" (Exodus 13:21, 22; Numeri 9:15-23; Deuteronomius 1:33);
et alibi,
"Quod nubes Jehovae esset super habitaculo interdiu, et ignis noctu in eo, in oculis omnis domus Israelis, in omnibus profectionibus eorum" (Exodus 40:38; Psalms 105:32, 39):
quod "nubes interdiu apparuerit, et ignis noctu", repraesentabat custodiam caeli et ecclesiae a Domino; per Tabernaculum enim repraesentabatur caelum et ecclesia, per nubem et ignem custodia; "dies" enim, quando nubes erat, significabat Divinum Verum in luce, et "nox" Divinum Verum in umbra; ne laederentur a nimia luce custodiebantur per nubem, et ne laederentur a nimia umbra custodiebantur per ignem lucentem.
[11] Quod haec repraesentata fuerint per illa, constare potest apud Esaiam,
"Creabit Jehovah super omne habitaculum Montis Zionis et super convocationes ejus nubem interdiu, ac fumum et splendorem ignis flammae noctu; nam super omni gloria obtegumentum; et Tabernaculum erit in umbram interdiu ob ardorem, ac in refugium et latibulum contra inundationem et pluviam" (4:5, 6):
per "habitaculum Montis Zionis" significatur bonum ecclesiae caelestis, et per "convocationes ejus" significantur vera illius boni; custodia ne laedatur a nimia luce et a nimia umbra, significatur per "nubem interdiu", ac per "fumum et splendorem ignis flammae noctu"; quare dicitur, quod "super omni gloria obtegumentum", et quod "tabernaculum erit in umbram interdiu ob ardorem": ne ex nimia luce et ex nimia umbra falsa irrumpant, significatur per quod "erit in refugium et latibulum contra inundationem et pluviam"; "inundatio et pluvia" est irruptio falsorum.
[12] :
"murus ignis" significat tutelam per Divinum Amorem, illum enim inferna non aggredi possunt; "gloria" in medio ejus est inde Divinum Verum in luce undequaque. Quoniam "ignis" significabat Divinum Amorem, ideo etiam holocausta vocabantur
"Ignita Jehovae", ac "ignita odoris quietis Jehovae" (Exodus 29:18; Leviticus 1:9, 13, 17; 2:2, 9, 10, 11; 3:5, 16; 4:35; 5:12; 7:30; cap. 21:6; Numeri 28:2; Deuteronomius 18:1 7
):
per quod significabatur quod accepta propter repraesentationem cultus ex bono amoris; holocausta illum cultum repraesentabant, quia in illis integrae pecudes igne adolebantur et consumebantur.
[13] Quoniam Verbum est ipsum Divinum Verum unitum Divino Bono, nam ubivis inibi est conjugium Boni et Veri,
Ideo Elias visus est ascendere in caelum per currum igneum et equos igneos (2 Regnum 2:11);
Et ideo circum Elisaeum visus est mons plenus equis et curribus igneis (2 Regnum 6:17);
nam per Eliam et Elisaeum repraesentabatur Dominus quoad Verbum; inde per "currum" significabatur doctrina e Verbo, et per "equos" intellectus Verbi.
[14] Quod "ignis" significet amorem, patet etiam apud Davidem,
Jehovah "facit angelos suos spiritus, ministros suos ignem flammantem" (Psalms 104:4):
quod faciat "angelos spiritus" significat quod recipientes Divini Veri, proinde Divina vera; et quod faciat "ministros suos ignem flammantem" significat quod recipientes Divini Boni, proinde Divina bona; (quod per "angelos" in Verbo intelligatur Dominus quoad Divinum Verum, ac in sensu respectivo intelligantur recipientes Divini Veri a Domino, videatur supra, n. 130, 200, 302; et quod per "ministros" significentur recipientes Divini Boni, quod est Divini Amoris, etiam supra, n. 155); inde patet quod per "ignem flammantem" significetur bonum amoris.
Quod "ignis" significet amorem, est quia Dominus apparet in caelo angelico ex Divino Amore ut Sol, ex quo Sole procedit calor et lux, et in caelis calor ex Domino ut Sole est Divinum Bonum Amoris, et lux ex Domino ut Sole est Divinum Verum; inde est quod "ignis" in Verbo significet bonum amoris, et "lux" verum ex bono. (Quod Dominus appareat in caelo angelico ut Sol ex Divino Amore, videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno n. 116-125; et quod Lux ex illo Sole sit Divinum Verum, et Calor ex illo Sole sit Divinum Bonum, n. 126-140; tum n. 567, 568, ibi.) Ex correspondentia ignis et amoris est, quod in communi sermone dicatur "incalescere", "incendi", "flagrare", "effervescere", "ignescere", et similia, cum loquela est de affectionibus quae amoris: etiam homo ex amore quocunque secundum gradum ejus incalescit.
[15] Haec de significatione "ignis" in Verbo, ubi is attribuitur Domino, ac ubi dicitur de caelo et ecclesia. At ubi "ignis" in Verbo dicitur de malis ac de infernis, tunc is significat amorem sui et mundi, et inde omnem affectionem malam et cupiditatem, quae cruciat impios post mortem in infernis. Causa quod "ignis" haec opposita significet, est quia Divinus Amor, quando e caelo descendit, ac in societates ubi mali sunt illabitur, vertitur in amorem Divino Amori contrarium, ac inde in varios ardores cupiditatum et concupiscentiarum, et sic in mala omnis generis; et quia mala poenas mali secum ferunt, etiam in cruciatus. Ex conversione illa Divini Amoris in infernalem amorem apud malos, apparent inferna, ubi amores sui et mundi et ubi odia et vindictae regnant, sicut in incendio, tam intus quam circum circa; tametsi a diabolica turba, quae inibi est, non percipitur aliquod igneum: immo ex amoribus illis apparet turba, quae in talibus infernis, facie inflammata et rubente sicut ab igne.
[16]) apud eundem,
Assyrii, "concipite quisquilias, parite stipulam, spiritum vestrum, ignis comedet vos; ita erunt populi combusti in calcem; spinae excisae quae igne succenduntur; .... quis manebit nobis igne comedente? quis manebit nobis focis aeternitatis?" (33:11, 12, 14):
per "Assyrios" intelliguntur qui ex falsis et fallaciis ratiocinantur contra vera et bona ecclesiae ex propria intelligentia, ita ex amore sui; illi hic describuntur.
[17] Apud eundem,
In die vindictae Jehovae.... "convertentur torrentes terrae in picem, et pulvis ejus in sulphur; et erit terra in picem ardentem, noctu et diu non exstinguetur; in aeternum ascendet fumus ejus" (34:8-10);
apud eundem,
"Facti sunt sicut stipula, ignis combussit eos; non 8
eripiunt animam suam e manu flammae" (47:14);
apud eundem,
"Ecce omnes vos accendetis ignem, succingitis vos scintillis, ite in focum ignis vestri, et in scintillas quas incendistis" (50:11):
apud eundem,
"Vermis eorum non morietur, et ignis eorum non exstinguetur" (66:24);
apud Ezechielem,
"Dabo te in manum virorum ardentium, .... igni eris in cibum" ( 9
Ezech. 21:31, 32]);
apud Davidem,
"Pones eos sicut clibanum ignis tempore irae tuae, .... et comedet eos ignis" (Psalms 21:10 [B.A. 9]);
apud eundem,
"Obruant" impios "prunae, ignis dejiciat eos in foveas, non resurgant" (Psalms 140:11 [B.A. 10]);
apud Matthaeum,
"Omnis arbor non faciens fructum bonum, exscindetur et in ignem conjicietur Purgabit aream suam, colliget triticum suum in horrea, paleam autem comburet igne inexstinguibili" (Matthaeus 3:10, 12; Luca 3:9, 17 10
);
apud eundem,
"Quemadmodum.... comburuntur zizania igne, sic erit in consummatione saeculi" (13:40 11
);
apud eundem,
"Mittet Filius hominis angelos suos, qui colligent e regno Ipsius omnia offendicula, et eos qui faciunt iniquitatem; et mittent eos in caminum ignis" (13:41, 42, 50);
apud eundem,
Dixit illis a sinistris, "Discedite a Me, maledicti, in ignem aeternum paratum diabolo et angelis ejus" (25:41);
apud eundem,
"Qui dixerit fratri suo, Stulte, obnoxius erit gehennae ignis" (5:22; pariter cap. 18:8, 9; Marcus 9:45, 47);
apud Lucam,
Dives in inferno dixit, "Pater Abraham, ... mitte Lazarum ut intingat extremum digiti sui in aquam et refrigeret linguam meam, quia crucior in flamma hac" (16:24);
apud eundem,
"Cum egressus est Lothus e Sodoma, pluit igne et sulphure e caelo, et perdidit eos..; juxta hoc fiet quo die Filius hominis revelabitur" (17:29, 30);
in Apocalypsi,
"Si quis bestiam adorat, .... bibet ex Vino irae Dei, .... et cruciabitur igne et sulphure" (14 [9,] 10);
alibi,
Bestia et pseudopropheta "vivi conjecti sunt.... in stagnum ignis ardens sulphure" (19:20);
alibi,
"Diabolus.... conjectus est in stagnum ignis et sulphuris" (20:10);
alibi,
"Mors et infernus ejecti sunt in stagnum ignis;.... et qui non inventus est in libro vitae scriptus, ejectus est in stagnum ignis" (20:14, 15);
et alibi,
"Infidelibus, .... homicidis, scortatoribus, incantatoribus, idololatris, et.. mendacibus, pars erit in stagno ardente igne et sulphure" (21:8).
In his locis per "ignem" significatur omnis cupiditas quae est amoris mali, et ejus poena, quae est cruciatus. His adjiciantur quae allata sunt in opere De Caelo et Inferno (n. 566-575), ubi ostensum est quid ignis infernalis et quid stridor dentium.
[18] In superiori articulo, ubi actum est de grandine, dictum est quod Divinum e caelo descendens in inferiore sphaera, ubi mali sunt, contrarium effectum sistat quam in ipso caelo; quod nempe in caelo vivificet et conjungat, at in inferioribus, ubi mali sunt; mortificet et disjungat: ex causa quia influxus Divinus e caelo apud bonos aperit spiritualem mentem, et ad recipiendum adaptat; apud malos autem, quibus non aliqua mens spiritualis est, aperit interiora mentis naturalis eorum, ubi resident mala et falsa; unde illis tunc aversatio ad omne bonum caeli, et odium contra vera, ac concupiscentia ad omne facinus, inde separatio eorum a bonis, et mox damnatio. Influxus ille apud bonos, de quo nunc dictum est, apparet in caelis ut ignis vivificans, recreans et conjungens; infra autem apud malos apparet ille ut ignis consumens et vastans.
[19] Quia talis effectus est Divini Amoris defluentis e caelo, ideo in Verbo toties tribuitur Jehovae, hoc est, Domino, ira et excandescentia; ira ex igne et excandescentia ex aestu ignis; ac quoque dicitur "ignis irae Ejus", et quod sit "ignis consumens", praeter similia plura; quae dicuntur non ex eo quod ignis procedens ex Domino sit talis, est enim in sua origine Divinus Amor, sed quod fiat talis apud malos, qui irascuntur et excandescunt ex influxu ejus. Quod ita sit, constare potest ex igne qui apparuit super Monte Sinai, quando Dominus super illum descendit et promulgavit Legem; qui ignis, tametsi in sua origine fuit Divinus Amor, ex quo Divinum Verum, usque apparuit populo Israelitico sicut ignis consumens, coram quo valde trepidabant (Exodus 19:18; 20:15[18] : Deuteronomius 4:11, 12, 15, 12
33, 36; 5:5, 19, 21-23 [B.A. 22-26]); ex causa quia apud populum Israeliticum non erat aliquod internum spirituale, sed internum naturale, quod omnis generis malis et falsis scatuit; et Dominus apparet cuivis secundum quale ejus. (Quod filii Jacobi tales fuerint, videatur in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae, n. 248.)
[20] Inde est quod Jehovah, hoc est, Dominus, in Verbo dicatur "ignis consumens", ut in his locis:
"Jehovah Deus est ignis consumens" (Deuteronomius 4:24);
apud Esaiam,
"Ecce Jehovah in igne veniet, et sicut procella currus Ejus.... in flammis ignis; nam in igne Jehovah disceptabit, et in gladio suo cum omni carne, et multiplicabuntur confossi Jehovae" (66:15, 16);
apud eundem,
"Visitaberis.... cum flamma ignis comedentis" ( 13
29:6);
apud eundem,
"In indignatione irae" Jehovae, "et flamma ignis comedentis, dispersione, inundatione, et lapide grandinis" (30:30);
apud Davidem,
"Ascendit fumus ex naso Ejus, et ignis ex ore Ejus comedit; prunae arserunt ex;.... a splendore ante Ipsum nubes transierunt, grando et prunae ignis; tonavit e caelis Jehovah, et Altissimus dedit Vocem suum, grandinem et prunas ignis" (Psalms 18:9, 13, 14 [B.A. 8, 12, 13]);
apud eundem,
"Veniet Deus noster et [non] tacebit, ignis coram Ipso comedet" (Ps. 50:3);
apud eundem,
Jehovah "pluet super impios, laqueos, ignem et sulphur" (Psalms 11:6);
apud Ezechielem,
"Dabo facies meas contra illos, ut tametsi ex igne exiverint, ignis tamen comedet eos, ... et terram dabo devastationem, quia praevaricati sunt praevaricationes" (15:4, 6-8);
apud Mosen,
"Ignis accensus est in ira mea, et ardebit usque ad infernum infimum, et comedet terram proventumque ejus; et inflammabit fundamenta montium " (Deuteronomius 32:22).
Talia apparent in mundo spirituali, quando Divinum Bonum et Verum e caelo descendit versus inferiora ibi, ubi mali sunt qui separandi a bonis et dispergendi; ex apparentiis ibi illa dicta sunt. Et quia ignis descendens e caelis, qui in sua origine est Divinus Amor, receptus a malis ibi fit ignis consumens, ideo talis ignis in Verbo praedicatur de Jehovah. Ignis infernalis nec aliunde est quam mutatio Divini Amoris in amores malos ac in diras cupiditates malefaciendi et nocendi.
[21] Hoc quoque repraesentatum est per
Quod ignis e caelo delapsus consumpserit Sodomam et Gomorrham (Genesis 19:24);
Quod ignis consumpserit Nadab et Abihu, filios Aharonis, quia suffiverunt igne alieno (Leviticus 10:1, seq.):
per "suffitum ex igne alieno" significatur cultus ex alio amore quam Domini: tum
Quod ignis consumpserit extremitatem castrorum filiorum Israelis, propter concupiscentias eorum (Numeri 11:1-3).
Simile representatum est per quod Aegyptii in Mari Suph perierint, quando Jehovah prospexit ex columna ignis et nubis ad castra eorum (Exodus 14:24-27):
quod ille ignis in sua origine fuerit Divinus Amor lucens coram filiis Israelis in profectionibus eorum, et super Tabernaculo tempore noctis, supra in hoc articulo ostensum est; at usque aspectus inde a Jehovah prorsus conturbavit et destruxit castra Aegyptiorum.
[22] Quod ignis e caelo descendens apparuerit consumere malos in mundo spirituali, constat ex Apocalypsi, ubi id visum est Johanni; dicit enim
Quod descenderit ignis e caelo et consumpserit Gogum et Magogum, et turbam eorum (Ezechiel 20:9; 38:22):
"consumere" ibi significat dispergere et conjicere in infernum. Inde quoque dicitur apud Esaiam,
"Erit Lux Israelis in ignem, et Sanctus ejus in flammam, quae accendet et comedet vepretum et senticetum ejus in die uno" (10:17):
per "vepretum et senticetum" significantur mala et falsa doctrinae ecclesiae; destructio illorum per Divinum Verum descendens e caelo, significatur per quod "Lux Israelis erit in ignem, et Sanctus ejus in flammam."
[23] Quoniam per "ignem" in opposito sensu; seu respective ad malos, proprie significatur amor sui, ac per "flammam" amor mundi, ideo etiam per "ignem" significatur omne malum, sicut inimicitia, odium, vindicta, et plura alia, nam omnia mala ex binis illis originibus scaturiunt (videatur Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae n. 75); consequenter etiam per "ignem" significatur destructio hominis quoad vitam spiritualem, et sic damnatio et infernum. Haec omnia per "ignem" significantur, quia per "ignem" significatur amor, ut adhuc constare potest ex sequentibus locis:
- Apud Esaiam,
"Videbunt et contabescent in odium populi; etiam ignis inimicos tuos comedet" (26:11);
interitus malorum, qui hic intelliguntur per "populos" et per "inimicos", describitur per "odium" et per "ignem."
[24] Apud eundem,
"Quum transiveris per aquas, tecum Ego; et per fluvios, non submergent te; cum iveris per ignem non adureris, et flamma non incendet te" (43:2):
"transire per aquas et per fluvios et non submergi" significat quod falsa et ratiocinationes ex falsis contra vera non intrabunt et corrumpent; "aquae" hic sunt falsa, et "fluvii" sunt ratiocinationes ex falsis contra vera: "ire per ignem et non aduri, et flamma non accendi" significat quod mala et cupiditates ex illis oriundae non nociturae sint; ignis significat mala, et "flamma" cupiditates inde.
[25] Apud eundem,
"Domus sanctitatis nostra, et decus nostrum, ubi laudaverunt Te patres nostri, facta est in incendium ignis, et omnia desiderabilia nostra facta sunt in Vastitatem" (64:10[11]):
"domus sanctitatis" et "decus" significant ecclesiam caelestem et spiritualem; "domus sanctitatis" ecclesiam caelestem, et "decus" ecclesiam spiritualem: "ubi laudaverunt Te patres nostri" significat cultum Antiquae Ecclesiae; "laudare" significat colere, et "patres" illos qui ab Antiqua Ecclesia: "facta est in incendium ignis" significat quod omnia bona illius ecclesiae versa sint in mala, a quibus bona consumpta sunt et perierunt: "et omnia desiderabilia nostra facta sunt in vastitatem" significat quod similiter omnia vera; "desiderabilia" in Verbo significant vera ecclesiae.
[26] Apud eundem,
"Eritis sicut quercus dejiciens folia sua, et sicut hortus cui aquae non; et erit robustus in stuppam, et opus ejus in scintillam, ut comburantur ambo simul, nec exstinguens" (1:30, 31):
per "quercum" significatur naturalis homo, per "folia" scientifica et cognitiones veri ibi; per "hortum" significatur rationalis homo; inde per "Eritis sicut quercus dejiciens folia, et sicut hortus cui aquae non." significatur quod amplius non scientificum verum, nec rationale verum: per "robustum" et "ejus opus" significatur id quod ex propria intelligentia excluditur; "robustus" in Verbo aliquoties dicitur qui sibi suaeque intelligentiae fidet, credit enim se robustum; et "opus ejus", quod inde excluditur: et quia proprium hominis haurit omne malum et falsum, et per illa destruit omne bonum et verum, ideo dicitur "Erit robustus in stuppam, opus ejus in scintillam, et comburentur ambo simul"; perire ex falsis mali significatur per "comburi."
[27] Apud Ezechielem
"Mater tua sicut vitis, .... nunc plantata est in deserto, in terra ariditatis et sitis; exivit ignis ex virga ramorum ejus, comedit illos et fructum ejus" (19:10, 12-14);
per "matrem" quae "sicut vitis", significatur Ecclesia Antiqua, quae in bono vitae et inde in veris fuit: quod ecclesia nunc absque bonis et veris sit, significatur per quod illa "nunc plantata sit in deserto, in terra ariditatis et sitis"; terra ariditatis " est ecclesia ubi non bonum, et "terra sitis" ubi non verum: "exivit ignis ex virga ramorum ejus, comedit illos et fructum ejus", significat quod malum falsi destruxerit omne verum et bonum; "ignis" est malum, "virga ramorum" est falsum doctrinae in quo malum, "comedere illos et fructum ejus" est destruere verum et bonum; malum falsi est malum quod ex falso doctrinae.
[28] Apud Sachariam,
"Dominus depauperabit" Tyrum "et excutiet in mare opes ejus, et ipsa igne comedetur" (9:4):
per "Tyrum" significatur ecclesia quoad cognitiones veri et boni, et inde per "Tyrum" significantur cognitiones veri et boni quae ecclesiae; ejus vastatio per falsa et per mala significatur per quod "Dominus excutiet in mare opes ejus, et ipsa igne comedetur."
[29] Apud Davidem,
Hostes "miserunt in ignem sanctuarium tuum, in terram usque profanarunt habitaculum nominis tui;.... combusserunt omnia festalia loca Dei in terram usque:.... non amplius propheta, nec nobiscum sciens quousque" (Psalms 74:7-9):
quod cupiditates oriundae ex malis amoribus destruxerint ecclesiae vera et bona, significatur per quod "hostes miserint in ignem sanctuarium, et profanaverint habitaculum nominis Jehovae"; quod prorsus destruxerint omnia cultus Divini, significatur per quod "combusserint omnia festalia loca Dei in terram usque"; quod non amplius doctrina veri nec intellectus veri, significatur per "non amplius propheta, nec nobiscum sciens [quousque] ."
[30] Apud Mosen,
Si viri belial impulerint habitatores urbis ad serviendum diis aliis, percuterentur omnes ore gladii, et urbs cum omni praeda combureretur igne (Deuteronomius 13:14-17):
per haec in sensu spirituali significatur quod doctrina, ex qua cultus, quae agnoscit alium deum quam Dominum, abolenda sit, quia inibi non nisi quam falsa ex malis cupiditatibus; hoc in senSu spirituali per illa significatur, quia per "urbem" in Verbo significatur doctrina, et per "servire aliis diis" significatur agnoscere et colere alium deum quam Dominum; per "gladium" significatur destructio veri per falsum, ac per "ignem" destructio boni per malum.
[31] Apud Lucam,
Dixit Dominus, quod venerit ignem mittere in terram, et quod vellet si jam accensus esset (12:49);
per quod significantur hostilitates et pugnae inter malum et bonum ac inter falsum et verum; nam antequam Dominus in mundum venit, fuerunt in ecclesia mere falsa et mala, proinde non pugna inter illa et bona ac vera; at postquam a Domino aperta fuerunt vera et bona, tunc primum existere potuerunt pugnae; et absque pugnis inter illa nulla reformatio: hoc itaque est quod intelligitur per quod "vellet ut jam ignis accensus esset." Quod is intellectus eorum verborum sit, patet a sequentibus ibi,
Quod venerit ad dandam divisionem; "erunt namque ex nunc quinque in domo una divisi;.... dividetur pater contra filium, et filius contra patrem, mater contra filiam et filia contra matrem" (vers. 51-53):
per "patrem contra filium" et per "filium contra patrem", intelligitur malum contra verum ac verum contra malum; et per "matrem contra filiam" et per "filiam contra matrem" intelligitur cupiditas falsi contra affectionem veri, ac vicissim; "in domo una" est apud unum hominem.
[32] Quoniam per "filios" in Verbo significantur vera ecclesiae, et per "filias" bona ejus, constare potest quid significatur per "comburere filios et filias" apud Jeremiam,
"Aedificarunt excelsa Tophethi in Valle [filii] Hinnomi, ad comburendum filios suos et filias suas" (7:31);
apud eundem,
"Audiri faciam contra Rabbath [filiorum] Ammonis clangorem belli, .... et filiae ejus igne comburentur" (49:2);
et apud Ezechielem,
"Quando tollitis dona vestis, cum traducitis filios vestros per ignem" (20:31):
per "comburere filios et filias igne" significatur per malas cupiditates seu per malos amores destruere vera et bona ecclesiae: sit quod tales abominationes fecerint, per illas usque significatur destructio veri et boni ecclesiae per foedas et abominandas concupiscentias, quas per falsa confirmaverunt.
[33] Ex his nunc constare potest quid significatur per "grandinem et ignem mixta sanguine, et missa in terram, unde tertia pars arborum combusta est, et omne gramen viride combustum est"; nempe, quod significetur influxus e caelo, et prima inde mutatio ante ultimum judicium: quid autem per "arborem" et per "gramen viride" significatur, in sequentibus dicetur. Simile etiam dictum est ubi agitur de plagis in Aegypto, quae praecesserunt ultimum exitium eorum, quod erat submersio in Mari Suph; nempe,
Quod plueret grando, in qua ambularet ignis, super terram Aegypti, qua percussa est herba agri, et confracta omnis arbor agri (Exodus 9:18-35).
[34] Quod similia ante "diem Jehovae", qui est ultimum judicium, exstitura sint, praedicitur etiam apud Prophetas:
- Apud Joelem,
"Dies Jehovae, .... dies tenebrarum et caliginis;.... ante eum comedet ignis, et post eum inflammabit flamma" (2 [1, 2,] 3);
apud eundem,
"Dabo prodigia in caelo et in terra, sanguinem et ignem et columnas fumi; sol vertetur in tenebras, et luna in sanguinem, antequam venit dies Jehovae magnus et terribilis" (3, 4 [B.A. 2:30, 31]);
apud eundem,
"Ignis comedit habitacula deserti, et flamma inflammavit omnes arbores agri" (1:19, 20);
et apud Ezechielem,
"Dic silvae meridiei Ecce Ego incendens in te ignem, qui comedet in te omnem arborem viridem; non exstinguetur flamma flammae gravis; unde comburentur in ea omnes facies a meridie usque ad septentrionem" (21:2, 3 [B.A. 20:46, 47]):
per "silvam meridiei" significatur ecclesia quae in luce veri potest esse ex Verbo, nunc autem quae absque luce spirituali, in solis cognitionibus; per "arbores", quas comedet ignis, significantur cognitiones illae; quod malae cupiditates etiam illas omni vita spirituali deprivaturae sint, et quod non amplius aliquod verum in claro, nec in obscuro residuum foret, significatur per quod "comburentur omnes facies terrae a meridie ad septentrionem." Ex nota significatione "ignis" in utroque sensu, videri potest quid etiam in Verbo significatur per "incalescere", "inflammari", "ardescere", "effervescere", "exuri", "comburi", per "incalescentiam", "flammam", "ardorem", "ustionem", "incendium", "focum", "prunas", et plura.
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