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578. And out of their mouths went forth fire, and smoke, and brimstone.- That this signifies thought and reasonings therefrom springing from the love of evil, and from the love of falsity, and from the lust (concupiscentia) of destroying truths and goods by means of the falsities of evil, is evident from the signification of the mouth as denoting thought and reasoning therefrom of which we shall speak in the explanation of the 19th verse; and from the signification of fire, as denoting the love of self, and the love of evil thence (see above, n. 504, 539); and from the signification of smoke, as denoting the dense falsity springing from the love of evil (see above, n. 494, 539); and from the signification of brimstone, as denoting the lust of destroying the truths and goods of the church by means of the falsities of evil.
[2] That this is the signification of brimstone, is evident from the Word where it is mentioned, as in Moses:
"Jehovah rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire" (Genesis 19:24).
And in Luke:
"On the day that 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" (17:29, 30).
The inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, mean those who are in the falsities of evil from the love of self; and since the falsities of evil from that love destroyed them, therefore it rained brimstone and fire, brimstone, from the lust (concupiscentia) of destroying the church by means of the falsities of evil, and fire because that lust burst forth from the love of self. That this would be the case when the Son of man should be revealed, signifies, that then also the falsities of evil from the love of self would destroy the church. Rain of such a kind also appears in the spiritual world, when the evil, who are in falsities from that love, are cast down into hell.
[3] So again, in Moses:
What shall your sons "and the stranger say when they shall see the plagues of this land and its sicknesses? The whole land is brimstone, salt, and burning; it is not sown, nor germinates, nor doth any grass grow thereon, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboim" (Deuteronomy 29:22, 23).
These are the curses with which the sons of Israel were threatened if they did not keep the precepts and statutes, and if they worshipped other gods; and because then the church would become vastated and destroyed by the falsities of evil, and the evils of falsity, hence it is said that then the whole land [should be] brimstone, salt, burning, the land denoting the church. By its not being sown, nor germinating, nor any grass growing thereon, is signified, that there should be no more any reception or production of truth from good.
[4] Again, in Isaiah:
"For Tophet is prepared from yesterday; yea, for the king it is prepared; he shall descend into a deep and wide [place]; the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of Jehovah, like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it" (30:33).
Tophet here signifies the hell where the direful and cruel love of destroying all the truths and goods of the church reigns, especially the savage desire of destroying the goods of innocence. That dreadful hell originates in the falsities of evil, and is signified by, he shall descend into a deep and wide [place]. The king, for whom it is prepared, signifies the infernal falsity itself. The pile thereof is fire and much wood signifies evils of every kind which pertain to that love. And because that hell burns from the lust of destroying, it is said that "the breath of Jehovah, like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it." For there, as soon as they hear the truths of the church from any one, and perceive its goods, they are inflamed with the frenzy of destroying and annihilating them.
[5] Again, in the same prophet:
"The day of the vengeance of Jehovah, the year of retribution for the controversy of Zion. And the torrents thereof 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 ascend for ever" (34:8, 10).
The day of the vengeance of Jehovah, and the year of retribution for the controversy of Zion, signifies the coming of the Lord, and the last judgment then wrought by Him. By the torrents turned into pitch, and the dust into brimstone, is signified the hell into which those, who are in the falsities of evil, and in the evils of falsity, are cast. The evil of infernal love, and its punishment, are signified by the pitch burning night and day, and not quenched; and the dire falsity from that evil is signified by the smoke ascending for ever.
[6] Again, in Ezekiel:
"I will contend with" Gog "with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, an overflowing rain, and hailstones, fire and brimstone" (38:22).
Gog means those who place all worship in a holy and pious external, and not in that which is internal, when yet external is according to the quality of internal worship; and it is said that "Jehovah shall rain upon them an overflowing rain, and hailstones, fire, and brimstone," which signifies falsities and evils destroying all the truths and goods of the church; fire and brimstone denote the evils of falsity, and the falsities of evil, both being diabolical.
[7] Again in David:
"Upon the wicked" Jehovah "shall rain snares, fire and brim-stone; and the wind of storms shall be the portion of their cup" (Psalm 11:6).
These words signify, that the impious are destroyed by their own evils of falsity, and by their own falsities of evil, which destroy in them all the truths of the church. Snares, fire, and brimstone, denote the evils of falsity, and the falsities of evil; and the wind of storms which shall be the portion of their cup, signifies the destruction of all truth. That it does not mean that [Jehovah], shall rain fire and brimstone upon the wicked is clear, for it is also said that snares shall rain upon them; fire and brimstone therefore must mean such things as are wholly destructive of the truths and goods of the church.
[8] Similarly in Job:
"Brimstone shall be scattered upon the habitation of the wicked" (18:15);
for brimstone means such falsity of evil as destroys every thing of the church in man; this is falsity from the evil of the love of self such as prevailed with those who lived in Sodom and Gomorrah. It is said of the brimstone, not only that it destroyed the cities and the inhabitants, but also the plain and that which springeth up in the field. That which sprouteth in the field signifies the truth of the church springing up (Genesis 19:25). The signification of fire and brimstone in the following passages in the Apocalypse is similar:
"If any man worship the beast and his image, he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone" (14:9, 10).
Again:
"The beast, and the false prophet were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone" (19:20).
"The devil was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are" (20:10).
"Murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolators, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone" (21:8).
578. Out of their mouths went out fire, and smoke, and brimstone, signifies thoughts and consequent reasonings springing from the love of evil and from the love of falsity, and from the lust for destroying truths and goods by the falsities of evil. This is evident from the signification of the "mouth," as being thought and consequent reasoning respecting which see in the explanation of verse 19); from the signification of "fire," as being the love of self and the love of evil therefrom (See above, n. 504, 539); from the signification of "smoke," as being the dense falsity springing from the love of evil (See also above, n. 494, 539); and from the signification of "brimstone," as being the lust of destroying the truths and goods of the church by the falsities of evil.
[2] That this is the signification of "brimstone" can be seen from passages of the Word where it is mentioned. Thus in Moses:
Jehovah made brimstone and fire to rain upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah (Genesis 19:24).
In Luke:
In the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. After the same manner shall it be in the day that the Son of man is revealed (Luke 17:29, 30).
Those who were in Sodom and Gomorrah mean those who are in the falsities of evil from the love of self; and since the falsities of evil from that love destroyed them, it rained brimstone and fire, "brimstone" because of the lust of destroying the church by the falsities of evil, and "fire" because that lust burst forth from the love of self. That it should be thus "when the Son of man should be revealed," signifies that then, too, falsities of evil from the love of self will destroy the church. Such rain appears in the spiritual world when the evil who are in falsities from that love are cast down into hell.
[3] In Moses:
What shall your sons say, and the alien, when they shall see the plagues of that land, and its sicknesses. The whole land is brimstone and salt, and a conflagration; it is not sown, it doth not spring up, nor doth any herb grow upon it, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim (Deuteronomy 29:22, 23).
These were the curses with which the sons of Israel were threatened if they did not keep the commandments and statutes, and if they worshiped other gods; and because the church is thus laid waste and destroyed by the falsities of evil and the evils of falsity it is said that "the whole land is then brimstone, and salt, and conflagration," the "land" signifying the church; and "it will not be sown, nor spring up, nor any herb grow upon it," signifies that no longer will any truth from good be received or brought forth.
[4] In Isaiah:
Topheth is prepared of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he shall go down into a deep and wide place; the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of Jehovah like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it (Isaiah 30:33).
"Topheth" signifies the hell in which the direful and cruel love of destroying all the truths and goods of the church reigns, especially the cruel lust for destroying the goods of innocence; that this direful hell is from the falsities of evil is signified by "he shall go down into a deep and wide place;" the "king for whom it is prepared" signifies infernal falsity itself; "the pile thereof is fire and wood," signifies evils of every kind belonging to that love; and because that hell burns with a lust for destroying, it is said, "the breath of Jehovah like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it;" for there, as soon as they hear from anyone the truths of the church and perceive its goods, they are inflamed with a frenzy for destroying and extinguishing them.
[5] In Isaiah:
The day of Jehovah's vengeance, and the year of retribution for the controversy of Zion, and the brooks thereof shall be turned into pitch, and its dust into brimstone, and its land shall become burning pitch; it shall not be quenched night or day, the smoke thereof shall go up forever (Isaiah 34:8-10).
"The day of Jehovah's vengeance, and the year of retribution for the controversy of Zion" signifies the Lord's coming, and the Last Judgment then accomplished by Him; "the brooks shall be turned into pitch, and the dust into brimstone," signifies the hell into which those are cast, who are in the falsities of evil, and in the evils of falsity; the evil of infernal love and its punishment are signified by "the burning pitch shall not be quenched night or day;" and the direful falsity from that evil is signified by "the smoke shall go up forever."
[6] In Ezekiel:
And I will plead with Gog with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him an overflowing rain and hailstones, fire and brimstone (Ezekiel 38:22).
By "Gog" is meant those who place all worship in a holy and pious external, and not in what is internal, and yet the quality of external worship is the same as the quality of its internal. It is said, "Jehovah shall rain upon them an overflowing rain, hailstones, fire, and brimstone," which signifies falsities and evils destroying all the truths and goods of the church; "fire and brimstone" mean the evils of falsity and the falsities of evil, both of which are diabolical.
[7] In David:
Jehovah shall rain upon the wicked snares, fire, and brimstone; and a wind of storms shall be the portion of their cup (Psalms 11:6).
This signifies that the wicked will be destroyed by their own evils of falsity and their own falsities of evil, which will destroy with them all truths of the church; "snares, fire, and brimstone," mean the evils of falsity and the falsities of evil; "the wind of storms which shall be the portion of their cup," signifies the destruction of all truth. Evidently it is not meant that Jehovah will rain fire and brimstone upon the wicked, for it is also said that "He will rain snares" upon them; therefore "fire and brimstone" signify such things as totally destroy the truths and goods of the church.
[8] Likewise in Job:
Brimstone shall be scattered upon the habitation of the wicked one (Acts of the Apostles 18:15).
"Brimstone" means such falsity of evil as destroys everything of the church with man; this is falsity from the evil of the love of self, such as those were in who dwelt in Sodom and Gomorrah, respecting which is said:
That it overthrew not only the cities and inhabitants, but also the plain and that which springeth up in the field (Genesis 19:25);
"that which springeth up in the field" signifies the truths of the church springing up. "Fire and brimstone" have a like signification in the following passages in Revelation:
If anyone worship the beast and his image he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone (Revelation 14:9, 10).
The beast and the false prophet were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone (Revelation 19:20).
The devil was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where are the beast and the false prophet (Revelation 20:10).
The murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone (Revelation 21:8).
578. "Ex oribus illorum exivit ignis, at fumus, et sulphur." - Quod significet cogitata et inde ratiocinia scaturientia ex amore mali et ex amore falsi, et ex concupiscentia destruendi vera et bona per falsa mali, constat ex significatione "oris", quod sit cogitatio et inde ratiocinatio (de qua in explicatione ad versum 19, sequentem); ex significatione "ignis", quod sit amor sui, et inde amor mali (de qua supra, n. 504 [c-e] , 539); ex significatione "fumi", quod sit densum falsum scaturiens ex amore mali (de qua etiam supra, n. 494, 539); et ex significatione "sulphuris", quod sit concupiscentia destruendi ecclesiae vera et bona per falsa mali.
[2] Quod haec per "sulphur" significetur, constare potest ex Verbo ubi nominatur:
- Ut apud Mosen,
"Jehovah pluere fecit super Sodomam et Amoram sulphur et ignem" (Genesis 19:24);
et apud Lucam,
"Quo die egressus est Lothus e Sodoma, pluit igne et sulphure e caelo, et perdidit omnes; juxta hoc fiet quo die Filius hominis revelabitur" (17:29, 30):
per illos qui "in Sodoma et Amora" fuerunt, intelliguntur qui in falsis mali ex amore sui; et quia falsa mali ex illo amore 1
perdiderunt eos, ideo pluit Sulphur et ignis, "sulphur" ex concupiscentia perdendi ecclesiam per falsa mali, "ignis quia concupiscentia illa scaturivit ex amore sui: quod ita fiet quando Filius hominis revelabitur, significat quod etiam tunc falsa mali ex amore sui ecclesiam perditura sint. Talis pluvia etiam apparet in mundo spirituali quando mali qui in falsis ex illo amore sunt, in infernum dejiciuntur.
[3]) sunt hae maledictiones quae denuntiantur filiis Israelis, si non custodiunt praecepta et statuta, et si colunt alios deos; et quia tunc ecclesia vastatur et destruitur per falsa mali et per mala falsi, dicitur quod tunc "sulphur, sal, combustio tota terra"; "terra" significat ecclesiam: et per quod "non conseretur, non germinabit, nec ascendet super ea ulla herba", significatur quod amplius non recipietur et producetur aliquod verum ex bono.
[4] Apud Esaiam,
"Paratum est ab heri Thopheth, etiam hoc regi praeparatum est, in profundum et latum descendet; rogus ejus, ignis et ligna multa, flatus Jehovae sicut fluvius sulphuris accendens eum" (30:33):
per "Thopheth" significatur infernum ubi dirus et saevus amor destruendi omnia vera et bona ecclesiae regnat, imprimis ubi saeva cupiditas perdendi bona innocentiae; quod id infernum dirum sit ex falsis mali, significatur per quod "in profundum et latum descendet": "rex" cui id praeparatum est, significat ipsum falsum infernale; "rogus ejus, ignis et ligna", significant mala omnis generis quae sunt illius amoris: et quia id infernum ardet ex concupiscentia destruendi, dicitur quod "flatus Jehovae sicut fluvius sulphuris accendit eum"; ibi enim, ut primum audiunt ecclesiae vera et percipiunt ejus bona ab aliquo, accenduntur sicut furore destruendi et exstinguendi illa.
[5] Apud Esaiam,
"Dies vindictae Jehovae, annus retributionum pro lite Zionis; et convertentur torrentes ejus in picem, et pulvis ejus in sulphur, et erit terra ejus in picem ardentem, noctu et diu non exstinguetur, in aeternum ascendet fumus ejus" (34:8-10):
"dies vindictae Jehovae, et annus retributionum pro lite Zionis", significat adventum Domini, ac ultimum judicium tunc ab Ipso factum; quod "convertentur torrentes in picem, et pulvis in sulphur", significat infernum in quod illi qui in falsis mali et in malis falsi sunt, conjicientur; malum amoris infernalis et ejus poena significatur per quod "pix ardens noctu et diu non exstinguetur"; et dirum falsum ex illo malo, per quod "fumus in aeternum ascendet."
[6] Apud Ezechielem,
"Disceptabo cum" Gogo "peste et sanguine, et pluviam inundantem, et lapides grandinis, ignem et sulphur pluere faciam super eum" (38:22):
per "Gogum" intelliguntur qui in sancto et pio externo ponunt omnem cultum, et non in interno, cum tamen cultus externus talis est qualis internus; et dicitur, quod "Jehovah super illos pluere faciet pluviam inundantem, lapides grandinis, ignem et sulphur", per quae significatur quod falsa et mala destruentia omnia ecclesiae vera et bona; "ignis et sulphur" sunt mala falsi et falsa mali, utraque diabolica.
[7] Apud Davidem,
Jehovah "pluet super impios laqueos, ignem et sulphur; et ventus procellarum portio calicis eorum" (Psalms 11:6):
per haec significatur quod impii destruentur per sua mala falsi et per sua falsa mali, quae destruent omnia vera ecclesiae apud illos; "laquei, ignis et sulphur" sunt mala falsi et falsa mali; et "ventus procellarum" qui portio calicis eorum, significat destructionem omnis veri: quod non intelligatur quod pluet ignis et sulphur super impios, patet, nam dicitur etiam quod "pluent laquei"; quare per "ignem et sulphur" talia significantur quae ecclesiae vera et bona prorsus destruunt.
[8] Similiter apud Hiobum,
"Spargetur super habitationem" impii "sulphur" (18:15);
per "sulphur" enim tale falsum mali intelligitur quod destruit omne ecclesiae apud hominem, quod est falsum ex malo amoris sui, quale fuit illis qui in Sodoma et Amora, de quo dicitur,
Quod non modo everterit urbes et habitatores, sed etiam planitiem et germen agri (Genesis 19:25):
"germen agri" significat verum ecclesiae nascens. Similia per "ignem" et "sulphur" significantur in sequentibus in Apocalypsi,
"Qui bestiam adorat, et imaginem ejus cruciabitur sulphure et igne" (14:9, 10);
"Bestia et pseudopropheta.... viventes conjecti sunt in stagnum ignis ardens sulphure" (19:20);
"Diabolus.... conjectus est in stagnum ignis et sulphuris, ubi bestia et pseudopropheta" (20:10);
"Homicidis, scortatoribus et incantatoribus et idololatris et omnibus mendacibus pars erit in stagno ardente igne et sulphure" (21:8).
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.