503# “就有雹子与火搀着血”表示与遭到暴行的圣言的真理和良善混杂、进行摧毁的地狱的虚假和邪恶。这从“雹子”、“火”和“血”的含义清楚可知：“雹子”是指进行摧毁的地狱虚假(对此，我们很快就会谈到)；“火”是指进行摧毁的地狱邪恶(对此，我们也很快谈到)；“血”是指神性真理，在此是指遭到暴行的神性真理，因而是指被歪曲的神性真理，因为经上说“雹子与火搀着血”。“血”表示从主发出并被人接受的神性真理，在反面意义上表示邪恶之虚假对它的摧毁，因而表示向它所施的暴行(可参看AE 329节)。
“雹子与火”表示进行摧毁的地狱的虚假和邪恶，这一点是由于灵界的表象。在灵界，当神性真理从天堂流下来，流入那些处于来自邪恶的虚假，并渴望摧毁教会的真理和良善之人的领域时，那些站在远处的人仿佛看到有冰雹与大火的阵雨降下来；冰雹的阵雨是由于他们的虚假，大火的阵雨是由于他们的邪恶。这种表象的原因在于，当神性真理流入虚假和邪恶所在的领域时，它就会变成某种类似这个领域的东西。因为一切流注都照着接受主体的品质而在这主体中改变，就像太阳的光流入黑色物体，太阳的热流入腐烂物时的情形。神性真理，就是天堂之光，和神性良善，就是天堂之热，在流入邪恶的主体，就是那些处于来自邪恶的虚假的灵人时，也是这种情况。这就是这种表象的原因。从这个事实可知，在圣言中，“雹子与火”具有这些含义；因为圣言的字义大部分来自灵界的表象。
“雹子或冰雹”表示摧毁教会真理的地狱虚假，这一点从圣言别的地方清楚看出来，那里以“冰雹”描述了对真理的摧毁；如在埃及，当法老不容以色列百姓走时，对此，摩西五经如此描述：
摩西对法老说，他必叫极重的冰雹雨降下，在埃及从来没有这样的。必有冰雹降在人和牲畜，并埃及地田间一切的菜蔬上。摩西向天伸杖，耶和华就发声、下冰雹，有火闪到地上；耶和华使冰雹如下雨降在埃及地上；于是就有冰雹，同时有火在冰雹中间窜动，甚是厉害。冰雹击打了田间所有的，从人到牲畜；冰雹又击打了田间一切的菜蔬，又打坏田间一切的树木。惟独以色列人所住的歌珊地没有冰雹。麻和大麦被击打，因为大麦是个成熟的穗子，麻是一根茎。只是小麦和粗麦没有被击打，因为它们还藏着。(出埃及记9:18–35)
“埃及的冰雹”与此处启示录中的“雹子”具有相同的含义；因此，论到它，经上说了类似的话，如：冰雹与火一起窜动，冰雹击打田间的菜蔬，又打坏树木。此处提到许多类似事物，是因为埃及的灾殃和启示录中当七位天使吹号时所发生的灾殃具有相同的含义。“埃及人”表示纯属世人，“以色列人”表示属灵人，“埃及的灾殃”表示在最后审判之前发生的变化，与此处启示录中的一样；因为法老和埃及人淹死在红海代表最后的审判和诅咒或定罪。这清楚表明，此处“雹子与火”表示摧毁教会的虚假和邪恶。对这些事物更充分的解释，可参看《属天的奥秘》(7553–7619节)。
在诗篇，“冰雹”和“火炭”具有相同的含义：
祂用冰雹毁坏他们的葡萄树，用大冰雹石毁坏他们的桑树；又把他们的牲畜交给冰雹，把他们的群畜交给火炭。祂打发猛烈的怒气，遣下降灾的使者到他们中间。(诗篇78:47–49)
由于“冰雹”表示摧毁教会真理的虚假，所以经上说“祂用冰雹毁坏他们的葡萄树，用大冰雹石毁坏他们的桑树”，因为“葡萄树”表示教会的属灵真理，“桑树”(sycamores，即西克莫无花果树)表示教会的属世真理；由于“火炭”表示对邪恶的爱，以及这爱对摧毁教会良善的狂热，所以经上说“祂把他们的牲畜交给冰雹，把他们的群畜交给火炭”，“牲畜”和“群畜”表示由邪恶的爱产生的邪恶情感或无节制的欲望，“火炭”表示对摧毁的欲望和狂热；“遣下降灾的使者”表示来自地狱的邪恶之虚假。
又：
祂给他们降下冰雹为雨，在他们的地上降下火焰；祂击打他们的葡萄树和无花果树，毁坏他们境内的树木。(诗篇105:32–33)
这些话也论及“埃及的冰雹”，“埃及的冰雹”表示摧毁教会真理的地狱虚假；“葡萄树”和“无花果树”在此也与前面的“葡萄树”和“桑树”具有相同的含义，即“葡萄树”表示属灵真理，“无花果树”表示属世真理，每种真理都属于教会；“树”表示对真理和良善的感知和认知或知识。
503b.在约书亚记，当约书亚与亚摩利人的五王争战时，“冰雹”具有相同的含义；对此，经上说：
这些王在以色列人面前逃跑，正在伯和仑下坡的时候，耶和华从天上降大冰雹石在他们身上，直降到亚西加；那死于冰雹石的，比以色列人用剑杀死的还多。(约书亚记10:11)
由于圣言的历史和预言一样，都具有代表性，并包含灵义，所以关于亚摩利人的五王，以及以色列人与他们的争战也是这种情况。被赶出迦南地的“列族”表示将要被赶出主国度的恶人，“以色列人”表示那些被准许拥有这国度的人，因为“迦南地”表示天堂和教会，因而表示主的国度；因此，“亚摩利人的五王”表示那些处于邪恶之虚假，渴望摧毁教会的良善之真理的人；这就是为何他们被从天而降的冰雹石砸死了，也就是说，被他们自己的邪恶之虚假摧毁并灭亡了；因为恶人自己是由于他们自己的邪恶和虚假而灭亡的，他们渴望通过这些邪恶和虚假来摧毁教会的真理和良善。
诗篇：
因祂面前的光辉，祂的密云、冰雹与火炭经过。耶和华也在天上打雷，至高者发出声音，冰雹与火炭。祂射出箭来，使他们四散；发出许多闪电，使他们窘迫。(诗篇18:12–14)
此处“冰雹与火”和启示录这段经文中的“雹子与火”具有相同的含义，即表示摧毁教会的真理和良善的虚假和邪恶。经上说这些事物来自耶和华，是因为从天堂降下来的神性真理在恶人那里改变成地狱的虚假，如前所述。各种表象就由这种改变产生，如冰雹与火降下来；然而，这些东西不是由主那里从天堂发出的，而是来自那些处于邪恶之虚假，将神性真理与良善的流注变成邪恶之虚假的人。当神性真理从天堂流入某个地狱时，我被准许感知这些变化。一路上，它照着那里的恶人里面的邪恶品质而渐渐变成邪恶之虚假；就像太阳的热落到粪堆上，或太阳的光照到把它的光线变成可怕颜色的物体上；或像太阳的光和热在腐烂的沼泽地上会产生滋养蛇的有毒植物，而在好地上则产生滋养人和有用牲畜的树木和青草。在腐烂地上产生这些效果的原因不在于太阳的光和热，而在于这些地本身的性质；然而，这些效果可能会被归因于太阳的火和热。由此可见，在灵界，冰雹与火的表象的源头是什么，又为何经上说耶和华叫它们如雨降下；而事实上，除了良善之外，没有任何东西来自耶和华；当耶和华，也就是主，使流注变得强有力时，这不是为了毁灭恶人，而是为了营救和保护善人，因为通过这种方式，祂把善人与祂自己更紧密、更内层地结合起来，他们由此与恶人分离，恶人则灭亡。事实上，如果恶人不与善人分离，善人就会灭亡，天使天堂也会毁灭。
在以下经文中，“冰雹”和“冰雹雨”具有相同的含义。以赛亚书：
祸哉，骄傲的冠冕，以法莲的酒徒。看哪，大能大力的主，如泛滥的冰雹，如毁灭的暴风。(以赛亚书28:1–2)
同一先知书：
冰雹必冲去谎言的避难所，大水必漫过藏身之处。(以赛亚书28:17)
又：
耶和华必使人听见祂荣耀的声音，看见祂的膀臂停歇于祂怒中的愤恨、吞灭的火焰、分散、洪水和冰雹石。(以赛亚书30:30)
又：
冰雹必降，直到森林倒下，城全然卑微。(以赛亚书32:19)
以西结书：
我要用瘟疫和血恳求歌革；我要下涨溢的雨，又将冰雹石、火和硫磺如雨般下在他身上。(以西结书38:22)
启示录：
那时，神天上的殿开了，在祂殿中现出约柜；随有闪电、响声、雷轰、地震、大冰雹。(启示录11:19)
又：
又有约重一他连得的大冰雹从天落在人身上；人因这雹灾就亵渎神，因为这雹灾极大。(启示录16:21)
因此，在以西结书，那些处于邪恶之虚假的人被称为“冰雹石”：
你要对那些抹上未泡透灰的人说，墙要倒塌；必有一场涨溢的雨来到，大冰雹石啊，你们要降下。(以西结书13:11)
此处“那些抹上未泡透灰的人”表示那些确认虚假，好叫它们表面看似真理的人；他们被称为“冰雹石”，是因为他们就这样摧毁真理；“一场涨溢的雨”表示对这些虚假的驱散。
约伯记：
你曾进入雪库，见过雹仓吗？这雪雹是我为打仗和战争的时候所存留的，光从哪条路散开？(约伯记38:22–24)
耶和华问了约伯许多事，看他是否知道；所问他的这些事表示诸如属于天堂和教会的那类事物；“你曾进入雪库，见过雹仓吗”表示他是否知道为何真理被邪恶之虚假夺走和摧毁，这在灵界看上去就像雪和冰雹从天而降。“这雪雹是我为打仗和战争的时候所存留的”表示当恶人要被驱散时，这些表象就会出现；因此，经上补充说“光从哪条路散开？”这句话表示真理经由哪条路潜入？或说真理潜入的过程，“光”表示真理。
“冰雹”表示邪恶之虚假，“冰雹的风暴”表示对真理的摧毁，因为冰雹本身是寒冷的，无法承受天堂的热，“冷”表示对爱之良善的剥夺；天使天堂的热是爱之良善(参看《天堂与地狱》，126–140节)；还因为在圣言中，“石头”表示真理，在反面意义上表示虚假，大冰雹看似由从天上扔下来的石头构成，会像石头那样破坏田间的庄稼和菜蔬，以及小动物；这就是为何它们被称为“冰雹石”。在圣言中，“石头”表示真理，在反面意义上表示虚假(参看《属天的奥秘》，643, 1298, 3720, 6426, 8609, 10376节)。
503. And there followed hail and fire mingled with blood.- That this signifies infernal falsity and evil destroying, intermingled with the truths and goods of the Word to which violence was done, is evident from the signification of hail, as denoting infernal falsity destroying, concerning which more will be said presently; and from the signification of fire, as denoting infernal evil destroying, concerning which also we shall speak presently; and from the signification of blood, as denoting the Divine Truth, in the present case, the Divine Truth to which violence was done, consequently, Divine Truth falsified, for it is said, "hail and fire mingled with blood."
[2] That blood signifies Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord and received by man, and the opposite sense its destruction by the falsities of evil, and thus violence done to it may be seen above (n. 329). That hail and fire signify infernal falsities and evil destroying, is also a result of appearances in the spiritual world. When the Divine Truth flows down there out of heaven, and flows into the sphere where those are who are in falsities from evil and who desire to destroy the truths and goods of the church, then as it were a raining down of hail and fire appears to those who stand afar off; as it were a raining down of hail, as a result of their falsities, and of fire, as a result of their evils. The reason of this appearance is, that the Divine Truth, when it flows into the sphere where evils and falsities are, is changed into what is similar to that sphere. For all influx is changed in the recipient subject according to the quality thereof, just as the light of the sun when it flows into dark objects, and the heat of the sun when it flows into putrid things. The case is similar with the Divine Truth, which is the light of heaven, and with the Divine Good, which is the heat of heaven, when they flow into evil subjects, which are those spirits who are in falsities from evil. This is the reason of that appearance. It is from this fact that hail and fire have such significations in the Word; for the sense of the letter of the Word as to the greater part of it is from appearances in the spiritual world.
[3] That hail signifies infernal falsity destroying the truth of the church, is clear from other places in the Word, where the destruction of truth is described by hail as in Egypt, when Pharaoh would not let the people of Israel go, concerning which it is thus written:
Moses told Pharaoh that it should rain a very grievous hail, such as had not been in Egypt. "And the hail shall be upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt. And Moses stretched forth his rod towards heaven; and Jehovah sent thunder and hail, and the fire walked to the earth; and Jehovah rained hail upon the land of Egypt. So there was hail, and at the same fire walking in the midst of the hail, very grievous. And the hail smote all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field. Only in the land of Goshen, where the sons of Israel were, was there no hail. And the flax and barley were smitten; for the barley was a ripening ear, and the flax a stalk. But the wheat and the rye were not smitten; for they were hidden" (Arcana Coelestia 7553-7619).
[4] The signification also of hail and hot thunderbolts, mentioned in David, is similar:
"He destroyed their vine with hail, and their sycamore trees with great hailstones. He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to burning coals. He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, the sending of evil angels" (Psalm 78:47-59).
Because hail signifies falsity destroying the truths of the church, it is therefore said, "He destroyed their vine with hail, and their sycamore trees with great hailstones;" for vine signifies the spiritual truth of the church, and a sycamore its natural truth; and because burning coals, or fire, signify the love of evil, and its eagerness to destroy the goods of the church, it is therefore said, "he gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to burning coals." Cattle and flocks signify evil affections or inordinate desires which arise from evil love, and burning coals, or fire, the lust and burning desire to destroy; by the sending of evil angels, is signified the falsity of evil from hell.
[5] So again:
"He gave them hail for rain; flaming fire in their land, and he smote their vine, and their fig tree; and brake the tree of their border" (Psalm 105:32, 33).
These things are also said concerning the hail of Egypt, which signifies infernal falsity destroying the truths of the church. The vine and the fig tree have here a similar signification to the vine and sycamores mentioned above, the vine signifying spiritual truth, and the fig tree, natural truth, each pertaining to the church, and tree signifies the perceptions and cognitions of truth and good.
[6] The signification of hail mentioned in Joshua, when he fought against the five kings of the Amorites, is similar, of which it is said:
"And it came to pass," as the kings "fled before Israel, while they were in the going down to Bethhoron, that Jehovah cast down great stones of hail from heaven upon them unto Azekah; and they were more that died from the hailstones than they whom the sons of Israel slew with the sword" (10:11).
Because the historical parts of the Word are representative, and contain an internal sense, equally as the prophetical parts, therefore this is the case also in regard to what is related of the five kings of the Amorites, and of the battle of the sons of Israel with them. For the nations that were driven out of the land of Canaan signified the evil who were to be cast out of the kingdom of the Lord, and the sons of Israel signify those to whom it is granted to possess the kingdom. The land of Canaan signified heaven and the church, and therefore the kingdom of the Lord; hence the five kings of the Amorites signified those who are in falsities of evil, and desire to destroy the truths of the good of the church. It was for this reason, that they were slain by hailstones from heaven, that is to say, they perished and were destroyed by their own falsities of evil; for the evil themselves perish by their own evils and falsities, by means of which they desire to destroy the truths and goods of the church.
[7] Again, in David:
"At the brightness before him his clouds passed, with hailstones and coals of fire. Jehovah thundered in the heavens, and the Most High gave his voice, hailstones and coals of fire. Yea, he sent out his darts and scattered them and many lightnings and discomfited them" (Psalm 18:12-14).
In these passages, hailstones and fire signify the same things as the hail and fire here in the Apocalypse, that is, falsities and evils destroying the truths and goods of the church.
It is said that such things are from Jehovah, because the Divine Truth descending out of heaven is changed into infernal falsities with the evil, as stated above. Out of this change various appearances arise, such as the flowing down of hail and fire; still these things do not proceed out of heaven from the Lord, but from those who are in falsities of evil, who turn the influx of Divine Truth and Good into the falsity of evil. It has also been granted me to perceive those changes, when the Divine Truth has flowed down out of heaven into some hell. During its course it was successively changed into the falsity of evil, according to the quality of that evil in those [who were there]; just as the heat of the sun, when it falls upon dunghills, and the light of the sun, when it falls upon subjects which turn its rays into dismal colours; or as the light and heat of the sun, in putrid marshy lands, produce noxious herbs which nourish serpents, while in good lands they cause trees and grasses to grow, which nourish men and useful beasts. The cause of such effects in putrid lands is not in the light and heat of the sun, but in the nature of the lands themselves, and yet those effects may be ascribed to the fire and heat of the sun. From these things the source from which hail and fire appear in the spiritual world is evident, and also why it is said that Jehovah causes them to be rained down, when nevertheless nothing comes from Jehovah but what is good. When Jehovah, that is the Lord, causes a powerful influx, it is not for the purpose of destroying the evil, but to rescue and protect the good, for by this means he conjoins the good to himself more closely and interiorly, and therefore they are separated from the evil, and the evil perish. For if the evil were not separated, the good would perish, and the angelic heaven would fall to ruin.
[8] Similar things are signified by hail, and by a tempest of hail, in the following passages.
In Isaiah:
"Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, and behold, the Lord, strong and mighty, as a tempest of hail, as a destroying storm" (28:1, 2).
Again:
"The hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding-place" (28:17).
Again:
"And Jehovah shall cause the glory of his voice to be heard, and shall cause his arm to see rest, in the indignation of his anger, and in the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering and inundation, and hailstones" (30:30).
And again:
"It shall hail until the forest come down, and the city humble herself with humility" (32:19).
In Ezekiel:
"And I will plead with" Gog "with pestilence and with blood; and I will cause to rain upon him, an overflowing rain, and hailstones, fire, and brimstone" (38:22).
In the Apocalypse,
"Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of the covenant; and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail" (11:19).
And in another place:
"And great hail, as it were the weight of a talent, came out of heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great" (16:21).
[9] Therefore those who are in falsities are called hailstones in Ezekiel:
"Say unto them that cover over with untempered [mortar], that it shall fall; there shall be an overflowing rain, and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall" (13:11).
Here by them "that cover over with untempered [mortar]," are signified those who confirm falsities in order that they may outwardly appear as truths. They are called hailstones, because they thus destroy truths; and the dispersion of such falsities is signified by the words "there shall be an overflowing rain."
[10] In Job,
"Hast thou entered into the treasuries of the snow? and hast thou seen the treasuries of the hail? which I reserve against the time of battle and of war? Which is the way where the light is spread abroad?" (Heaven and Hell 126-140); also, because stones in the Word, signify truths, and in the opposite sense falsities; and large hail appears to consist as it were of stones cast down from heaven, which destroy the crops and herbs of the field, as well as the smaller animals, just as stones would do; therefore it is also said, hailstones. That stones, in the Word, signify truths, and in the opposite sense falsities, may be seen in the Arcana. Coelestia (n. 643, 1298, 3720, 6426, 8609, 10376).
503. And there was hail and fire mingled with blood, signifies the destroying infernal falsity and evil mingled with the truths and goods of the Word, to which violence was offered. This is evident from the signification of "hail," as being the destroying infernal falsity (of which presently); from the signification of "fire" as being the destroying infernal evil (of which also presently); and from the signification of "blood," as being the Divine truth, here that to which violence was offered, consequently Divine truth falsified, because it is said "hail and fire mingled with blood." That "blood" signifies Divine truth proceeding from the Lord and received by man, and in the contrary sense its destruction by the falsities of evil, and thus violence offered to it, may be seen above n. 329.
[2] This signification of "hail and fire," as being destroying falsity and evil, is also from the appearances in the spiritual world when Divine truth flows down there out of heaven and flows into the sphere where those are who are in falsities from evil and who are eager to destroy the truths and goods of the church; to those who stand afar off there is then an appearance of a shower of hail and fire, a shower of hail in consequence of their falsities, and a shower of fire from their evils. The reason of this appearance is that when Divine truth flows into the sphere where falsities and evils are, it is changed into something similar to what is in that sphere; for all influx is changed in the recipient subject according to its quality, as with the light of the sun in black subjects, and the heat of the sun in putrid subjects. So it is with Divine truth (which is the light of heaven) and Divine good (which is the heat of heaven) in evil subjects, which are spirits who are in falsities from evil; thence is this appearance. From this it is that "hail and fire" have these significations in the Word; for the sense of the letter of the Word comes for the most part from appearances in the spiritual world.
[3] That "hail" signifies infernal falsity destroying the truth of the church is evident elsewhere in the Word, where the destruction of truth is described by "hail;" as in Egypt, when Pharaoh would not let the people of Israel go, which is thus described in Moses:
Moses said to Pharaoh that he would cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as had not been in Egypt. There shall be hail upon man and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field in the land of Egypt. And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven; and Jehovah sent voices and hail, and the fire ran along the earth; and Jehovah caused hail to rain upon the land of Egypt; and there was hail, and fire with it, raining in the midst of the very grievous hail. And the hail smote all that was in the field, from man even to beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and broke down every tree of the field. Only in the land of Goshen, where the sons of Israel were, was there no hail. And the flax and the barley were smitten; for the barley was a ripening ear, and the flax was a stalk. But the wheat and the spelt were not smitten, for these were covered (Arcana Coelestia 7553-7619.)
[4] So "hail" and "coals" (or fire) have a like signification in David:
He smote their vine with hail, and their sycamore trees with a grievous hail; and He shut up their beast to the hail, and their herds to the coals. He sent among them the fierceness of His anger, an incursion of evil angels (Psalms 78:47-49).
Because "hail" signifies falsity destroying the truths of the church it is said "He smote their vine with hail, and their sycamore trees with a grievous hail," for "vine" signifies the spiritual truth of the church, and "sycamores" its natural truth; and as "coals" signifies the love of evil and its ardor for destroying the goods of the church, it is said, "He shut up their beast to the hail, and their herds to the coals," "beast" and "herds" signifying the evil affections or cupidities that arise from evil love, and "coals" the cupidity and ardor for destroying; "an incursion of evil angels" signifies the falsity of evil from hell.
[5] In the same:
He gave them hail for their rain, a fire of flames in their land; and He smote their vine and their fig tree, and broke down the tree of their border (Psalms 105:32, 33).
This, too, is said of the "hail of Egypt" which signifies infernal falsity destroying the truths of the church; and the "vine" and the "fig tree" here also signify similar things as the "vine" and the "sycamore trees" above, namely, the "vine" spiritual truth, and the "fig tree" natural truth, each belonging to the church; and "tree" signifies the perceptions and knowledges of truth and good.
[6] "Hail" has a similar signification in Joshua, when Joshua fought against the five kings of the Amorites, of which it is said:
It came to pass when the kings fled before Israel, and they were in the going down to Beth-horon, that Jehovah cast down great hailstones from heaven upon them unto Azekah; and more died from the hailstones than the sons of Israel slew with the sword (Joshua 10:11).
As the histories of the Word, the same as the prophecies, are representative and contain an internal sense, therefore also does this that is related of the five kings of the Amorites and the battle of the sons of Israel with them; for the "nations" that were driven out of the land of Canaan signified the evil who are to be cast out of the Lord's kingdom, and the "sons of Israel" signified those to whom it would be granted to possess the kingdom, for the "land of Canaan" signified heaven and the church, thus the Lord's kingdom; thence the "five kings of the Amorites" signified those who are in the falsities of evil and who wish to destroy the truths of the good of the church; this is why they were slain by "hailstones out of heaven," that is, were destroyed and perished by their own falsities of evil; for the evil themselves perish in consequence of their evils and falsities, with which they wish to destroy the truths and goods of the church.
[7] In David:
At the brightness before Him His clouds passed, with hail and coals of fire. Jehovah thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered His voice, hail and coals of fire. And He sent forth His arrows and scattered them, and many lightnings and discomfited them (Psalms 18:12-14).
Here "hail and fire" have a similar signification as the "hail and fire" in this passage in Revelation, namely, falsities and evils destroying the truths and goods of the church. It is said that such things are from Jehovah, because Divine truth coming down out of heaven is changed with the evil into infernal falsities, as has been said above; and from this change there spring forth many appearances such as the fall of hail and fire; and yet these things are not out of heaven from the Lord, but from those who are in the falsities of evil, who turn the influx of Divine truth and good into the falsity of evil. It has been granted me to perceive these changes, when Divine truth flowed down out of heaven into some hell. On the way it was successively turned into the falsity of evil, like that which was with them; just as it is with the sun's heat when it falls into dung heaps, or the sun's light when it falls into subjects that turn its rays into horrid colors; or when the sun's light and heat produce in fetid marshy lands noxious plants that nourish serpents, while in good lands they produce trees and grasses that nourish men and useful beasts. The cause that such effects are produced in putrid land is not the light and heat of the sun, but the lands themselves which are such, and yet these effects may be ascribed to the sun's fire and heat. From this it can be seen what the origin is of the appearances of hail and fire in the spiritual world, and why it is said that "Jehovah causes them to rain," when yet there is nothing from Jehovah but what is good; and when Jehovah, that is, the Lord, renders the influx powerful, it is not that He may destroy the evil but that He may rescue and protect the good, for He thus conjoins the good to Himself more closely and interiorly, and thus they are separated from the evil, and the evil perish; for if the evil were not separated the good would perish and the angelic heaven would fall to ruin.
[8] "Hail" and "the rain of hail" have a similar signification in the following passages. In Isaiah:
Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim. Behold, the Lord strong and mighty, as an inundation of hail, as a tempest of slaughter (Isaiah 28:1, 2).
In the same:
The hail shall overthrow the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place (Isaiah 28:17).
In the same:
Then Jehovah shall cause His glorious voice to be heard, and shall cause His resting arm to be seen in the indignation of anger, and in the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering and inundation, and with hailstones (Isaiah 30:30).
In the same:
It shall hail until the forest shall sink down and the city be laid low in lowliness (Isaiah 32:19).
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 (Job 38:22).
In Revelation:
Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in His temple the ark of the Covenant; and there were lightnings and voices and thunders and an earthquake and great hail (Revelation 11:19).
And again:
And a great hail as of a talent-weight cometh down out of heaven upon men; and the men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, for the plague thereof was exceeding great (Revelation 16:21).
[9] So those who are in falsities of evil are called "hailstones" in Ezekiel:
Say unto them that daub on what is unfit, that it shall fall; there shall come an overflowing rain, in which ye, O great hailstones, shall fall (Ezekiel 13:11).
Here "them that daub on what is unfit" signify those who confirm falsities to make them appear outwardly as truths; such are called "hailstones" because they thus destroy truths; the dispersion of such falsities is signified by "an overflowing rain. "
[10] In Job:
Hast thou come to the treasuries of the snow, and hast thou seen the treasuries of the hail, which I keep back against the time of battle and war, which is the way in which light is diffused? (Job 38:22-24).
Job is asked by Jehovah about many things, whether he knows them, and the things he is asked about signify such things as belong to heaven and the church; and "Hast thou come to the treasuries of the snow, and hast thou seen the treasuries of the hail?" signifies whether he knows why truth is taken away and is destroyed by the falsities of evil, which in the spiritual world appears like a fall of snow and hail out of the sky there. That there are such appearances when the evil are to be dispersed is signified by "which I keep back against the time of battle and war;" thence it is added, "which is the way in which light is diffused?" This signifies the process by which truth is insinuated, "light" meaning truth.
[11] "Hail" signifies the falsity of evil, and "a storm of hail" the destruction of truth, because hail in itself is cold and cannot bear the heat of heaven, and "coldness" signifies the deprivation of the good of love; the good of love is the heat in the angelic heaven (See the work on Heaven and Hell 126-140). Another reason for this meaning is that "stones" in the Word signify truth, and in the contrary sense falsities, and great hail appears to be made up of stones cast down out of heaven, which destroy the crops and herbs of the field, as well as the smaller animals as stones would, and this is why they are called "hailstones." (That "stones" signify in the Word truths, and in the contrary sense falsities, see Arcana Coelestia 643, 1298, 3720, 6426, 8609, 10376)
503. "Et facta est grando et ignis mixta sanguine." - Quod significet falsum et malum infernale destruens, commixtum veris et bonis Verbi, quibus violentia illata, constat ex significatione "grandinis", quod sit falsum infernale destruens (de qua sequitur); ex significatione "ignis", quod sit malum infernale destruens (de qua etiam sequitur); et ex significatione "sanguinis", quod sit Divinum Verum, hic cui violentia illata, ita Divinum Verum falsificatum, quia dicitur "grando et ignis mixta sanguine." Quod, "sanguis" significet Divinum Verum procedens a Domino, et receptum ab homine, et in opposito sensu destructionem ejus per falsa mali, et sic violentiam ei illatam, videatur supra (n. 329).
[2] Quod "grando" et "ignis" significent falsum et malum destruens, est quoque ex apparentiis in mundo spirituali, quando ibi Divinum Verum e caelo defluit, ac influit in sphaeram ubi illi qui in falsis ex malo sunt, et cupiunt destruere vera et bona ecclesiae; tunc apparet illis qui e longinquo stant sicut depluitio grandinis et ignis, ex falsis apud illos sicut depluitio grandinis, et ex malis sicut depluitio ignis: causa est quia Divinum Verum, cum influit in sphaeram ubi falsa et mala sunt, mutatur in simile quod in sphaera; nam omnis influxus mutatur in subjecto recipiente secundum quale ejus, sicut lux solis in subjecta nigra, et calor solis in subjecta putida; ita Divinum Verum, quod est lux caeli, et Divinum Bonum, quod est calor caeli, in subjecta mala, quae sunt spiritus qui in falsis ex malo sunt; exinde est apparentia illa: ex eo est quod "grando" et "ignis" in Verbo talia significent, nam sensus litterae Verbi quoad maximam partem est ex apparentiis in mundo spirituali.
[3] Quod "grando" significet falsum infernale destruens verum ecclesiae, constare potest ex Verbo alibi, ubi destructio veri per "grandinem" describitur:
Ut in Aegypto, cum Pharao non voluit dimittere populum Israelem, de qua re ita apud Mosen,
Dixit Moseh ad Pharaonem quod plueret grando gravis valde, qualis non fuerat in Aegypto, ... "et erit grando super hominem et super bestiam, et super omnem herbam agri in terra Aegypti. Et extendit Moseh baculum ad caelum, et Jehovah dedit Voces et grandinem; et ambulavit ignis ad terram; et pluere fecit Jehovah grandinem super terram Aegypti, et fuit grando, et ignis simul ambulans in medio grandinis gravis valde.... ; et percussit grando, .... omne quod in agro, ab homine usque ad bestiam; et omnem herbam agri percussit grando, et omnem arborem agri confregit; tantum in [terra] Goschen, ubi erant filii Israelis, non erat grando:.... et linum et hordeum percussum est, quia hordeum spica maturescens, et linum culmus: et triticum et zea non percussa sunt, quia abdita illa" (Exodus 9:18-35):
similia per "grandinem in Aegypto" significantur, quae per "grandinem" hic in Apocalypsi; quare etiam plura similia dicuntur; ut quod "grando et ignis simul ambulaverint", quod "percussa sit herba agri et confractae arbores": quod plura similia hic memorentur, est quia similia per plagas Aegypti significantur quae per plagas in Apocalypsi factas dum septem angeli clanxerunt; per "Aegyptios" enim significabantur mere naturales homines, per "filios Israelis" spirituales homines, per "plagas Aegypti" illae mutationes quae praecedunt ante ultimum judicium, similiter ut hic in Apocalypsi; nam per immersionem Pharaonis et Aegyptiorum in Mare Suph repraesentabatur ultimum judicium et damnatio. Inde nunc est quod per "grandinem" et "ignem" ibi etiam significentur falsa et mala destruentia ecclesiam. (Sed illa videantur explicata in Arcanis Caelestibus n. 7553-7619.)
[4] Simile itaque significatur per "grandinem" et "prunas" seu ignem, apud Davidem,
"Percussit grandine vitem eorum, et sycomoros eorum grandine gravi, et conclusit grandine bestiam eorum, et pecora eorum prunis: misit in eos excandescentiam irae suae, .... immissionem angelorum malorum" ( 1
quia "grando" significat falsum destruens vera ecclesiae, ideo dicitur "Percussit grandine vitem eorum, et sycomoros grandine gravi"; nam per "vitem" significatur verum spirituale ecclesiae, et per "sycomorum" verum naturale ejus: et quia per "prunas" seu ignem significatur amor mali et ejus ardor destruendi bona ecclesiae, ideo dicitur Conclusit grandine bestiam eorum, et pecora eorum prunis"; per "bestiam" et "pecora" significantur affectiones malae seu cupiditates ex amore malo oriundae, et per "prunas" seu ignem cupiditas et ardor destruendi: per "immissionem angelorum malorum " significatur falsum mali ex inferno.
[5] Apud eundem,
"Dedit pluVias eorum grandinem, ignem flammarum in terra eorum, et percussit vitem eorum et ficum eorum, et confregit arborem termini eorum" (Psalms 105:32, 33):
etiam haec de "grandine Aegypti", per quam significatur falsum infernale destruens vera ecclesiae; et per "vitem" et "ficum" hic quoque similia significantur quae supra per "vitem" et "sycomoros"; per "vitem " verum spirituale, et per "ficum" verum naturale, utrumque ecclesiae: et per "arborem" significantur perceptiones et cognitiones veri et boni.
[6] Simile per "grandinem" etiam significatur apud Josuam, cum pugnavit contra quinque reges Emorraeorum, de quibus ita,
"Factum est, cum fugerent" reges "coram Israele, illi in descensu Bethchoronis, et Jehovah projecit super eos lapides grandinis magnos e caelis ad Asekam.... ; et plures mortui sunt ex lapidibus grandinis quam quos occiderunt filii Israelis gladio" (Joshua 10:11):
quoniam historica Verbi aeque repraesentativa sunt, ac sensum internum continent, ac prophetica, ideo etiam quae memorantur de quinque regibus Emorraeorum, et de pugna filiorum Israelis cum illis per "gentes" enim e terra Canaane expulsas significabantur mali qui e regno Domini ejiciendi; et per "filios Israelis" illi quibus daretur regnum possidendum; nam per "terram Canaanem" significabatur caelum et ecclesia, ita regnum Domini: inde per "quinque reges Emorraeorum" significabantur illi qui in falsis mali sunt, ac volunt destruere vera boni ecclesiae; propterea factum est quod illi per "lapides grandinis e caelo occiderentur." hoc est, per suamet falsa mali destruerentur et perirent; nam mali per sua mala et falsa, per quae destruere volunt vera et bona ecclesiae, ipsi pereunt.
[7] Apud Davidem,
"A splendore ante Ipsum nubes Ejus transiverunt, grandine et prunis ignis; tonavit in caelis Jehovah, et Altissimus dedit vocem suam, grandinem et prunas ignis: et misit tela sua, et dispersit illos, et fulmina multa, et conturbavit illos" (Psalms 18:13-15 [B.A. 12-14]):
hic per "grandinem" et "ignem" similia significantur quae per "grandinem" et "ignem" hic in Apocalypsi, nempe falsa et mala destruentia vera et bona ecclesiae: quod dicatur quod illa "a Jehovah", est quia Divinum Verum descendens e caelo vertitur in falsa infernalia apud malos, ut supra dictum est; ex qua conversione existunt plures apparentiae, sicut quod defluat grando et ignis, cum tamen haec non e caelo a Domino, sed ab illis qui in falsis mali sunt, qui convertunt influxum Divini Veri et Boni in falsum mali. Datum etiam est mihi conversiones illas appercipere, quando Divinum Verum e caelo in aliquod infernum defluxit; vertebatur in via successive in falsum mali, quale fuit apud illos; prorsus sicut calor solis dum cadit in stercorea, et lux solis in subjecta quae radios ejus vertunt in tetros colores; aut sicut lux et calor solis in terris putidis paludinosis producit herbas noxias quae nutriunt serpentes, at in terris bonis producit arbores et gramina, quae nutriunt homines et utiles bestias; lux et calor solis non in causa sunt quod in putidis terris producantur tales effectus, sed sunt ipsae quae tales, et tamen effectus illi adscribi possunt solis igni et aestui. Ex his constare potest ex qua origine apparet grando et ignis in mundo spirituali, et unde quod dicatur quod "Jehovah pluere faciat illa", cum tamen a Jehovah non nisi quam bonum; et quando Jehovah, hoc est, Dominus, fortem reddit influxum, non est ut perdat malos, sed ut eripiat ac tutetur bonos; conjungit enim sic bonos Sibi arctius et interius, et inde separantur a malis, ac mali pereunt; nam si non separarentur mali, perirent boni, ac interiret caelum angelicum.
[8] Similia per "grandinem" et per "pluviam grandinis" significantur in sequentibus locis:
- Apud Esaiam,
"Vae coronae superbiae, ebriis Ephraimi;.... ecce fortis et robustus Dominus, sicut inundatio grandinis, procella caedis" (28:1, 2);
apud eundem,
"Evertet grando refugium mendacii et latibulum aquae inundabunt" (28:17);
apud eundem,
"Tunc audiri faciet Jehovah gloriam vocis suae, et quietem brachium Ejus videre faciet, in indignatione irae et flamma ignis comedentis, dispersione et inundatione, et lapide grandinis" (30:30, 31);
apud eundem,
"Grandinabit, donec descenderit silva, et cum humilitate humiliaverit se urbs" (32:19);
apud Ezechielem,
"Disceptabo cum" Gogo "peste et sanguine, et pluviam inundantem et lapides grandinis, ignem et sulphur faciam pluere super eum" (38:22);
in Apocalypsi,
"Tunc apertum est templum Dei in caelo, et visa est arca foederis in templo Ejus, et facta sunt fulgura et voces et tonitrua, et terrae motus, et grando magna" (11:19);
et alibi,
"Grando magna quasi talenti pondo descendit e caelo super homines; quare blasphemarunt homines Deum prae plaga grandinis, quia magna erat plaga ejus valde ([Apoc.] 16:21).
[9] Inde illi qui in falsis mali sunt, vocantur "lapides grandinis" apud Ezechielem,
"Dic ad incrustantes ineptum quod cadet; fiet pluvia inundans, qua vos, lapides grandinis, cadent" (13:11):
per "incrustantes ineptum" significantur qui falsa confirmant, ut extrinsecus appareant sicut vera; illi dicuntur "lapides grandinis", quia sic destruunt vera; dispersio talium falsorum significatur per "pluviam inundantem."
[10] Apud Hiobum,
"Num venisti ad thesauros nivis, et thesauros grandinis vidisti? Quae inhibeo in tempus... proelii et belli; quae via qua diffunditur lux?" (38:22-24):
quaeritur Hiob a Jehovah de pluribus num illa sciat; sed illa de quibus quaeritur, significant talia quae caeli et ecclesiae sunt; et per "Num venisti ad thesauros nivis, et vidisti thesauros grandinis?" significatur num sciat unde deprivatio veri et destructio ejus per falsa mali, quae in mundo spirituali apparet sicut lapsus nivis et grandinis e caelis ibi; quod talia appareant quando mali dispergendi, significatur per "quae inhibeo in tempus proelii et belli"; inde etiam dicitur, "quae via qua diffunditur lux", per quod significatur quo progressu verum insinuatur ("lux" est verum).
[11] Quod "grando" significet falsum mali, ac "pluvia grandinis" destructionem veri, est quia grando in se frigida est, et non sustinet calorem caeli, ac "frigidum" significat deprivationem boni amoris, et "calor" in caelo angelico est bonum amoris (videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno n. 126-140); tum quia "lapides" in Verbo significant vera, ac in opposito sensu falsa, et grando magna apparet consistere sicut ex lapidibus e caelo dejectis, qui destruunt messes et herbas agri, tum etiam animalia minora, sicut forent lapides; inde etiam dicitur "lapis grandinis."
(Quod "lapides" in Verbo significent vera, ac in opposito sensu falsa, videatur in Arcanis Caelestibus n. 640, 1298, 3720, 6426, 8609, 10376.)
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.