504# 到目前为止，我们已经说明“冰雹”表示什么；我们现在说明“火”表示什么。在圣言中，“火”表示属天之爱的良善，“火焰”表示属灵之爱的良善；但在反面意义上，“火”表示由自我之爱产生的邪恶，“火焰”表示由世界之爱产生的邪恶。必须清楚的是，各种良善都从属天之爱和属灵之爱中获得其存在，而各种邪恶都从自我之爱和世界之爱中获得其存在。在圣言中，“火”因表示两种意义上的爱，所以表示源于这两种爱的一切良善和一切邪恶。由于在圣言中，“火”论及天堂和地狱，而迄今为止，人们还不知道“火”表示爱，所以我要从圣言引用一些经文来清楚说明，“火”在好的意义上表示天堂之爱，在坏的意义上表示地狱之爱。
在圣言中，“火”表示天堂之爱，这一点首先从“祭坛上的火”的含义明显看出来，“祭坛上的火”表示天堂之爱，或对主之爱(参看AE 496节)；非祭坛上的“火”也具有相同的含义，这一点从以下经文清楚看出来。以西结书：
我观看，看哪，狂风从北方刮来，有一朵大云，把自己包裹在自己里面的火和它周围的光辉，火中间好像活炭的形状。从它中间又出来四个活物的形像。活物的形像，就如烧着的火炭，又如灯的样子；火在四活物中间上去下来，这火很明亮，从火中发出闪电。在它们头以上的穹苍之上有宝座的形像，有一个人的形像在它上头。我从他腰以上的样子仿佛看见烧着的炭的样子，周围有仿佛火的样子在它里头；又从他腰以下的样子看见仿佛火的样子，它周围也有光辉。(以西结书1:4–5, 13, 26–27; 8:2)
被看成活物的“基路伯”表示圣治和守护方面的主，以免不通过爱之良善就靠近主；由于这种守护本身在天堂，尤其在至内层或第三层天堂，所以该天堂也由“基路伯”来表示(参看AE 152, 277, 313, 322, 362, 462节)。由于它们尤表第三层天堂，而主在众天堂之上，所以主被看见在基路伯以上的宝座上。火也被看见在基路伯中间，周围有光辉，闪电从这火中发出；“在宝座周围、从坐宝座者的腰以上和以下”明显表示属天的神性之爱，或神性属天之爱。因为主自己就是神性之爱，凡从主发出之物都是从祂的神性之爱发出的；因此，这就是周围有光辉的“火”。
同样，在但以理书：
他来到亘古常在者面前；祂的衣服洁白如雪，头发如纯净的羊毛。祂的宝座如火焰，其轮子如燃烧的火；一条火河从祂面前发出并流出来。(但以理书7:9–10, 13)
“亘古常在者”也表示主；此处“人子”表示神性真理方面的主，“亘古常在者”表示神性良善方面的主，祂因上古时代，就是有一个处于对主之爱的属天教会的时候而被称为“亘古常在者”。“如火焰的宝座”表示这个属天教会和那些来自该教会之人的天堂；但“如燃烧的火的轮子”表示属天之爱的教义；“从祂面前发出并流出来的火”表示从主发出的神性之爱本身。
但以理书也说，他看见：
有一人身穿细麻衣，腰束乌法精金带；祂身体如水苍玉，面貌如闪电，眼目如火把，手臂和脚如光明的铜。(但以理书10:5–6)
但以理就是如此看见主的，这一点从启示录明显看出来，在那里，祂在约翰面前以几乎一样的方式被代表，论到祂，经上说：
七灯台中间有一位好像人子，胸间束着金带；祂的头与发皆白，如白羊毛、如雪；祂的眼睛如同火焰；祂的脚像擦亮的铜，仿佛在炉中发光；祂的面貌像日头满有力地发光。(启示录1:13–16; 2:18)
从对约翰所看见的在七灯台中间的“人子”、“身穿细麻衣的人”和“亘古常在者”的这种描述的相似性明显看出，他们所看见的，都是主。“祂的面貌如闪电，眼睛如同火焰”表示主的神性良善；因为对人来说，脸，尤其眼睛，是他的爱之情感的代表形像，因为爱从它们那里闪耀出来，它们也从爱如同从火中那样闪闪发光。
论到坐在白马上的那一位，经上说：
祂的眼睛如火焰。(启示录19:12)
显然，在那里，圣言方面的主被表现为坐在一匹白马上，因为经上说，坐在白马上的那一位被称为“神的圣言”，祂是“万王之王、万主之主”。由于“火”表示神性之爱，所以摩西在何烈山上看见主在荆棘中间的火里(出埃及记3:1–3)。因此，当主降临西乃山时，摩西和以色列百姓也看见主“在火里”；对此，经上如此描述：
西乃山全山冒烟，因为耶和华在火中降临山上，山的烟气上腾，如火炉的烟一般。(出埃及记19:18; 申命记4:36)
此处被看到的“火”也代表神性之爱。
由于“火”在至高意义上表示主的神性之爱，所以经上吩咐，火要在坛上不断烧着，他们要取那火来献香。正因如此，在希腊和罗马的宗教仪式中，火要持续不断地烧着，由维斯塔贞女来照管。他们拜火为神圣，这一点就源自亚洲的古代教会；在这些教会中，与敬拜有关的一切事物都具有代表性。由于“火”在至高意义上表示神性之爱，所以灯台被放在会幕内，灯台上有七盏灯常常点着；对此，摩西五经如此描述：
要吩咐以色列人，把那为点灯捣成的纯橄榄油拿来给你，使灯常常点着。亚伦从晚上到早晨，要不断在耶和华面前经理这灯。他要在耶和华面前常收拾纯灯台上的灯(利未记24:2–4)；关于这灯台本身(可参看出埃及记25:31–40; 37:17–24; 40:24–25; 民数记8:2–4)。在神的宝座前点着的七盏火灯(启示录4:5)所表相同。但“祭坛上的火”表示神性属天之爱，或属天的神性之爱，“灯台上的火”，也就是火焰，表示神性属灵之爱，或属灵的神性之爱。由此可知，在灯台的灯盏中产生火焰之火的“油”也表示神性之爱；五个谨慎的童女灯里有，而五个愚拙的童女没有的“油”(马太福音25:1–12)同样表示神性之爱。
福音书中的“火”也表示主的神性之爱：
约翰说，我是用水给你们施洗，但耶稣要用圣灵与火给你们施洗。(马太福音3:11; 路加福音3:16)
“用圣灵与火施洗”表示通过来自主的爱之神性真理和神性良善使人重生，因为“圣灵”表示从主发出的神性真理，“火”表示这真理所源于的神性之爱。
以赛亚书中的“火炉”也表示“火”所表之物：
那有火炉在锡安、有烤炉在耶路撒冷的耶和华。(以赛亚书31:9)
经上说“那有火炉在锡安的”，是因为“锡安”表示有属天之爱在里面的教会；说“有烤炉在耶路撒冷”，是因为“耶路撒冷”表示有教义真理在里面的教会；属天之爱相对来说就像“火炉”，而教义的真理则好像预备饼的“烤炉”。
504b.由于“火”表示爱之良善，“全燔祭”表示出于爱之良善的敬拜，所以有时火从天堂降下来，烧灭燔祭；如当为百姓赎罪而献全燔祭时，对此，摩西五经如此描述：
当献祭时，有火从耶和华面前出来，吞灭坛上的全燔祭和脂肪；全体百姓一看见，就都欢呼，脸俯伏于地。(利未记9:24)
经上还说：
从天而降的火吞灭以利亚的全燔祭、木柴、石头、尘土，又舔干沟里周围的水。(列王纪上18:38)
这“火”也表示神性之爱，因而表示对出于爱之良善的敬拜的接受。从磐石中出来、吞灭了基甸带给神使者的肉和无酵饼的“火”(士师记6:21)所表相同。以下吩咐同样表示神性之爱：
羔羊要用火烤，断不可用水煮，剩下留到早晨的，要用火烧了。(出埃及记12:8–10)
对这几节经文的解释，可参看《属天的奥秘》(7852–7861节)。
当以色列人起行时，主走在他们面前所在的火，以及夜间会幕上面的火也表示主的神性之爱；对此，摩西五经如此描述：
日间，耶和华在云柱中走在他们前面，领他们的路；夜间，在火柱中给他们光明；日间云柱，夜间火柱，总不离开百姓的面前。(出埃及记13:21–22; 民数记9:15–23; 申命记1:33)
又：
日间，耶和华的云彩是在帐幕以上；夜间，云中有火，在以色列全家的眼前，在他们所有的旅程中。(出埃及记40:38; 诗篇105:32, 39)
日间显现的“云”和夜间显现的“火”代表主对天堂和教会的保护，因为“帐幕”代表天堂和教会，“云和火”代表保护；云出现时的“日间”表示在光中的神性真理，“夜间”表示在阴影中的神性真理。他们被一朵云保护，以免被太大的光伤害，也被发光的火保护，以免被太多的阴影伤害。
这就是这些事物的代表，这一点明显可见于以赛亚书：
耶和华必在锡安山的一切居所和她的会众以上，白天创造云，黑夜创造火焰的烟和光亮；因为在一切荣耀之上必有遮盖。必有帐棚，白日可以得荫避热，也可以作避难所和藏身之处，躲避洪水泛滥和降雨。(以赛亚书4:5–6)
“锡安山的居所”表示属天教会的良善，“她的会众”表示该良善的真理；“白天创造云，黑夜创造火焰的烟和光亮”表示保护，以免被太大的光或太多的阴影伤害；故经上说：“在一切荣耀之上必有遮盖；必有帐棚，白日可以得荫避热。”“也可以作避难所和藏身之处，躲避洪水泛滥和降雨”表示以免虚假因太大的光或太多的阴影而闯入，因为“洪水泛滥和降雨”表示虚假的涌入。
撒迦利亚书：
我要作耶路撒冷四围的火墙，并要作她中间的荣耀。(撒迦利亚书2:5)
“火墙”表示神性之爱的保护，因为地狱不能靠近或攻击这爱；“她中间的荣耀”是指由此而来的四面八方的在光中的神性真理。由于“火”表示神性之爱，所以全燔祭被称为献给耶和华的火祭，献给耶和华的安息气味的火祭(出埃及记29:18; 利未记1:9, 13, 17; 2:2, 9–11; 3:5, 16; 4:35; 5:12; 7:30; 21:6; 民数记28:2; 申命记18:1)；这表示它们被接纳，以代表出于爱之良善的敬拜，“全燔祭”代表这敬拜，因为在燔祭中，整个牲畜在火中被焚烧并烧灭。
由于圣言就是与神性良善合一的神性真理本身，因圣言处处都有良善与真理的婚姻在里面，所以以利亚被看到乘火车火马升天去了(列王纪下2:11)。由于同样的原因，山被看到满了火车火马围绕以利沙(列王纪下6:17)。因为以利亚和以利沙代表圣言方面的主；因此，“车”表示来自圣言的教义，“马”表示对圣言的理解。
“火”表示爱，这一点也清楚可见于诗篇：
耶和华使祂的使者为灵，使祂的事奉者为火焰。(诗篇104:4)
“耶和华使祂的使者为灵”表示祂使他们成为神性真理的接受者，他们因此表示神性真理本身；“祂使祂的事奉者为火焰”表示祂使他们成为神性良善的接受者，他们因此表示神性良善。在圣言中，“使者或天使”表示神性真理方面的主，在相对意义上表示来自主的神性真理的接受者(参看AE 130, 200, 302节)；“事奉者”表示属于神性之爱的神性良善的接受者(也可参看AE 155节)。由此清楚可知，“火焰”表示爱之良善。“火”表示爱，因为主凭神性之爱在天使天堂显为一轮太阳，热和光从这太阳发出；在众天堂，来自显为太阳的主的热是爱之神性良善，来自显为太阳的主的光是神性真理；这就是为何在圣言中，“火”表示爱之良善，“光”表示来自良善的真理。主凭神性之爱在天使天堂显为一轮太阳(可参看《天堂与地狱》，116–125节)；来自这太阳的光是神性真理，来自这太阳的热是神性良善(HH 126–140; 567, 568节)。正是由于火与爱之间的对应关系，在普通话语中，当论及属于爱的情感时，我们用到“温暖”、“火上浇油”(to be inflamed)、“燃烧”、 “热烈”、“发火”这些词语，以及其它类似词语。此外，一个人会出于任何种类的爱照着这爱的程度而变暖。
504c.到目前为止，所论述的是在圣言中，当“火”被归因于主时，或当它论及天堂和教会时，它的含义。但在圣言中，当“火”论及邪恶和地狱时，它表示对自我和世界的爱，因而表示折磨死后在地狱里的恶人的一切邪恶情感和欲望。“火”具有这种反面意义，是因为神性之爱当从天堂降下来，进入恶人所在的社群时，就被转变为与神性之爱相反的一种爱，从而转变为各种燃烧的渴望和欲望，进而变成各种邪恶，还变成折磨，因为邪恶自带自己的惩罚。由于神性之爱在恶人那里转变为地狱之爱，所以对自我和世界的爱，以及仇恨和报复掌权的地狱看上去就像着了火，或像一团火焰，无论里面还是周围，尽管在它们里面的地狱团伙没有感觉到任何火。事实上，由于这些爱，在这些地狱中的团伙脸上红肿，仿佛因火而变红。
因此，这就是以下经文中的“火”的含义。以赛亚书：
邪恶像火焚烧，吞灭荆棘和蒺藜，点燃森林的密丛，使它们在升起的烟中滚动上腾。百姓成为火柴，无人怜惜弟兄。(以赛亚书9:18–19)
同一先知书：
全体百姓都必作为可烧的，成了火的燃料或食物。(以赛亚书9:5)
又：
亚述人啊，你们怀的是糠秕，生的是碎秸；火必吞灭你们的灵。万民必像燃烧的石灰，又像被割下的荆棘，在火中焚烧。我们中间谁能与吞灭的火同住？我们中间谁能与永远的燃烧物同居呢？(以赛亚书33:11–12, 14)
“亚述人”表示那些基于虚假和谬误、出于自我聪明，因而出于自我之爱来推理教会的真理和良善的人；此处描述的是这些人。
又：
在耶和华报仇的日子，地上的溪河必变为沥青，它的尘土必变为硫磺，这地必成为烧着的沥青；昼夜不熄，它的烟永远上腾。(以赛亚书34:8–10)
又：
他们变得像碎秸；火焚烧了他们；他们不能救自己的灵魂脱离火焰之手。(以赛亚书47:14)
又：
看哪，你们当中所有点火、以火星围绕自己的人；进入你们的火地，进入你们所点燃的火星里去吧。(以赛亚书50:11)
又：
他们的虫是不死的，他们的火是不灭的。(以赛亚书66:24)
以西结书：
我必将你关在燃烧之人的手中；你必作火的燃料或食物。(以西结书21:31–32)
诗篇：
你发怒的时候，要使他们如炽热的烤炉，火要吞灭他们。(诗篇21:9)
又：
愿燃烧的火炭落在恶人身上，愿火把他们抛在深坑，不能再起来。(诗篇140:10)
马太福音：
凡不结好果子的树，就砍下来丢在火里。祂要扬净祂的场，把麦子收在仓里，把糠用不灭的火烧尽了。(马太福音3:10, 12; 路加福音3:9, 17)
同一福音书：
稗子怎样用火焚烧，时代的完结也要如此。(马太福音13:40)
又：
人子要差遣使者，把一切叫人跌倒的和作孽的从祂国里挑出来，丢在火炉里。(马太福音13:41–42, 50)
又：
王向那左手边的说，你们这被咒诅的人，离开我，进入那为魔鬼和他的使者所预备的永火里去！(马太福音25:41)
又：
凡对弟兄说你这个傻瓜的，必遭受地狱的火。(马太福音5:22; 18:8–9; 马可福音9:45, 47)
路加福音：
财主在地狱里说，我祖亚伯拉罕哪，请打发拉撒路来，用指头尖蘸点水，凉凉我的舌头，因为我在这火焰里，极其痛苦。(路加福音16:24).
同一福音书：
到罗得出所多玛的时候，就有火与硫磺如雨般从天上降下来，把他们全都灭了；人子显现的日子也要这样。(路加福音17:29–30)
启示录：
若有人拜兽，这人必喝神烈怒的酒，在火与硫磺之中受痛苦。(启示录14:9–10)
又：
那兽与假先知就活活地被扔进烧着硫磺的火湖里。(启示录19:20)
又：
魔鬼被扔进火与硫磺的湖里。(启示录20:10)
又：
死亡和地狱也被扔在火湖里；若有人被发现没有记在生命册上，他就被扔在火湖里。(启示录20:14–15)
又：
不信的、杀人的、奸淫的、行邪术的、拜偶像的和一切说谎话的，必在烧着火与硫磺的湖里有他们的份。(启示录21:8)
在这些经文中，“火”表示属于邪恶之爱的一切欲望及其惩罚，也就是痛苦或折磨。对此，我们建议读者参考《天堂与地狱》(566–575节)，那里说明了何谓“地狱之火”和“咬牙切齿”。
504d.前面论述了冰雹，那里说，当神性从天堂降下来时，它在恶人所在的低层领域会产生与它在天堂本身的效果相反的一种效果；也就是说，在天堂，它赋予生气并进行结合，但在恶人所在的低层部分却产生死亡和分离。其原因在于，从天堂而降的神性流注打开善人的属灵心智，并使它适合接受；但在没有属灵心智的恶人里面，它打开他们的属世心智，也就是邪恶和虚假所居之处的内层，他们由此对天堂的一切良善心怀厌恶，并仇恨真理，对各种罪行则怀有一种欲望，因此与善人分离，随即受到诅咒。我们现在正谈论的在善人那里的这种流注在天堂显现为一种赋予生气、再创造和进行结合的火；但在低下的恶人那里，它却显现为一种吞灭和荒废或毁灭的火。
正是由于神性之爱从天堂流下来的这种效果，在圣言中，怒气和愤怒常常被归于耶和华，也就是主，怒气来自火，愤怒来自火之热。经上还提到祂的“怒火”，说祂是“吞灭的火”，以及其它类似表述；这些话的意思不是说，从主发出的火具有这种性质，因为这火在起源上是神性之爱，而是说它在恶人那里变成这样，恶人因它的流注或说它流入他们而发怒和愤怒。情况就是这样，这一点从当主降临西乃山，宣布律法时，出现在这山上的火清楚看出来。尽管这火在起源上是神性之爱，是神性真理的源头，但它向以色列百姓却显为吞灭的火，他们在这火面前极其恐惧，大大颤抖(出埃及记19:18; 20:18; 申命记4:11–12, 15, 33, 36; 5:5, 22–26)；这是因为以色列百姓没有属灵的内在，只有一个属世的外在，这属世的外在充满各种邪恶和虚假；主照着各人的品质而向各人显现。雅各的儿子们就具有上述性质和品质(可参看《新耶路撒冷及其属天教义》，248节)。
这就是为何在圣言中，耶和华，也就是主，被称为“吞灭的火”，如在以下经文中；申命记：
耶和华你的神是吞灭的火。(申命记4:24)
以赛亚书：
看哪，耶和华必在火中降临，祂的战车在火焰中好像旋风或暴风。因为耶和华必以火和祂的剑与一切肉体争辩；被耶和华所杀的必多。(以赛亚书66:15–16)
同一先知书：
你必用吞灭的火焰来察罚。(以赛亚书29:6)
又：
在耶和华怒中的愤恨、吞灭的火焰、分散、洪水和冰雹石中。(以赛亚书30:30)
诗篇：
从祂鼻孔有烟往上冒，从祂口中有火吞灭，连炭都被它点着了。因祂面前的光辉，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。(诗篇18:8, 12–13)
又：
我们的神要来，决不缄默；有烈火在祂面前吞灭。(诗篇50:3)
又：
耶和华在恶人身上如雨般降下网罗、烈火、硫磺。(诗篇11:6)
以西结书：
我必向他们变脸，他们虽从火中出来，火却要吞灭他们。我必使这地成为荒场，因为他们犯下罪过。(以西结书15:7–8)
摩西五经：
在我怒中有火已经点燃，要烧到最低的地狱，它必吞灭地和地的出产，在山的根基上点火。(申命记32:22)
当神性良善与真理从天堂朝那里的低层部分，就是要与善人分离并被驱散的恶人所在之处下降时，这些事物就出现在灵界；经上说这些事物，就是由于那里的这些表象。由于从天堂而降的火在起源上是神性之爱，当被那里的恶人接受时，就变成吞灭的火，所以在圣言中，这火论及耶和华。地狱之火无非是神性之爱进入邪恶之爱，并进入作恶和造成伤害的可怕欲望的变化。
从天而降，吞灭所多玛和蛾摩拉的火(创世记19:24)，以及因亚伦的儿子拿答、亚比户以凡火献香而吞灭他们的火(利未记10:1等)也代表这一点。“用凡火所献的香”表示出于除了对主之爱以外的其它爱的敬拜。由于以色列人的欲望而吞灭他们营的边缘部分的火(民数记11:1–3)，以及当耶和华从火、云柱中眺望埃及人的营时，在红海中灭亡的埃及人(出埃及记14:24–27)同样代表这一点。这火在起源上是神性之爱，在以色人起行期间，在他们面前发光，也在夜间帐幕上面发光，这一点在前面已经说明；然而，耶和华从火中眺望却使埃及人的营彻底混乱，并把它们毁灭。
在灵界，火看上去从天堂降下来烧灭恶人，这从启示录，就是约翰看到的地方明显可知，因为他说：
有火从天降下，烧灭了歌革和玛各及其团伙。(启示录20:9; 以西结书38:22)
“烧灭”在此表示驱散并投入地狱。所以在以赛亚书，经上又说：
以色列的光必成为火，他的圣者必成为火焰，一日之间就把他的荆棘和蒺藜焚烧并烧灭。(以赛亚书10:17)
“荆棘和蒺藜”表示教会教义的邪恶和虚假；“以色列的光必成为火，他的圣者必成为火焰”表示从天堂而降的神性真理对它们的摧毁。
504e.由于“火”在反面意义上，或相对于恶人，严格来说表示自我之爱，“火焰”表示世界之爱，所以“火”也表示一切邪恶，如敌意、仇恨、报复，以及其它许多邪恶；事实上，一切邪恶都是从这两个源头流出来的(可参看《新耶路撒冷及其属天教义》，75节)；因此，“火”也表示在属灵生命方面对人的毁灭，因而表示诅咒或定罪和地狱。“火”表示这一切事物，是因为“火”表示爱，这可从以下经文进一步清楚看出来。以赛亚书：
他们必观看，因他们仇恨百姓而羞愧；火必吞灭你的仇敌。(以赛亚书26:11)
“仇恨”和“火”描述了对“百姓”和“仇敌”在此所表示的恶人的毁灭。
同一先知书：
你从水中经过的时候，我必与你同在；你趟过江河，水必不漫过你；你从火中行过的时候，必不被烧，火焰也不着在你身上。(以赛亚书43:2)
“从水中经过，趟过江河，必不漫过”表示虚假和来自反对真理的虚假的推理必不进入和败坏，此处“水”表示虚假，“河”表示来自反对真理的虚假的推理；“从火中行过，必不被烧，火焰也不着在他们身上”表示邪恶和由它们产生的欲望必不伤害他们，“火”表示邪恶，“火焰”表示由此而来的欲望。
又：
我们那神圣华美的房屋，就是我们列祖赞美你的地方，被火焚烧；我们所羡慕的一切事物都荒废。(以赛亚书64:11)
“那神圣华美的房屋”表示属天和属灵的教会，“神圣的房屋”表示属天教会，“华美的”表示属灵教会；“就是我们列祖赞美你的地方”表示古教会的敬拜，“赞美”表示敬拜，“列祖”表示那些属于古教会的人；“被火焚烧”表示古教会的一切良善都变成了邪恶，良善被这些邪恶吞噬和毁灭；“我们所羡慕的一切事物都荒废”表示一切真理也被吞噬；在圣言中，“羡慕的事物”表示教会的真理。
又：
你们必像一棵叶子凋落的橡树，又如一个现已无水的园子。强者必如拖绳，他的工作好像火星，他们都要一同焚烧，无人扑灭。(以赛亚书1:30–31)
“橡树”表示属世人，“叶子”表示属世人中的真理的知识或科学和认知；“园子”表示理性人；“你们必像一棵叶子凋落的橡树，又如一个现已无水的园子”表示必不再有任何科学真理或真知识，或理性真理。“强者”和“他的工作”表示从自我聪明中产生或孵化出来的东西。在圣言中，信靠自己和自己的聪明之人有时被称为“强的”，因为他以为他自己和他由此所产生的工作是强的；由于人的自我吸收各种邪恶和虚假，并通过这些摧毁一切良善和真理，所以经上说：“强者必如拖绳，他的工作好像火星，他们都要一同焚烧。”“焚烧”表示因邪恶之虚假而灭亡。
以西结书：
你的母亲像一棵葡萄树。如今她栽于旷野干旱焦渴之地；火也从她枝干中发出，吞灭它们和她的果子。(以西结书19:10, 12–14)
“像一棵葡萄树的母亲”表示古教会，古教会处于生活的良善和由此而来的真理；“如今她栽于旷野干旱焦渴之地”表示如今教会缺乏良善和真理，“干旱之地”表示没有良善的教会，“焦渴之地”表示没有真理的教会；“火也从她枝干中发出，吞灭它们和她的果子”表示虚假之邪恶摧毁了一切真理和良善，“火”表示邪恶，“枝干”表示有邪恶在里面的教义之虚假，“吞灭它们和她的果子”表示摧毁真理和良善；虚假之邪恶就是来自教义虚假的邪恶。
撒迦利亚书：
主必使推罗穷乏，击打她海里的财富；她必被火吞灭。(撒迦利亚书9:4)
“推罗”表示真理和良善的知识或认知方面的教会，因此“推罗”表示属于教会的真理和良善的知识或认知；“主必击打她海里的财富；她必被火吞灭”表示它被虚假和邪恶毁灭。
诗篇：
仇敌放火烧了你的圣所，亵渎你名的居所直到地；他们烧毁了地上一切神的聚会的地方。不再有任何先知，我们当中也无人知道要到几时。(诗篇74:7–9)
“仇敌放火烧了圣所，亵渎耶和华名的居所”表示由邪恶产生的欲望喜欢摧毁教会的真理和良善；“他们烧毁了地上一切神的聚会的地方”表示他们彻底摧毁了神性敬拜的一切事物；“不再有任何先知，我们当中也无人知道要到几时”表示不再有任何真理的教义或对真理的理解。
摩西五经：
彼列的人或恶人若引诱一城的居民侍奉别神，就必被剑刃击杀，城和从城里所夺取的一切财物都要用火焚烧。(申命记13:13–16)
这些话在灵义上表示敬拜所来自的教义，即：承认除主以外的任何别神必须被除灭，因为这种教义只有源于恶欲的虚假在里面。这就是这些话在灵义上的含义，因为在圣言中，“城”表示教义，“侍奉别神”表示承认并敬拜除主以外的某个别神；“剑”表示虚假对真理的摧毁，“火”表示邪恶对良善的摧毁。
路加福音：
主说，祂来是要把火丢在地上；倘若已经着起来，不也是祂所愿意的吗？(路加福音12:49)
这表示良善与邪恶、真理与虚假之间的敌对与争战；因为在主降世之前，教会只有虚假和邪恶在里面，因而并没有它们与真理和良善之间的争战；但主揭开真理和良善之后，争战才有可能存在，没有它们之间的争战，改造是不可能的。因此，这就是主“愿意火已经着起来”的意思。这些话要这样来理解，这一点从接下来的话清楚看出来：
祂来是要造成分裂；从今以后，一家五口将要分裂；父亲和儿子相争，儿子和父亲相争；母亲和女儿相争，女儿和母亲相争。(路加福音12:51–53)
“父亲和儿子相争，儿子和父亲相争”表示邪恶与真理相争，真理与邪恶相争；“母亲和女儿相争，女儿和母亲相争”表示对虚假的欲望与对真理的情感相争，对真理的情感与对虚假的欲望相争；“一家”表示在一个人里面。
由于在圣言中，“儿子”表示教会的真理，“女儿”表示教会的良善，所以显而易见，耶利米书中的“焚烧儿女”表示什么：
他们在欣嫩子谷建造陀斐特的丘坛，要焚烧自己的儿女。(耶利米书7:31)
同一先知书：
我必使人听见攻击亚扪人的拉巴的战争警报；她的女儿必被火焚烧。(耶利米书49:2)
以西结书：
当你们献上供物，使你们儿子经火的时候。(以西结书20:31)
“用火焚烧儿女”表示通过恶欲或邪恶的爱摧毁教会的真理和良善；无论是否实际犯下这些可憎的事，它们仍表示虚假所确认的污秽而可憎的欲望对教会真理和良善的摧毁。
由此明显可知，“雹子与火搀着血丢在地上；树的第三部分被烧了，一切的青草也被烧了”表示什么，即表示从天堂而降的流注，和由此而来的最后审判之前的第一个变化。下文会解释“树”和“青草”表示什么。论到发生在他们最终灭绝或淹死在红海之前的埃及灾殃，经上也说了类似的话，即：
冰雹如下雨降在埃及地上，火掺杂着冰雹，冰雹又击打了田间一切的菜蔬，又打坏田间一切的树木。(出埃及记9:23–26)
先知书还预言，在“耶和华的日子”，也就是最后审判之前，类似的事要发生。约珥书：
耶和华的日子，一个黑暗、幽冥的日子；在它前面有吞灭的火，在它后面有燃烧的火焰。(约珥书2:1–3)
又：
在天上在地上我要显出奇事，有血、有火、有烟柱。日头要变为黑暗，月亮要变为血，这都在耶和华大而可畏的日子到来以前。(约珥书2:30–31)
又：
火烧灭了旷野的居所，火焰烧尽了田野的一切树木。(约珥书1:19–20)
以西结书：
对南方的森林说，看哪，我要在你那里点火，吞灭你中间的一切青树；猛烈的火焰必不熄灭；因此，从南到北，所有脸都必在其中被烧。(以西结书20:46–47)
“南方的森林”表示一个能处于来自圣言的真理之光，但如今却只处于知识，缺乏属灵之光的教会；“火要吞灭的树木”表示这些知识；“从南到北，所有脸都必在其中被烧”表示恶欲将剥夺这些知识的一切属灵生命，将不再有任何清晰的真理，甚至不再有模糊真理的任何余剩。知道了“火”在两种意义上的含义，就能看出在圣言中，“变暖”、“发热”、“着火”、“变热”、“被烧”、“烧尽”，以及“温暖或炎热”、“火焰”、“热情”、“焚烧”、“大火或点燃”、“火之地或火炉”、“火炭”，以及其它许多词语表示什么。
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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