Apocalypse Explained # 510
510. And as it were a great mountain burning with fire, signifies the love of self, and of self-intelligence therefrom. This is evident from the signification of "a mountain burning with fire," as being the love of self and the love of self-intelligence therefrom. This love is signified by such a mountain, because a "mountain" in the Word signifies love in both senses, namely heavenly love and infernal love (See above, n. 405); likewise "fire" (See also above, n. 504); and here the evil who are to be separated from the good and cast into hell are treated of, and with such every truth is turned by that love into falsity. This effect, arising from "casting that mountain into the sea," is described in what follows; for "that mountain cast into the sea, so that the third part of the sea became blood," signifies that everything in the natural man became falsity of evil. From this it can be seen that "a great mountain burning with fire" signifies the love of self and the love of self-intelligence therefrom. All self-intelligence is from the love of self.
[2] "Mountain" means love in both senses, because the angels of the third heaven, who are in celestial love, dwell upon mountains in the spiritual world; so when a "mountain" is mentioned, that heaven is meant, and according to the ideas of angelic thought, which are abstracted from persons and places, that which constitutes heaven is meant, that is, celestial love. But in the contrary sense "mountain" signifies the love of self, because they who are in the love of self have a constant desire to go up mountains, to make themselves equal to those who are in the third heaven. Because they dwell upon this in their fancy, it is also the object of their endeavor when they are out of the hells; this is why a "mountain" in the contrary sense signifies the love of self. In a word, those who are in the love of self are always aspiring after high things, so after death, when all the states of the love are changed into things correspondent, in their fancy they mount aloft, believing themselves, while in the fancy, to be upon high mountains, and yet bodily they are in the hells. This is why those who are of Babylon, who are in such love of self as to wish to rule not only over all the earth but also over the heavens, are called "mountains," and are said "to sit upon a mountain" and "to ascend above the heights of the cloud." As in Jeremiah:
Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, destroying the whole earth; and I will stretch out My hand against thee, to roll thee down from the rocks and make thee a mountain of burning (Jeremiah 51:25).
In Isaiah:
Thou hast said in thy heart, I will ascend into the heavens, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; and I will sit on the mount of the congregation; I will ascend above the heights of the cloud; I will become like the Most High: yet thou shalt be cast down to hell (Isaiah 14:13-15).
This is said of Babylon.
Luke 13
1
Now there were some present at the same time who told him about the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.
2
Jesus answered them, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered such things?
3
I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way.
4
Or those eighteen, on whom the tower in Siloam fell, and killed them; do you think that they were worse offenders than all the men who dwell in Jerusalem?
5
I tell you, no, but, unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way."
6
He spoke this parable. "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it, and found none.
7
He said to the vine dresser, 'Behold, these three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and found none. Cut it down. Why does it waste the soil?'
8
He answered, 'Lord, leave it alone this year also, until I dig around it, and fertilize it.
9
If it bears fruit, fine; but if not, after that, you can cut it down.'"
10
He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath day.
11
Behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and she was bent over, and could in no way straighten herself up.
12
When Jesus saw her, he called her, and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your infirmity."
13
He laid his hands on her, and immediately she stood up straight, and glorified God.
14
The ruler of the synagogue, being indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the multitude, "There are six days in which men ought to work. Therefore come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day!"
15
Therefore the Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Doesn't each one of you free his ox or his donkey from the stall on the Sabbath, and lead him away to water?
16
Ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan had bound eighteen long years, be freed from this bondage on the Sabbath day?"
17
As he said these things, all his adversaries were disappointed, and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.
18
He said, "What is the Kingdom of God like? To what shall I compare it?
19
It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and put in his own garden. It grew, and became a large tree, and the birds of the sky lodged in its branches."
20
Again he said, "To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God?
21
It is like yeast, which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened."
22
He went on his way through cities and villages, teaching, and traveling on to Jerusalem.
23
One said to him, "Lord, are they few who are saved?" He said to them,
24
"Strive to enter in by the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will seek to enter in, and will not be able.
25
When once the master of the house has risen up, and has shut the door, and you begin to stand outside, and to knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' then he will answer and tell you, 'I don't know you or where you come from.'
26
Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.'
27
He will say, 'I tell you, I don't know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity.'
28
There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets, in the Kingdom of God, and yourselves being thrown outside.
29
They will come from the east, west, north, and south, and will sit down in the Kingdom of God.
30
Behold, there are some who are last who will be first, and there are some who are first who will be last."
31
On that same day, some Pharisees came, saying to him, "Get out of here, and go away, for Herod wants to kill you."
32
He said to them, "Go and tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I complete my mission.
33
Nevertheless I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the next day, for it can't be that a prophet perish outside of Jerusalem.'
34
"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that kills the prophets, and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, like a hen gathers her own brood under her wings, and you refused!
35
Behold, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me, until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!'"
