452. And out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone. This symbolically means that interiorly regarded, their thoughts and discourses contained nothing else, and issuing from them was nothing but a love of self and the world, which is a characteristic trait of the will, a conceit in their own intelligence, which is a characteristic trait of the intellect, and the lusts attendant on evil and falsity, which are a characteristic trait flowing from them both.

Out of their mouths means from their thoughts and discourses. Fire symbolizes a love of self and the world, which is a characteristic trait of the will (nos. 450, 468, 494). Smoke symbolizes a conceit in one's own intelligence, which is a characteristic trait of the intellect, emanating from the love of self and the world like smoke from a fire (no. 422). And brimstone symbolizes the lusts attendant on evil and falsity, which are a characteristic trait flowing from them both.

This is not, however, apparent from these people's discourses in public in the world. But it is clearly apparent to angels in heaven. Consequently we say that their thoughts and discourses, interiorly regarded, are of this character.

Fire symbolizes hellish love, and brimstone the lusts flowing from that love through a conceit in one's own intelligence, in the following places:

I will rain down on him... fire and brimstone. (Ezekiel 38:22)

Upon the wicked (Jehovah) will rain... fire and brimstone... (Psalms 11:6)

...the day of Jehovah's vengeance... Its streams shall be turned into pitch, and its dust into brimstone...; its smoke shall ascend forever. (Isaiah 34:8-10)

On the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone... Even so will it be in the day the Son of Man is revealed. (Luke 17:29-30. Cf. Genesis 19:24)

If anyone worships the beast and his image..., he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone... (Revelation 14:9.10)

The beast, the false prophet, and the devil were cast into the lake of fire and brimstone (Revelation 19:20; 20:10; 21:8).

The breath of Jehovah, like a stream of brimstone, shall kindle (the pyre). (Isaiah 30:33)

The whole land is brimstone, salt, and burning; it shall not be sown, nor shall it sprout..., like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah... (Deuteronomy 29:22-23)

Brimstone is scattered on the habitation (of the wicked). (Job 18:15)

584. 13:6 Then it opened its mouth in blasphemies against God and His name. This symbolizes their assertions, which are scandalous, against the Divine itself and the Lord's Divine humanity, and at the same time against everything that the church has from the Word by which the Lord is worshiped.

Its opening its mouth in blasphemies symbolizes assertions which are falsehoods. A mouth symbolizes doctrine, preaching and discourse (no. 452). Therefore to open the mouth means, symbolically, to utter those falsehoods. Blasphemies symbolize falsifications of the Word and more, as said in nos. 571, 582 above, here scandalous assertions as well, because the phrase follows, "against God and His name." God symbolizes the Lord's Divinity, as is the case often elsewhere in the book of Revelation. And His name symbolizes everything by which the Lord is worshiped, including the Word, because worship is conducted in accordance with it (no. 81).

That the name of Jehovah or of God symbolizes the Lord's Divine humanity and at the same time the Word, as well as everything by which He is worshiped, can become further seen from the following passages:

(Jesus said,) "Father, glorify Your name." Then a voice came from heaven, saying, "I have both glorified it and will glorify it again." (John 12:28)

(Jesus said,) "I have manifested Your name to... men... and I have made known to them Your name...." (John 17:6, 26)

Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. (John 14:13-14)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name... And the Word became flesh... (John 1:1, 12, 14)

(Jesus said,) ."..he who does not believe (in Him) is judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18)

In the second commandment of the Decalogue, the name of Jehovah God that is not to be profaned, and in the Lord's Prayer, the name of the Father that is to be hallowed, have precisely this meaning.