Oil -- typically olive oil -- symbolizes the good that comes from celestial love. Celestial love is love of the Lord, the highest and purest love we can have. The good of celestial love is the desire to be good springing from celestial love: Wanting to do the Lord's will because you love Him. That's not a state many reach, even in heaven, but it's a beautiful goal. This representation makes sense based on the idea that the sun -- the source of all natural light and heat, and thus all natural life -- represents the Lord, the source of all spiritual light, heat and life. Burning oil was the most pure fire available in Biblical times, thus the closest representation of the sun people could create.

5161. About the hell of those who are cunning and act secretly, and after consideration and deliberation, and with discretion

Fr[ederik] Gy[llenborg] ¹

There was a certain one on the left side at foot level, who lay there hidden for one or two days, and no one knew that he was there. He was such that he was able to retard my thoughts and take away the inflow from heaven to such an extent that I was not able to write the things that needed to be written. But finally he was discovered, and it was found out that he was the one who had done this. He said that he could do this wherever he wanted and many other things, and that he feared no one. Then it became known that he came from somewhere on a hill or small mountain behind at the left. Consequently I was led there by the Lord, but not onto this mountain but into a crypt under it into which all on the mountain were then descending and gathering there, because those who have a love of themselves appear on the mountain, but yet they are not there but below in a certain hell. When I was led down there, I spoke with them. They said that they were more skillful than others and were capable of greater insight into whether things would go well or not, in other words, that they enjoyed a more penetrating insight than others, and that they carry out everything secretly and in this way, using their skilled prudence, govern others in their kingdoms. And they said that they are not concerned about the Divine since He harms no one at all. It was learned that they have their eyes everywhere and exercise control of everything everywhere, doing well to those who obey them and inflicting injury on those who are not favorably disposed to them. I was taken by them down yet further into the crypts, where such were who were still more cunning. They said they could go out if they wanted, and nothing could frighten them. They did in fact go out, and when they thought they were traveling on a paved way, straight forward and a little to the rear, they were at that very moment all swallowed up in a chasm and carried away by hell, from which they could never again go out. It was said it is filled with excrement and is filthy there, and that they never appear after this, for they are more harmful than others. The chasm is behind to the left.

Poznámky pod čarou: