1212. The fact that as you come to Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, as far as Lasha, symbolizes the falsity and evil in which that knowledge ends can be seen from the symbolism of those nations in the narrative and prophetic parts of the Word.

Falsity comes from two general sources. One is the cravings that constitute selfishness and materialism; the other is the religious and secular concepts yielded by flimsy reasoning. Falsity from these sources that tries to gain the upper hand over truth is symbolized by Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim.

Anyone can see that falsity and the evil stemming from it are the ultimate bounds of outward worship that has nothing inside. This kind of worship contains only what is dead. Wherever the people who practice it turn, they fall into falsity. They have no inner voice to guide them in the path of truth or keep them on it. They have only an external drive that carries them off wherever craving and delusion lead.

The narrative and prophetic books of the Word mention Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, so the specific symbolism of each will be told in the appropriate places, with the Lord's divine mercy. ¹

Footnotes:

1663. They made war with Bera, king of Sodom; and with Birsha, king of Gomorrah; Shinab, king of Admah; and Shemeber, king of Zeboiim; and the king of Bela (which is Zoar), symbolizes just so many categories of evil desire and distorted conviction that the Lord fought against. This too can be seen from the symbolism of the kings and nations mentioned here, and from what follows as well. Again, explaining precisely which evil desire or distorted persuasion each of them symbolizes would take too long. The symbolism of Sodom and Gomorrah, of Admah and Zeboiim, and of Zoar has been touched on already [§§1212, 1589]. It is the most general or universal categories of evil and falsity that are symbolized on the inner level here, and they follow one another in order.

[2] The Lord underwent and suffered trials heavier than those of anyone else in the universe — the heaviest of all — but this is not well known from the Word, which merely notes that he was in the wilderness for forty days, where he was tested by the Devil [Matthew 4:1-2; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-2]. The actual trials that he then experienced are not described in more than a few words, but those few cover everything. In Mark 1:12-13, for instance, it says that he was with the animals there, which symbolize the worst of the hellish mob. Subsequent details — that the Devil led him onto the spires of the temple and onto a tall mountain — are nothing but images representing the terrible crises he faced in the wilderness [Matthew 4:3-11; Luke 4:3-13]. There will be more on this below, the Lord in his divine mercy willing. ¹

Footnotes: