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:
1. Swedenborg briefly discuses Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim as a group in §§1663:1, 1666:1, 1682. He deals with Sodom and Gomorrah in §§1587, 2141, 2220, 2240:8, 2323:2, 2444, 2455:3, 2468:13, 7418:2, and specifically with Sodom in §§1721, 1749, 2219, 2246, 2314, 2322. [LHC]
