Apocalypse Revealed # 502
502. Which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt. This symbolizes the two hellish loves, namely, a love of ruling springing from a love of self, and a love of holding sway from a conceit in one's own intelligence, loves which are present in the church where there is not one God and where the Lord is not worshiped, and where people do not live in accordance with the Ten Commandments.
Sodom symbolizes, in the spiritual sense, a love of ruling springing from a love of self, as we shall presently see; and Egypt symbolizes, in the spiritual sense, a love of holding sway from a conceit in one's own intelligence, as we shall also presently see. So, because these two loves are symbolized, therefore the city is called, spiritually speaking, Sodom and Egypt.
These two loves are present in the church where there is not one God and where the Lord is not worshiped, and where people do not live in accordance with the Ten Commandments, because people are born with these two loves, and they come into them as they grow up. Nor can these loves be removed except by God the Savior and by a life in accordance with His commandments, and God cannot remove them unless people turn to Him, and neither is a life in accordance with His commandments possible unless a person is led by Him. Actually it is possible, but not a life that contains anything of heaven and so of the church.
A life like that is possible only from Him who is life. That the Lord is that life may be seen in John 1:1, 4; 5:26; 6:33-35ff., 11:25-26; 14:6, 19, and in many other places.
[2] A love of ruling springing from a love of self, and a love of holding sway from a conceit in one's own intelligence, are the principal loves of all the loves in hell, and so are the origin of all the evils and thus of all the falsities in the church. This is something unknown at the present day. The delights of these loves, which surpass the delights of all the heart's pleasures, cause it to be unknown, even though they are, spiritually, Sodom and Egypt.
That Sodom is a love of ruling springing from a love of self can be seen from the description of Sodom in Genesis, where we are told that when angels arrived there, the inhabitants tried to forcibly assault them at the house of Lot, and that fire and brimstone rained down on them from heaven (Genesis 19:1ff.). Fire and brimstone symbolize that love, together with its appetites.
I saw similar sights when cities and societies of people like that were overthrown at the time of the Last Judgment and their inhabitants cast into hell.
These loves and their accompanying evils are symbolized by Sodom and Gomorrah in the following passages: Isaiah 1:10; 3:8-9; 13:19.
[3] That this love is symbolically meant by Sodom is unknown in the world, but remember it and recall it when you come after death into the world of spirits and you will be completely convinced.
It should be known, however, that a love of ruling springing from a love of self and a love of ruling springing from a love of performing useful services are two different things. The latter love is a heavenly love, while the first is a hellish one. Consequently, when one is in first place, the other is in last place; which is to say, when a love of ruling springing from a love of self forms the head, then a love of ruling springing from a love of performing useful services - which is a love of serving the neighbor originating from the Lord - forms first the feet, then the soles of the feet, and finally is trampled underfoot.
On the other hand, when a love of ruling springing from a love of performing useful services - which, as we said, is a heavenly love - forms the head, then a love of ruling springing from a love of self - which, as we said, is a hellish love - forms first the feet, then the soles of the feet, and finally is trampled underfoot.
Still, these two loves can hardly be distinguished by a person in the world. That is because in outward appearance they are similar. But they can be told apart by this, that a heavenly love is present in people who turn to the Lord and live in accordance with the Ten Commandments, while a hellish love is present in people who do not turn to the Lord, and who do not live in accordance with the Ten Commandments.
Matthew 18
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At the same time came the disciples to Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
2
And Jesus called a little child to him, and set him in the midst of them,
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And said, Verily I say to you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
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Whoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
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And whoever shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me.
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But whoever shall cause one of these little ones who believe in me, to sin, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
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Woe to the world because of offenses! for it must needs be that offenses come; but Woe to that man by whom the offense cometh!
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Wherefore, if thy hand or thy foot causeth thee to sin, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire.
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And if thy eye causeth thee to sin, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell-fire.
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Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.
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For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.
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How think ye? if a man hath a hundred sheep, and one of them is gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and go to the mountains, and seek that which is gone astray?
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And if he findeth it, verily I say to you, he rejoiceth more over that sheep, than over the ninety and nine which went not astray.
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Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.
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Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
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But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
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And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it to the church: but if he shall neglect to hear the church, let him be to thee as a heathen and a publican.
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Verily I say to you, Whatever ye shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven: and whatever ye shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven.
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Again I say to you, That if two of you shall agree on earth, concerning any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them by my Father who is in heaven.
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For where two or three are assembled in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
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Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
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Jesus saith to him, I say not to thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
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Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened to a certain king who would take account of his servants.
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And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.
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But as he had not ability to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
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The servant therefore fell down, and worshiped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
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Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
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But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him a hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me what thou owest.
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And his fellow-servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
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And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
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So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told to their lord all that was done.
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Then his lord, having called him, said to him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
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Shouldst thou not also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant, even as I had pity on thee?
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And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due to him.
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So likewise shall my heavenly Father do to you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
