9143. 'When fire breaks out' means anger arising from an affection for evil. This is clear from the meaning of 'fire' as love, at this point the love of evil and an affection for it, dealt with just above in 9141. The term 'affection for evil' is used because an extension from love is meant by an affection. The reason why 'fire' means anger arising from an affection for evil is that anger has its origin in that affection. For when that which a person loves is attacked fiery passion erupts and so to speak burns in him. This is the reason why anger is described in the Word as 'fire' and is said to be 'burning', as in David,

Smoke went up out of His nose, and fire out of His mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from Him. Psalms 18:8.

In the same author,

Kiss the Son lest He be angry, for His anger will shortly blaze up. Psalms 2:12.

In Isaiah,

Who among us will dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us will dwell with the hearths of eternity? Isaiah 33:14.

In the same prophet,

He poured out on him the wrath of His anger; He set him on fire round about, and he made no acknowledgement; He burned him, and yet he did not take it to heart. Isaiah 42:25.

In the same prophet,

Behold, Jehovah will come in fire, and His chariots will be like a whirlwind, to requite in the wrath of His anger; and His rebuke [will come] in flames of fire. Isaiah 66:15.

In Moses,

I looked back and came down from the mountain, when the mountain was burning with fire. I was extremely afraid on account of the anger and wrath with which Jehovah was angry with you. ¹ Deuteronomy 9:15, 19.

In these and many other places 'fire' is used to describe anger. And 'anger' is attributed to Jehovah, that is, to the Lord; but in fact it resides with man, 5798, 6997, 8284, 8483. The Lord appeared on Mount Sinai to the Israelite people in a way suited to the kind of people they were, therefore in fire, smoke, and thick darkness, see 6832. But it should be remembered that anger is fire bursting out from an affection for evil, whereas zeal is fire bursting out from an affection for good, 4164, 4444, 8598. Therefore 'fire' is also used to describe zeal, in Moses,

Jehovah your God is a devouring fire, a zealous ² God. Deuteronomy 4:24.

And in Zephaniah,

I will pour out onto them all the wrath of My anger, because in the fire of My zeal the whole earth will be destroyed. Zephaniah 3:8.

'The zeal of Jehovah' is love and mercy, but it is called anger because it is seen by the evil as anger when they incur the punishment of their evil, 8875.

Fusnotat:

8598. 'Tomorrow I stand on the top of the hill' means the joining of God's truth to the good of charity, and influx from there. This is clear from the representation of 'Moses', who was going to stand on the top of the hill, as God's truth, dealt with often; from the meaning of 'standing' as being joined to and flowing in (the reason why 'standing' here means being joined to is that he would at that time be on the top of the hill, and 'hill' means the good of charity; and the reason why flowing in is meant as well is that he looked down from there on the battle and also controlled the course of it, which is meant by the description that when he raised up his hand Israel prevailed, and when he let down his hand Amalek prevailed); and from the meaning of 'the hill' as the good of charity, dealt with in 6435.

[2] A brief statement is needed to indicate what that joining together really is and what an influx of the good of charity into truth that engages in conflict is. God's truth becomes that which engages in conflict when it is joined to those who are truly zealous, as stated above. Those who are zealous engage in conflict; yet they do so not because they are moved by any feeling of enmity or hostility, but rather by charity. Zeal is different from anger in that zeal holds the good of charity within it, and therefore when zeal goes into battle it merely removes those ruled by falsity and evil to prevent them from harming those governed by goodness and truth. Anger however not only removes them but also pursues them in a spirit of hatred and vengeance. For zeal, because of the charity within it, desires the welfare even of those ruled by evil and falsity, and also works towards it provided that they cannot do any harm to those who are good. But anger, because of the hatred and vengeance within it, wishes harm to all with whom it engages in conflict, whether they are good or evil. From all this one may see what is meant by an influx of the good of charity into truth that engages in conflict. As regards zeal, that it holds good within it, while anger holds evil, see 4164, 4444.