452. And out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone. This symbolically means that interiorly regarded, their thoughts and discourses contained nothing else, and issuing from them was nothing but a love of self and the world, which is a characteristic trait of the will, a conceit in their own intelligence, which is a characteristic trait of the intellect, and the lusts attendant on evil and falsity, which are a characteristic trait flowing from them both.

Out of their mouths means from their thoughts and discourses. Fire symbolizes a love of self and the world, which is a characteristic trait of the will (nos. 450, 468, 494). Smoke symbolizes a conceit in one's own intelligence, which is a characteristic trait of the intellect, emanating from the love of self and the world like smoke from a fire (no. 422). And brimstone symbolizes the lusts attendant on evil and falsity, which are a characteristic trait flowing from them both.

This is not, however, apparent from these people's discourses in public in the world. But it is clearly apparent to angels in heaven. Consequently we say that their thoughts and discourses, interiorly regarded, are of this character.

Fire symbolizes hellish love, and brimstone the lusts flowing from that love through a conceit in one's own intelligence, in the following places:

I will rain down on him... fire and brimstone. (Ezekiel 38:22)

Upon the wicked (Jehovah) will rain... fire and brimstone... (Psalms 11:6)

...the day of Jehovah's vengeance... Its streams shall be turned into pitch, and its dust into brimstone...; its smoke shall ascend forever. (Isaiah 34:8-10)

On the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone... Even so will it be in the day the Son of Man is revealed. (Luke 17:29-30. Cf. Genesis 19:24)

If anyone worships the beast and his image..., he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone... (Revelation 14:9.10)

The beast, the false prophet, and the devil were cast into the lake of fire and brimstone (Revelation 19:20; 20:10; 21:8).

The breath of Jehovah, like a stream of brimstone, shall kindle (the pyre). (Isaiah 30:33)

The whole land is brimstone, salt, and burning; it shall not be sown, nor shall it sprout..., like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah... (Deuteronomy 29:22-23)

Brimstone is scattered on the habitation (of the wicked). (Job 18:15)

134. The heat of heaven, like the light of heaven, is everywhere different. It is different in the celestial kingdom from what it is in the spiritual kingdom, and it is different in each society therein. It differs both in degree and in quality. It is more intense and more pure in the Lord's celestial kingdom, because the angels there receive more of Divine good; and it is less intense and pure in His spiritual kingdom, because the angels there receive more of Divine truth. Also in each society the heat differs in accordance with reception. There is heat in the hells, but it is unclean heat. ¹ The heat in heaven is what is meant by holy and heavenly fire, and the heat of hell by profane and infernal fire. Both mean love - heavenly fire meaning love to the Lord and love to the neighbor and every affection of those loves, and infernal fire meaning love of self and love of the world and every lust of those loves. That love is heat from a spiritual source is shown from one's growing warm with love; for in accordance with the strength and nature of his love a man is inflamed and grows warm; and the heat of his love is made manifest when it is opposed. From this also it is customary to speak of being inflamed, growing hot, burning, boiling, being on fire, both in regard to the affections of the love of good and the lusts of the love of evil.

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