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.

脚注:

905. 'Going out of the ark' means freedom. This is clear from what has been stated already and from the point reached in the train of thought. Noah's time in the ark surrounded by the flood-waters meant that he was in bondage, that is, he was tossed about by evils and falsities, or what amounts to the same, by evil spirits responsible for the conflict that accompanies temptation. From this it follows that 'going out of the ark' means freedom. The Lord's presence entails freedom; one follows the other. The more the Lord is present the more free a person becomes, that is, insofar as love of good and truth is in him he acts in freedom. Such is the Lord's influx by way of angels. On the other hand, the influx of hell by way of evil spirits brings with it a force and impulsion to dominate. Their whole intention is to subjugate a person to the point of making him nothing and themselves everything. When they are everything a person is one of them. Yet he is scarcely one of them but in their eyes a veritable nobody. Consequently when the Lord is freeing a person from their yoke and dominion, conflict arises. But once he has been set free, that is, been regenerated, he is led by the Lord through angels so gently that no yoke or dominion exists at all, for he is being led by what is joyful and pleasing, he is being loved, and he is being shown respect. This is what the Lord teaches in Matthew,

My yoke is easy, and My burden is light. Matthew 11:30.

It is quite the reverse with evil spirits. With them, as has been stated, a person is reckoned as nothing, and if they could they would be tormenting him from one moment to the next. This I have been given to know from considerable experience, which will in the Lord's Divine mercy be presented later on.