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Ezekiel第16章

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1 και εγενετο λογος κυριου προς με λεγων

2 υιε ανθρωπου διαμαρτυραι τη ιερουσαλημ τας ανομιας αυτης

3 και ερεις ταδε λεγει κυριος τη ιερουσαλημ η ριζα σου και η γενεσις σου εκ γης χανααν ο πατηρ σου αμορραιος και η μητηρ σου χετταια

4 και η γενεσις σου εν η ημερα ετεχθης ουκ εδησαν τους μαστους σου και εν υδατι ουκ ελουσθης ουδε αλι ηλισθης και σπαργανοις ουκ εσπαργανωθης

5 ουδε εφεισατο ο οφθαλμος μου επι σοι του ποιησαι σοι εν εκ παντων τουτων του παθειν τι επι σοι και απερριφης επι προσωπον του πεδιου τη σκολιοτητι της ψυχης σου εν η ημερα ετεχθης

6 και διηλθον επι σε και ειδον σε πεφυρμενην εν τω αιματι σου και ειπα σοι εκ του αιματος σου ζωη

7 πληθυνου καθως η ανατολη του αγρου δεδωκα σε και επληθυνθης και εμεγαλυνθης και εισηλθες εις πολεις πολεων οι μαστοι σου ανωρθωθησαν και η θριξ σου ανετειλεν συ δε ησθα γυμνη και ασχημονουσα

8 και διηλθον δια σου και ειδον σε και ιδου καιρος σου καιρος καταλυοντων και διεπετασα τας πτερυγας μου επι σε και εκαλυψα την ασχημοσυνην σου και ωμοσα σοι και εισηλθον εν διαθηκη μετα σου λεγει κυριος και εγενου μοι

9 και ελουσα σε εν υδατι και απεπλυνα το αιμα σου απο σου και εχρισα σε εν ελαιω

10 και ενεδυσα σε ποικιλα και υπεδησα σε υακινθον και εζωσα σε βυσσω και περιεβαλον σε τριχαπτω

11 και εκοσμησα σε κοσμω και περιεθηκα ψελια περι τας χειρας σου και καθεμα περι τον τραχηλον σου

12 και εδωκα ενωτιον περι τον μυκτηρα σου και τροχισκους επι τα ωτα σου και στεφανον καυχησεως επι την κεφαλην σου

13 και εκοσμηθης χρυσιω και αργυριω και τα περιβολαια σου βυσσινα και τριχαπτα και ποικιλα σεμιδαλιν και ελαιον και μελι εφαγες και εγενου καλη σφοδρα

14 και εξηλθεν σου ονομα εν τοις εθνεσιν εν τω καλλει σου διοτι συντετελεσμενον ην εν ευπρεπεια εν τη ωραιοτητι η εταξα επι σε λεγει κυριος

15 και επεποιθεις εν τω καλλει σου και επορνευσας επι τω ονοματι σου και εξεχεας την πορνειαν σου επι παντα παροδον ο ουκ εσται

16 και ελαβες εκ των ιματιων σου και εποιησας σεαυτη ειδωλα ραπτα και εξεπορνευσας επ' αυτα και ου μη εισελθης ουδε μη γενηται

17 και ελαβες τα σκευη της καυχησεως σου εκ του χρυσιου μου και εκ του αργυριου μου εξ ων εδωκα σοι και εποιησας σεαυτη εικονας αρσενικας και εξεπορνευσας εν αυταις

18 και ελαβες τον ιματισμον τον ποικιλον σου και περιεβαλες αυτα και το ελαιον μου και το θυμιαμα μου εθηκας προ προσωπου αυτων

19 και τους αρτους μου ους εδωκα σοι σεμιδαλιν και ελαιον και μελι εψωμισα σε και εθηκας αυτα προ προσωπου αυτων εις οσμην ευωδιας και εγενετο λεγει κυριος

20 και ελαβες τους υιους σου και τας θυγατερας σου ας εγεννησας και εθυσας αυτα αυτοις εις αναλωσιν ως μικρα εξεπορνευσας

21 και εσφαξας τα τεκνα σου και εδωκας αυτα εν τω αποτροπιαζεσθαι σε εν αυτοις

22 τουτο παρα πασαν την πορνειαν σου και ουκ εμνησθης τας ημερας της νηπιοτητος σου οτε ησθα γυμνη και ασχημονουσα και πεφυρμενη εν τω αιματι σου εζησας

23 και εγενετο μετα πασας τας κακιας σου λεγει κυριος

24 και ωκοδομησας σεαυτη οικημα πορνικον και εποιησας σεαυτη εκθεμα εν παση πλατεια

25 και επ' αρχης πασης οδου ωκοδομησας τα πορνεια σου και ελυμηνω το καλλος σου και διηγαγες τα σκελη σου παντι παροδω και επληθυνας την πορνειαν σου

26 και εξεπορνευσας επι τους υιους αιγυπτου τους ομορουντας σοι τους μεγαλοσαρκους και πολλαχως εξεπορνευσας του παροργισαι με

27 εαν δε εκτεινω την χειρα μου επι σε και εξαρω τα νομιμα σου και παραδωσω σε εις ψυχας μισουντων σε θυγατερας αλλοφυλων τας εκκλινουσας σε εκ της οδου σου ης ησεβησας

28 και εξεπορνευσας επι τας θυγατερας ασσουρ και ουδ' ουτως ενεπλησθης και εξεπορνευσας και ουκ ενεπιπλω

29 και επληθυνας τας διαθηκας σου προς γην χαλδαιων και ουδε εν τουτοις ενεπλησθης

30 τι διαθω την θυγατερα σου λεγει κυριος εν τω ποιησαι σε ταυτα παντα εργα γυναικος πορνης και εξεπορνευσας τρισσως

31 εν ταις θυγατρασιν σου το πορνειον σου ωκοδομησας επι πασης αρχης οδου και την βασιν σου εποιησας εν παση πλατεια και εγενου ως πορνη συναγουσα μισθωματα

32 η γυνη η μοιχωμενη ομοια σοι παρα του ανδρος αυτης λαμβανουσα μισθωματα

33 πασι τοις εκπορνευσασιν αυτην προσεδιδου μισθωματα και συ δεδωκας μισθωματα πασι τοις ερασταις σου και εφορτιζες αυτους του ερχεσθαι προς σε κυκλοθεν εν τη πορνεια σου

34 και εγενετο εν σοι διεστραμμενον παρα τας γυναικας εν τη πορνεια σου και μετα σου πεπορνευκασιν εν τω προσδιδοναι σε μισθωματα και σοι μισθωματα ουκ εδοθη και εγενετο εν σοι διεστραμμενα

35 δια τουτο πορνη ακουε λογον κυριου

36 ταδε λεγει κυριος ανθ' ων εξεχεας τον χαλκον σου και αποκαλυφθησεται η αισχυνη σου εν τη πορνεια σου προς τους εραστας σου και εις παντα τα ενθυμηματα των ανομιων σου και εν τοις αιμασιν των τεκνων σου ων εδωκας αυτοις

37 δια τουτο ιδου εγω επι σε συναγω παντας τους εραστας σου εν οις επεμιγης εν αυτοις και παντας ους ηγαπησας συν πασιν οις εμισεις και συναξω αυτους επι σε κυκλοθεν και αποκαλυψω τας κακιας σου προς αυτους και οψονται πασαν την αισχυνην σου

38 και εκδικησω σε εκδικησει μοιχαλιδος και εκχεουσης αιμα και θησω σε εν αιματι θυμου και ζηλου

39 και παραδωσω σε εις χειρας αυτων και κατασκαψουσιν το πορνειον σου και καθελουσιν την βασιν σου και εκδυσουσιν σε τον ιματισμον σου και λημψονται τα σκευη της καυχησεως σου και αφησουσιν σε γυμνην και ασχημονουσαν

40 και αξουσιν επι σε οχλους και λιθοβολησουσιν σε εν λιθοις και κατασφαξουσιν σε εν τοις ξιφεσιν αυτων

41 και εμπρησουσιν τους οικους σου πυρι και ποιησουσιν εν σοι εκδικησεις ενωπιον γυναικων πολλων και αποστρεψω σε εκ της πορνειας σου και μισθωματα ου μη δως ουκετι

42 και επαφησω τον θυμον μου επι σε και εξαρθησεται ο ζηλος μου εκ σου και αναπαυσομαι και ου μη μεριμνησω ουκετι

43 ανθ' ων ουκ εμνησθης την ημεραν της νηπιοτητος σου και ελυπεις με εν πασι τουτοις και εγω ιδου τας οδους σου εις κεφαλην σου δεδωκα λεγει κυριος και ουτως εποιησας την ασεβειαν επι πασαις ταις ανομιαις σου

44 ταυτα εστιν παντα οσα ειπαν κατα σου εν παραβολη λεγοντες καθως η μητηρ και η θυγατηρ

45 θυγατηρ της μητρος σου συ ει η απωσαμενη τον ανδρα αυτης και τα τεκνα αυτης και αδελφη των αδελφων σου των απωσαμενων τους ανδρας αυτων και τα τεκνα αυτων η μητηρ υμων χετταια και ο πατηρ υμων αμορραιος

46 η αδελφη υμων η πρεσβυτερα σαμαρεια αυτη και αι θυγατερες αυτης η κατοικουσα εξ ευωνυμων σου και η αδελφη σου η νεωτερα σου η κατοικουσα εκ δεξιων σου σοδομα και αι θυγατερες αυτης

47 και ουδ' ως εν ταις οδοις αυτων επορευθης ουδε κατα τας ανομιας αυτων εποιησας παρα μικρον και υπερκεισαι αυτας εν πασαις ταις οδοις σου

48 ζω εγω λεγει κυριος ει πεποιηκεν σοδομα η αδελφη σου αυτη και αι θυγατερες αυτης ον τροπον εποιησας συ και αι θυγατερες σου

49 πλην τουτο το ανομημα σοδομων της αδελφης σου υπερηφανια εν πλησμονη αρτων και εν ευθηνια οινου εσπαταλων αυτη και αι θυγατερες αυτης τουτο υπηρχεν αυτη και ταις θυγατρασιν αυτης και χειρα πτωχου και πενητος ουκ αντελαμβανοντο

50 και εμεγαλαυχουν και εποιησαν ανομηματα ενωπιον μου και εξηρα αυτας καθως ειδον

51 και σαμαρεια κατα τας ημισεις των αμαρτιων σου ουχ ημαρτεν και επληθυνας τας ανομιας σου υπερ αυτας και εδικαιωσας τας αδελφας σου εν πασαις ταις ανομιαις σου αις εποιησας

52 και συ κομισαι βασανον σου εν η εφθειρας τας αδελφας σου εν ταις αμαρτιαις σου αις ηνομησας υπερ αυτας και εδικαιωσας αυτας υπερ σεαυτην και συ αισχυνθητι και λαβε την ατιμιαν σου εν τω δικαιωσαι σε τας αδελφας σου

53 και αποστρεψω τας αποστροφας αυτων την αποστροφην σοδομων και των θυγατερων αυτης και αποστρεψω την αποστροφην σαμαρειας και των θυγατερων αυτης και αποστρεψω την αποστροφην σου εν μεσω αυτων

54 οπως κομιση την βασανον σου και ατιμωθηση εκ παντων ων εποιησας εν τω σε παροργισαι με

55 και η αδελφη σου σοδομα και αι θυγατερες αυτης αποκατασταθησονται καθως ησαν απ' αρχης και σαμαρεια και αι θυγατερες αυτης αποκατασταθησονται καθως ησαν απ' αρχης και συ και αι θυγατερες σου αποκατασταθησεσθε καθως απ' αρχης ητε

56 και ει μη ην σοδομα η αδελφη σου εις ακοην εν τω στοματι σου εν ταις ημεραις υπερηφανιας σου

57 προ του αποκαλυφθηναι τας κακιας σου ον τροπον νυν ονειδος ει θυγατερων συριας και παντων των κυκλω αυτης θυγατερων αλλοφυλων των περιεχουσων σε κυκλω

58 τας ασεβειας σου και τας ανομιας σου συ κεκομισαι αυτας λεγει κυριος

59 ταδε λεγει κυριος και ποιησω εν σοι καθως εποιησας ως ητιμωσας ταυτα του παραβηναι την διαθηκην μου

60 και μνησθησομαι εγω της διαθηκης μου της μετα σου εν ημεραις νηπιοτητος σου και αναστησω σοι διαθηκην αιωνιον

61 και μνησθηση την οδον σου και εξατιμωθηση εν τω αναλαβειν σε τας αδελφας σου τας πρεσβυτερας σου συν ταις νεωτεραις σου και δωσω αυτας σοι εις οικοδομην και ουκ εκ διαθηκης σου

62 και αναστησω εγω την διαθηκην μου μετα σου και επιγνωση οτι εγω κυριος

63 οπως μνησθης και αισχυνθης και μη η σοι ετι ανοιξαι το στομα σου απο προσωπου της ατιμιας σου εν τω εξιλασκεσθαι με σοι κατα παντα οσα εποιησας λεγει κυριος

   

来自斯威登堡的著作

 

Apocalypse Explained#653

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653. Which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt.- That this signifies by means of the evils of the love of self, and falsities thence, is evident from the signification of Sodom, as denoting the love of self, and evils of every kind therefrom, of which we shall speak presently, and from the signification of Egypt, as denoting the natural man separated from the spiritual, and falsity of evil of every kind therefrom, concerning which also we shall speak presently. That Sodom and Egypt mean Jerusalem, consequently the church in which the goods of love are adulterated and the truths of doctrine falsified, is clear, for it is presently said, "where also our Lord was crucified." For the evils of the love of self, and falsities of doctrine, are what crucify the Lord, therefore He was crucified by the Jews, because they were in those evils and falsities; but of this in the following pages.

[2] Here it shall first be shewn that by Sodom, in the Word, is signified the love of self, and evil of every kind therefrom; for evils of every kind flow from the love of self. For he who loves himself only, loves his own proprium, and consequently so immerses all things of his will and understanding in his proprium, that he cannot be raised out of it to heaven and to the Lord; he therefore does not see anything from the light of heaven, but solely from the light of the world, and this light, separated from the light of heaven, is merely thick darkness in spiritual things, which are the things of heaven and the church; consequently, also, the more a man loves himself, the more he despises spiritual things, indeed, he denies them. In consequence of this, also, the internal spiritual mind, by which man is in the light of heaven, is closed, and he therefore becomes merely natural; and the merely natural man is inclined to evils of every kind. For the evils into which man is born have their seat in the natural man, and are only removed from him in proportion as his interior mind, which receives the light of heaven, is opened; man's proprium also has its seat in the natural man, and this proprium is nothing but evil.

[3] That Sodom, therefore, signifies the love of self, and thus evils of every kind, is evident from the passages in the Word where Sodom is mentioned, as in the following.

In Ezekiel:

"Thy elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters dwell at thy left hand; but thy younger sister, dwelling at thy right hand, is Sodom and her daughters; thou hast corrupted thyself more than they in all thy ways. Sodom thy sister hath not done, she and her daughters, as thou hast done, and thy daughters. Behold, this was the iniquity of Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and tranquillity of rest was her's and her daughters', and she strengthened not the hand of the poor and needy; whence they became haughty, and committed abomination before me" (16:46-50).

The subject there treated of is the abominations of Jerusalem, which were, chiefly their adulteration of the goods and truths of the Word and of the church. Samaria, where the Israelites were, signifies the spiritual church, in which spiritual good, which is the good of charity towards the neighbour, is the essential; but Jerusalem, where the Jews were, signifies the celestial church in which celestial good, which is the good of love to the Lord, is the essential. For there are two kingdoms, into which heaven and thus the church is divided, the spiritual kingdom and the celestial kingdom. Concerning these kingdoms see Heaven and Hell 20-28). These kingdoms were represented by the Israelites, whose metropolis was Samaria, and by the Jews whose metropolis was Jerusalem.

[4] Infernal evil, which is the evil of the love of the world, is the opposite of spiritual good, which is the good of charity towards the neighbour; and diabolical evil, which is the evil of the love of self, is the opposite of celestial good; from the love of self flow evils of all kinds, which are far worse than those from the love of the world. See New Jerusalem 65-83). For this reason more direful and abominable things are related of Jerusalem than of Samaria, and therefore Jerusalem is not only called Sodom, but it is also recorded that she did worse things than Sodom; for it is said, "Sodom hath not done as thou hast done, and thy daughters." That the evil of the love of self was the evil of Sodom, is thus described; "This was the iniquity of Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, tranquillity of rest; and she strengthened not the hand of the poor and needy." Pride means the love of self; fulness of bread, contempt of all good and truth of heaven and the church, even to disgust with them. Tranquillity of rest means security and no anxiety on account of any evil; and not strengthening the hands of the poor and needy signifies unmercifulness. Because the love of self was the love of Sodom, therefore it is said, that her daughters became haughty, and committed abomination before Jehovah; the daughters that became haughty signify the desires of that love, and abomination before Jehovah signifies every evil against the Divine Itself.

[5] Since the Chaldeans signify the profanation and adulteration of the truth of doctrine from the Word, and the inhabitants of Babel the profanation and adulteration of the good of love, therefore their overthrow is also compared to the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah.

In Jeremiah:

"O sword, against the Chaldeans, and against the inhabitants of Babel, according to God's overthrowing of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the neighbouring cities thereof, not a man shall dwell there nor shall the son of man tarry therein" (50:35, 40).

And in Isaiah:

"So shall Babel be, the adorning of kingdoms, the glory of the magnificence of the Chaldeans is God's overthrowing of Sodom and Gomorrah" (13:19).

Sodom signifies the evil of the love of self, and Gomorrah the falsity of that love; and because the love of self does not acknowledge any truth of the church, it is said, "not a man shall dwell there, nor shall the son of man tarry therein," man (vir) signifying intelligence, and son of man (filius hominis), the truth of the church.

[6] Because Edom signifies the natural man who is in falsities from the love of self, and consequently adulterates the goods of the church, therefore, also, her vastation is compared to the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah.

In Jeremiah:

"Edom shall be a desolation as the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, not a man shall dwell there, neither shall a son of man sojourn there" (49:17, 18).

And in Zephaniah:

"Moab shall be as Sodom, and the sons of Ammon as Gomorrah, a place abandoned to the nettle, and a pit of salt, a waste for ever" (2:9).

Moab, as was said, means the natural man, who from the love of self adulterates the goods of the church, and the sons of Ammon signify those who falsify its truths; and because this is the cause of the devastation of all good and truth, therefore it is said "a place abandoned to the nettle, a pit of salt, a waste for ever," the devastation of all good being signified by a place of the nettle, and the devastation of all truth by a pit of salt. Similar things are signified by Sodom and Gomorrah.

[7] Because Judah signifies celestial love, which is love to the Lord, from which comes all good, and, in the opposite sense, diabolical love, which is the love of self, from which comes all evil, therefore the devastation of the church, which is signified by Judah and Jerusalem, is also compared to the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah.

In Isaiah:

"Jerusalem hath stumbled, and Judah is fallen; the stubbornness of their faces witnesseth against them, and their sin is as Sodom's" (3:8, 9).

And in the same:

"Hear the Word of Jehovah, ye princes of Sodom, hearken to the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah" (1:10).

The Word of Jehovah means the Divine Good, and the law of God the Divine Truth, for where good is treated of the name "Jehovah" is used, and where truth is treated of the name "God" is used; and as the Divine Good to those who are in the love of self is evil, it is said "their sin is as Sodom's," also "hear the Word of Jehovah, ye princes of Sodom;" and as the Divine Truth, to those who are in the evil of the love of self, is falsity; it is said, "hearken to the law of God, ye people of Gomorrah."

[8] In Moses:

"Their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and the grapes thereof are of the fields of Gomorrah, grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter" (Deuteronomy 32:32).

This is said of the dire falsities with the posterity of Jacob, flowing from the evils of the love of self. But, these words are explained above (519:7).

In Lamentations:

"They that did eat delicacies are devastated in the streets, they that were brought up in crimson have embraced dunghills; the iniquity of my people is become greater than the sin of Sodom, which was overturned as it were in a moment" (4:5, 6).

These things are said concerning those who are of the celestial kingdom and church of the Lord when changed into the opposite, for it is celestial love that is turned into the love of self, which is diabolical love; concerning those so changed the above is said. What is signified by eating delicacies, being brought up in crimson, being devastated in the streets, and embracing dunghills, was explained in the article above (652:10). It is said of their iniquity that it was greater than the sin of Sodom, because they had the Word, from which they were able to know the truths and goods of heaven and of the church, or of doctrine and of life, and had adulterated them, which the inhabitants of Sodom could not do; for he who knows the will of the Lord, and does it not, sins more than he who does not know it. All those also with whom the love of self has rule despise the holy things of heaven and of the church, and deny the Divinity of the Lord; and to confirm the evils flowing from that love, they either adulterate the Word, or reject it as a writing that is simply holy, because it has been so accepted. Those, therefore, who do these things from the love of self are compared to Sodom and Gomorrah.

[9] Those who are instructed by the Lord concerning the truths and goods of the church, and yet reject and deny them, do worse things than those of Sodom, as is evident from the words of the Lord, in Matthew, concerning Capernaum:

"Thou Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shall be brought down unto hell (infernum = eos adou [transliterated Greek]), for if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which have been done in thee, they would have remained until this day; I say unto thee, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom, in the day of judgment, than for thee" (11:23, 24).

For the Lord after He left Nazareth dwelt in Capernaum (Matthew 4:13); and did miracles there (Matthew 8:5-14; John 4:46, to end). The Lord said similar things concerning the cities in which the disciples preached His coming or the Gospel, and were not received, in these words in Matthew:

"Whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye go out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet; verily I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah, in the day of judgment, than for that city" (10:14, 15; Mark 6:11; Luke 10:10-13).

For no one rejects the holy things of the church, and denies the Divine of the Lord more interiorly than those who are in the love of self; those who are in the love of the world, and in the evils therefrom, may also reject the holy things of the church, but yet not so interiorly, that is, from confirmation of the heart.

[10] The prophets and the people who adulterate the truths and goods of the Word for the purpose of confirming evils and falsities, are spoken of in a similar manner in Jeremiah:

"In the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible stubbornness, in committing adultery and walking in a lie; while they have strengthened the hands of evil doers, that no man returneth from his wickedness; they are become to me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah" (23:14).

Prophets there mean those who teach the truths and goods of doctrine, and in the abstract sense, which is the genuine spiritual sense, doctrine from the Word is meant, thus also the Word as to doctrine; therefore by horrible stubbornness is signified confirmation of heart against the truths and goods of the Word. By committing adultery and walking in a lie is signified to pervert the goods and truths of the Word; by committing adultery, to pervert the goods of the Word by means of evils and falsities. A lie denotes falsity, and to walk in a lie denotes to live in falsities. The confirmation of evils and their consequent power over goods is signified by strengthening the hands of evil-doers; and persistence in evils and falsities of doctrine is signified by no man returning from his wickedness. Therefore it is said they are become as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah. As Sodom signifies in evils flowing from the love of self; and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah signifies an evil life from falsities of doctrine.

[11] The evil which destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah is described by these things in Moses:

"that they wished to offer violence to the angels, and that therefore they were smitten with blindness, so that they could not find the door where the angels were; and that therefore Jehovah caused it to rain brimstone and fire upon Sodom and Gomorrah, and overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and the shoot of the earth" (Genesis 19:1-28).

Their wishing to offer violence to the angels means to Divine Good and Divine Truth, for these are signified by angels; the blindness with which they were smitten, and their not being able to find the door, signifies the utter rejection and denial of the Divine and of the holy things of heaven and the church, so that they were not able to see and acknowledge any thing of heaven and of the church; this is signified by their not finding the door where the angels were. Brimstone signifies the lust (concupiscentia) of destroying the goods and truths of the church by means of falsities, and fire signifies the love of self and every evil that destroys, in this case, their destruction.

[12] That Sodom and Gomorrah mean all evils and falsities flowing forth from the love of self, has been told me from heaven; for when those who are in evils from that love perish, as was the case on the day of the Last Judgment, there appeared as it were sulphur and fire raining out of heaven; this was also seen by me. That such would take place on the day of the Last Judgment was also predicted by the Lord in Luke:

"In like manner as it was in the days of Lot, on the day when he went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all; thus will it be in the day when the Son of Man shall be revealed" (17:28-30).

[13] Since those who from the love of self confirm themselves in evils against the goods and truths of heaven and of the church by means of falsities, entirely eradicate from themselves every truth of doctrine and of the Word and the good of spiritual and celestial love, therefore a total vastation takes place with them, which is thus described in Moses:

"It shall be brimstone and salt, the whole land a burning, it shall not be sown, neither shall it spring forth, nor shall any herb come up thereon, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, of Admah and Zeboim" (Deuteronomy 29:23).

Brimstone signifies the vastation of all good by lusts (concupiscentia) from evils; salt signifies the vastation of all truth by means of falsities from those lusts; the whole land a burning signifies the devastation of the church by means of the love of self. It shall not be sown, neither spring forth, nor any herb come up thereon, signifies no receptivity at all of the truth of the church, herb signifying the truth of the church when it first springs forth. And because such is the devastation of good and truth from the love of self, therefore it is said, like the overflow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboim, Admah and Zeboim signifying the knowledges of evil and falsity. That such things were to take place on the day of the Last Judgment, is signified by the words "in the day when the Son of Man shall be revealed."

  
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Translation by Isaiah Tansley. Many thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.