636. And he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone before the holy angels and before the Lamb. Verse 11. And the smoke of their torment shall go up for ages of ages, signifies self-love and the love of the world and their derivative lusts, and the pride of their own intelligence from these, and torment in hell from them. By "fire" is signified the love of self and of the world (n. 494); by "brimstone" are signified lusts derived from those two loves (n. 452); and since all torment in hell results from these three, therefore it is said, "shall be tormented with fire and brimstone, and the smoke of their torment shall go up for ages of ages." It is said, "before the angels and the Lamb," because these loves are contrary to Divine truths and contrary to the Lord, who is the Word; for by "angels" Divine truths are signified, because they are recipients (n. 170), and by "the Lamb" is signified the Lord as to the Divine Human and also as to the Word (n. 595). That torments in hell proceed from the above-mentioned loves, and that they are in those loves who are in faith separated from charity, may be seen above (n. 421, 502, 591).