863. And fire came down from God out of heaven, and consumed them, signifies that they perished by the lusts of infernal love. By "fire coming down out of heaven which consumed them," are signified the lusts of evils, or of infernal love (as above, n. 494, 748), because they who are in external worship separated from internal worship, are in all kinds of evils and lusts, because with them evils are not removed by any actual repentance (n. 859). It is said that "fire came down from God out of heaven;" this was done in ancient times, when all things of the church were represented before their eyes, consequently when churches were representative; but at this day, when representatives have ceased, the like is said, and the signification is the same as formerly when the thing was represented. That fire came down out of heaven upon those who profaned things holy, may be seen above (n. 494, 748). The same is said of "Gog and Magog" in Ezekiel:
I will cause it to rain upon Gog, and upon his wings, and upon many people that are with him, fire and brimstone (Ezek. 38:22). I will send fire upon Magog (Ezek. 39:6).
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