468. And his feet as pillars of fire, signifies the Lord's Divine natural as to the Divine love, which sustains all things. This also appears from the explanation above (n. 49), where it is said of the Son of man, that "His feet were like fine brass, as if glowing in a furnace." The reason why His feet seemed like "pillars of fire" is, because the Lord's Divine natural, which in itself is the Divine Human which He assumed in the world, sustains His Divine from eternity, as the body does the soul, and in like manner as the natural sense of the Word sustains its spiritual and celestial sense; on which subject see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem concerning the Sacred Scripture (n. 27-49). That "the feet" signify the natural, may be seen (n. 49); and that "a pillar" signifies support (n. 191). "Fire" signifies love, because spiritual fire is nothing else; therefore it is customary in worship to pray, that "heavenly fire may kindle the heart"; that is, celestial love. That there is a correspondence between fire and love, may be known from this: that man grows warm from love, and grows cold from the privation thereof, there being nothing else that produces vital heat, but love in both senses. The origin of correspondences is from two suns, one in the heavens which is pure love, and the other in the world which is pure fire; hence, also, is derived the correspondence between all spiritual and natural things. [2] Since "fire" signifies the Divine love, therefore:
Jehovah was seen by Moses upon Mount Horeb in a bush on fire (Exod. 3:1-3). And He came down on Mount Sinai in fire (Deut. 4:36). And therefore:
The seven lamps of the lampstand in the tabernacle were kindled every evening, that they might burn before Jehovah (Lev. 24:2-4). Also that the fire burned perpetually upon the altar, and was not extinguished (Lev. 6:13). And that they took fire from the altar in the censers, and offered incense (Lev. 16:12, 13; Num. 16:46, 47). That Jehovah went before the sons of Israel by night in a pillar of fire (Exod. 13:21, 22). That there was fire by night upon the habitation (Exod. 40:38; Ps. 105:39; Isa. 4:5, 6). That fire from heaven consumed the burnt-offerings upon the altar, as a sign of good pleasure (Lev. 9:24; 1 Kings 18:38). That the burnt-offerings were called offerings by fire to Jehovah, and the offerings by fire for an odor of rest to Jehovah (Exod. 29:18; Lev. 1:9, 13, 17; 2:2, 9-11; 3:5, 16; 4:31, 35; 5:12; 6:18; 21:6; Num. 28:2; Deut. 18:1). That the eyes of the Lord were seen as a flame of fire (Rev. 1:14; 2:18; 19:12; Dan. 10:5, 6). That the seven lamps of fire burned before the throne (Rev. 4:5). Hence it is manifest what is signified by:
The lamps with oil and without oil (Matt. 25:1-11). By "the oil" is meant fire, and thus love. Besides many other places. That "fire" in the opposite sense signifies infernal love, is manifest from so many places in the Word, that it is needless to adduce them on account of their abundance: see something on this subject in the work on "Heaven and Hell," published at London (n. 566-575).
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