And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.
Explanation
As we go through temptation, with our desire for good struggling against our desire for evil, the most devastating attack the hells can launch is causing us to question the existence of the Lord. This might sound dramatic, but how many of us have, while struggling to do what’s right, thought that “all this God and heaven stuff had better be real if I’m going to go through all this grief”? To even acknowledge the possibility that the Lord does not exist weakens us, and delights the hells.
That’s what illustrated here. The angels, according to Swedenborg, represent the Lord’s human aspect and his presence; the men of Sodom are those of the Ancient Church who were confirmed in evil and falsity. For them to rape the angels would be a denial of the divinity of those aspects of the Lord, "proving" to the people that such things are not real.
Passages from Swedenborg
Arcana Coelestia 2350 (Elliott)
'They cried out to Lot, and said to him' means anger directed against good on the part of falsity deriving from evil. 'Where are the men who came to you?' means a negative frame of mind towards the Lord's Divine Human and His Holy proceeding. 'In the night' means the final period when these two are acknowledged no longer. 'Bring them out to us and let us know them' means their wish to show that it is false to acknowledge the existence of these.
Arcana Coelestia 2354 (Elliott)
[2] Being described here is the initial state of the Church that has been vastated, that is, when faith starts to be no more because charity is no more. This state, as has been said, is one in which, because they are opposed to the good of charity, no faith exists with them, in particular no acknowledgement of the Lord's Divine Human and His Holy proceeding. All who lead a life of evil deny these at heart, that is to say, all who despise others in comparison with themselves, who hate all those who do not treat them with respect, who take delight in getting their revenge on such, and indeed in being cruel to them, and who think that acts of adultery do not matter. 'The Pharisees who openly denied the Lord's Divinity did better in their own day than such people today who, for the sake of the respect paid to them and for the sake of their own filthy gain, outwardly worship Him devoutly but inwardly conceal such unholiness.
Sodom: Violence Toward the Angels
Genesis 19:1 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;
Genesis 19:2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.
Genesis 19:3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.
Genesis 19:4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:
Genesis 19:5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.
Genesis 19:6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,
Genesis 19:7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.
Genesis 19:8 Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.
Genesis 19:9 And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.
Genesis 19:10 But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door.
Genesis 19:11 And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.