4918. And behold twins were in her womb. That this signifies both things of the church, is evident from the signification of “twins,” as being both good and truth (n. 3299); and from the signification of the “womb,” as being where good and truth lie conceived, consequently, where that is which is of the church. The “womb” in the genuine sense signifies the inmost of conjugial love in which is innocence, because in the Grand Man the womb corresponds to this love; and as conjugial love has its origin from the love of good and truth which belongs to the heavenly marriage, and as this marriage is heaven itself, or the Lord’s kingdom, and as the Lord’s kingdom on earth is the church, therefore the church also is signified by the “womb;” for the church is where the marriage of good and truth is. For this reason it is that “opening the womb” denotes the derivative doctrines of churches (n. 3856), and also the capacity to receive the truths and goods of the church (n. 3967); and that “coming forth from the womb” denotes to be reborn or regenerated (see n. 4904), that is, to be made a church, for whoever is reborn or regenerated is made a church.

[2] As rebirth, and hence the church, are signified by “going forth from the womb,” therefore the Lord is called in the Word, “He that formeth from the womb,” “He that bringeth forth from the womb;” and they who are regenerated and made a church are said to be “carried from the womb,” as in Isaiah:

Thus said Jehovah thy Maker, He that formeth thee from the womb, He helpeth thee (Isaiah 44:2).

Again:

Thus said Jehovah thy Redeemer, and He that formed thee from the womb (Isaiah 44:24).

Again:

Said Jehovah that formed me from the womb to be His servant, to bring Jacob again to Him, and that Israel be gathered unto Him (Isaiah 49:5)

In David:

Jehovah who brought me forth from the womb (Psalms 22:9).

Again in Isaiah:

Attend to Me, O house of Jacob, and all the remains of the house of Israel, carried from the womb and borne from the matrix (Isaiah 46:3).

In David:

The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray from the belly, with words of a lie (Psalms 58:3); where “being estranged from the womb” means from the good which is of the church, and “going astray from the belly” means going astray from truth.

In Hosea:

The pangs of a travailing woman shall come upon him; he is an unwise son, for at the time he standeth not In the womb of sons (Hos. 13:13); where “not standing in the womb of sons” means not being in the good of truth which is of the church.

[3] Again:

Their glory shall fly away like a bird; from the birth, from the belly, and from conception (Hos. 9:11);

meaning that the truth of the church will entirely perish; “from the birth” meaning what is born; “from the belly,” what is in gestation; “from conception,” what is begun.

In Isaiah:

I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb (Isaiah 48:8);

meaning that such was their quality from the beginning of the church.

In Revelation:

A great sign was seen in heaven, a woman encompassed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars; and she bearing in the belly, cried out,

travailing in birth, and in pain to be delivered (Revelation 12:1-2).

The “woman” is the church (n. 252, 253, 255); the “sun with which she was encompassed” is the good of love (n. 30-38, 1529, 1530, 2441, 2495, 4060, 4696); the “moon which was under her feet” is the truth of faith (n. 30-38, 1529, 1530, 2120, 2495, 4696); the “stars” are the knowledges of good and truth (n. 2495, 2849, 4697); that there were “twelve” stars is because “twelve” means all, and thus all things of faith (n. 577, 2089, 2129, 2130, 3272, 3858, 3913); “bearing in the belly” means the truth of the church conceived; “travailing in birth and in pain to be delivered” means that it was received with difficulty.