7024. And he made them ride upon the ass. That this signifies the things that would be of service to new intelligence, is evident from the signification of “riding,” as being the things of the intellect, here of new intelligence, which must be of life among those who are in the spiritual church (see n. 7016); that these things are signified by “riding” is because a “horse” signifies the intellectual (of which see n. 2761, 2762, 3217, 5321, 6534); and from the signification of an “ass,” as being the truth that is of service, here to new intelligence (n. 2781, 5741), and also as being memory-knowledge (n. 5492).

533. As nothing more is related concerning Lamech than that he begat sons and daughters, which are the conceptions and births of such a church, we shall dwell no longer on the subject. What the births were, or the “sons and daughters” appears from the church; for such as is the church, such are the births from it. Both the churches called “Methuselah” and “Lamech” expired just before the flood.