144. As to 'calling by name' meaning recognizing their nature, it must be realized that the ancients understood nothing else by 'a name than the essential nature of a real thing, and by 'seeing and calling them by name' recognizing the nature of such. This was why they gave their sons and daughters names in keeping with the things that were meant by them; for there was something unique to every name, as a means of knowing the origin and nature of those children, as will also be seen later on where, in the Lord's Divine mercy, the twelve sons of Jacob are dealt with. Since therefore a name embodied a person's origin and nature nothing else was meant by 'calling by name'. This manner of speaking was customary among them; but anyone who does not understand is sure to wonder whether they do have these meanings.

768. 'Noah' means what belonged to that Church, and 'Shem, Ham, and Japheth' what belonged to the Churches that derived from it. This is clear from the fact that here they are not called simply 'his sons', as they were previously in verse 7, but that their names are added as well. When their names are mentioned in this way they mean the member of the Church. The member of the Church is not only the Church itself, but also everything belonging to it. It is a general term embracing whatever belongs to the Church, as stated already in reference to the Most Ancient Church which was called Man, and likewise in reference to the others mentioned by name. 'Noah' therefore and 'Shem, Ham, and Japheth' mean whatever belongs in its entirety to the Church and to the Churches deriving from it.

[2] Such is the style and manner of expression used in the Word. For example, when Judah is mentioned in the Prophets it means in most cases the celestial Church or whatever belongs to that Church. When Israel is mentioned it means in most cases the spiritual Church or whatever belongs to that Church. And when it is Jacob it means the external Church. For with every member of the Church there exist the internal aspect of the Church and the external. The internal is where the true Church is to be found, while the external is what derives from it, which is Jacob.

[3] It is different when they are not mentioned by name, for the reason that in that case they relate to the Lord's kingdom in a representative fashion. The Lord is the only Man, and is the All of His kingdom. And because the Church is the Lord's kingdom on earth, the Lord alone is the All of the Church. The All of the Church is love or charity, and therefore 'man', or what amounts to the same, someone who is mentioned by name means love or charity, that is, the All of the Church. 'Wife' in that case means quite simply the Church that comes from it, as is also the case here. The character of the Churches meant by 'Shem, Ham, and Japheth' however will in the Lord's Divine mercy be discussed later on.