7598. '[In order] that you may know that the earth is Jehovah's' means that from this it may be recognized that the Lord is the only God of the Church. This is clear from the meaning of 'knowing' as its being recognized; and from the meaning of 'the earth' as the Church, dealt with in 662, 1066, 1067, 1262, 1413, 1607, 1733, 1850, 4447, 4535, 5577 - 'Jehovah' being the Lord, see 1343, 1736, 2921, 3023, 3035, 5663, 6303, 6905, 6945, 6956. From this it is evident that 'the earth is Jehovah's' means that the Church is the Lord's, thus that the Lord is the only God of the Church, as in 7401, 7444, 7544.

1262. From this it now becomes clear that 'the earth' here also means the Church; for when the earth is mentioned, one's only perception is of the nation or people there, and when a nation or people is envisaged one's only perception is of their character. Consequently 'the earth' means nothing other than the Church, as shown already in 662, 1066.