39
Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the isles, shall dwell there, and the owls shall dwell therein: and it shall be no more inhabited for ever; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation.
39
Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the isles, shall dwell there, and the owls shall dwell therein: and it shall be no more inhabited for ever; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation.
780. "Cattle, and sheep." This symbolically means that these Roman Catholics no longer have any worship that springs from the church's external or natural goods and truths, because they have nothing inwardly in their worship that corresponds to the aforesaid things.
This statement is similar to ones explained in numbers 777, 778 above, the difference being that the valuables there were spiritual goods and truths and celestial goods and truths, while here they are natural goods and truths. The difference between these may be seen in no. 773 above.
Cattle and sheep symbolize the sacrifices that were made by offering bulls, calves, male goats, sheep, kids, rams, female goats, and lambs. Bulls and calves are meant by cattle, and kids, rams, goats and lambs by sheep. Moreover, the sacrifices were outward shows of worship, which are also called the natural expressions of worship.