Les membres de la Très Ancienne Église avaient commencé à vouloir se diriger eux-mêmes et à penser à partir d'eux-mêmes plutôt que du Seigneur. Le Seigneur savait que cela causerait leur perte, et il a cherché à les combler par les dons spirituels qu'ils possédaient déjà dans leur état céleste.

Ici, nous voyons le Seigneur leur montrer la présence en eux (le sol) de toutes les belles choses de leur état : les affections jaillissant de l'amour pour le Seigneur (les bêtes des champs), les pensées inspirées par l'amour mutuel (les oiseaux du ciel) et toute autre activité spirituelle remplie de la vie du Seigneur (les créatures vivantes). Et ces choses étaient des dons ; le fait que le peuple ait été invité à nommer les animaux signifie qu'on lui a montré la nature de toutes ces choses merveilleuses.

(références: Arcanes Célestes 142, 143, 144, 145)

1322. 'So that they do not hear each man the lip of his companion' means that all were at variance with one another, that is, one man was opposed to the next. This becomes clear from the words themselves. 'Not hearing a companion's lip' is not acknowledging what another says, and in the internal sense not acknowledging what another teaches, which is his doctrine - for 'lip' is doctrine, as shown above at verse 1. They do indeed acknowledge it with the lips but not with the heart, and assent with the lips is worthless when there is no assent in the heart. This is similar to the situation that exists with evil spirits in the next life, who are distinguished into separate communities just as good spirits are. But they are joined and held together by their having similar delusions and evil desires, so that they act together in persecuting truths and goods. So they have a common interest to hold them together. But as soon as that common interest ceases to exist one rushes at another, and their joy then consists in torturing one or more of their companions. The same applies in the world where doctrine and worship of this kind exist. People may be quite united in their acceptance of what is a matter of doctrine or religious practice, but the common interest holding them together is worship of self. And their acceptance is proportional to their ability to share in that common interest. But to the extent they cannot share or have any hope of sharing that common purpose they split up, for the reason mentioned just above, that not one of these people possesses any truth but every one has falsity in place of truth, and evil in place of good. This then is what is meant by 'Each man not hearing the lip of his companion'.