1066. That 'from them the whole earth was overspread' means that from these three all doctrines have been derived, both true and false, is clear from the meaning of 'the earth'. In the Word 'the earth' has various meanings. In the universal sense it stands for the place or region where the Church is or once was, for example, the land of Canaan, the land of Judah, the land of Israel. It thus stands in that universal sense for every member of the Church, for a land takes its name from the people who inhabit it, as is also well known from everyday speech. In ancient times therefore when people spoke of 'the whole earth' they did not mean every land throughout the world but only that part of the earth where the Church existed, and so the Church itself, as becomes clear from the following places in the Word: In Isaiah,

Jehovah is emptying the earth, the earth will be utterly emptied. The earth will mourn and be turned upside down. And the earth will be polluted under its inhabitants. Therefore a curse will devour the earth, therefore the inhabitants of the earth will be scorched and few men left. The floodgates from on high have been opened, and the foundations of the earth have been shaken. The earth has been utterly broken. The earth has been utterly rent asunder. The earth is violently shaken. The earth staggers altogether like a drunken man, and sways to and fro like a hut. Its transgression will lie heavily upon it, and it will fall, and it will not rise again. Isaiah 24:1, 3-6, 18-21.

'Earth' stands for the people inhabiting it, in particular the people of the Church, and so stands for the Church itself, and the things that are the Church's that have been vastated. These when being vastated are spoken of as 'being emptied', 'being shaken', 'staggering like a drunken man', 'swaying', 'falling and not rising'.

[2] That 'earth' or 'land' means man, and consequently the Church which is made up of men, is seen in Malachi,

All the nations will declare you blessed, for you will be a land of delight. Malachi 3:12.

That 'the earth' stands for the Church is seen in Isaiah,

Do you not understand the foundations of the earth? Isaiah 40:21.

Here 'foundations of the earth' stands for the foundations of the Church. In the same prophet,

Behold I am creating new heavens and a new earth. Isaiah 65:17; 66:22; Revelation 21:1.

'New heavens and a new earth' stands for the Lord's kingdom and the Church. In Zechariah,

Jehovah is He who stretches out the heavens and founds the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him. Zechariah 12:1.

'Earth' stands for the Church, as in earlier chapters,

In the beginning God created heaven and earth. Genesis 1:1.

The heavens and the earth were finished. Genesis 2:1.

These are the generations of heaven and earth. Genesis 2:4.

In each instance 'earth' stands for the Church being 'created', 'formed', and 'made'. In Joel,

The earth quaked before Him, the heavens trembled. The sun and the moon were darkened. Joel 2:10.

'Earth' stands for the Church, and for the things that are the Church's. When these things are being vastated, 'heaven and earth' are said to quake, 'the sun and moon' to grow dark, that is, love and faith.

[3] In Jeremiah,

I looked to the earth, when behold, that which is void and empty; and to the heavens, and they had no light. Jeremiah 4:23.

Here 'the earth' plainly stands for the person who does not have anything of the Church within him. In the same prophet,

The whole earth will be desolate, yet I will not bring it to a close. For this the earth will mourn and the heavens be black. Jeremiah 4:27, 18.

Here likewise the Church is meant, whose exterior things are 'the earth' and interior 'the heavens'. These are referred to as 'being black and having no light' when there is no longer any wisdom arising from good or intelligence from truth. In that case the earth is also 'void and empty', as is the member of the Church who ought to be an embodiment of the Church. That 'the whole earth' is also used in other places to mean the Church alone is seen in Daniel,

The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, and trample it down, and break it in pieces. Daniel 7:23.

'The whole earth' stands for the Church and for the things that are the Church's; for the Word does not deal, as secular authors do, with the powers of monarchs, but with sacred matters, and with states of the Church, which are meant by 'kingdoms of the earth'.

[4] In Jeremiah,

A great tempest will be raised up from the sides of the earth, and the slain ¹ of Jehovah on that day will be from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth. Jeremiah 25:32, 33.

Here 'from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth' stands for the Church and for everything that is the Church's. In Isaiah,

The whole earth is at rest and is quiet; they burst into cries of joy. Isaiah 14:7.

Here 'the whole earth' stands for the Church.

In Ezekiel,

As the whole earth rejoices. Ezekiel 35:14.

Here too 'the whole earth' stands for the Church.

In Isaiah,

I swore that the waters of Noah should go no more over the earth. Isaiah 54:9.

Here 'the earth' stands for the Church since the Church is the subject here. Because in the Word the earth means the Church it also means what is not the Church, for every such expression has a contrary or opposite sense. This applies, for example, to the various lands of the gentiles, in general to all lands outside the land of Canaan. 'Land' also stands therefore for the people and for the individual outside of the Church, and from this for the external man - for his will, for his proprium, and so on.

[5] In the Word 'earth' rarely stands for the whole world except when it is used to mean the state of the whole human race, whether of the Church or not of the Church. And because the earth includes the ground, which also means the Church, and the ground includes the field, the expression 'earth', entailing many things, has many meanings. But what it means is evident from the subject under discussion to which it refers. From this it now becomes clear that here 'the whole earth was overspread by the sons of Noah' does not mean the whole world, that is, the whole human race, but all doctrines, both true and false, which Churches possessed.

Footnotes:

911. Thrust in thy sickle and reap, for the hour is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. That this signifies, that the time is come to collect the good and separate them from the evil, because it is the end of the church; from the signification of thrusting in the sickle, as denoting to collect the good and separate them from the evil, of which we shall speak presently. And from the signification of the hour for reaping has come, as denoting the time for doing this. And from the signification of, for the harvest of the earth is ripe, as denoting the last state or the end of the church. For harvest signifies the last state or the end, and the earth the church. It is evident, therefore, that by Thrust in thy sickle and reap, for the hour for reaping is come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe, is signified that the time is come for collecting the good and separating them from the evil, because it is the end of the church.

[2] The reason why, to thrust in the sickle and reap, denotes to collect the good and separate them from the evil is, that by the harvest of the earth is signified the last state of the church, when the Last Judgment takes place and the evil are cast into hell and the good raised into heaven, and thus separated. That such collection, separation, and Last Judgment do not previously take place is evident from what is said in the small work concerning the Last Judgment, and from those things that must be said more fully in the Appendix to that book, which are summarily contained in the Lord's words in Matthew:

Jesus spake this parable. "The kingdom of the heavens is like unto a man that sowed good seed in his field: but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares, and went his way. But when the blade sprang up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. The servant of the father of the family drew near, and said unto him, Lord, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? whence then hath it tares? And he said unto them, An enemy hath done this. And the servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn. And his disciples drew near unto him, and said, Explain unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answering said unto them, He who soweth the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; and the seed are the sons of the kingdom; but the tares are the sons of that evil; but the enemy who sowed them is the devil: the harvest is the consummation of the age; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burnt in the fire so it shall be in the consummation of the age. The Son of man shall send his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, them that work iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: where shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the just shall shine as the sun in the kingdom of the Father" (13:24-30, 36-43).

By this parable the Lord illustrates all those things that are said in this chapter of the Apocalypse, from verse 14-19, concerning the Son of man having in His hand a sickle and reaping, and the earth being reaped by Him and the angels. For it is therein taught that by the sower is meant the Lord, who is there also called the Son of man; that by the reapers, or those who reap, are meant the angels; and that the tares shall be cast into a furnace of fire, and the good seed gathered into the barn, and that those things could not take place before the consummation of the age, by which is signified the last state of the church; and this, lest the wheat should be rooted out together with the tares.

[3] Since this parable of the Lord contains mysteries concerning the separation of the evil from the good, and concerning the Last Judgment, it is of importance that it should be particularly explained. By the kingdom of the heavens is signified the Lord's church in the heavens and on earth; for the church is in both. By the man who sowed good seed in his field, is meant the Lord as to Divine truth, which is the Word, in the church; the man, who, in the following verses, is called the Son of man, is the Lord as to the Word; the good seed is the Divine truth; and the field is the church where the Word is. While men slept his enemy came and sowed tares, and went his way, signifies, that while men live a natural life, or the life of the world, then evils from hell, they being ignorant of it, secretly insinuate and implant falsities - to sleep signifying a natural life or the life of the world. And this life is sleep compared to spiritual life which is wakefulness. The enemy signifies evils from hell, which bring about that life separated from spiritual life. To sow tares, signifies to insinuate and implant falsities. And went his way, signifies that it was done secretly or without their knowing it. But when the blade sprang up and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also, signifies, when truth grew and produced good, falsities from evil were intermingled, the blade springing up signifying the quality of truth when it is first received, fruit signifying good, and tares falsities from evil; in this case intermingled.

[4] The servants of the father of the family drew near and said unto him, Lord, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field, whence then hath it tares? signifies those who are in truths from good, perceiving that falsities from evil were intermingled, and complaining of this. The servants of the Lord, signify those who are in truths from good; the father of the family signifies the Lord as to truths from good; father, Him as to good, and family, Him as to truths. The good seed, signifies the field, and the tares, signify the same as above. And he said unto them, An enemy hath done this, signifies that those falsities were from evil in the natural man. And the servants said to him, Lord, wilt thou then that we go and gather up the tares? signifies separation and rejection of the falsities from evil, before that truths from good were received and increased. But he said, Nay, lest while ye gather up the tares ye root out the wheat with them, signifies that by this means truth from good also would perish, and its increase. For with the men of the church truths are intermingled with falsities, which cannot be separated and the falsities rejected, until they are reformed.

[5] Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the time of the harvest, I will say to the reapers, Gather first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn, signifies that the separation of the falsities from evil, and the rejection of them, cannot be effected before the last state of the church comes; for then the falsities of evil are separated from the truths of good; and the falsities of evil are delivered up to hell, and the truths of good conjoined with heaven; or what is the same thing, the men who are in them.

These things take place in the spiritual world, where all who belong to the church, from its beginning to its end, are separated and judged in this manner. By the harvest is signified the end or the last state of the church; by gathering into bundles, is signified to conjoin together particular species of falsities from evil; by burning is signified to deliver up to hell; and by gathering into the barn, is signified to conjoin with heaven.

[6] He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man, signifies Divine truth from the Lord. The field is the world, signifies the church everywhere. The seed are the sons of the kingdom, signifies that Divine truth is with those who belong to the church. The tares are the children of the evil one, signifies falsities with those who are in evil. The enemy who soweth them is the devil, signifies that those falsities are from evil, which is from hell. The harvest the consummation of the age, signifies the last time and state of the church. The reapers are the angels, signifies that Divine truth from the Lord separates. The Son of man shall send the angels, who shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, signifies that Divine truth from the Lord will remove those who hinder the separation. That work iniquity, signifies that they are those who live wickedly. And shall cast them into a furnace of fire, signifies into the hell, where those are who are in the love of self, who hate, and seek revenge. Where shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth, signifies where it is direful from evils and falsities. Then the just shall shine as the sun in the kingdom of the Father, signifies, that those who have done the Lord's precepts, shall live in heavenly loves, and in the joys thereof, in heaven - the just denoting those who acknowledge the Lord, and do His precepts. The angels are about to possess such a state after the Last Judgment, because a higher power from heaven was then vindicated, which previously was on the side of hell; and hence comes joy to the angels with continual increase.

[7] It remains to explain in some degree the Lord's words concerning the separation of the evil from the good, namely, "Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of the harvest, I will say to the reapers, Gather first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn." By which the separation of the evil from the good, when the Last Judgment is at hand, is signified. The reason why they were not separated before, may be seen in the small work concerning theLast Judgment 59, 70). To this I shall here add, that it is according to Divine Order that things, which in the end are to be separated, should grow conjointly; so that when they come to an end, separation may be effected more easily, and, as it were, spontaneously, or of their own accord. This may be illustrated from a thousand experiences in both worlds, and even from correspondences in the animal and vegetable kingdoms; from which, as in a common mirror, it may be seen, why the evil were not separated from the good, till about the time of the Last Judgment. This is also signified in this part of the Apocalypse, by the angel saying to Him that sat on the cloud, "Reap, for the hour for thee to reap is come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe."

[8] By harvest in the following passages is also signified the last state of the church, when the old church is devastated, that is, when there no longer remains any truth and good that is not falsified or rejected. In Joel:

"At the valley of Jehoshaphat will I sit to judge all the nations round about. Put forth the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, get ye down, for the wine-press is full, the vats are overflowed because great is their wickedness" (3:12, 13).

The subject treated of in that chapter is the falsification of the truth of the Word, and the devastation of the church by that means; and in this verse the last state of the church, when the judgment takes place. And this state is described, as in the Apocalypse, by putting forth the sickle, because the harvest is ripe, the harvest denoting the last state. Also by the winepress being full and the vats overflowing, as in this chapter of the Apocalypse (vers. 19, 20). That then judgment takes place is openly declared. The valley of Jehoshaphat, where judgment is executed, signifies the falsification of the Word.

[9] In Jeremiah:

"Cut off him that soweth in Babel, and him that layeth hold of the sickle in time of harvest" (50:16).

And in the same:

"The daughter of Babel is as a threshing floor for threshing her; yet a little while and the time of her harvest shall come" (51:33).

Here also by the time of harvest is meant the last state of the church, when there is no longer any good and truth. Its devastation is described by cutting off him that soweth, and him that layeth hold of the sickle in the time of harvest; also, by threshing as on a threshing floor. By Babel are meant those who seek dominion through the holy things of the church.

[10] In Isaiah:

"I will bewail Jazer, the vine of Sibmah: I will water thee with my tears, O Heshbon and Elealeh, because the shouting over thy vintage and over thy harvest is fallen" (16:9).

By harvest here also is signified the last state of the church. For by shouting is signified the end, when upon finishing the vintage and gathering in the harvest, they used to triumph and raise a shout; but in the present case to lament, because it is said, "it hath fallen." By Jazer, the vine of Sibmah, and by Heshbon and by Elealeh, are signified the men of the external church, who explain the Word to favour the loves of the world. For those places were given for an inheritance to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, by whom, since they dwelt outside of Jordan, the external church was represented. The vine of Sibmah signifies their church. Their destruction, when the Lord should come and accomplish judgment, is also described in that chapter.

[11] In Jeremiah:

"The harvest is past, the autumn is spent, and we are not saved; upon the breaking of my daughter I am broken" (8:20).

Here also by harvest is signified the last state of the church. By upon the breaking I am broken, is signified grief that there good and truth are no longer, daughter denoting the affection of truth, and thence the church; for it is of the church, and the church is from it.

[12] In Isaiah:

It shall come to pass, when the harvest is collected, the standing corn, and his arm shall reap the ears; and gleanings shall be left in it, as in the shaking of an olive, three berries in the top of the bough, four or five in the branches of the fruitful one. In the day thou shalt make thy plant to grow, and thy seed to flourish in the morning; the harvest shall be a heap in the day of possession and desperate sorrow" (17:5, 6, 11).

The subject treated of in that chapter is the knowledges of truth and good, which the church has, in that they were destroyed. These are there signified by Damascus, which is treated of in that chapter; and by Arver. Their being destroyed is described by gleanings being left in it, as in the shaking of an olive, three berries in the top of the bough, four or five in the branches of the fruitful one. Also by the harvest being a heap in the day of possession, that is, that there shall be no more than one heap; therefore it is also called desperate sorrow. It is evident, therefore, that harvest there signifies the last state of the church; that state is also signified by morning. For when the last state of the church is at hand, it is then morning to those who will belong to the New Church, and evening and night to those who belong to the Old Church. That this is there meant by morning, is evident from the last verse of the chapter, where it is said,

"About the time of evening, behold, terror; before the morning, it is not" (ver. 14).

Terror signifies destruction.

[13] In Joel:

"The husbandmen are ashamed, the vine-dressers howled, for the wheat and for the barley, because the harvest of the field is perished" (1:11).

The devastation of the church as to good and as to truth is meant by the harvest of the field perishing. By husbandmen are meant those who are in the good of the church, and by vine-dressers those who are in its truths; by wheat and barley, good and truth itself. Grief on account of devastation, is signified by being ashamed and howling.

[14] The reason why harvest signifies the last state of the church is, that corn, which is the harvest, signifies the good and the truth therefrom of the church, and field the church itself. That everything intended for natural nourishment, as wheat, barley, oil, wine, and the like, signify those things that are for spiritual nourishment, has been shown above in many places; and the things that are for spiritual nourishment, have reference, in general, to good and truth, and the knowledges thereof, thus to doctrine and to a life according to it. Hence it is said in Jeremiah:

A nation "from afar shall eat up thy harvest and thy bread, it shall eat up thy sons and thy daughters, it shall eat up thy flock and thy herd, it shall eat up thy vine and thy fig-tree, it shall impoverish with the sword thy fenced cities, in which thou dost trust" (5:15, 17).

By a nation from afar, is meant the falsity of evil destroying, from afar denoting far off from good and truth. By harvest and bread are signified the truths and goods of the church that are for nourishment; by sons and daughters the same, generating; by flock and herd, goods and truths spiritual and natural; by the vine and fig-tree, the internal-spiritual and the external-natural church. By the fenced cities in which they trust, are signified doctrinals from one's own intelligence. To be impoverished with the sword signifies to be destroyed by the falsities of evil.

[15] Since by the harvest are signified all those things that spiritually nourish a man, which have reference to truths of doctrine and goods of life, therefore by harvest is signified the church in general and in particular. In general, in these words in the Evangelists:

Jesus said to the disciples, "The harvest is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he may send labourers into his harvest" (Matthew 9:37, 38; Luke 10:2).

By the harvest are here meant all those with whom the church was to be established by the Lord, thus also the church in general; and by labourers are meant all those who will teach from the Lord.

[16] Similarly in John:

Jesus said to the disciples, "[Say ye not] there are yet four months to harvest? Behold I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look upon the fields, that they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth reward, and gathereth fruit for life eternal. For in this is the saying true, There is one that soweth, and another that reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye have not laboured. Others have laboured, but ye have entered into their labour" (4:35-38).

These things are said by the Lord concerning the New Church about to be established by Him. That the establishment of that church was now at hand is meant by, lift up your eyes, and look upon the fields, that they are white already to harvest. To teach, those who are to belong to that church is signified by reaping; the same as where the Lord speaks elsewhere of collecting and gathering into the barn. That it is not they themselves who teach, that is who collect and gather, but the Lord - forasmuch as those whom the disciples converted to the church, the Lord by angels, that is by Divine truths from the Word, prepared to receive - is meant by there is one that soweth, and another that reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye have not laboured. Others have laboured, but ye have entered into their labour.

[17] The increase of the church with man in particular, and with men in general from the Lord, is also described by harvest in Mark:

Jesus said, "So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed upon the earth, and should afterwards sleep, and arise night and day; but the seed springeth up and groweth, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit spontaneously, first the blade, afterwards the ear, then the full corn in the ear: but when the fruit is produced, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is ready" (4:26-29).

By the kingdom of God is meant the church of the Lord in the heavens and on earth. That it is implanted in all who receive truths and goods, not from themselves, but from the Lord, is described by the above words, every particular of which corresponds to spiritual things and signifies them; as a man casting seed upon the earth, and afterwards sleeping, and rising night and day, the seed springing up and growing, he knoweth not how. For by the seed is signified Divine truth; by casting the seed into the earth is signified the work of man; by rising day and night is signified in every state; and lastly by putting in the sickle. The other expressions signify the Lord's work; and the harvest, the implantation of the church in general and in particular. For it must be known that although the Lord worketh all things, and man nothing of himself, still it is His will that man, so far as comes to his perception, should work as of himself. For without the co-operation of man, as of himself, there can be no reception of good and truth, thus no implantation and regeneration. For the Lord grants to will; and because this appears to a man to be, as it were, from himself, therefore He grants to him to will as if from himself.

[18] Because such things are signified by harvest, therefore two feasts were instituted with the children of Israel, one of which was called the feast of seven weeks, which was that of the harvest of first-fruits; and the other the feast of tabernacles, which was that of gathering in of the fruits of the earth. The former of these signified the implantation of truth in good, and the latter the production of good, thus regeneration. But by the feast of unleavened bread, or of the Passover, which preceded, was signified liberation from the falsities of evil, which is also the first thing of regeneration.