16. Verse 1. In the beginning God created heaven and earth. The most ancient times of all are called 'the beginning', and are throughout the Prophets referred to as 'days of antiquity' and also 'days of eternity'. 'The beginning' also embodies within it that first Period when a person is being regenerated, for at that time he is being born anew and receiving life. Regeneration itself is therefore called a new creation of man. Almost everywhere in the prophetical sections 'to create', 'to form', and 'to make' mean to regenerate, though each of these verbs has a different shade of meaning, as in Isaiah,

Every one who is called by My name - I have created him for My glory, I have formed him, I have also made him. Isaiah 43:7

This is why the Lord is called Redeemer, One who forms from the womb, Maker, and also Creator, as in the same prophet,

I am Jehovah, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King. Isaiah 43:15.

In David,

A people to be created will praise Jah. Psalms 102:18.

In the same author,

You send forth Your Spirit; they are created; and You renewest the face ¹ of the ground. Psalms 104:30.

'Heaven' means the internal man, and 'earth' the external man prior to regeneration. This will be seen further on.

Footnotes:

7171. It should be recognized that the sun in this world is not at all visible to any spirit, nor is any light from it visible; for the light of the sun is to spirits like thick darkness. It remains only in spirits' minds, as a result of their having seen it when they were in the world; and the picture of it which presents itself in their minds is a kind of dark patch, a considerable distance away behind them, at a height slightly above head-level. The planets within the solar system appear in fixed positions in relation to the sun - Mercury behind it, slightly to the right; the planet Venus on the left, slightly to the rear; the planet Mars on the left, out in front; the planet Jupiter similarly out in front on the left, but further away; the planet Saturn directly in front, but a considerable distance away; the Moon on the left, quite high up; and other satellites too are on the left of their own planets. This is the way that the planets are aligned in spirits and angels' ideas about them. Also spirits are seen close to their own planet; but they remain outside it.