Arcana Coelestia #43
43. Verse 22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas; and let birds be multiplied upon the earth.
Everything that has life in it from the Lord is fruitful and multiplies without limit. This does not happen during a person's lifetime, but in the next life it does so to an astonishing extent. In the Word 'to be fruitful' has reference to matters of love, while 'to multiply' has reference to matters of faith. The fruit of love contains the seed by which it multiplies itself to so great an extent. The Lord' s blessing also means, in the Word, fruitfulness and multiplication, for they are the outcome of that blessing.
Verse 23 And there was evening, and there was morning, a fifth day.
Mark 8:5-9
5
He asked them, "How many loaves do you have?" They said, "Seven."
6
He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground, and he took the seven loaves. Having given thanks, he broke them, and gave them to his disciples to serve, and they served the multitude.
7
They had a few small fish. Having blessed them, he said to serve these also.
8
They ate, and were filled. They took up seven baskets of broken pieces that were left over.
9
Those who had eaten were about four thousand. Then he sent them away.
