Arcana Coelestia #435
435. As regards 'the man and his wife' here being used to mean the new Church which earlier on was meant by 'Adah and Zillah', this nobody can know or deduce from the sense of the letter, for previously 'the man (homo) and his wife' meant the Most Ancient Church and its descendants. The point is clear however from the internal sense, and also from the fact that a little further on, in verses 3-4 of the next chapter, reference is again made, though the wording is entirely different, to the man and his wife begetting Seth. At that point the first generation of the descendants of the Most Ancient Church is meant. Unless something different were meant at this point there would be no need to say the same thing again. A parallel to this exists in Chapter 1, where the subject is the creation of man, and also of the fruits of the earth, and of beasts; followed by Chapter 2, where similar events are described, the reason for the similarity being, as has been stated, that Chapter 1 deals with the creation of the spiritual man, Chapter 2 with the creation of the celestial man. When this kind of repetition of one and the same person or thing occurs, something different is meant on the first occasion from the second. But the exact meaning cannot possibly be known except from the internal sense. The actual train of thought in like manner establishes the meaning here. And there is the added consideration that 'man and wife' is a general expression meaning that Church, which is the subject here and from which the new Church was born.
Psalms 102
1
Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee.
2
Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily.
3
For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth.
4
My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread.
5
By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.
6
I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert.
7
I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.
8
Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me.
9
For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping,
10
Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down.
11
My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.
12
But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.
13
Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.
14
For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof.
15
So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.
16
When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.
17
He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.
18
This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD.
19
For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth;
20
To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;
21
To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;
22
When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.
23
He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days.
24
I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations.
25
Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.
26
They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:
27
But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.
28
The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.
