The Bible

 

Genesis 1:21

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21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #1020

Study this Passage

  
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1020. That these things are meant becomes clear from the fact that everything put together as history from Genesis 1 down to Eber in Chapter 11 means something different from what appears in the letter, and from the consideration that the historical narratives there are purely made-up history customary among the most ancient people. When attesting the truth of some matter they would say that 'Jehovah said it'. Here however 'God' is used because the subject is the spiritual Church. And they did the same when anything true was being, or had been, put into effect.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

Commentary

 

Fly

  

To fly, and go forth abroad, as in Genesis 39:12, signifies that separation was made, or that there was no longer anything common. To fly, when related to the Lord, also signifies omnipresence.

To fly from the face of any one, as in Genesis 16:6, signifies indignation.

To fly, and to fall, as in Genesis 14:10, signifies to be conquered.

To fly, as in Psalm 18:11, signifies to enlighten the middle heaven. To fly, when spoken of the Lord, signifies to foresee and to provide.

To fly, as a cloud, and as doves to their windows, as in Isaiah 60:7, 8, signifies inquiry and investigation into truth, from the literal sense of the Word.

To fly, in the midst of heaven, as in Revelation 8:13, signifies to instruct and foretell.

(References: Apocalypse Revealed 244; Revelation 12, 12:14, Revelation 14)