The Bible

 

Genesis 1:22

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22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #57

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57. 'The plant yielding seed' is every truth that looks towards a use. 'The tree in which there is fruit' is the good that accompanies faith. 'Fruit' is what the Lord gives to the celestial man, while 'seed', the source of the fruit, is what He gives to the spiritual man. This is why it is said that 'the tree producing seed will be for you for food'. That celestial food is called 'fruit from a tree' is clear from the next chapter where the subject is the celestial man. Here let just that be mentioned which the Lord spoke through Ezekiel,

Beside the river there is rising up upon its bank, on this side and on that, every tree for food. Its leaf will not fall nor its fruit fail. It is re-born monthly, for its waters flow out from the Sanctuary, and its fruit will be for food, and its leaf for medicine. Ezekiel 47:12.

'Waters from the Sanctuary' means the life and mercy of the Lord, who is the Sanctuary; 'fruit' means wisdom, which is food for them; 'leaf' is intelligence, which is given them for a use, which is called 'medicine'. Spiritual food however is called 'a plant', as stated through David,

[Jehovah is] my Shepherd, I shall not want; He makes me 1 lie down in green pastures. 2 Psalms 23:1-2.

Footnotes:

1. The Latin means You makest me; but the Hebrew means He makes me or, as Swedenborg renders in other places where he quotes this verse, He will make me.

2. literally, pastures of the plant

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

Commentary

 

223 - To Fill the Earth

By Jonathan S. Rose

Title: To Fill the Earth

Topic: Second Coming

Summary: Scripture predicts that worship of the Lord will one day fill the earth. What might this mean and how might it happen?

Use the reference links below to follow along in the Bible as you watch.

References:
Daniel 2:31-end
Genesis 1:26, 28; 6:9, 11, 13; 9:1; 12:1
Numbers 14:18, 21
Genesis 1:1
Psalms 72:17-19; 22:27-28
Isaiah 27:6
Micah 4:1
Habakkuk 2:14
Zechariah 2:10-11; 8:20-23; 14:8-9
Ephesians 1:21; 4:8, 10
Revelation 11:15
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3
Ephesians 4:22, 24
1 Chronicles 16:29
Psalms 97:1, 98

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Spirit and Life Bible Study broadcast from 5/13/2015. The complete series is available at: www.spiritandlifebiblestudy.com