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:

4982. 'On all that he had in the house and in the field' means in life and in doctrine. This is clear from the meaning of 'the house' as good, dealt with in 2048, 2233, 2234, 2559, 3128, 3652, 3720, and as 'the house' means good it also means life, since all good is the good of life; and from the meaning of 'the field' as the Church's truth, dealt with in 368, 3508, 3766, 4440, 4443, and as this means the Church's truth it also means doctrine, for all truth is the truth of doctrine. House and field are also referred to several times in other parts of the Word, and when in such places the celestial man is the subject, 'house' means celestial good and 'field' spiritual good. In this case celestial good is the good of love to the Lord, and spiritual good is the good of charity towards the neighbour. But when the spiritual man is the subject 'house' means the celestial as it exists with him, which is the good of charity towards the neighbour, while 'field' means the spiritual as it exists with him, which is the truth of faith. 'The house' and 'the field' have the same meanings in Matthew,

Let him who is on the roof of the house not go down to take anything out of his house; and let him who is in the field not turn back to get his clothing. Matthew 24:17-18.

See 3652.