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:

2905. 'A hundred and twenty-seven years' means their completion. This is clear from the meaning of 'a hundred' as that which is complete, dealt with in 2636, and from the meaning of 'twenty' also, which is twice ten, as that which is complete, 1988, and from the meaning of 'seven' as that which is holy, 395, 433, 716, 881. Thus it is the completion or conclusion of the holy state of the Church that is meant here. For all numbers in the Word mean real things, see 482, 487, 647, 648, 755, 813, 1963, 1988, 2075, 2252. The completion of them, that is to say, of the states and periods of time of the Church, means their conclusion.

[2] The Church passes through different phases that are like the ages of man. The first of these is early childhood, the second youth, the third adult years, and the fourth old age. The last of these - old age - is called the completion or conclusion. The phases of the Church are also like the times and seasons of the year, the first of which is spring, the second summer, the third autumn, and the fourth winter. The last of these is the conclusion of the year. The phases of the Church are also like the times and divisions of the day, the first being the dawn, the second midday, the third evening, and the fourth night. The last of these is the completion or conclusion of the day. In the Word too the states of the Church are compared to the ages of man, the seasons of the year, and the divisions of the day, and are meant there by the same because periods of time mean states, 2625, 2788, 2837. Good and truth with those who belong to the Church usually diminish in this fashion. And when good and truth do not exist any longer, or, as is said, when faith does not exist any longer, that is to say, when charity does not exist any longer, the Church has reached its old age, or its winter, or its night. And that period of time or state is called the settlement, close, and fulfilment, see 1857. Statements about the Lord coming into the world in the fullness of time, or when completion had been reached, have the same meaning, for at that time no good existed any longer, not even natural good, nor consequently any truth. This is the specific meaning of the things stated in this verse.