Arcana Coelestia #1066
1066. That 'from them the whole earth was overspread' means that from these three all doctrines have been derived, both true and false, is clear from the meaning of 'the earth'. In the Word 'the earth' has various meanings. In the universal sense it stands for the place or region where the Church is or once was, for example, the land of Canaan, the land of Judah, the land of Israel. It thus stands in that universal sense for every member of the Church, for a land takes its name from the people who inhabit it, as is also well known from everyday speech. In ancient times therefore when people spoke of 'the whole earth' they did not mean every land throughout the world but only that part of the earth where the Church existed, and so the Church itself, as becomes clear from the following places in the Word: In Isaiah,
Jehovah is emptying the earth, the earth will be utterly emptied. The earth will mourn and be turned upside down. And the earth will be polluted under its inhabitants. Therefore a curse will devour the earth, therefore the inhabitants of the earth will be scorched and few men left. The floodgates from on high have been opened, and the foundations of the earth have been shaken. The earth has been utterly broken. The earth has been utterly rent asunder. The earth is violently shaken. The earth staggers altogether like a drunken man, and sways to and fro like a hut. Its transgression will lie heavily upon it, and it will fall, and it will not rise again. Isaiah 24:1, 3-6, 18-21.
'Earth' stands for the people inhabiting it, in particular the people of the Church, and so stands for the Church itself, and the things that are the Church's that have been vastated. These when being vastated are spoken of as 'being emptied', 'being shaken', 'staggering like a drunken man', 'swaying', 'falling and not rising'.
[2] That 'earth' or 'land' means man, and consequently the Church which is made up of men, is seen in Malachi,
All the nations will declare you blessed, for you will be a land of delight. Malachi 3:12.
That 'the earth' stands for the Church is seen in Isaiah,
Do you not understand the foundations of the earth? Isaiah 40:21.
Here 'foundations of the earth' stands for the foundations of the Church. In the same prophet,
Behold I am creating new heavens and a new earth. Isaiah 65:17; 66:22; Revelation 21:1.
'New heavens and a new earth' stands for the Lord's kingdom and the Church. In Zechariah,
Jehovah is He who stretches out the heavens and founds the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him. Zechariah 12:1.
'Earth' stands for the Church, as in earlier chapters,
In the beginning God created heaven and earth. Genesis 1:1.
The heavens and the earth were finished. Genesis 2:1.
These are the generations of heaven and earth. Genesis 2:4.
In each instance 'earth' stands for the Church being 'created', 'formed', and 'made'. In Joel,
The earth quaked before Him, the heavens trembled. The sun and the moon were darkened. Joel 2:10.
'Earth' stands for the Church, and for the things that are the Church's. When these things are being vastated, 'heaven and earth' are said to quake, 'the sun and moon' to grow dark, that is, love and faith.
[3] In Jeremiah,
I looked to the earth, when behold, that which is void and empty; and to the heavens, and they had no light. Jeremiah 4:23.
Here 'the earth' plainly stands for the person who does not have anything of the Church within him. In the same prophet,
The whole earth will be desolate, yet I will not bring it to a close. For this the earth will mourn and the heavens be black. Jeremiah 4:27, 18.
Here likewise the Church is meant, whose exterior things are 'the earth' and interior 'the heavens'. These are referred to as 'being black and having no light' when there is no longer any wisdom arising from good or intelligence from truth. In that case the earth is also 'void and empty', as is the member of the Church who ought to be an embodiment of the Church. That 'the whole earth' is also used in other places to mean the Church alone is seen in Daniel,
The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, and trample it down, and break it in pieces. Daniel 7:23.
'The whole earth' stands for the Church and for the things that are the Church's; for the Word does not deal, as secular authors do, with the powers of monarchs, but with sacred matters, and with states of the Church, which are meant by 'kingdoms of the earth'.
[4] In Jeremiah,
A great tempest will be raised up from the sides of the earth, and the slain 1 of Jehovah on that day will be from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth. Jeremiah 25:32, 33.
Here 'from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth' stands for the Church and for everything that is the Church's. In Isaiah,
The whole earth is at rest and is quiet; they burst into cries of joy. Isaiah 14:7.
Here 'the whole earth' stands for the Church.
In Ezekiel,
As the whole earth rejoices. Ezekiel 35:14.
Here too 'the whole earth' stands for the Church.
In Isaiah,
I swore that the waters of Noah should go no more over the earth. Isaiah 54:9.
Here 'the earth' stands for the Church since the Church is the subject here. Because in the Word the earth means the Church it also means what is not the Church, for every such expression has a contrary or opposite sense. This applies, for example, to the various lands of the gentiles, in general to all lands outside the land of Canaan. 'Land' also stands therefore for the people and for the individual outside of the Church, and from this for the external man - for his will, for his proprium, and so on.
[5] In the Word 'earth' rarely stands for the whole world except when it is used to mean the state of the whole human race, whether of the Church or not of the Church. And because the earth includes the ground, which also means the Church, and the ground includes the field, the expression 'earth', entailing many things, has many meanings. But what it means is evident from the subject under discussion to which it refers. From this it now becomes clear that here 'the whole earth was overspread by the sons of Noah' does not mean the whole world, that is, the whole human race, but all doctrines, both true and false, which Churches possessed.
Footnotes:
1. literally, the pierced
Psalms 106
1
Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
2
Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? who can shew forth all his praise?
3
Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times.
4
Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation;
5
That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance.
6
We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.
7
Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea.
8
Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.
9
He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness.
10
And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
11
And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them left.
12
Then believed they his words; they sang his praise.
13
They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel:
14
But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert.
15
And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.
16
They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the LORD.
17
The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram.
18
And a fire was kindled in their company; the flame burned up the wicked.
19
They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image.
20
Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass.
21
They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt;
22
Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea.
23
Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them.
24
Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word:
25
But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD.
26
Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness:
27
To overthrow their seed also among the nations, and to scatter them in the lands.
28
They joined themselves also unto Baal-peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead.
29
Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: and the plague brake in upon them.
30
Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed.
31
And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore.
32
They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes:
33
Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.
34
They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them:
35
But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works.
36
And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them.
37
Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils,
38
And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.
39
Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions.
40
Therefore was the wrath of the LORD kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance.
41
And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them.
42
Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand.
43
Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity.
44
Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry:
45
And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies.
46
He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives.
47
Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise.
48
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the Lord.
