670. That 'living creature' ¹ means things of the understanding, and 'all flesh' those of the will, becomes clear from what has been stated already, and also from what follows. In the Word 'living creature' means all animal life in general, as in Genesis 1:10, 21, 24; 2:19. Here however, because the phrase 'all flesh' is added immediately after, it means things which belong to the understanding, for the reason given already, that the regeneration of the member of this Church had to begin in the things of the understanding. This also is why in the next verse 'birds' are mentioned first, which mean things of the understanding or the rational, and 'beasts', which are those of the will, second. 'Flesh' in particular means bodily-mindedness which is a feature of the will.

Footnotes:

8184. 'Divide it' means dispersing falsity from there. This is clear from the meaning of 'dividing that sea' as dispersing the falsities arising from evil that are present in that hell; for the falsities there are seen as waters, in keeping with what has been shown above in 8099, 8137, 8148. When the pillar of angels in which the Lord is present passes through that hell the falsities depart, and as a consequence the waters there, which are the falsities, are parted asunder. From this it is evident that 'dividing the sea' means dispersing the falsities belonging to the hell that is represented by 'the Sea Suph'.