46. That 'beasts' means affections residing with man - evil affections in evil men and good affections in good men - becomes clear from many examples in the Word, as in Ezekiel,

Behold, I am for you, and I will turn to you, so that you will be tilled and sown; and I will multiply upon you man and beast, and they will be multiplied and be fruitful, and I will resettle you ¹ to be as in your ancient times. Ezekiel 36:9-11.

This refers to regeneration. In Joel,

Fear not, you beasts of My field, for the dwelling-places of the wilderness have been made green. Joel 2:22.

In David,

I was stupid, a beast ² was I with God. Psalms 73:12.

In Jeremiah,

Behold, the days are coming when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and the seed of beast, and I will watch over them to build and to plant. Jeremiah 31:27-28.

This refers to regeneration.

[2] 'Wild animals' (fera) has a similar meaning, as in Hosea,

I will make for them a covenant on that day, with the wild animals of the field, and with the birds of the air, ³ and with the creeping things of the earth. Hosea 2:18.

In Job,

You will not fear the wild animals of the earth, for your covenant will be with the stones of the field, and the wild beasts of the field will be at peace with you. Job 5:22-23.

In Ezekiel,

I will make with them ⁴ a covenant of peace, and I will banish the evil wild animal from the land, so that they may dwell securely in the wilderness. Ezekiel 34:25.

In Isaiah,

The wild animals of the field will honour me, for I have given water in the desert. Isaiah 43:20.

In Ezekiel,

In its branches all the birds of the air ³ made their nests and under its branches every wild animal of the field gave birth, and in its shadow dwelt all great nations. Ezekiel 31:6.

This refers to Assyria, which means the spiritual man and is compared to the Garden of Eden. In David,

Praise Jehovah, all his angels, praise Him from the earth, sea monsters, fruit trees, wild animals, and all beasts, creeping things, and flying birds! Psalms 148:2-4, 7, 9-10.

Here the list is precisely the same - sea monsters, fruit trees, wild animals, beasts, creeping things, and birds. Unless they all mean things that are alive in human beings, they cannot possibly be referred to as praising Jehovah.

[3] A careful distinction is made in the Prophets between beasts and wild animals of the earth, and between beasts and wild animals of the field. The practice of calling goods 'beasts' extends to calling people in heaven who are nearest to the Lord 'living creatures', both in Ezekiel and in John,

All the angels stood around the throne, and the elders, and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped God. ⁵ Revelation 7:11; 19:4.

The expression 'creatures' is also used of people who are to have the gospel preached to them because they are to be created anew, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Mark 16:15.

Footnotes:

3786. 'It is not time for the cattle to be gathered together' means that goods and truths constituting the Churches and their matters of doctrine were not yet gathered into one. This is clear from the meaning of 'time' as state in general, dealt with in 2625, 2788, 2837, 3254, 3356; from the meaning of 'being gathered together' as being made into one; and from the meaning of 'the cattle' in general as goods and truths constituting the Churches and their matters of doctrine. The reason why 'the cattle' in general has this meaning is that in the religious observances of the representative Church, and in the Word, living creatures mean affections for what is good and for what is true, as becomes clear from what has been shown in 45, 46, 142, 143, 246, 714, 715, 776, 1823, 2179, 2180, 2781, 3218, 3519. And since goods and truths constitute the Churches and their matters of doctrine, and these are the subject in the internal sense, it is evident that 'not time for the cattle to be gathered together' means that the goods and truths constituting the Churches and their matters of doctrine are not yet gathered into one. The situation with these in the representative sense is as follows: The person who is casting aside the old state and assuming the new, that is, who is being regenerated, must prior to this learn and be endued with the goods and truths that constitute the Churches and their matters of doctrine. For cognitions, and also affections for them, are the vessels which receive the new life. This is why nobody is able to be regenerated until he is passing through the appropriate period of life, that is, until one state has been completed, see what has been shown in 677, 679, 711, 1555, 2046, 2063, 2636, 2679, 2697, 2979, 3203, 3502, 3508, 3510, 3665, 3699, 3701.

[2] It is in general the same with the Church. When this is being re-established matters of doctrine concerning good and truth have first to be gathered into one since they are the base on which it is built. Matters of doctrine also have connections one with another and relate one to another. Consequently unless they are first gathered into one a defect would exist and things that are missing would have to be supplied from the person's rational. And how blind and deluded the rational is so far as spiritual and Divine things are concerned when it relies on itself in the conclusions it reaches has been shown in various places already. To the Church therefore the Word has been given which contains all matters of doctrine concerning good and truth. In this respect the Church answers in a general way to what exists in particular with the individual who is being regenerated, for he is the Church in particular. The point that with any person matters of doctrine concerning good and truth which are the Church's ought first to be gathered together in him before regeneration takes place has been stated above. It is those goods and truths that are meant in the internal sense by 'Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the cattle to be gathered together'.