2442. And Lot came to Zoar. That this signifies that those who are in the affection of truth are saved, is evident from the signification of “Zoar,” as being the affection of truth (see n. 2439). This shows that those also are saved who are in faith, provided there is good in their faith; that is, provided they are affected by the truths of faith for the sake of good, for this is from good: all the life of faith is from no other source. (That charity is the essential of faith, nay, that it is faith itself, because it is the very substance of faith, may be seen above, n. 379, 389, 654, 724, 809, 916, 1162, 1176, 1798, 1799, 1834, 1844, 2049, 2116, 2189, 2190, 2228, 2261, 2343, 2349, 2417).

988. And upon every bird of heaven. That this signifies upon falsities of reasoning, is evident from the signification of “bird.” In the Word “birds” signify intellectual things: those which are gentle, useful, and beautiful, signifying intellectual truths; and those which are fierce, useless, and ugly, signifying intellectual falsities, or falsities of reasoning. (That they signify intellectual things may be seen above, n. 40, 776, 870.) From this it is also evident that “birds” signify reasonings and their falsities. That there may be no doubt let the following passages (in addition to those cited about the raven, n. 866) serve for confirmation.

In Jeremiah:

I will visit upon them in four kinds, saith Jehovah; the sword to slay, and the dogs to drag, and the fowl of heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and to destroy (Jeremiah 15:3).

In Ezekiel:

Upon his ruin all the fowls of the heaven shall dwell, and all the wild animals of the field shall be upon his branches (Ezekiel 31:13).

In Daniel:

At last upon the bird of abominations shall be desolation (Daniel 9:27).

In John:

Babylon is become a hold of every unclean and hateful bird (Revelation 18:2).

Many times it is said in the Prophets that carcasses should be given for meat to the fowl of the air and to the beast of the field (Jeremiah 7:33; 19:7; 34:20; Ezekiel 29:5; 39:4; Psalms 79:2; Isaiah 18:6). By this was signified that they should be destroyed by falsities, which are “birds of heaven” and by evils, or cupidities, which are the “beasts of the earth.”