768. And went away (abivit) to make war with the rest of her seed.- That this signifies, And thence a determined effort, springing from a life of evil, to attack the truths of the doctrine of that church, is plain from the signification of going away, as denoting a determined effort springing from a life of evil (concerning which we shall speak presently); from the signification of making war, as denoting to attack and to desire to destroy (concerning which see above, n. 573, 734); and from the signification of her seed, as denoting the truths of the doctrine of the church (concerning which we shall also speak presently). It is said the rest of her seed, because those who are in those truths, are meant, and in an abstract sense the truths of that church, which they believe themselves able to assault and destroy. To go away (abire) signifies here a determined effort from a life of evil, because to go (ire) in the spiritual sense signifies to live, therefore in the Word, the expressions "to go (ire) with the Lord," and "to walk with Him" and "after Him," are used, and they signify to live from the Lord; but when "to go" (ire) is said of the dragon, whose life is a life of evil, it signifies to make an effort from that life, and because that effort is an effort from hatred, which is signified by his anger (see above, n. 754, 758), therefore a determined effort is signified, because he who makes an effort from hatred makes a determined effort.

[2] Since the hatred of those meant by the dragon is a hatred against those who are in the truths of the doctrine of the church which is the New Jerusalem, therefore it is a hatred against the truths of doctrine which such possess. For those who love any one, also those who cherish hatred against any one, indeed love or hate the person in whom those things are which they love or hate, and these things are truths of doctrine in them, therefore truths of doctrine are signified by "the rest of her seed." It is therefore evident that, in the spiritual sense of the Word, person is not regarded, but something considered apart from personality, as in the present case, that which is in the person. This may be further illustrated in this way. It is said in the Word, that the neighbour should be loved as a man loves himself, but in the spiritual sense it does not mean that the neighbour should be loved as to the person, but that those things should be loved which are in the person from the Lord. For a person is not actually loved because he is a person or man, but on account of his character, and thus a person is loved for his qualities; this then is meant by neighbour; and it is the spiritual neighbour, or the neighbour in the spiritual sense, who is to be loved. This quality or neighbour with those who are of the church of the Lord is everything that proceeds from the Lord, which in general has reference to all good, spiritual, moral, and civil, therefore those who are in these goods love those who are in the same; this then is to love the neighbour as oneself.

[3] From these things it is evident that the rest of her seed, namely, of the woman, who signifies the church, mean those who are in the truths of the doctrine of that church, and in a sense apart from personality - which is the true spiritual sense - the truths of the doctrine of that church; similarly in other passages of the Word, as in the following in Moses:

"I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed. He shall tread upon thine head, and thou shalt wound his heel" (Genesis 3:15).

This is a prophecy concerning the Lord. The serpent there signifies man's Sensual, where his proprium resides, which in itself is nothing but evil, while the woman signifies the spiritual church, or the church which is in Divine truths. And because the Sensual of man has been destroyed, and the man of the church becomes spiritual when he is raised up out of the Sensual, it is therefore said, there shall be enmity between thee and the woman. The seed of the serpent signifies all falsity from evil, and the seed of the woman all truth from good, and in the highest degree, Divine Truth; and as all Divine Truth is from the Lord, and as the Lord by its means destroyed falsity from evil, it is therefore said, "He shall tread upon thy head;" "He" signifies the Lord, and head all falsity from evil. That the Sensual would still do injury to Divine Truth in its ultimates, which is the Word in the sense of the letter, is signified by "thou shalt wound his heel," the heel signifying that ultimate and that sense. That these have suffered and do still suffer injury from the Sensual, is evident from this single example, that the Roman Catholics understand the woman here to mean Mary and the worship of her, therefore in their Bibles the reading is not "He" (ille), but "it" (illud) and she (illa).

[4] So also in a thousand other passages.

In Jeremiah:

"Behold, the days shall come in which I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and with the seed of beast" (31:27).

This is said of the Lord, and of a new church from Him; His coming is signified by "Behold the days shall come." To sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah, signifies to reform those who will be of that church, the house of Israel signifying the spiritual church, and the house of Judah the celestial church. And as reformation takes place by means of spiritual truths and by means of natural truths therefrom, it is said, "with the seed of man and the seed of beast," the seed of man signifying spiritual truth, from which man has intelligence, and the seed of beast natural truth, from which man has knowledge (scientia), also a life according to it, both of these from the affection for good. That man signifies affection for spiritual truth and good, may be seen above (n. 280); and that beast signifies natural affection (n. 650); thus the seed of man and the seed of beast signify the truths of those affections.

In Malachi:

"There is not one who doeth [this] who hath the spirit; is there one that seeketh the seed of God?" (2:15).

Is there one that seeketh the seed of God? signifies that no one seeks Divine Truth; the seed of God here evidently signifies Divine Truth; so "the born of God" mean those who are regenerated by the Lord by means of Divine Truth, and a life according to it.

[5] In Isaiah:

"Jehovah willed to bruise him, he hath weakened [him]; if thou shalt make his soul a guilt offering, he shall see seed, he shall prolong days, and the will of Jehovah shall prosper by his hand" (53:10).

This is said of the Lord. The whole of this chapter treats of His temptations, by means of which He subjugated the hells. The increasing severity of His temptations is described by Jehovah willed to bruise Him, and weaken Him; and the severest temptation, which was the passion of the cross, is signified by, "If thou shalt make His soul a guilt offering, - to make His soul a guilt offering signifying the last temptation, by which He completely subjugated the hells, and fully glorified His Human, through which comes redemption. The Divine Truth that afterwards proceeded from His Divine Human, and the salvation of all those who receive Divine Truth from Him, is signified by, He shall see seed; that this will continue for ever is signified by, He shall prolong days, to prolong, when said of the Lord, signifying to continue for ever, and days signifying states of light, which are the states of the enlightenment of all by means of Divine Truth. That this is from His Divine for the salvation of mankind is signified by The will of Jehovah shall prosper by His hand.

[6] In the same:

"Fear not, for I am with thee; I will bring thy seed from the east, and I will gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Keep not back, bring my sons from afar, my daughters from the end of the earth" (43:5, 6).

It is supposed that these words have reference to the bringing back of the sons of Israel into the land of Canaan; this, however, is not there meant, but the salvation by the Lord of all those who receive Divine Truth from Him, and of whom a new church is formed. This is the signification of His seed which shall be brought from the east and gathered from the west, and which the north shall give up and the south shall not keep back. Therefore, the words follow, "Bring my sons from afar, and my daughters from the end of the earth," sons denoting those who are in the truths of the church, and daughters those who are in its goods. But these words may be seen explained above (n. 422:5, 724:20).

[7] In the same:

"Thou shalt break forth to the right and to the left, and thy seed shall inherit the nations, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited" (54:3).

This is said of a church from the Lord with the Gentiles, and this church is here meant by the barren woman that did not bare, and who should have many sons (ver. 1). The seed that shall inherit the nations, signifies the Divine Truth that shall be given to the nations. To break forth to the right hand and to the left, signifies extension and multiplication, the right hand signifying truth in light, and the left hand truth in shade. The reason of this signification is, that in the spiritual world, to the right hand is the south, where those are who are in the clear light of truth, and to the left is the north, where those are who are in an obscure light of truth. To make the desolate cities to be inhabited, signifies their life according to Divine truths, which before this had been destroyed, cities denoting the truths of doctrine from the Word, to be inhabited signifying to live according to truths, and desolate cities those truths previously destroyed, that is, with the Jewish nation.

[8] In the same:

"Their seed shall become known in the nations, and their offspring in the midst of the peoples; all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed that Jehovah hath blessed" (Isaiah 61:9).

This also is said of the church to be established by the Lord. The seed that shall become known in the nations, signifies Divine Truth that will be received by those who are in the good of life; and the offspring in the midst of the peoples, signifies life according to Divine truth. Those that see them shall acknowledge that they are the seed, signifies enlightenment that it is the real truth that they receive; that Jehovah hath blessed, signifies that it is from the Lord. Such is the signification of these words in a sense apart from personality, but in a strict sense those who will receive Divine Truth from the Lord are meant.

[9] In the same:

"They are the seed of the blessed of Jehovah, and their offspring with them" (65:23).

This also is said of a church from the Lord. By the seed of the blessed of Jehovah are meant those who will receive Divine Truth from the Lord; and by their offspring are meant those who live according to it, but in a sense apart from personality, which is the true spiritual sense, seed means Divine Truth, and offspring a life according to it, as shown above. By offspring are meant those who live according to Divine Truth, and in an abstract sense, life according to it, because the word in the original, rendered offspring, is from a word which means to go forth and to proceed, and that which goes forth and proceeds from the Divine Truth received is a life according to it.

[10] In the same:

"As new heavens and a new earth, which I will make, shall stand before me, so shall your seed and your name stand" (Isaiah 66:22).

This also treats of the Lord, and the salvation of the faithful by Him. A new church from Him is meant by new heavens and a new earth, by new heavens the internal church, and by a new earth, the external church. That Divine Truth and its quality shall continue is signified by "your seed and your name shall stand," seed signifying Divine Truth, which also is truth of doctrine from the Word, and name its quality. That name signifies the quality of a thing and of a state, may be seen above (n. 148).

[11] In David:

"Thou hast founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, and thou shalt continue; they shall all wax old like garments, like a garment shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed. But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end; the sons of thy servants shall abide, and their seed shall be established before thee" (Psalm 102:25-28).

The earth which God hath formed, and the heavens the work of His hands, which shall perish, have a similar signification to that of the former heaven and former earth which have passed away (see Apoc. 21:1).

And because the face of the earth and of the heavens in the spiritual world will be entirely changed at the day of the Last Judgment, and there will be a new earth and new heavens in the place of the former, it is therefore said, that "they shall all wax old like garments, like a garment shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed;" they are compared to garments, because garments signify external truths, such as those had who were in the former heaven (caelo) and former earth, which heaven and earth do not endure, because not in internal truths. The state of Divine Truth that shall endure from the Lord to eternity is signified by "thou shalt continue, and thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end," the years of God signifying states of Divine Truth. The sons of Thy servants shall abide, and their seed shall be established before Thee, signifies that angels and men who are recipents of Divine Truth shall have eternal life, and that truths of doctrine with them shall endure to eternity, sons of the servants of God denoting angels and men who are recipients of Divine Truth, and their seed denoting the truths of doctrine.

[12] In the same:

"The seed that shall serve him shall be numbered to the Lord for a generation" (Psalm 22:30).

This also is said of the Lord. The seed that shall serve Him, means those who are in truths of doctrine from the Word; while it shall be numbered to the Lord for a generation, signifies that they shall be His to eternity, to be counted signifying to be arranged and disposed in order, here to be added to, thus to be His.

[13] In many passages in the Word mention is made of the seed of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, also of the seed of Israel, and this in the historical sense of the letter means their posterity; but, in the spiritual sense, Divine Truth and the truth of doctrine from the Word are meant, because Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Israel, in this sense, mean the Lord, as can be seen from passages in the Word, where they are mentioned. For example, where it is said, that they shall come from the east and from the west, and shall recline (accumbo) ¹ with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of the heavens (Matthew 8:11), which means the enjoyment of celestial good from the Lord. So in other passages. And as the Lord is meant by them in the internal sense, therefore their seed signifies the Divine Truth which is from the Lord, and thus also truth of doctrine from the Word, as in the following passages.

In Moses:

Jehovah said to Abraham, "All the land which thou seest will I give to thee and to thy seed for ever; and I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth" (Genesis 13:15, 16):

"Look up towards the heavens and number the stars, so shall thy seed be" (Genesis 15:5).

"In thy seed shall all nations be blessed" (Genesis 22:18).

To Isaac,

"To thee and to thy seed will I give all these lands, and I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 26:3-5).

To Jacob,

"Unto thy seed after thee will I give this land" (Genesis 35:12).

The land "given to Abraham, to Isaac, and Jacob, and to their seed after them" (Deuteronomy 1:8):

"The seed of your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob" (Deuteronomy 4:37; chap. 10:15; chap. 11:9).

Since by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as stated, the Lord is meant, by Abraham the Lord as to the celestial Divine of the church, by Isaac as to the spiritual Divine of the church, and by, Jacob as to the natural Divine of the church; therefore their seed signifies the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord, the seed of Abraham signifying celestial Divine Truth, the seed of Isaac spiritual Divine Truth, and the seed of Jacob natural Divine Truth; consequently those are meant who are in Divine Truth from the Lord. But the land which the Lord will give to them means the church, which is in Divine Truth from Him; it can therefore be understood what is signified by all nations being blessed in their seed; for they could not be blessed in their posterity, that is, in the Jewish and Israelitish nation, but in the Lord and from the Lord by the reception of Divine Truth from Him.

[14] That the Jews are not meant by the seed of Abraham, is plain from the words of the Lord in John:

The Jews answered, "We are Abraham's seed, and have never been in bondage to any man. Jesus answered, I know that ye are Abraham's seed, yet ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you; ye are of your father the devil" (John 8:33, 34, 37, 44).

It is evident from these words that the Jews are not meant by the seed of Abraham, but that Abraham means the Lord, and the seed of Abraham Divine Truth from the Lord, which is the Word; for it is said, "I know that ye are Abraham's seed, yet ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you." By the Lord saying, "I know that ye are Abraham's seed," is signified that He knew that the truth of the church, which is the Word, was with them; "but that they nevertheless rejected the Lord is signified by "ye seek to kill me." That they were not in Divine Truths from the Lord is signified by "because my word hath no place in you" and that there was in them nothing but evil and falsity therefrom, is signified by "ye are of your father the devil, and the truth is not in him"; and afterwards, "when he speaketh a lie, he speaketh from his own," where a lie signifies Divine Truth or the Word adulterated. The Lord said, "I know that ye are Abraham's seed," also for the reason that Judah signifies the Lord as to the Word, as may be seen above (n. 119, 433).

[15] In David,

"He will make them to fall in the wilderness, and will make their seed to fall among the nations, and will scatter them in the lands" (Psalm 106:26, 27).

To make their seed fall among the nations, and to scatter them in the lands, signifies that Divine Truth would perish with them through evils and falsities.

The seed of Israel has a similar signification in these passages:

"Thou Israel my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend, whom I have taken from the ends of the earth" (Isaiah 41:8, 9).

"I will pour out my Spirit upon" the seed of Israel and Jacob, "and my blessing upon their offspring" (Isaiah 44:3).

"In Jehovah all the seed of Israel shall be justified, and shall glory" (Isaiah 45:25).

"Jehovah, who brought up and who led the seed of the house of Israel out of the land towards the north, and out of all the lands whither I have driven them, that they may dwell upon their own land" (Jeremiah 23:8).

Israel, in the highest sense, means the Lord as to the internal of the church, therefore his seed also signifies the Divine Truth which is with those who are of the church signified by Israel. Israel means the church with those who are interiorly natural, and have truths therein from a spiritual source. Therefore Israel signifies a spiritual natural church.

[16] Since David, in the Word, means the Lord as to royalty, and the royalty of the Lord signifies Divine Truth in the church, therefore also his seed means those who are in the truths of the church from the Word, and these are also called sons of the king, and sons of the kingdom; it means also that Divine Truth is in them, as in the following passages:

"As the host (exercitus) of the heavens cannot be numbered, or the sand of the sea be measured, so will I multiply the seed of David and the Levites my ministers" (Jeremiah 33:22).

"I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn to David my servant, even to eternity will I establish thy seed, and I will build up thy throne to generation and generation. I will set his seed for ever, and his throne as the days of the heavens. His seed shall be to eternity and his throne as the sun before me" (Psalm 89:3, 4, 29, 36).

That David, in the Word, means the Lord as to royalty, which is Divine Truth in the Lord's spiritual kingdom, may be seen above (n. 205); therefore his seed signifies that Divine Truth with those who are in truths from good, thus also those who are in truths of doctrine from the Word. For truths of doctrine from the Word, or truths of the Word, are all from good; and as such are meant by the seed of David, therefore, in an abstract sense, the truth of the Word, or the truth of doctrine from the Word, is also meant by it. That the seed of David does not mean his posterity can be seen by any one, for it is said that his seed shall be multiplied as the host of the heavens and the sand of the sea, and that it shall be established and set to eternity, also that his throne shall be built up to generation and generation, and shall be as the days of the heavens and as the sun. Such things can in no way be said about the seed of David, that is, about his posterity, and his throne, for where now are these to be found? But all those things harmonize, when it is seen that by David the Lord is meant, by his throne, heaven and the church, and by his seed, the truth of heaven and of the church.

[17] In Jeremiah:

"If I shall not have fixed my covenant of day and night, the ordinances of heaven and of the earth, I will cast away also the seed of Jacob and of David my servant, that I will not take of his seed to rule over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will cause their captivity to return, and will have mercy on them" (33:25, 26).

In the same:

"Jehovah said, who giveth the sun for a light by day, the ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night; If these ordinances shall depart from before me, the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever" (31:35, 36).

In these passages the seed of Jacob and of David, also the seed of Israel, mean also those who are in Divine truths, but the seed of Jacob mean those who are in natural Divine Truth, David means those who are in spiritual Divine Truth, and Israel means those who are in Divine Truth spiritual-natural, which is mediate between natural Divine Truth and spiritual Divine Truth. For there are degrees of Divine Truth as there are degrees of its reception by the angels in the three heavens, and in the church. The covenant of day and night, and the ordinances of heaven and earth, signify the conjunction of the Lord with those who are in Divine truths in the heavens, and who are in Divine truths on earth. Covenant signifies conjunction; statutes the laws of conjunction, which are also the laws of order, and the laws of order are Divine truths; day signifies the light of truth such as it is with the angels in the heavens; and night the light of truth such as it is with men on earth, and also such as it is with those, both in the heavens and on earth, who are under the Lord as a moon; therefore it is also said, "Who giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night." But the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, here mean all those who are of the Lord's church in every degree; of these, and of the seed of Jacob and David it is said that if they acknowledge not the Lord, and do not receive Divine Truth from Him, the Lord will not reign over them.

[18] In the same:

"No one of his seed shall prosper who sitteth upon the throne of David, and ruleth any more in Judah" (22:30).

This is said of Coniah, king of Judah, who is there called a despised and worthless idol; and it is said of him that "he and his seed shall be taken away and cast unto the earth" (verse 28 of the same chapter). This king has a signification similar to that of Satan, and his seed signifies infernal falsity; that this shall not rule in the Lord's church in which is celestial Divine Truth, is signified by No one of his seed shall sit upon the throne of David, nor rule any more in Judah, Judah here denoting the celestial church in which the Lord reigns.

[19] As David represented the royalty of the Lord, so Aaron represented His priesthood, therefore the seed of Aaron means those who are in affection for real truth which is from celestial good. Because of this representation the following statute was given for Aaron:

"The high priest shall not take to wife a widow, or a divorced woman, or one polluted, a harlot, but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife, lest he profane his seed amongst his people; I Jehovah do sanctify him" (Leviticus 21:14, 15).

As man (vir) and wife (uxor), in the Word, in its spiritual sense, signify the understanding of truth and the will of good, and as thought belongs to the understanding and affection to the will, therefore man and wife also signify the thought of truth and affection for good, also truth and good. It is consequently evident what a widow, one divorced, and one polluted, a harlot, signify; a widow signifies good without truth, because left by truth, which is the man; a woman divorced signifies good rejected by truth, thus discordant good; and one polluted, a harlot, signifies good adulterated by falsities, which is no longer good but evil. Because of this signification of these women, the high priest was forbidden to take any of them to wife, because he represented the Lord as to the priesthood, which signified the Divine Good. And as a virgin signifies the will or affection for genuine truth, and since genuine truth makes one with and is in agreement with Divine Good, and these two are conjoined in heaven and in the church, and their conjunction is called the heavenly marriage, therefore it was enacted that the high priest should take a virgin to wife. And as truth of doctrine is a result of this marriage, but from a marriage with such as are signified by a widow, a divorced woman, and one polluted, a harlot, falsity of doctrine is produced, it is therefore said, "Lest he profane his seed among his people." Seed signifies genuine truth of doctrine, and thus also the doctrine of genuine truth from the good of celestial love; and his people signify those who are of the church in which is the doctrine of genuine truth from the Word. And as this was representative of the heavenly marriage, which is the marriage of the Lord with the church, it is therefore said, "I Jehovah do sanctify him."

[20] Because the high priest represented the Lord as to Divine Good, and his seed signified Divine Truth, which is the same as genuine truth of doctrine, it was therefore also made a statute, that a man a stranger, who was not of the seed of Aaron, should not come near to burn incense before Jehovah (Numbers 16:40). A man a stranger signifies falsity of doctrine, and to burn incense signifies worship from spiritual good, which, in its essence, is genuine truth; while the seed of the high priest signifies Divine Truth from a celestial origin; for this reason a law was made that no stranger, who was not of the seed of Aaron, should offer incense in the tent of meeting before Jehovah.

[21] When it is known what feature of heaven and the church was represented by other persons also mentioned in the Word, the signification of their seed will be understood, as in the case of the seed of Noah, Ephraim, and Caleb, in the following passages.

Concerning Noah, "I will establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you" (Genesis 9:9).

Israel said of Ephraim, "His seed shall be the fulness of the earth" (Genesis 48:19).

And Jehovah said of Caleb, "His seed shall inherit the earth (Numbers 14:24).

What Noah and Ephraim represented and signified has been explained in the Arcana Coelestia. Caleb represented those who were to be introduced into the church, therefore by their seed is signified the truth of doctrine of the church.

[22] The signification of the seed of man is also similar to that of the seed of the field, because a field equally as man signifies the church; therefore, in some passages, the terms seed and sowing are applied to the people of the earth, just as they are applied to a field; as in the following.

In Jeremiah:

"I had planted thee a noble vine, a seed of truth; how art thou turned into branches of a strange vine unto me" (2:21).

In David:

"Their fruit will I destroy from the earth, and their seed from the sons of man" (Psalm 21:10).

In Hosea:

"I will sow" Israel "unto me in the earth" (2:23).

In Zechariah:

"I will sow" Judah and Joseph "among the peoples, and in remote places they shall remember me" (10:9).

In Ezekiel:

"I will look again to you, that ye may be tilled and sown; then will I multiply man upon you, all the house of Israel, the whole of it" (36:9, 10).

In Jeremiah:

"Behold, the days come in which I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and the seed of beast" (Jeremiah 31:27).

In Matthew:

"The seed sown are the sons of the kingdom" (Matthew 13:38).

But it is not necessary to show here that the seed of the field has a signification similar to that of the seed of man, for we have here only to explain the signification of the seed of the woman, and to confirm it from the Word.

[23] Because seed signifies truth of doctrine from the Word, and, in the highest sense, Divine Truth, therefore, in the opposite sense, seed signifies falsity of doctrine, and infernal falsity.

As in Isaiah:

"Draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, seed of an adulterer, and ye that have committed whoredom. Against whom do ye sport yourselves, against whom do ye make wide the mouth and draw out the tongue? Are ye not the children of transgression, the seed of falsehood" (57:3, 4).

By sons of a sorceress and seed of an adulterer, are signified falsities from the Word when it has been falsified and adulterated, by the sons of the sorceress, falsities from the Word falsified, and by the seed of an adulterer, falsities from the Word adulterated. The Word is said to be falsified when truths are perverted, and to be adulterated when its goods are similarly perverted, also when its truths are applied to the loves of self. Children of transgression and the seed of falsehood, signify falsities flowing from such former falsities. To sport themselves, signifies to take delight in things falsified; to make wide the mouth, signifies the delight in thought therefrom, and to draw out the tongue, signifies delight in teaching and propagating such falsities.

[24] In Isaiah:

"Woe to the sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil doers, sons that are corrupters; they have forsaken Jehovah, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel, they have gone away backwards" (1:4).

The sinful nation signifies those who are in evils, and a people laden with iniquity, those who are in falsities therefrom; for nation is used in the Word, in reference to evils, and people in reference to falsities, as may be seen above (n. 175, 331, 625). The falsity of those who are in evils is signified by the seed of evil doers, and the falsities of those who are in the falsities from that evil are signified by the sons who are corrupters. That sons signify those who are in truths, and, in the opposite sense, those who are in falsities, and in an abstract sense, truths and falsities, may be seen above (n. 724). They have forsaken Jehovah and provoked the Holy One of Israel, signifies that they have rejected Divine Good and Divine Truth, Jehovah denoting the Lord as to Divine Good, and the Holy One of Israel the Lord as to Divine Truth. Their going away backwards, signifies that they utterly departed from good and truth, and went away to infernal evil and falsity; for those in the spiritual world who are in evils and falsities turn themselves backwards from the Lord, as may be seen in Heaven and Hell 123).

In the same:

"Thou shalt not be united with them in the sepulchre, for thou hast destroyed thy land, thou hast slain thy people; the seed of the wicked shall not be named for ever" (Isaiah 14:20).

This is said of Lucifer, by whom Babylon is meant. The seed of the wicked which shall not be named for ever, signifies the direful falsity of evil from hell; the rest may be seen explained above (n. 589, 659:20, 697).

[25] In Moses:

"He who hath given his seed to Molech shall surely die, the people of the land shall stone him with stones. I will set My faces against that man, and I will cut him off from the midst of his people, because he hath given of his seed to Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane the name of my holiness" (Leviticus 20:3; 18:21).

To give of his seed to Molech, signifies to destroy the truth of the Word, and thus of the doctrine of the church therefrom, by application to the vile loves of the body, as to murders, hatreds, revenges, adulteries, and similar things, which leads to the acceptance of infernal falsities instead of Divine things; such falsities are signified by the seed given to Molech. Molech was the god of the sons of Ammon (1 Kings 11:7), and was set up in the valley of Hinnom, which was called Topheth, where they burnt their sons and daughters in the fire (2 Kings 23:10); the loves mentioned above are signified by that fire. And as the seed given to Molech signifies such infernal falsity, and stoning was a punishment of death for injury done to and for destruction of the truth of the Word, and of doctrine therefrom, it is therefore said, that the man "who hath given of his seed to Molech shall surely die, and the people of the land shall stone him with stones." That stoning was the punishment for doing injury to or for destroying truth, may be seen above (n. 655). That such falsity is destructive of all the good of the Word and of the church is signified by, "I will set my faces against that man, and I will cut him off from the midst of his people, because he hath polluted my sanctuary, and profaned the name of my holiness," sanctuary signifying the truth of heaven and of the church, and the name of holiness all its quality. From the passages quoted, it is now evident that seed, in the highest sense, means Divine Truth from the Lord, and it consequently means the truth of the Word and of the doctrine of the church which is from the Word, while in the bad sense it means, infernal falsity which is the opposite of that truth.

Footnotes:

331. And people and nation. That this signifies those who belong to the Lord's spiritual church, and to His celestial church, is clear from the signification of people and nation in the Word. That by people are signified those who are in spiritual good, and by nation those who are in celestial good; thus those who belong to the Lord's spiritual church, and to His celestial church. That there are two kingdoms into which the heavens are divided, namely, the celestial kingdom and the spiritual kingdom, and that in the celestial kingdom are those who are in the good of love to the Lord, and in the spiritual kingdom those who are in the good of charity towards the neighbour, may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 20-28). But those two kingdoms are not only in the heavens, they are also on the earth, and they are called there the celestial church and the spiritual church. Few know what is specifically signified in the Word by a people or peoples, and what specifically by a nation or nations; therefore I wish to adduce some passages from the Word where they are named together, from which it will be clear that "people" and "nations " have a distinct signification, for unless this were the case they would not be named together, as in the following passages:

[2] In Isaiah:

"The strong people shall honour thee, the city of the powerful nations shall fear thee. Jehovah will swallow up in this mountain the faces of the covering, the covering upon all peoples, and the veil spread over all nations" (25:3, 7, 8).

Here a distinction is made between peoples and nations, because peoples signify those who belong to the Lord's spiritual kingdom, and nations those who belong to His celestial kingdom; thus, those who are in spiritual good, and those who are in celestial good. Spiritual good is the good of charity towards the neighbour, and hence the good of faith, and celestial good is the good of love to the Lord, and hence the good of mutual love. The truth of this good is what is meant by the city of powerful nations, for a city signifies the doctrine of truth, or truths of doctrine. By swallowing up the covering cast over all peoples, and the veil spread over all nations, is signified that the shade which covers the understanding shall be dispersed lest the truths be seen and the goods perceived that pertain to heaven and the church.

[3] In the same:

"Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye peoples; let the earth hear, and the fulness thereof" (34:1).

Because nations signify those who are in the good of love, and peoples those who are in the good of charity and thence in the truths of faith, it is therefore said of the nations, that they should come near, and of the peoples, that they should hearken; to come near signifies to be conjoined by love, and to hearken signifies to obey, and to be instructed; therefore it is also said, let the earth hear, and the fulness thereof. By the earth is signified the church as to good, and by the fulness thereof are signified truths.

[4] In the same:

"I Jehovah have called thee, in justice, and will hold thine hand, and will give thee for a covenant to the people, for a light of the nations" (42:6).

In the same:

"Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people assemble" (43:8, 9).

In the same:

"I have given him for a witness to the peoples, a prince and law-giver to the nations" (55:4).

In the same:

"Thus said the Lord Jehovih, Behold, I will lift up mine hand towards the nations, and lift up my standard towards the peoples" (49:22).

In the same:

"The peoples that walked in darkness have seen a great light. Thou hast multiplied the nation, thou hast restored to it great joy" (9:2, 3).

And in the same:

"In that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for a standard of the peoples, to it shall the nations seek. And he shall lift up a standard for the nations, and shall gather together the outcasts of Israel" (11:10, 12).

The statements contained in these passages are spoken concerning the Lord; and by peoples and nations are meant all who belong to His church; for all who belong to the Lord's church are either of His celestial kingdom or of His spiritual kingdom; besides those who are in those two kingdoms, there are no others who belong to the church. There are also two things which constitute the church, good and truth, both from the Lord; by nations those who are in good are meant, and by peoples those who are in truth; and, apart from persons, by nations are signified the goods of the church, and by peoples the truths thereof. Peoples signify the truths of the church, because spiritual good, or the good of charity towards the neighbour, in which those are who are meant by people, in its essence is truth. (As may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 8042, 10296; the reason of its being so, n. 863, 875, 895, 927, 1023, 1043, 1044, 1555, 2256, 4328, 4493, 5113, 9596. The nature, consequently, of the distinction between those who belong to the celestial kingdom, and those who belong to the spiritual kingdom, n. 2088, 2669, 2709 ¹ , 2715, 3235, 3240, 4788, 7068, 8521, 9277, 10295.)

[5] In the same:

"At that time a gift shall be brought unto Jehovah Zebaoth; a people divided and pillaged; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of Jehovah, to mount Zion" (18:2, 7).

The subject here treated of is the invitation of all to the church, therefore also people and nation are named. Mount Zion signifies the church, to which they are invited; by a people divided and pillaged, are signified those with whom truths are taken away, altered, or perverted by those who are in falsities of doctrine; by a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, are signified those among whom goods are treated in like manner, rivers denoting falsities and reasonings therefrom.

[6] In Zechariah:

"As yet the peoples shall come, and the inhabitants of great cities to entreat the faces of Jehovah, and so shall come many peoples and numerous nations to seek Jehovah Zebaoth in Jerusalem" (8:20-22).

By peoples and nations are also here signified all those who belong to the Lord's church; by peoples, those who belong to His spiritual church, and by nations, those who belong to His celestial church. Jerusalem, to which they shall come, denotes the church.

[7] In David:

"Thou wilt set me for the head of the nations, a people I had not known shall serve me" (Psalms 18:43).

In the same:

Jehovah "shall subdue the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet. God reigneth over the nations. The willing of the people are gathered together" (47:3, 8, 9).

In the same:

"That thy salvation may be known on the earth, among all nations. The peoples shall confess thee, O God; the nations shall be glad and shout for joy; for thou shalt judge the peoples in uprightness, and shalt lead the nations upon earth" (Psalms 67:2-5).

In the same:

"Remember me, O Jehovah, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people; that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nations" (106:4, 5).

In the same:

"I will confess thee, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing praises unto thee among the peoples" (Psalms [57]:7-9 ² ; 108:1-3).

In these passages also peoples and nations are mentioned, by whom are meant all those who are in truths and goods; the very expressions also that are used of peoples are expressions that are predicated of truths, and the expressions that are used of nations those that are predicated of goods. That no others are meant by nations, is clear also from this, that those things were said by David, who was the enemy of the Canaanitish nations.

[8] In Luke:

"Mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples; a light in revelation of the nations" (2:30-32).

In Zephaniah:

"The remnant of my people shall spoil them, and the residue of my nation shall inherit them" (2:9).

In Moses:

When the two sons struggled together in the womb; Rebecca went to enquire of Jehovah, unto whom Jehovah said, Two nations are in thy womb, and two peoples shall be separated from thy bowels (Genesis 25:22, 23).

And in the same:

"Remember the days of the age, when the Most High gave to the nations the inheritance; when he separated the sons of man, he set the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel" (Deuteronomy 32:7, 8).

By the sons of man are signified the same as by peoples, namely, those who are in spiritual truths and goods; therefore it is said concerning them, "When he separated the sons of man, he set the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel"; the sons of Israel signifying the spiritual church, and the number of them, or of the twelve tribes named from them, signifying all the truths and goods therein (see just above, n. 330); they therefore are called peoples. To separate them and to set their bounds, signifies to remove from falsities and to gift with truths; and to give the inheritance to the nations, signifies heaven and conjunction with those who are in the good of love.

[9] In Daniel:

"All peoples, nations, and tongues shall worship him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed" (7:14).

This is spoken of the Lord; and by peoples and nations are meant all those who are in truths and goods; and by all tongues are meant, of whatever doctrine or religion; for the Lord's church is universal, as it exists with all those who are in the good of life, and who from their doctrine look to heaven, and thereby conjoin themselves with the Lord (as to whom see the work concerning Heaven and Hell 318-328). Because nations signify those who are in the good of love, and peoples those who are in the good of charity and the truths of faith thence, therefore it is said, "His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom shall not pass away"; dominion in the Word being predicated of good, and kingdom of truth; therefore the Lord is called Lord from Divine good, and King from Divine truth. Besides these passages, there are also others which might be adduced to confirm [the statement], that people signify those who belong to the spiritual church, and nations those who belong to the celestial church; but here those only have been adduced in which people and nations are mentioned together. To these some shall be added in which nations are mentioned alone.

[10] In Isaiah:

"Open the gates, that the just nation which keepeth faithfulness may enter in. Thou hast added to the nation, O Jehovah, thou hast added to the nation; thou art glorified; thou hast removed all the ends of the earth" (26:2, 15).

In David:

"All the ends of the earth shall be turned towards Jehovah; and all the families of the nations shall worship before thee. For the kingdom is Jehovah's; and he is the ruler among the nations" (Psalms 22:27, 28).

In Isaiah:

"The nations shall walk to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Thy heart shall enlarge itself, that the multitude of the sea may be turned towards thee; the hosts of the nations shall come unto thee" (60:3, 4).

In the same:

"All nations shall see thy justice, and all kings thy glory" (62:2).

In these passages nations and peoples are not mentioned together, but still in the two last nations and kings [are], because by kings are signified the same as by people, namely, those who are in truths (see above, n. 31). And because by nations are signified those who are in good, and by kings those who are in truths, therefore it is said concerning nations, that they shall see Thy justice, and concerning kings that they shall see Thy glory, justice in the Word being predicated of good, and glory of truth. (That justice in the Word is predicated of Divine good, may be seen, n. 2235, 9857; and glory of Divine truth, n. 4809, 5922, 8267, 8427, 9429.)

[11] From the opposite sense it is further evident that peoples signify those who are in truths, and nations those who are in good; for, in that sense, peoples signify those who are in falsities, and nations those who are in evils; as in the following passages.

In Isaiah:

"Asshur, the rod of mine anger. I will send him against a hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge" (10:5, 6).

In the same:

"The voice of a multitude in the mountains; a voice of the tumult of the kingdoms of the nations gathered together. They come from a land of remoteness, from the end of the heavens. Jehovah, with the vessels of his indignation, to destroy the whole land" (13:4, 5).

In the same:

"Jehovah smiting the peoples with a plague not curable, ruling the nations with anger" (14:6).

In the same:

"By the noise of the tumult the peoples shall wander to and fro; before thy loftiness the nations shall be dispersed (33:3).

In Jeremiah:

"Behold, a people cometh from the land of the north, and a great nation shall be stirred up from the sides of the earth. They lay hold on bow and spear; it is cruel, and it has no mercy" (6:22, 23).

In Ezekiel:

"Neither will I cause thee to hear the calumny of the nations any more, and thou shalt not bear the reproach of the peoples any more" (36:15).

In David:

"Thou makest us a by-word among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples" (Psalms 44:14).

And in the same:

"Jehovah hath made void the counsel of the nations; he hath overthrown the thoughts of the peoples" (Psalms 33:10).

In these passages peoples signify those who are opposed to the truths of the spiritual church, thus those who are in falsities; and nations those who are opposed to the goods of the celestial church, thus those who are in evils. These things are also signified by the peoples and nations who were driven out of the land of Canaan. To these observations may be added what was said above, n. 175.

Footnotes: