768. That by “Noah” is signified what was of the church, and by “Shem, Ham, and Japheth” what pertained to the churches that were derived therefrom, is evident from the fact that here they were not called merely his “sons” as before in the seventh verse (Genesis 7:7), but are called by their names. When thus named they signify the man of the church. The man of the church is not merely the church itself, but is everything that belongs to the church. It is a general term comprehending whatever is of the church, as was said before of the Most Ancient Church, which was called “Man” and likewise of the other churches that were named. Thus by “Noah” and by “Shem, Ham, and Japheth” is signified whatever is of the church and of the churches that were derived from it, in one complex.

[2] Such is the style and manner of speaking in the Word. Thus where “Judah” is named, in the Prophets, the celestial church is mostly signified, or whatever is of that church; where “Israel” is named, the spiritual church is mostly signified, or whatever is of that church; where “Jacob” is named, the external church is signified; for with every man of the church there is an internal and an external of the church, the internal being where the true church is, and the external being what is derived therefrom, and this latter is “Jacob.”

[3] But the case is different when the men are not named. The reason why this is so is that when named they refer representatively to the kingdom of the Lord. The Lord is the only Man, and is the all of His kingdom; and as the church is His kingdom on earth, the Lord alone is the all of the church. The all of the church is love or charity; and therefore a man (or what is the same, one called by name), signifies love or charity, that is, the all of the church; and then his “wife” signifies simply the church thence derived. So it is here. But what kind of churches are signified by “Shem, Ham, and Japheth” will of the Lord’s Divine mercy be stated hereafter.