1158. From these the islands of the nations dispersed in their lands means that the worship of many other nations sprang from them. The islands are particular regions — and so particular types of worship — that were even further removed; the lands are general ones. This can be seen from the symbolism of islands in the Word.

Up to this point, the discussion has centered on people who engaged in outer worship that corresponded to inner. Japheth's seven sons symbolized those who came closer to true inner worship. The seven sons that Gomer and Javan had between them symbolized those who stood further from true inner worship. The islands of the nations symbolize those still further off. Strictly speaking, they symbolize people who lived together in mutual kindness yet in ignorance, not knowing anything about the Lord, the church's religious precepts, or inner worship, although they did have a kind of outward worship that they performed with devotion. The Word calls people like this islands, so at a deeper level, islands symbolize worship that is more distant [from inner worship].

[2] People alive to the Word in its inner sense (angels, for instance) do not know what islands are because they no longer have a mental image of them. In place of islands they perceive worship that is further removed, like the worship that nations outside the church practice.

In a similar way, they also take islands to mean qualities in the genuine church that are somewhat more remote from charity — qualities like loyalty and politeness. Loyalty is not charity, politeness still less so; both are several steps below charity. The more they partake of charity, though, the more authentic they are.

[3] The following passages in the Word demonstrate that islands symbolize these things. In Isaiah:

Be silent for me, you islands, and let the peoples renew their strength; let them come near. The islands saw and were afraid; the ends of the earth shuddered; they approached and came. (Isaiah 41:1, 5)

The islands stand for nations outside the church that were honest and that practiced the outward forms of their worship with devotion. The farthest boundaries of the church are called the ends of the earth. In the same author:

He will not go dark, and will not shatter anything, till he establishes judgment on the earth; and for his law the islands wait. Sing Jehovah a new song, his praise from the end of the earth, you that go down to the sea and you that fill it, you islands and you who inhabit them. They will give glory to Jehovah, and his praise they will tell in the islands. (Isaiah 42:4, 10, 12)

Here too islands stand for nations outside the church that have lived in ignorance, simple innocence, and honesty.

[4] In the same author:

Pay attention to me, you islands, and listen carefully, you people from far away. (Isaiah 49:1)

Once again they stand for those nations that are further removed from worship of the Lord and from knowledge of the true faith and who are therefore described as being "from far away." In the same author:

In me the islands will put their hope, and for my arm they will wait. (Isaiah 51:5)

The islands here stand for the same people. Because these are people who live uprightly, it says, "In me they will put their hope, and for my arm they will wait." In Jeremiah:

Listen to the Word of Jehovah, you nations, and tell it in the islands far away. (Jeremiah 31:10)

They stand for the same people. In Zephaniah:

Jehovah is fearsome over them, since he will starve all the gods of the earth to death. And all the islands of the nations will bow down to him, each individual from her or his own place. (Zephaniah 2:11)

The islands of the nations stand for nations somewhat cut off from any knowledge of the true faith.

[5] In David:

Jehovah is reigning. Let the earth rejoice; let the many islands be glad! Cloud and darkness are all around him. (Psalms 97:1-2)

They stand for the same people. The ignorance of these people is expressed in a representative way by the cloud and darkness; but since they have a simple innocence and honesty, it says that the cloud and darkness are all around Jehovah.

Because islands symbolize what is relatively distant [from true worship], Tarshish, Pul, ¹ Lud, Tubal, and Javan — which symbolize outward forms of worship — are also called islands (Isaiah 66:19). So is Kittim (Jeremiah 2:10 and Ezekiel 27:6).

When islands are contrasted with the earth or with mountains, they also symbolize religious truth, and this is because they are set in the sea. In consequence, they mean doctrinal matters — that is, ritual.

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