1610. I will make your seed like the dust of the earth means multiplying beyond measure, as can be seen without explanation. This verse says that his seed would be made like the dust of the earth; other passages in the Word say "like the sand of the sea," or "like the stars of the heavens." ¹ Each has its own particular symbolism. The dust of the earth has to do with heavenly qualities, because the earth symbolizes the heavenly aspect of love, as shown earlier [§§620, 1413, 1437, 1585]. The sand of the sea has to do with spiritual qualities, because the sea symbolizes the spiritual aspect of love, as also shown. ² "Like the stars of the heavens" symbolizes both, in a higher degree. Because these items are incapable of being counted, it became customary to use them to express the idea of immeasurable reproducing and multiplying.

[2] The multiplying of the seed — the faith that comes of love, or love itself — beyond measure symbolizes the Lord in the highest sense. Specifically, it symbolizes his human quality, because the Lord's human quality is called the "seed of a woman," as discussed in §256. ³ And since the Lord's human quality is meant, multiplication beyond measure means infinite heavenliness and spirituality.

On the other hand, when seed symbolizes the faith that comes of charity (or charity itself) in the human race, the meaning is that the seed in each individual who lives a life of charity would multiply beyond measure. This actually happens in the other world to everyone who lives a life of neighborly love. Charity and the faith that results from charity, along with happiness, increase so abundantly in such people that it can be depicted only by something immeasurable and inexpressible.

When seed symbolizes the human race itself, its multiplication in the Lord's kingdom is again beyond measure and comes not only from people inside the church and their children but also from people outside the church and their children. As a result, the Lord's kingdom, or heaven, is immeasurable, as will be discussed elsewhere, the Lord in his divine mercy willing. ⁴

Footnotes:

1810. This is how your seed will be symbolizes the heirs of the Lord's kingdom, which can be seen from the symbolism of seed as love and the faith that comes of it or, to put it another way, people who have love and faith, whether they are angels or people on earth. This symbolism of seed has often been mentioned and proved before [§§255, 256, 1025, 1447, 1610, 1798:1].

This verse as a whole is saying that the Lord's kingdom is so vast and populous that no one could ever believe it. The only word for it is immeasurable. Its boundless reach will be discussed elsewhere, with the Lord's divine mercy, ¹ and is symbolized here by the words of the current verse: "‘Look, please, toward the sky and count the stars, if you can count them.' And he said to him, ‘This is how your seed will be.'"

The same words also symbolize the countless points of goodness and truth that go into each angel's wisdom and understanding, which yield such happiness.

Footnotes: