1868. It would take too long to prove from the Word at this point that these nations symbolize such things, and there is no need to do it here, since the nations are merely named. Some of them have been discussed before. It was noted at §§567, 581, 1673, for instance, that the Rephaim symbolize persuasive lies; at §1680 that an Amorite symbolizes evil; above at verse 16 that a Canaanite symbolizes evil [§1857:1]; and at §1574 that a Perizzite symbolizes falsity. The specific symbolism of the other nations will be described later, by the Lord's divine mercy, where they come up. ¹

[2] In regard to the "nations" that need to be banished from the Lord's kingdom, the case is this: In the other world, evil, diabolical spirits crave nothing more than to go up into the world of spirits and plague good spirits. But every time they do, they are thrown out. It is the same as in people who are regenerating: the falsity and evil that have taken possession of them are subdued and scattered and are replaced with the truth and goodness that belong to the Lord's kingdom. These evil influences were represented by the nations that the children of Jacob expelled from the land of Canaan, and likewise by the Jews themselves, who were driven out later. ²

[3] The same thing happened at one time to many other nations that represented similar influences. These included the Horites, driven from Mount Seir by Esau's descendants (as told in Deuteronomy 2:12, 22); the Avvim, driven off by the Caphtorim (as told in Deuteronomy 2:23); the Emim or Rephaim, driven off by the Moabites (as told in Deuteronomy 2:9, 10, 11); the Zamzummim, by the Ammonites (as told in Deuteronomy 2:19, 20, 21); and many others mentioned in the prophets. ³

Sacred Scripture, or the Word (Continued)

Footnotes:

2913. And spoke to the sons of Heth, saying, symbolizes the people among whom there would be a new, spiritual religion, as can be seen from the symbolism of Heth and of a Hittite.

The land of Canaan had many different inhabitants, whom the Word lists in various places. Among them were the Hittites (see Genesis 15:20; Exodus 3:8, 17; 13:5; 23:23; Deuteronomy 7:1; 20:17; Joshua 3:10; 11:1, 3; 12:8; 24:11; 1 Kings 9:20; and elsewhere). Most came from the ancient church, which extended through many lands, including that of Canaan (see §§1238, 2385). All who were in that church acknowledged neighborly love as the most important thing, and all their doctrines had to do with that love, or in other words, with life. The people who instead heavily cultivated the doctrines of faith were called Canaanites and were separated from the other inhabitants of Canaan (Numbers 13:29; see §§1062, 1063, 1076).

[2] Among the better tribes in Canaan were the Hittites. This is evident from the fact that Abraham lived among them, as Isaac and Jacob did later on, and that they had graves there. It is also evident from the fact that the Hittites treated Abraham with respect and decency, as the statements about them in the current chapter make obvious, especially in verses 5, 6, 10, 11, 14, 15. In consequence, as an upright nation, they represent and symbolize a spiritual church, or truth in the church. Even so, the same thing happened to them as to the other nations that came from the ancient church: over time they fell away from love for others, or the goodness taught by faith. That is why they later symbolize falsity in the church, as in Ezekiel 16:3, 45, and other places. Still, the Hittites were among the more honorable nations, as can be seen from the fact that Hittites formed part of David's retinue. One example is Ahimelech (1 Samuel 26:6). Another is Uriah the Hittite (2 Samuel 11:3, 6, 17, 21), whose wife was Bathsheba, by whom David fathered Solomon (2 Samuel 12:24). On the point that Heth symbolizes superficial knowledge that has to do with life (which is the more superficial truth of a spiritual religion), see §1203.

[3] This verse has to do with a new religion that the Lord establishes when the previous one passes away. The verses that follow focus on the way the people of the new religion accept faith. It has nothing to do with any religion among the children of Heth but generally with the Lord's resurrection of a spiritual religion after the previous one passes away or comes to an end. The children of Heth are simply the people who represent and symbolize that religion.

See what has been said already about churches: Over time a church withers and is defiled: 494, 501, 1327, 2422. It backs away from neighborly love and produces evil and falsity: 1834, 1835. The church is then described as devastated and ruined: 407-411, 2243. A religion is established among people outside the church, and the reasons why: 1366. A vestige of religion in the devastated church is always preserved as a nucleus: 468, 637, 931, 2422. If there were not a church on earth, the human race would be destroyed: the same sections. The church is like the heart and lungs of the universal anatomy, or in other words, of the human race: 637, 931, 2054, 2853. What a spiritual religion is like: 765, 2669. It is love for others and not a detached faith that makes the church: 809, 916. The church would be unified if we all had charity, even if we had different theologies and different ways of worshiping: 1285, 1316, 1798, 1799, 1834, 1844, 2385. Although they may be scattered across the globe, all humans on earth that are part of the Lord's church still make a single whole, as they do in the heavens: 2853. Every religion has an inward part and an outward part, and both together make one church: 409, 1083, 1098, 1100, 1242. The outward church is nothing if there is no inward church: 1795. The church is compared to sunrise and sunset, to the seasons of the year, and to the times of day: 1837. The Last Judgment is the final period of the church: 900, 931, 1850, 2117, 2118.