778. As then 'birds of the air' ¹ means intellectual truths and so thoughts, they also mean things that are the contrary, such as delusions or falsities, which because they are part of man's thought are called birds as well. 'The wicked being given as food to birds of the air ¹ and to wild animals', for example, stands for delusions and evil desires, Isaiah 18:6; Jeremiah 7:33; 16:4; 19:7; 34:20; Ezekiel 29:5; 39:4. Also the Lord Himself compares delusions and persuasions of falsity to birds when He says,

The seed which fell on the pathway was trodden under foot, and the birds of the air ¹ devoured it. Matthew 13:4; Luke 8:5; Mark 4:4, 15.

Here 'birds of the air' ¹ are nothing other than falsities.

Voetnoten:

29. And the Prince of the kings of the earth, signifies from whom is all the truth from good in the church. This is evident from the signification of "Prince of kings," as meaning from whom is all truth; a "prince" denoting what is primary, and "kings" truths; and, because it refers to the Lord, who is here called "Prince of kings," it means from whom is all truth (that "prince" means what is primary, see Arcana Coelestia 1482, 2089, 5044; and that "kings" are truths, see in the explanation of the following verse, where it is said, "and hath made us kings and priests," n. 31; also from the signification of the "earth," as meaning the church (of which in what follows). One who knows not the internal sense of the Word must needs believe that the kings of the whole earth are here meant; whereas kings are not meant, nor earth; but by "kings" are meant all who are in truths from good; and by the "earth" is meant the church. (That by the "earth" is signified the church is shown in many places in the Arcana Coelestia, from which these particulars may be seen: That by the "earth" is signified the kingdom of the Lord and the church, n. 662, 1066, 1068, 1262, 1413, 2928, 3355, 4447, 4535, 5577, 8011, 9325, 9643. The chief reason of which is, that by the "earth" is meant the land of Canaan; and the church was there from most ancient times, n. 567, 3686, 4447, 4454, 4516, 4517, 5136, 6516, 9325, 9327; also that, in the spiritual sense, by the "earth" is meant the nation who dwell thereon, and their worship, n . 1262. That the "new heaven the new earth" signify the church in the heavens on earth 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118, 3355, 4535, 10373. That by the creation of heaven and earth, in the first chapters of Genesis, in the internal sense, is described the establishment of the Most Ancient Church, see n. 8891, 9942, 10545. That to "create" is to establish and regenerate, see n. Arcana Coelestia 10373. That "ground," too, signifies the church; "ground" from the reception of seeds, which are truths, but "earth" from the nations therein, and their worship, see n. 566, 1068, 10570. Moreover, "earth," as it signifies the church, signifies also the religious principle, consequently also such as is idolatrous; as the land of Egypt, the land of the Philistines, the land of Chaldea, and of Babel, and many others. That "earth" signifies the church is also briefly shown in the small work on The Last Judgment 3, 4.)