3380. And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. That this signifies all who are in good, both within and without the church, is evident from the signification of “being blessed,” as being to be made fruitful in good and to be multiplied in truths (see n. 981, 1422, 1731, 2846, 3140); from the signification of “seed,” as being the goods and truths which are from the the Lord, (n. 3373); and from the signification of the “nations of the earth,” as being all who are in good (n. 1259, 1260, 1416, 1849). Thus by “all the nations of the earth being blessed in thy seed,” is signified that through the good and truth which are from the Lord all are saved who live in mutual charity, whether they are within the church or without it. (That the Gentiles who are without the church and who are in good are equally saved, may be seen above, n. 593, 932, 1032, 1059, 1327-1328, 2049, 2051, 2284, 2589-2604, 2861, 2986, 3263)

1258. And from these were spread abroad the nations in the earth. That this signifies that from them came all the worships of the church in respect to goods and evils, and that these are meant by the “nations,” is evident from the signification of “nations.” By a nation, as has been explained before, are meant many families together. In the Most Ancient and in the Ancient Church, the many families which acknowledged one father constituted one nation. But as to “nations” signifying in the internal sense the worships of the church, and this in respect to the goods or evils in the worship, the case is this: when families and nations are viewed by the angels, they have no idea of a nation, but only of the worship in it; for they regard all from the quality itself, that is, from what they are. The quality or character of a man, from which he is regarded in heaven, is his charity and faith. This anyone may clearly apprehend if he considers that when he looks at any man, or any family, or nation, he thinks for the most part of what quality they are, everyone from that which is dominant in himself at the time. The idea of their quality comes instantly to mind, and in himself he estimates them from that. Still more is this the case with the Lord; and, from Him, with the angels, who cannot but regard a man, a family, and a nation, from their quality in respect to charity and faith. And hence it is that in the internal sense by “nations” nothing else is signified than the worship of the church, and this in respect to its quality, which is the good of charity and the derivative truth of faith. When the term “nations” occurs in the Word, the angels do not abide at all in the idea of a nation, in accordance with the historical sense of the letter, but in the idea of the good and truth in the nation that is named.