3274. And these are the years of the life of Ishmael. That this signifies a state representative by Ishmael of the Lord’s spiritual kingdom, is evident from the signification of “years” and of “lives,” as here being representative states (n. 3251); and from the representation of Ishmael, as being the Lord’s spiritual kingdom (n. 2699, 3263, 3268).

1255. According to their nativities. That this signifies in proportion as they could be reformed, is evident from the signification of a “nativity,” as being reformation. While a man is being born again, or regenerated, by the Lord, each and all things that he receives anew are nativities or births. So here, as the subject is the Ancient Church, the nativities signify in proportion as they could be reformed. As regards the reformations of the nations, they were not all in the same worship, nor in the same doctrine, for the reason that they were not all of the same genius, and were not all similarly educated and instructed from infancy. The principles which a man imbibes from infancy the Lord never breaks, but bends. If they are things that the man esteems holy, and are such as are not contrary to Divine and natural order, but are in themselves matters of indifference, the Lord lets them alone, and suffers the man to remain in them. So it was with many things in the second Ancient Church, concerning which of the Lord’s Divine mercy hereafter.