16. Verse 1. In the beginning God created heaven and earth. The most ancient times of all are called 'the beginning', and are throughout the Prophets referred to as 'days of antiquity' and also 'days of eternity'. 'The beginning' also embodies within it that first Period when a person is being regenerated, for at that time he is being born anew and receiving life. Regeneration itself is therefore called a new creation of man. Almost everywhere in the prophetical sections 'to create', 'to form', and 'to make' mean to regenerate, though each of these verbs has a different shade of meaning, as in Isaiah,

Every one who is called by My name - I have created him for My glory, I have formed him, I have also made him. Isaiah 43:7

This is why the Lord is called Redeemer, One who forms from the womb, Maker, and also Creator, as in the same prophet,

I am Jehovah, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King. Isaiah 43:15.

In David,

A people to be created will praise Jah. Psalms 102:18.

In the same author,

You send forth Your Spirit; they are created; and You renewest the face ¹ of the ground. Psalms 104:30.

'Heaven' means the internal man, and 'earth' the external man prior to regeneration. This will be seen further on.

Imibhalo yaphansi:

1277. The same applies to men as regards their souls, which are linked constantly to some community of spirits or angels. Men too have a position in the Lord's kingdom that is determined by the nature of their life and by their states. The fact that on earth men are distant from one another makes no difference at all. Even though many thousands of miles should separate them, they can still be present together in one community - those who live in charity in one angelic community, those who live in hatred and the like in one community in hell. Nor in like manner does the fact that many people on earth exist together in the same place make any difference - they are still all distinct and separate according to the nature of their life and of their states, each one possibly in a different community from the rest. When people who are several hundreds or thousands of miles distant from one another are seen with the eyes of internal sense they are so close that some are in a position to touch one another. Thus if a number of people existed on earth whose internal sight was open they would be able to be together and talk together even though one was in India and another in Europe, as I have also been shown. So every single person on earth is very present with the Lord, beneath His view and Providence.