Arcana Coelestia (Potts) n. 6297

Previous Number Next Number Next Translation See Latin 

6297. And his seed shall be the fullness of the nations. That this signifies that the truth which is of faith shall reign, is evident from the signification of "seed," as being faith and charity (see n. 1025, 1447, 1610, 1940, 2848, 3187, 3310, 3373, 3671), here faith, because predicated of Ephraim; and from the signification of the "fullness of the nations," as being abundance, thus that the truth of faith shall reign. "Fullness" in the Word signifies all, and where it does not signify all, it signifies abundant, and is predicated both of truth and of good; for "multitude" is predicated of truth, but "magnitude" of good, thus "fullness of both," as in Jeremiah:

Behold waters rise up out of the north, which shall become an overflowing stream, and shall overflow the land and the fullness thereof, the city and them that dwell therein (Jer. 47:2); "the land and the fullness" denote all, both truth and good, that is of the church. For this reason it is added, "the city and them that dwell therein;" for by "city" are signified truths, and by "them that dwell therein," goods (n. 2268, 2451, 2712). [2] In Ezekiel:

They shall eat their bread with solicitude, and drink their waters with amazement, that the land thereof may be devastated from its fullness (Ezek. 12:19);

the "land" denotes the church, and the "fullness" the good and truth there. That both are signified is evident from what precedes, that "they should eat bread with solicitude, and drink waters with amazement;" for by "bread" is signified the good of love, and by "waters" the truth of faith, which are called the "fullness of the earth." [3] In like manner in Amos:

The pride of Jacob, and his palaces, I hate, therefore will I shut up the city and the fullness thereof (Amos 6:8). In David:

The heavens are Thine, the earth also is Thine; the world and the fullness thereof Thou hast founded (Ps. 89:11). The earth is Jehovah's, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For He hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the streams (Ps. 24:1, 2); where also the "fullness" denotes truth and good; the "earth," the church in a specific, and the "world," the church in a universal sense. That "Jehovah founded the world upon the seas" denotes upon the things that are of memory-knowledge (n. 28); and that "He established it upon the streams" denotes upon the things that are of intelligence (n. 3051). Who cannot see that it is not meant that Jehovah founded the world upon the seas, and established it upon the streams, for the world is not founded and established thereon; and therefore he who reflects can see that by "seas" and by "streams" something else is signified, and that this something else is the spiritual or internal of the Word.


This page is part of the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church