1605. 'Towards the north, and towards the south, and towards the east, and towards the west' means all men, as many as there are in the entire universe. This is clear from the meaning of these four directions. In the Word north, south, east, and west each have their own particular meaning. 'North' means people who are outside the Church, that is to say, who are in darkness as regard truths of faith; and it also means the darkness residing with the individual. 'South' however means people who are inside the Church, that is to say, who are in light as regards cognitions; and likewise it means the light itself. 'East' means people who lived in the past; and it also means celestial love, as shown already. 'West' however means people who will live in the future, and likewise people who do not have love. What they mean is clear from the train of thought in the internal sense. But when north, south, east, and west are all mentioned together, as they are here, they mean everybody living throughout the whole world, as well as those who lived in the past and those who will do so in the future. They also mean the states of the human race as regards love and faith.