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<< Genesis 7: The Flood >>
 WE have learned that when people were good the earth was like a beautiful garden. But they began to do wrong and then they were unhappy. And when we begin to do wrong it is easy to keep on doing worse. It was so in those days long ago, till "God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth." It seemed to the few people who still tried to obey the Lord as if the whole beautiful world was being destroyed. They had seen great floods, perhaps upon the banks of the Euphrates, when torrents of rain had made the waters overflow all the country, and the houses had been washed away, and the people and the cattle had been drowned. Such dreadful floods seemed to picture to them the way the whole beautiful, happy world was now being destroyed. And when the Lord caused the story of these sad days to be written, it was written as the story of a terrible flood which came over all the earth.
But the Lord took care of the few people who still tried to obey Him. They are called Noah and his family. The Lord's protection was around these people like an ark or house, with tight walls and roof, that floated on the waters and kept them safe. As we read about the ark we must think of it as a picture of the Lord's care preserving and protecting, in those wicked days, all that could be preserved of the happy life of Eden.
At last the storm was done, and the waters began to go off from the earth. Noah's opening the window and sending out the birds to see if the waters were abated pictures to us how the good people watched for the signs of better days, when the world would be beautiful and happy again.
At the end of the story we read about the rainbow in the cloud. Perhaps when we see a rainbow again it will remind us how the Lord took care of the few good people when there was so much wickedness in the world, and that His care still bends over the world, to give as much of protection and help as men are willing to receive.
These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it. And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee. And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive. And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them. Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he....
And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days. And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged; The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained; And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated. And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat. And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month: in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen. And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made: And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth. Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground; But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark. And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth. And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more. And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry. And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried.
And God spake unto Noah, saying, Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee. Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth. And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons'wives with him: Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark. And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.
And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth...
And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth. Genesis VI. 9-22; VII. 24; VIII.; IX. 1., 12-17.
Author: William L. Worcester 1904
Spiritual Correspondences
Spiritual Meaning
GENESIS VI
9. These are the births of Noah; Noah was a man righteous and perfect in his generations: Noah walked with God
By "the births of Noah" is signified a description of the reformation or regeneration of the new church. That "Noah was a man just and perfect in his generations" signifies that he was such that he could be endowed with charity; "just" (or "righteous") has relation to the good of charity, and "perfect" to the truth of charity. The "generations" are those of faith. To "walk with God" signifies here as before, when said of Enoch, the doctrine of faith.
10. And Noah begat three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
"Noah begat three sons" signifies that three kinds of doctrine thence arose, which are meant by "Shem, Ham, and Japheth."
11. And the earth was corrupt before God; and the earth was filled with violence.
By the "earth" is signified the race mentioned before. It is said to be "corrupt" on account of their dreadful persuasions; and to be "filled with violence" on account of their foul cupidities. Here and in the following verses of this chapter it is said "God" because there was now no church.
12. And God saw the earth, and behold it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth.
"God saw the earth" signifies that God knew man; "it was corrupt" signifies that there was nothing but falsity; "for all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth" signifies that the corporeal nature of man had destroyed all the understanding of truth.
13. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence from their faces, and behold I destroy them with the earth.
"God said" signifies that it was so; "the end of all flesh is come before Me" signifies that the human race could not but perish: "for the earth is filled with violence" signifies that they no longer had a will of good; "behold I destroy them with the earth" signifies that the human race would perish with the church.
14. Make thee an ark of gopher woods, mansions shalt thou make the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.
By the "ark" is signified the man of that church; by "gopher wood" his concupiscences; by the "mansions" are signified the two parts of the man, which are the will and the understanding; by "pitching it within and without" is signified his preservation from an inundation of cupidities.
15. And thus shalt thou make it: three hundred cubits the length of the ark, fifty cubits its breadth, and thirty, cubits its height.
By the numbers here as before are signified remains, that they were few; the "length" is their holiness, the "breadth" their truth, and the "height" their good.
16. A window shalt thou make to the ark, and to a cubit shalt thou finish it from above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lowest, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.
By the "window" which was to be finished "to a cubit from above" is signified the intellectual part; by the "door at the side" is signified hearing; by the "lowest, second, and third stories" are signified the things of knowledge, of reason, and of understanding [scientifica, rationalia, et intellectualia].
17. And I, behold I do bring the flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh wherein is the breath of lives from under the heavens; everything that is on the earth shall expire.
By the "flood" is signified an inundation of evil and falsity; "to destroy all flesh wherein is the breath of lives from under the heavens" signifies that the whole posterity of the Most Ancient Church would destroy themselves; "everything that is in the earth shall expire" signifies those who were of that church and had become such.
18. And I will set up My covenant with thee; and thou shalt enter into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee.
To "set up a covenant" signifies that he would be regenerated; that "he, and his sons, and his sons' wives" should "come into the ark" signifies that he would be saved. "Sons" are truths; "wives" are goods.
19. And of every living thing of all flesh, pairs of all shalt thou make to enter into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female.
By the "living soul" are signified the things of the understanding; by "all flesh" those of the will; "pairs of all shalt thou make to enter into the ark" signifies their regeneration; the "male" is truth; the "female" good.
20. Of the fowl after its kind, and of the beast after its kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, pairs of all shall enter unto thee, to keep them alive.
The "fowl" signifies things intellectual; the "beast" things of the will; the "creeping thing of the ground" signifies both, but what is lowest of them; "pairs of all shall come unto thee, to keep them alive" signifies, as before, their regeneration.
21. And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and gather it to thee; and it shall be for food, for thee and for them.
That he should "take to himself of all food that is eaten" signifies goods and delights; that he should "gather to himself" signifies truths; that it should be "for food for him and for them" signifies both.
22. And Noah did according to all that God commanded him; so did he.
"Noah did according to all that God commanded him" signifies that thus it came to pass. That it is twice said he "did" involves both [good and truth].
GENESIS VII
4. And the waters were strengthened upon the earth a hundred and fifty days.
This signifies the last limit of the Most Ancient Church; "a hundred and fifty" is the last limit, and the first.
GENESIS VIII
1. And God remembered Noah, and every wild animal, and every beast that was with him in the ark; and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters assuaged.
"And God remembered" signifies the end of temptation and beginning of renovation; by "Noah" is signified, as before, the man of the Ancient Church; by "every wild animal and every beast that was with him in the ark" are signified all things that he had; and by "God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters assuaged" is signified the disposal of all things into their order.
2. The fountains also of the deep and the cataracts of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained.
These words signify that temptation ceased; "the fountains also of the deep" signify evils of the will; "the cataracts of heaven" falsities of the understanding; and "rain" signifies temptation itself in general.
3. And the waters receded from off the earth, going and returning; and after the end of a hundred and fifty days the waters failed.
"The waters receded from off the earth, going and returning" signifies fluctuations between what is true and what is false; and "after the end of a hundred and fifty days the waters failed" signifies that the temptations ceased; "a hundred and fifty days" here as above signify a termination.
4. And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.
"The ark rested" signifies regeneration; "the seventh month" signifies what is holy; "the seventeenth day of the month" signifies what is new; and "the mountains of Ararat" signifies light.
5. And the waters were going and failing until the tenth month; in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains appeared.
"And the waters were going and failing" signifies that falsities began to disappear; "in the tenth month" signifies the truths which are of remains; "on the first day of the month the tops of the mountains appeared" signifies the truths of faith, which then began to be seen.
6. And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made.
"And it came to pass at the end of forty days" signifies the duration of the former state, and the beginning of the following one; "that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made" signifies a second state, when the truths of faith appeared to him.
7. And he sent forth a raven, and it went forth, going and returning, until the waters were dried up from off the earth.
"And he sent forth a raven, and it went forth, going and returning" signifies that falsities still made disturbance; by a "raven" are signified falsities; and by "going forth, going and returning" is signified that such was their state; "until the waters were dried up from off the earth" signifies the apparent dissipation of falsities.
8. And he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the faces of the ground.
By "a dove" are signified the truths and goods of faith with him who is to be regenerated; "and he sent forth a dove from him to see" signifies the state of receiving the truths and goods of faith; "if the waters were abated" signifies falsities which impede; "the faces of the ground" signifies the things which are in the man of the church; it is said "ground" because this is the first state when man becomes a church.
9. And the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him to the ark, for the waters were on the faces of the whole earth; and he put forth his hand and took her, and brought her in unto him into the ark.
"And the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot" signifies that nothing of the good and truth of faith could yet take root; "and she returned unto him to the ark" signifies good and truth appearing with him as though they were of faith; "for the waters were on the faces of the whole earth" signifies that falsities were still overflowing; "and he put forth his hand" signifies his own power; "and took her and brought her in unto him into the ark" signifies that he did what was good and thought what was true from himself.
10, 11. And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; and the dove came back to him at eventide; and lo in her mouth an olive leaf plucked off; so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.
"And he stayed yet other seven days" signifies the beginning of the second state of regeneration; "seven days" signify what is holy, because now charity is treated of; "and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark" signifies a state of receiving the goods and truths of faith; "and the dove came back to him at eventide" signifies that little by little they began to appear; "eventide" means as in the twilight before morning; "and lo in her mouth an olive leaf plucked off" signifies some little of the truth of faith; "a leaf" is truth; "olive" the good of charity; "plucked off" means that the truth of faith is therefrom; "in her mouth" means that it was shown; "so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth" signifies that these things were so because the falsities that impeded were less abundant than before.
12. And he stayed yet other seven days, and sent forth the dove, and she returned not again unto him anymore.
"And he stayed yet other seven days" signifies the beginning of a third state; "seven days" signify what is holy; "and sent forth the dove" signifies a state of receiving the goods and truths of faith; "and she returned not again unto him anymore" signifies a free state.
13. And it came to pass in the six hundred and first year, in the beginning, on the first of the month, that the waters were dried up from off the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and saw, and behold, the faces of the ground were dry.
"And it came to pass in the six hundred and first year" signifies a last boundary [or ending]; "in the beginning, on the first of the month" signifies a first boundary [or new beginning]; "the waters were dried up from off the earth" signifies that falsities did not then appear; "and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked" signifies on the removal of falsities there was the light of the truths of faith, which he acknowledged and in which he had faith; "and behold the faces of the ground were dry" signifies regeneration.
14. In the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dry.
"The second month" signifies the whole state before regeneration; "on the seven and twentieth day of the month" signifies what is holy; "was the earth dry" signifies that he was regenerate. These words are a conclusion to what goes before, and a beginning to what follows.
15, 16. And God spake unto Noah, saying, Go forth from the ark, thou and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee.
"And God spake unto Noah" signifies the presence of the Lord with the man of this church; "Go forth from the ark" signifies freedom; "thou and thy wife" signifies the church; "and thy sons and thy sons' wives with thee" signifies the truths, and the goods conjoined with truths, that were in him.
17. Every wild animal that is with thee of all flesh, as to fowl, and as to beast, and as to every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, bring forth with thee, that they may spread themselves over the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth.
"Every wild animal that is with thee of all flesh" signifies all that was made living in the man of this church; "fowl" signifies here as before the things of his understanding; "beast" the things of his will, which are both of the internal man; "every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth" signifies the like corresponding things in the external man; "bring forth with thee" signifies their state of freedom; "that they may spread themselves over the earth" signifies the operation of the internal man upon the external; "and be fruitful" signifies increasings of good; "and multiply" signifies increasings of truth; "upon the earth" signifies in the external man.
18, 19. And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him; every wild animal, every creeping thing, and every fowl, everything that creepeth upon the earth, according to their families, went forth out of the ark.
"Went forth" signifies that it was so done; by "Noah and his sons" is signified the man of the Ancient Church; by "his wife and his sons' wives with him" is signified that church itself. "Every wild animal, every creeping thing" signify his goods; "wild animal" the goods of the internal man; "creeping thing" the goods of the external man; "and every fowl, everything that creepeth upon the earth" signify truths; "fowl" the truths of the internal man; "that creepeth upon the earth" the truths of the external man; "according to their families" signifies pairs; "went forth out of the ark" signifies as before that it was so done, and at the same time it signifies a state of freedom.
20. And Noah builded an altar unto Jehovah; and took of every clean beast, and of every, clean fowl, and offered burnt-offerings on the altar.
"Noah builded an altar unto Jehovah" signifies a representative of the Lord; "and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl" signifies the goods of charity and of faith; "and offered burnt-offerings on the altar" signifies all the worship therefrom.
21. And Jehovah smelled an odor of rest; and Jehovah said in His heart, I will not again curse the ground anymore on man's account; because the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite anymore everything living, as I have done.
"And Jehovah smelled an odor of rest" signifies that worship therefrom was grateful to the Lord, that is, worship from charity and the faith of charity; "and Jehovah said in His heart" signifies that it would happen so no more; "I will not again curse the ground anymore" signifies that man would not anymore so turn himself away; "on man's account" signifies as did the man of the posterity of the Most Ancient Church; "because the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth" signifies that man's will is altogether evil; "neither will I again smite anymore everything living, as I have done" signifies that man would not be able anymore so to destroy himself.
22. During all the days of the earth, seed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night, shall not cease.
"During all the days of the earth" signifies all time; "seed-time and harvest" signifies the man who is to be regenerated, and hence the church; "cold and heat" signifies the state of the man when he is being regenerated, which is like this in respect to the reception of faith and charity; "cold" signifies no faith and charity, "heat" faith and charity; "summer and winter" signifies the state of the regenerate man in respect to what is of his new will, the alternations of which are as summer and winter; "day and night" signifies the state of the same regenerate man in respect to what is of his understanding, the alternations of which are as day and night; "shall not cease" means that this shall be the case in all time.
GENESIS IX
1. And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.
"God blessed" signifies the presence and grace of the Lord; "Noah and his sons" signifies the Ancient Church; "be fruitful" signifies the goods of charity; "and multiply" signifies the truths of faith, which were now to be increased; "replenish the earth" signifies in the external man.
12, 13. And God said, This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you and every living soul that is with you, for the generations of an age: I have set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth.
"And God said" signifies that it was so; "this is the sign of the covenant" signifies an indication of the presence of the Lord in charity; "which I make between Me and you" signifies the conjunction of the Lord with man by charity; "and every living soul that is with you" signifies as before all things in man that have been regenerated; "for the generations of an age" signifies all perpetually who are being created anew; "I have set My bow in the cloud" signifies the state of the regenerated spiritual man, which is like a rainbow; "the cloud" signifies the obscure light in which is the spiritual man relatively to the celestial; "and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth" signifies as before an indication of the presence of the Lord in charity; "the earth" is here that which is man's own. All these things regard the regenerate spiritual man, or the spiritual church.
14, 15. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud, and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living soul of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.
"And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth" signifies when on account of the Own of man's will part the faith of charity does not appear; "that the bow shall be seen in the cloud" signifies when man is still such that he can be regenerated; "and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you" signifies the mercy of the Lord specifically toward the regenerate and those who can be regenerated; "and every living soul of all flesh" signifies the whole human race; "and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh" signifies that man's intellectual part should no more be able to put on such a persuasion for its destruction as did the posterity of the Most Ancient Church. These things regard all men in general.
16. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will see it, that I may remember the eternal covenant between God and every living soul of all flesh that is upon the earth.
"And the bow shall be in the cloud" signifies man's state; "and I will see it" signifies that it is such that he can be regenerated; "that I may remember the eternal covenant" signifies that the Lord can be present with him in charity; "between God and every living soul of all flesh that is upon the earth" signifies with every man with whom this is possible. These things specifically regard the man who can be regenerated.
17. And God said unto Noah, This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is upon the earth.
"And God said unto Noah" signifies that the church should know this; "this is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is upon the earth" signifies that the indication of the presence of the Lord in charity was not only with the man of the church, but also with the man who is outside the church.
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