The Bible generally uses two different terms for large groups: “people” and “nation.” When it uses the term “nation,” according to Swedenborg, it is talking about a group with the desire for good as the ultimate underlying motivation; when it uses the term “people” it is talking about a group with ideas and knowledge as the ultimate underlying motivation.
As with all symbolism in the Bible, this can be used in a negative sense, to describe those with the lust for evil or those driven by false concepts. It can also be used in the abstract, with “nation” representing desires for good themselves and “people” representing true ideas themselves.
In a way, these meanings make sense if we look at the two words themselves. “People” brings to mind a collection of individuals, and that is somewhat how it is with ideas – you can have many of them that inter-relate, but also stand somewhat on their own individually. “Nation” is a more unified term, which reflects the fact that a desire for good tends to unify other feelings.
Passages from Swedenborg
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 1259
1259. There is something further to be said about ‘nations’ meaning goods and evils within worship: In most ancient times people dwelt distinguished into separate nations, families, and houses, as stated already, in order that the Church on earth might represent the Lord’s kingdom where all people are distinguished into communities, those communities into larger ones, and these into still larger, all these distinctions existing according to general and specific differences of love and faith, about which see 684, 685. Thus the Lord’s kingdom is similarly distinguished so to speak into houses, families, and nations. This is why ‘houses, families, and nations’ in the Word means the goods that stem from love and its derivative faith, where also a careful distinction is made between nations and people. ‘Nation’ means good or evil, but ‘people’ truth or falsity. And this distinction is preserved so consistently as never to vary, as becomes clear from the following places:
[2] In Isaiah,
There will be on that day the root of Jesse which is standing as an ensign of the peoples; towards that root the nations will seek to go, and his rest will be glory. On that day the Lord will extend His hand a second time to acquire the remnants of His people, who remain from Asshur, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And He will raise an ensign for the nations, and will assemble the outcasts of Israel, and will gather the dispersed of Judah. Isa. 11:10-12.
Here ‘peoples’ stands for the truths of the Church, ‘nations’ for its goods, between which a clear distinction is made. The subject here is the Lord’s kingdom and the Church, and in the universal sense every regenerate person. The names mentioned mean the things that have been described already. ‘Israel’ means the spiritual things of the Church, ‘Judah’ its celestial things. In the same prophet,
This people walking in darkness have seen a great light. You have multiplied the nation, You have increased its joy. Isa. 9:2, 3.
Here ‘people’ stands for truths, hence the reference to ‘their walking in darkness and seeing a [great] light’. ‘Nation’ stands for goods.
[3] In the same prophet,
What will one answer the messengers of the nation? That Jehovah has founded Zion, and in her the wretched members of His people will put their trust. Isa. 14:32.
Here likewise ‘nation’ stands for good, ‘people’ for truth. In the same prophet,
Jehovah Zebaoth will swallow up on this mountain the face* of the covering, of the covering over all peoples, and the veil that is spread over all nations. Isa. 25:7.
This refers to a new Church, that is, the Church of the nations. ‘People’ stands for its truths, ‘nations’ for its goods. In the same prophet,
Open the gates that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in. Isa. 26:2.
Here ‘nation’ plainly stands for goods. In the same prophet,
All the nations will be gathered together, and the peoples will be assembled. Isa. 43:9
This too refers to the Church of the nations. ‘Nations’ stands for its goods, and ‘peoples’ for its truths. And since the two are distinct and separate from each other, both are dealt with; otherwise it would be a pointless repetition. In the same prophet,
The Lord Jehovih said, Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations and raise My ensign to the peoples; and they will bring your sons in their bosom and carry your daughters on their shoulder. Isa. 49:22.
This refers to the Lord’s kingdom, ‘nations’ again standing for goods, and ‘peoples’ for truths.
[4] In the same prophet,
You will break out to the right and to the left, and your seed will inherit the nations, and they will dwell in the desolate cities. Isa. 54:3.
This refers to the Lord’s kingdom and to the Church called the Church of the nations. That ‘the nations’ stands for goods that stem from charity, or what amounts to the same, for people with whom the goods of charity exist, is clear from the promise that their ‘seed’, or faith, ‘will inherit them’. ‘Cities’ stands for truths. In the same prophet,
Lo, I have given Him as a witness to the peoples, a Prince and Lawgiver to the peoples Lo, you will call a nation you do not know, and a nation that knew you not will run to you. Isa. 55:4, 5.
This refers to the Lord’s kingdom. ‘Peoples’ stands for truths, ‘nations’ for goods. In the Church those who are endowed with goods that stem from charity are ‘nations’ while those who are endowed with truths of faith are ‘peoples’. For goods and truths are attributes of the subjects to which they apply. In the same prophet,
Nations will walk to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Then you will see and overflow, and your heart will be astounded and enlarged, because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you, the armies of the nations will come to you. Isa. 60:3, 5.
This refers to the Lord’s kingdom and the Church of the nations. ‘Nations’ stands for goods, while ‘kings’, who go together with ‘peoples’, stands for truths.
[5] In Zephaniah,
The remnants of My people will plunder them, and the residue of My nation will inherit them. Zeph. 2:9.
In Zechariah,
Many peoples and numerous nations will come to seek Jehovah of hosts in Jerusalem. Zech. 8:22.
‘Jerusalem’ stands for the Lord’s kingdom and for the Church, ‘peoples’ those with whom the truths of faith predominate, ‘nations’ for those with whom the goods of charity do so, and therefore they are mentioned separately. In David,
You will deliver me from the strivings of the people; You will set me as the head of nations. A people whom I have not known will serve me. Ps. 18:43.
Here similarly ‘people’ stands for those with whom truths predominate, ‘nations’ for those with whom good does so. And because these are what constitute the member of the Church, both are mentioned. In the same author,
The peoples will confess You, O God, all the peoples will confess You; the nations will be glad and exultant, for You will judge the peoples with uprightness, and You will guide the nations into the land. Ps. 67:3, 4.
‘Peoples’ clearly stands for those with whom truths of faith predominate, and ‘nations’ for those with whom the good of charity predominates.
[6] In Moses,
Remember the days of old, understand the years of generation after generation; ask your father and he will show you, and your elders and they will tell you, When the Most High gave to the nations an inheritance and separated the sons of man, He fixed the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel. Deut. 32:7, 8.
This refers to the Most Ancient Church and the Ancient Churches, which are respectively ‘the days of old’ and ‘the years of generation after generation’. Those with whom the good of charity predominated were called ‘the nations’ to whom an inheritance was given. ‘The sons of man’ and in the next sentence ‘the peoples’ mean those with whom the truths of faith deriving from charity predominated. Since ‘the nations’ means the goods of the Church and ‘the peoples’ its truths, it was therefore said of Esau and Jacob when they were still in the womb,
Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples will be separated from your bowels. Gen. 25:23.
These places now make clear what the Church of the nations is in the genuine sense. The Most Ancient Church was the true Church of the nations, as was the Ancient Church after that.
[7] Since those governed by charity are called ‘nations’ and those governed by faith are called ‘peoples’, the Lord’s priesthood is therefore associated with ‘nations’ because it has reference to celestial things, which are goods, while His kingship is associated with ‘peoples’ because it has reference to spiritual things, which are truths This distinction was also represented in the Jewish Church in which they were ‘a nation’ before they had kings, but became ‘a people’ after they received them.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 2928
2928. ‘To the people of the land, to the sons of Heth’ means by those who belonged to the [new] spiritual Church. This is clear from the meaning of ‘the people’ as those who are governed by truths, and so those who are spiritual, dealt with in 1259, 1260; from the meaning of ‘the land’ as the Church dealt with in 662, 1066, 1068, 1262, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118 (end); and from the meaning of ‘the sons of Heth’ as those who belonged to the new spiritual Church, dealt with above in 2913. The expression ‘the people of the land’ is used in various places in the Word when the subject is Israel and Jerusalem, and by those people is meant in the internal sense the spiritual Church or those who belong to the spiritual Church, for Israel and Jerusalem are used to mean that Church. When Judah and Zion are the subject however the expression ‘the nation’ is used. ‘The nation’ means the celestial Church, for Judah and Zion are used to mean that Church.
[2] That the expression ‘the people of the land’ is used when Israel and Jerusalem, and so when the spiritual Church are the subject, is clear from many places in the Word, as in Ezekiel,
Say to the people of the land, Thus says the Lord Jehovih to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to the land of Israel, They will eat their bread in sorrow, and drink their waters in vastation, that her land may be devastated. The inhabited cities will be vastated and the land made desolate. Ezek. 12:19, 20.
Here in the internal sense ‘Jerusalem’ and ‘the land of Israel’ stand for the spiritual Church, ‘bread’ and ‘waters’ for charity and faith, or good and truth. ‘The land’ stands for the Church itself which as regards good is said to be ‘vastated’ and as regards truth to be ‘made desolate’.
[3] In the same prophet,
The house of Israel will bury Gog and his multitude so that they will cleanse the land in seven months, and all the people of the land will bury them. Ezek. 39:11-13.
‘Gog’ stands for external worship separated from internal, which is idolatrous, 1151. ‘The house of Israel’ stands for the spiritual Church as regards good, ‘the people of the land’ as regards truth, ‘the land’ for the Church itself. The reason ‘the land’ is the Church is that ‘the land of Canaan’ represented the Lord’s kingdom and so the Church, since the Lord’s kingdom on earth is the Church.
[4] In the same prophet,
All the people of the land will give* this thruma (oblation) to the prince of Israel. And the prince will prepare for himself on that day, and for all the people of the land a young bull for a sin offering. The people of the land will bow down at the door of the gate on the sabbaths and at new moons. And the people of the land will enter at the appointed feasts. Ezek. 45:16, 22; 46:3, 9.
This refers to the New Jerusalem, that is, to the Lord’s spiritual kingdom, whose subjects are here called ‘the people of the land’. ‘The prince’ is Divine truth coming from the Lord. The expression ‘the sons of Heth’ is used because ‘sons’ means truths, see 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623.
[5] The reason why truths are attributable to those who are spiritual is that these people are introduced to good by way of truths, that is, to charity by way of faith. And because the good they do is done from an affection for truth – for they do not know otherwise than that it is good because they have been taught that it is – their conscience too is founded on these truths of faith, see 1155, 1577, 2046, 2088, 2184, 2507, 2715, 2716, 2718.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 3295
3295. ‘And [one] people will prevail over [the other] people’ means that at first truth must be superior to the good of truth. This is clear from the meaning of ‘people’ as truth, dealt with immediately above in 3294, and from the meaning of ‘prevailing over’ as being superior to. The ‘people’ mentioned first means truth, whereas the ‘people’ mentioned second means the good of truth. The good of truth is good which arises out of truth, and, as it exists first of all, is truth. It is called good however because it looks like good. Consequently ‘people’ also means this good, which is called the good of truth as it is when it first arises.
[2] To have any concept of this good it should be recognized that until he has been regenerated a person does good from truth, but after he has been regenerated he does it from good. Or to make the point clearer still, before he has been regenerated the good he does is a product of the understanding, but after he has been regenerated it is a product of the will. Good therefore which is a product of the understanding is not in itself good but truth, whereas good that is a product of the will is good. For example, when a person does not honour his parents but then learns from the Ten Commandments to do so, his honouring of them is at first a product of the commandment. Such honouring however, being a product of the commandment, is not in itself good because it does not flow from love. It flows either from obedience to the law or from fear of the law, but is nevertheless called the good of truth. When it first arises however it is truth, for at that time it is not good that he performs but truth. When however his honouring of them is the product of love it is in that case good. The same is so in every other example that could be taken.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 3581
3581. ‘Peoples will serve you’ means truths of the Church; ‘and peoples will bow down to you’ means truths grounded in good. This is clear from the use of ‘serving’ to refer to truths, dealt with in 2567, 3409, and from the meaning of ‘peoples’ as truths, dealt with in 1259, 1260, 2928, 3295. The word ‘peoples’ that occurs first means the truths of the Church, which are called spiritual truths, while the word ‘peoples’ that occurs secondly means truths grounded in good, which are spiritual goods, but in relation to other things are called truths. Goods stemming from charity are truths of this kind. Because there is this difference ‘peoples’ mentioned first is not in Hebrew the same word as ‘peoples’ mentioned second. They express different yet related matters.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 4468
4468. ‘And we will be one people’ means being joined together in doctrine. This is clear from the meaning of ‘people’ as the truth of the Church, and therefore doctrine, 1259, 1260, 3295, 3581. ‘Being one people’ accordingly means being joined together through doctrine. There are two things which join members of the Church together – life and doctrine. When life joins them together doctrine does not separate them, but if doctrine alone joins them together, as happens within the Church at the present day, they separate themselves from one another and form as many Churches as there are varieties of doctrine, even though doctrine exists for the sake of life, and life ensues from doctrine. Their separation from one another if doctrine alone joins them together is evident from the fact that a person who subscribes to one doctrine condemns him who subscribes to another, sometimes to hell. But doctrine does not separate people if life joins them together. This is evident from the fact that a person who leads a good life does not condemn another because he has a feeling about something different from his own but leaves it be as a matter of the other’s faith and conscience. And this is an attitude which he adopts even towards those outside the Church, for he says in his heart that ignorance cannot condemn any of them, provided that they lead lives of innocence and mutual love, as young children do, who also, if they die, are in ignorance.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 5312
5312. ‘And all my people shall kiss you on the mouth’ means that everything there shall obey it. This is clear from the meaning of ‘kissing on the mouth’ as accepting and carrying out what is commanded, and so being obedient; and from the meaning of ‘all my people’ as everything in the natural. ‘People’ means truths, see 1259, 1260, 3581, 4619, and so cognitions of good and truth, also factual knowledge, present in the natural, since these are truths as they exist within the natural, 5276.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 6146
6146. ‘And the people, he transferred them to the cities’ means that facts holding truths within them were assigned to different areas of doctrine. This is clear from the meaning of ‘the people’ as truths, dealt with in 1259, 1160, 3295, 3581, at this point facts holding truths within them since the people of Egypt are referred to; and from the meaning of ‘the cities’ as areas of doctrine, dealt with in 402, 2449, 3216, 4492, 4497. Consequently ‘transferring the people to the cities’ means assigning facts that hold truths within them to different areas of doctrine. This follows from what has gone before – from the description that truths were assigned to a general whole within the natural, 6715. For matters of doctrine are general wholes to which truths are assigned. The teaching of the Church divides up under its own headings, and each heading forms a general whole in the Church. From this one may also see that the transfer of the people by Joseph to the cities was carried out so that the relating of truths to general wholes, and so to different areas of doctrine, might be represented.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 6653
6653. ‘And he said to his people’ means subordinated factual knowledge. This is clear from the meaning of ‘people’ as truths, and in the contrary sense as falsities, dealt with in 1259, 1260, 7295, 7581, here factual knowledge separated from truth since it is the people of Egypt. ‘Egypt’ means factual knowledge, see 6638; but the reason why subordinated factual knowledge is meant here is that the words ‘the king said to his people’ are used. ‘People’ means truths because in the Word the term ‘people’ is used of those who are subject to a king, and ‘a king’ means truth, 6651. But though ‘people’ means truths, one understands those in possession of truths. The reason however why truths are spoken of in isolation from anything else is that this is how spirits and angels think and speak of them. For by doing that they gain a complete overall view of a subject, and at the same time see specific details belonging to that subject. They do not contemplate any people in particular who are in possession of truths; for any such contemplation would divert their minds from seeing the complete overall picture, thus from seeing the lull extent of the subject, and so from gaining wisdom. For a concentration of the mind on any people in particular, or on any person in particular, narrows and restricts their ideas, and deprives them of a perception of the full range of the subject from one edge of it to the other. What applies to ‘people’ applies in a similar way to other terms, in that in the internal sense they mean entities unlimited by anything else, as is the case with nation (meaning good), king (meaning truth), prince (meaning a leading truth), priest (meaning good), son, daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother, sister, father, mother, and very many others.
Arcana Coelestia (Potts) n. 7789
7789. Saying, Get thee out, and all the people that is at thy feet. That this signifies supplication that those may depart who are in truth from the Divine, from the highest to the lowest, is evident from the signification of “going out,” as being to depart; from the representation of Moses, who is here meant by “thee,” as being truth Divine; from the signification of “people,” as being those who are in truth from the Divine; for by the sons of Israel, who are here “the people,” are represented those who are of the spiritual church, thus who are in the truth of good and in the good of truth, here those who are in the truth from the Divine, because it is said “the people who are at thy feet,” for by Moses is represented truth Divine; and from the signification of “at thy feet,” as being those who are beneath, thus who are subordinate. For the “feet” signify lower because natural things, because the natural world is beneath the spiritual world (that the “feet” signify natural things see n. 2162, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952); and for this reason it is said, “the people who are at thy feet.” From the highest to the lowest is also signified; by “Moses” the highest, because he represents truth Divine; by “the people at his feet,” all and each of those who are in truth from the Divine.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 8321
8321. ‘Till Your people pass over’ means that therefore without risk of molestation all capable of receiving the truth of good and the good of truth will be saved. This is clear from the meaning of ‘passing over’ as being saved without risk of molestation, for when those steeped in falsities arising from evil who have engaged in molestation have been cast into hell and moved away there are no longer any left to stand in the way by introducing falsities and evils and in so doing to prevent the reception of good and truth from the Lord. These are the things meant here by ‘passing over’; for as long as the evil had not been cast into hell scarcely anyone was able to pass over, that is, be saved. At that time the evil were constantly rousing evils and falsities among those entering the next life, and thereby drawing them away from goodness and truth. To the end therefore that people governed by goodness and truth might be delivered from those evil ones the Lord came into the world. While in the world He subdued all such as themselves by allowing Himself repeatedly to suffer temptations in which He was repeatedly victorious and after which by His presence He caused them to be cast into hell. There, obsessed with their evils and falsities, they were held in bonds for evermore.
[2] At this point ‘people’ is used to mean those who are capable of receiving the truth of good and the good of truth; for generally ‘people’ means those who are guided and governed by the truth and good of faith, 1259, 1260, 3295, 3581, 4619. At this point it means Israel, that is, those who belong to the spiritual Church, or what amounts to the same thing, those who are guided by the truth of good and governed by the good of truth 7957, 8234. The words ‘capable of receiving the truth of good and the good of truth’ are used because none have that ability except those who have led a charitable life; this life affords them that ability. How very greatly mistaken they are who believe that faith without charity can impart this quality! For faith without charity is hard and resistant, and repels all that flows in from the Lord, whereas charity together with faith is yielding and soft, and is receptive of what flows in from Him. So it is that charity imparts that ability, but not faith without charity. And since charity imparts that ability it is also what brings salvation, for those who are saved are not saved by charity beginning in themselves but by charity coming from the Lord, consequently by the ability to receive it.
Apocalypse Explained (Tansley) n. 331
331. And people and nation. That this signifies those who belong to the Lord’s spiritual church, and to His celestial church, is clear from the signification of people and nation in the Word. That by people are signified those who are in spiritual good, and by nation those who are in celestial good; thus those who belong to the Lord’s spiritual church, and to His celestial church. That there are two kingdoms into which the heavens are divided, namely, the celestial kingdom and the spiritual kingdom, and that in the celestial kingdom are those who are in the good of love to the Lord, and in the spiritual kingdom those who are in the good of charity towards the neighbour, may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell (n. 20-28). But those two kingdoms are not only in the heavens, they are also on the earth, and they are called there the celestial church and the spiritual church. Few know what is specifically signified in the Word by a people or peoples, and what specifically by a nation or nations; therefore I wish to adduce some passages from the Word where they are named together, from which it will be clear that “people” and “nations ” have a distinct signification, for unless this were the case they would not be named together, as in the following passages:
[2] In Isaiah:
“The strong people shall honour thee, the city of the powerful nations shall fear thee. Jehovah will swallow up in this mountain the faces of the covering, the covering upon all peoples, and the veil spread over all nations” (xxv. 3, 7, 8).
Here a distinction is made between peoples and nations, because peoples signify those who belong to the Lord’s spiritual kingdom, and nations those who belong to His celestial kingdom; thus, those who are in spiritual good, and those who are in celestial good. Spiritual good is the good of charity towards the neighbour, and hence the good of faith, and celestial good is the good of love to the Lord, and hence the good of mutual love. The truth of this good is what is meant by the city of powerful nations, for a city signifies the doctrine of truth, or truths of doctrine. By swallowing up the covering cast over all peoples, and the veil spread over all nations, is signified that the shade which covers the understanding shall be dispersed lest the truths be seen and the goods perceived that pertain to heaven and the church.
[3] In the same:
“Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye peoples; let the earth hear, and the fulness thereof” (xxxiv. 1).
Because nations signify those who are in the good of love, and peoples those who are in the good of charity and thence in the truths of faith, it is therefore said of the nations, that they should come near, and of the peoples, that they should hearken; to come near signifies to be conjoined by love, and to hearken signifies to obey, and to be instructed; therefore it is also said, let the earth hear, and the fulness thereof. By the earth is signified the church as to good, and by the fulness thereof are signified truths.
[4] In the same:
“I Jehovah have called thee, in justice, and will hold thine hand, and will give thee for a covenant to the people, for a light of the nations” (xlii. 6).
In the same:
“Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people assemble” (xliii. 8, 9).
In the same:
“I have given him for a witness to the peoples, a prince and law-giver to the nations” (lv. 4).
In the same:
“Thus said the Lord Jehovih, Behold, I will lift up mine hand towards the nations, and lift up my standard towards the peoples” (xlix. 22).
In the same:
“The peoples that walked in darkness have seen a great light. Thou hast multiplied the nation, thou hast restored to it great joy” (ix. 2, 3).
And in the same:
“In that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for a standard of the peoples, to it shall the nations seek. And he shall lift up a standard for the nations, and shall gather together the outcasts of Israel” (xi. 10, 12).
The statements contained in these passages are spoken concerning the Lord; and by peoples and nations are meant all who belong to His church; for all who belong to the Lord’s church are either of His celestial kingdom or of His spiritual kingdom; besides those who are in those two kingdoms, there are no others who belong to the church. There are also two things which constitute the church, good and truth, both from the Lord; by nations those who are in good are meant, and by peoples those who are in truth; and, apart from persons, by nations are signified the goods of the church, and by peoples the truths thereof. Peoples signify the truths of the church, because spiritual good, or the good of charity towards the neighbour, in which those are who are meant by people, in its essence is truth. (As may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia, n. 8042, 10,296; the reason of its being so, n. 863, 875, 895, 927, 1023, 1043, 1044, 1555, 2256, 4328, 4493, 5113, 9596. The nature, consequently, of the distinction between those who belong to the celestial kingdom, and those who belong to the spiritual kingdom, n. 2088, 2669, 2709, 2715, 3235, 3240, 4788, 7068, 8521, 9277, 10,295.)
[5] In the same:
“At that time a gift shall be brought unto Jehovah Zebaoth; a people divided and pillaged; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of Jehovah, to mount Zion” (xviii. 2, 7).
The subject here treated of is the invitation of all to the church, therefore also people and nation are named. Mount Zion signifies the church, to which they are invited; by a people divided and pillaged, are signified those with whom truths are taken away, altered, or perverted by those who are in falsities of doctrine; by a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, are signified those among whom goods are treated in like manner, rivers denoting falsities and reasonings therefrom.
[6] In Zechariah:
“As yet the peoples shall come, and the inhabitants of great cities to entreat the faces of Jehovah, and so shall come many peoples and numerous nations to seek Jehovah Zebaoth in Jerusalem” (viii. 20-22).
By peoples and nations are also here signified all those who belong to the Lord’s church; by peoples, those who belong to His spiritual church, and by nations, those who belong to His celestial church. Jerusalem, to which they shall come, denotes the church.
[7] In David:
“Thou wilt set me for the head of the nations, a people I had not known shall serve me” (Ps. xviii. 43).
In the same:
Jehovah “shall subdue the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet. God reigneth over the nations. The willing of the people are gathered together” (xlvii. 3, 8, 9).
In the same:
“That thy salvation may be known on the earth, among all nations. The peoples shall confess thee, O God; the nations shall be glad and shout for joy; for thou shalt judge the peoples in uprightness, and shalt lead the nations upon earth” (Ps. lxvii. 2-5).
In the same:
“Remember me, O Jehovah, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people; that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nations” (cvi. 4, 5).
In the same:
“I will confess thee, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing praises unto thee among the peoples” (Ps. vii. 7-9; cviii. 1-3).
In these passages also peoples and nations are mentioned, by whom are meant all those who are in truths and goods; the very expressions also that are used of peoples are expressions that are predicated of truths, and the expressions that are used of nations those that are predicated of goods. That no others are meant by nations, is clear also from this, that those things were said by David, who was the enemy of the Canaanitish nations.
[8] In Luke:
“Mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples; a light in revelation of the nations” (ii. 30-32).
In Zephaniah:
“The remnant of my people shall spoil them, and the residue of my nation shall inherit them” (ii. 9).
In Moses:
When the two sons struggled together in the womb; Rebecca went to enquire of Jehovah, unto whom Jehovah said, Two nations are in thy womb, and two peoples shall be separated from thy bowels (Gen. xxv. 22, 23).
And in the same:
“Remember the days of the age, when the Most High gave to the nations the inheritance; when he separated the sons of man, he set the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel” (Deut. xxxii. 7, 8).
By the sons of man are signified the same as by peoples, namely, those who are in spiritual truths and goods; therefore it is said concerning them, “When he separated the sons of man, he set the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel”; the sons of Israel signifying the spiritual church, and the number of them, or of the twelve tribes named from them, signifying all the truths and goods therein (see just above, n. 330); they therefore are called peoples. To separate them and to set their bounds, signifies to remove from falsities and to gift with truths; and to give the inheritance to the nations, signifies heaven and conjunction with those who are in the good of love.
[9] In Daniel:
“All peoples, nations, and tongues shall worship him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed” (vii. 14).
This is spoken of the Lord; and by peoples and nations are meant all those who are in truths and goods; and by all tongues are meant, of whatever doctrine or religion; for the Lord’s church is universal, as it exists with all those who are in the good of life, and who from their doctrine look to heaven, and thereby conjoin themselves with the Lord (as to whom see the work concerning Heaven and Hell, n. 318-328). Because nations signify those who are in the good of love, and peoples those who are in the good of charity and the truths of faith thence, therefore it is said, “His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom shall not pass away”; dominion in the Word being predicated of good, and kingdom of truth; therefore the Lord is called Lord from Divine good, and King from Divine truth. Besides these passages, there are also others which might be adduced to confirm [the statement], that people signify those who belong to the spiritual church, and nations those who belong to the celestial church; but here those only have been adduced in which people and nations are mentioned together. To these some shall be added in which nations are mentioned alone.
[10] In Isaiah:
“Open the gates, that the just nation which keepeth faithfulness may enter in. Thou hast added to the nation, O Jehovah, thou hast added to the nation; thou art glorified; thou hast removed all the ends of the earth” (xxvi. 2, 15).
In David:
“All the ends of the earth shall be turned towards Jehovah; and all the families of the nations shall worship before thee. For the kingdom is Jehovah’s; and he is the ruler among the nations” (Ps. xxii. 27, 28).
In Isaiah:
“The nations shall walk to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Thy heart shall enlarge itself, that the multitude of the sea may be turned towards thee; the hosts of the nations shall come unto thee” (lx. 3, 4).
In the same:
“All nations shall see thy justice, and all kings thy glory” (lxii. 2).
In these passages nations and peoples are not mentioned together, but still in the two last nations and kings [are], because by kings are signified the same as by people, namely, those who are in truths (see above, n. 31). And because by nations are signified those who are in good, and by kings those who are in truths, therefore it is said concerning nations, that they shall see Thy justice, and concerning kings that they shall see Thy glory, justice in the Word being predicated of good, and glory of truth. (That justice in the Word is predicated of Divine good, may be seen, n. 2235, 9857; and glory of Divine truth, n.4809, 5922, 8267, 8427, 9429.)
[11] From the opposite sense it is further evident that peoples signify those who are in truths, and nations those who are in good; for, in that sense, peoples signify those who are in falsities, and nations those who are in evils; as in the following passages.
In Isaiah:
“Asshur, the rod of mine anger. I will send him against a hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge” (x. 5, 6).
In the same:
“The voice of a multitude in the mountains; a voice of the tumult of the kingdoms of the nations gathered together. They come from a land of remoteness, from the end of the heavens. Jehovah, with the vessels of his indignation, to destroy the whole land” (xiii. 4, 5).
In the same:
“Jehovah smiting the peoples with a plague not curable, ruling the nations with anger” (xiv. 6).
In the same:
“By the noise of the tumult the peoples shall wander to and fro; before thy loftiness the nations shall be dispersed (xxxiii. 3).
In Jeremiah:
“Behold, a people cometh from the land of the north, and a great nation shall be stirred up from the sides of the earth. They lay hold on bow and spear; it is cruel, and it has no mercy” (vi. 22, 23).
In Ezekiel:
“Neither will I cause thee to hear the calumny of the nations any more, and thou shalt not bear the reproach of the peoples any more” (xxxvi. 15).
In David:
“Thou makest us a by-word among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples” (Ps. xliv. 14).
And in the same:
“Jehovah hath made void the counsel of the nations; he hath overthrown the thoughts of the peoples” (Ps. xxxiii. 10).
In these passages peoples signify those who are opposed to the truths of the spiritual church, thus those who are in falsities; and nations those who are opposed to the goods of the celestial church, thus those who are in evils. These things are also signified by the peoples and nations who were driven out of the land of Canaan. To these observations may be added what was said above, n. 175.