551. 'Leading the entire world astray' signifies that they pervert all things of the Church. By 'leading astray' is signified to pervert, and by 'the world' is signified the Church, in like manner as by 'the land' (n. 285). By 'the world' (orbis) is signified not the territory of the lands (orbis terrarum) but the Church therein, in the following places:-
The land shall mourn and be confounded, the world shall faint and be confounded Isa. xxiv 4.
The lands shall learn Thy judgments, and the inhabitants of the world Thy justice Isa. xxvi 9.
The Maker of the land by His vigour, preparing the world by His wisdom Jer. x 12; li 15.
The foundations of the world were revealed at the blast of Thy breath Ps. xviii 15 [H.B. 16].
The land is Jehovah's and the fullness thereof; the world and those dwelling therein; He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the rivers Ps. xxiv 1, 2.
The heavens are Thine and the land is Thine, Thou hast founded the world and the fullness thereof Ps. lxxxix 11 [H.B. 12].
He will make them inherit a throne of glory, for the bases of the land are Jehovah's, and He has set the world upon them 1 Sam. ii 8.
O Babel, thou hast made the world into a wilderness, thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people Isa. xiv 17, 20;
besides elsewhere, as Isa. xviii 3; xxvi 18; xxvii 6; xxxiv 1; Nahum i 5; Ps. ix 8 [H.B. 9]; lxxvii 18 [H.B. 19]; xcviii 9; Lam. iv 12; Job xviii 18; Matt. xxiv 14; Luke xxi 26; Rev. xvi 14. However, it should be known that when 'the world' and 'the land' are named together, by 'the world' is signified the Church as to good and by 'the land' the Church as to truth.
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