247. The Ancient Churches. The First and Most Ancient Church in this world was that which is described in the first chapters of Genesis; which was a celestial Church, and the most excellent of all, nos. 607, 895, 920, 1121, 1122, 1123, 1124, 2896, 4493, 8891, 9942, 10545. The quality of those belonging to it in heaven, nos. 1114-1125. They are in the clearest light, nos. 1116, 1117. After the flood there existed various Churches which, in one expression, were called the Ancient Church, concerning which see nos. 1125, 1126, 1127, 1327, 10355. Through how many kingdoms of Asia the Ancient Church was extended, nos. 1238, 2385. The quality of the men of the Ancient Church, nos. 609, 895. The Ancient Church was a representative Church, and its representatives were gathered together into one collection by certain men of the Most Ancient Church, nos. 519, 521, 2896. Among the Ancient Church there was a Word, which was, however, lost, no. 2897. The quality of the Ancient Church when it began to decline, no. 1128. The distinction between the Most Ancient Church and the Ancient, nos. 597, 607, 640, 641, 765, 784, 895, 4493. Both the Most Ancient and the Ancient Churches existed in the land Canaan, and from this circumstance arose the representatives of the places therein, nos. 3686, 4447, 4454. The Church which was begun by Eber, and was called the Hebrew Church, nos. 1238, 1241, 1343, 4516, 4517. The difference between the Ancient and the Hebrew Churches, nos. 1343, 4874. Eber instituted sacrifices which had been wholly unknown in the Ancient Churches, no. 1343. The Ancient Churches agreed with the Christian Church as to internals, but not as to externals, nos. 3478, 4489, 4772, 4904, 10149. In the Most Ancient Church there was an immediate revelation; in the Ancient Church a revelation by means of correspondences; in the Jewish Church by the living voice; and in the Christian Church through the Word, no. 10355. The Lord was the God of the Most Ancient Church, and was called Jehovah, nos. 1343, 6846. The Lord is heaven, and He is the Church, nos. 4766, 10125, 10151, 10157. That the Lord's Divine constitutes heaven, see the work on Heaven and Hell, nos. 7-12, and 78-86; that therefore His Divine also constitutes the Church, since what makes heaven with man also makes the Church, see above in the Doctrine.