1030. Of all that go out of the ark. That this signifies the men of the church, and that "even every wild animal of the earth" signifies the man who is outside the church, is evident from the series of things in the internal sense; for all that went forth from the ark have been named before-as every living soul, the fowl, the beast, and the wild animal of the earth-and here it is said again, "of all that go out of the ark, even every wild animal of the earth." Thus the "wild animal of the earth" is named a second time, and there would not be this repetition unless something else were here meant. And there also follows: "I will establish My covenant with you" as was said before. From this it is evident that by "those going out of the ark" are signified the regenerate, or the men of the church, and by the "wild animal of the earth" is signified all in the universe who are outside the church.
[2] The "wild animal of the earth" in the Word, when living things are not meant by it, signifies those things which are more vile and partake more or less of the ferine nature, and this in accordance with the subject of which it is predicated. When it is predicated of what is in man, then the "wild animal of the earth" signifies lower things which are of the external man and of the body, as presently in this same verse, and thus what is more vile. When it is predicated of an entire society, which is called a composite man or person, then the "wild animal of the earth" signifies those who are not of the church, because they are more vile; and so in other cases according to the subject of which it is predicated. As in Hosea:
In that day will I make a covenant for them with the wild animal of the field, and with the fowl of the heavens, and with the creeping thing of the earth (Hos. 2:18).
In Isaiah:
The wild animal of the field shall honor Me, because I give waters in the wilderness (Isa. 43:20).
In Ezekiel:
All the birds of the heavens made their nests in his boughs, and under his branches all the wild animals of the field brought forth, and under his shadow dwelt all great nations (Ezek. 31:6).