AE 1100 - Birds

AE 1100 [8, 20]

Jesus said, The kingdom of the heavens
is like unto a grain of mustard seed,
which a man took and sowed in his field,
and it became a tree,
so that the winged things of heaven come
and build nests in the branches thereof.
(Matthew 13:31-32; Mark 4:31-32; Luke 13:19)

"A tree from a grain of mustard seed"
signifies a man of the church,
and also a church beginning
from a very little spiritual good 
by means of truth;
for if only a very little spiritual good takes root with a man
it grows like a seed in good ground.
And as a "tree" thus signifies a man of the church,
it follows that "the winged things of heaven"
that made nests in its branches signify
the knowledges of truth and thoughts therefrom.
Anyone can see this is not a mere comparison,
for if it were,
what would be the need of such things in the Word
and of like things in the Prophets?

In Hosea:

Ephraim, as a bird shall his glory fly away,
from the birth and from the belly and from conception.
(Hosea 9:11)

I will not return to destroy Ephraim.
They shall go after Jehovah.
With honor shall they come as a bird out of Egypt,
and as a dove from the land of Assyria.
(Hos. 11:9-11)

"Ephraim" signifies
the understanding of the truths of the church;
and this is why he is compared to a bird,
and it is said, "as a bird shall his glory fly away."
Also in Hosea (7:12) he is compared to a bird,
for a "bird" signifies
everything pertaining to the understanding, including
the knowing, the thinking, and the reasoning faculties;
while everything that is delightful and pleasurable,
thus that pertains to the will and affection,
is signified by "beast and wild beast." 
"The bird from Egypt"
signifies the knowing faculty,
which pertains to the natural man;
and "the dove from Assyria" the rational faculty,
since "Egypt" signifies the knowing faculty,
and "Assyria" the rational faculty.
Here a church to be established by the Lord
is treated of.