807. Verse 23. And He destroyed every substance that was upon the faces of the ground, from man even to beast, even to creeping thing, and even to the fowl of the heavens; and they were destroyed from the earth; and Noah only was left; and that which was with him in the ark. "And He destroyed every substance" signifies cupidities which are of the love of self; "that was upon the faces of the ground" signifies the posterity of the Most Ancient Church; "from man even to beast, even to creeping thing, and even to the fowl of the heavens" signifies the nature of their evil; "man" that nature itself, "beast" cupidities, "creeping thing" pleasures, "fowl of the heavens" falsities therefrom; "and they were destroyed from the earth" is the conclusion-that the Most Ancient Church expired. "Noah only was left, and that which was with him in the ark" signifies that they who constituted the new church were preserved; "that which was with him in the ark" signifies all things that were of the new church.