278. 'Returning to the ground from which he was taken' means that the Church would revert to the external man, such as it had been before regeneration took place. This is clear from the fact that 'the ground' means the external man, as stated already; and 'dust' means condemned and hellish. This too is clear from what has been stated about the serpent, which, being cursed, would have to 'eat dust', as said. In addition to what has been shown about the meaning of dust, let the following in David be added,
All who go down to the dust will bow down before Jehovah, whose soul He has not made alive. Ps 22:19.
And elsewhere in David,
You hidest Your face,a they are dismayed; You gatherest up their spirit, they breathe their last and return to their dust. Ps 104:29.
That is, when they turn away from the face of the Lord, they 'breathe their last', or die, and in so doing 'return to the dust', that is, become condemned and hellish.
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