Spiritual Meaning of
Spiritual Meaning of |
|
Back to Words index | Back to Number words index |
That seventy denotes an entire period, thus a full state, is evident also from the following passages:--
It shall come to pass in that day that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king; from the end of seventy years it shall be to Tyre like the song of the harlot; for it shall come to pass from the end of seventy years that Jehovah shall visit Tyre (Isa. 23:15, 17);
Tyre denotes the knowledges of good and truth of the church (AC 1201), which should be forgotten; seventy years, an entire period from beginning to end; according to the days of one king, the state of truth within the church, for days denote states (AC 6505), and king, truth (AC 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 5044, 5068, 6148). Everyone who considers the matter can see that by Tyre in this passage is not meant Tyre, and that without the internal sense it cannot be apprehended what is meant by Tyre being forgotten seventy years, nor what is meant by this being according to the days of one king; and so on.
[3] And in Jeremiah:--
The whole earth shall be a desolation, and a waste, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years; and it shall come to pass, when seventy years are fulfilled, that I will visit their iniquity upon the king of Babylon, and upon this nation (Jer. 25:11, 12; 30:10);
seventy years denote a full state of desolation and devastation, and this was signified by the captivity of seventy years which the Jewish people endured.
[4] In Daniel:--
Seventy weeks are decreed upon thy people, and upon the city of thy holiness, to consummate the transgression, and to seal up sins, and to expiate iniquity, and to bring in the righteousness of the ages, and to seal up vision and prophet, and to anoint the holy of holies (Daniel 9:24);
where seventy manifestly denotes a full state, thus an entire period, before the Lord was to come; whence it is said of Him, that He came in the fulness of time. That seventy weeks denotes a full state, is plain from the particulars in this verse, namely, that so many weeks were decreed to consummate the transgression, also to expiate iniquity, and to bring in the righteousness of the ages, to seal up vision and prophet, to anoint the holy of holies, each particular involving fulness. The like is involved in what follows in the same chapter:--
Know therefore and perceive, that from the going forth of the word to restore and to build Jerusalem, even unto Messiah the Prince, shall be seven weeks (Daniel 9:25);
where seven denotes a full state. Seven as well as seventy signifies a full state. Jerusalem in this passage manifestly denotes a new church, for Jerusalem was not then built, but was destroyed.
from AC 6508
Back to Words index, Back to Number words index
| Author: E. Swedenborg (1688-1772). | Design: I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002. | www.BibleMeanings.info |