9228. That “seven” signifies an entire period from beginning to end, thus what is full, is evident from many passages in the Word.

In Isaiah:

The light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that Jehovah shall bind up the breach of His people (Isaiah 30:26).

The subject here treated of is the salvation of the faithful, and their intelligence and wisdom in the Lord’s kingdom. The “moon” denotes faith from the Lord, thus faith in the Lord; and the “sun,” love from the Lord, thus love to the Lord (see n. 30-38, 1521, 1529, 1531, 2441, 2495, 3636, 3643, 4060, 4321, 4696, 5377, 7078, 7083, 7171, 8644); “the light of the sun being sevenfold, as the light of seven days” denotes a full state of intelligence and wisdom from love and faith in the Lord.

[2] In Ezekiel:

They that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shield and the buckler, with the bow and with the arrows, and with the handstaff and with the spear; they shall kindle fire with them seven years; so that they shall bring no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests; and they shall cleanse the land seven months (Ezekiel 39:9, 12).

The subject here treated of is the destruction of falsity. The “weapons” here enumerated denote the falsities by means of which the evil fight against the truths of the church; “to kindle fire with them seven years” signifies complete destruction through the cupidities of the loves of self and of the world; that “they shall bring no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests” signifies until nothing of good remains, either in the interior or in the exterior man; “to cleanse the land seven months” signifies the complete restoration of good and truth in the church. It has already been shown in many places that “weapons” denote truths fighting against falsities, and in the opposite sense falsities fighting against truths; that “bows with arrows” denote doctrinal things of truth, and in the opposite sense doctrinal things of falsity; that a “handstaff” denotes the power of truth, and in the opposite sense the power of falsity; that “to set on fire and burn” denotes to lay waste through the cupidities of the loves of self and of the world; that “wood out of the field” denotes the interior goods of the church, and “wood out of the forests” the memory-knowledges of good and truth; and that “the land” denotes the church. Everyone can see that other things are here signified than those which appear in the letter, as that they should burn the weapons and kindle a fire with them seven years, and that they should bring no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests. Yet we know that holy and Divine things must be signified, because the Word is holy and from the Divine; but what holy and Divine things are contained in these words cannot possibly be known, unless it is known what is signified by “weapons,” what by “seven years” and by “seven months,” and what by “wood out of the field and wood out of the forests.” It is clear therefore that these prophetic words cannot in the least be apprehended without some acquaintance with the internal sense.

[3] In David:

Seven times a day do I praise Thee, because of the judgments of Thy righteousness (Psalms 119:164).

Render unto our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom (Psalms 79:12).

“Sevenfold” denotes to the full. In like manner in Moses, that they should be “punished sevenfold if they transgressed the commandments and the statutes” (Leviticus 26:18, 21, 24, 28). He who does not know that “seven” signifies an entire period from beginning to end, consequently what is full, must believe that “seven weeks” signify seven periods of time in the following passage in Daniel:

Know thou and perceive that from the going forth of the Word even unto the restoring and building of Jerusalem, even to Messiah the Prince, shall be seven weeks (Daniel 9:25);

but the “seven weeks even to Messiah the Prince,” signify that which is said of the Lord, that He will come “in the fullness of the times,” thus they signify an entire period. From this it is evident that “the seven spirits before the throne of God” (Revelation 1:4); the “book sealed with seven seals” (Revelation 5:1); and the “seven angels having seven vials which are the seven last plagues” (Revelation 15:1, 6-7; 21:9), do not mean seven spirits, nor seven seals, nor seven angels, nor seven vials, nor seven plagues; but all things in fullness. So by “the barren one bearing seven” (1 Samuel 2:5) is not meant seven, but much, even to fullness.

[4] Because “seven” had such a signification, it was therefore ordained that a priest, at his initiation, should “put on the garments seven days” (Exodus 29:30); that “his hands should be filled seven days” (verses 24-35); that “the altar should be sanctified seven days” (verse 37); and that “those who were initiated into the priesthood should not go out from the tent for seven days” (Leviticus 8:33). In like manner, “when the unclean spirit goeth out of a man and returneth with seven others” (Matthew 12:43-45; Luke 11:24-26); “if a brother sin seven times in the day, and seven times turn again, he should be forgiven” (Luke 17:4); and that “the heart of Nebuchadnezzar should be changed from a man’s, and a beast’s heart be given to him, until seven times had passed over him” (Daniel 4:16, 23, 25). From this also it was that Job’s friends “sat down with him upon the earth seven days and seven nights, and spoke nothing unto him” (Job 2:13). (That “seventy” in like manner signifies what is full, see n. 6508; and also a “week,” that is, seven days, n. 2044, 3845.) From all this it can now be seen that by “the eighth day” is signified the beginning of the following state.

3195. And he dwelt in the land of the south. That this signifies consequently in Divine light, is evident from the signification of “dwelling,” as being to live (see n. 1293), and as being predicated of good (n. 2268, 2451, 2712); and from the signification of the “land of the south,” as being Divine light; for the “south” signifies light, and indeed the light of intelligence, which is wisdom (n. 1458); but the “land of the south” signifies the place and state where this light is; so here, that “Isaac came from coming from Beer-lahai-roi, and he dwelt in the land of the south,” signifies that Divine good rational, because born from Divine truth, was in Divine light.

[2] In the Word frequent mention is made of “light,” and by this in the internal sense is signified the truth which is from good; but in the supreme internal sense there is signified the Lord Himself, because He is good and truth itself. Moreover there actually is light in heaven, but infinitely brighter than the light on earth (seen. 1053, 1117, 1521-1533, 1619-1632); and in this light spirits and angels see one another, and by means of it is displayed all the glory which is in heaven. In regard to its lucidity, this light does indeed appear like the light in the world; but still it is not like it, for it is not natural, but spiritual, having in it wisdom; so that it is nothing else than wisdom which so shines before the eyes of the angels; and therefore the wiser the angels are, the brighter is the light in which they are (n. 2776). Moreover this light illumines the understanding of man, especially that of a regenerate man; but it is not perceived by man so long as he is in the life of the body, because of the light of the world, which then is regnant.

Moreover the evil spirits in the other life see one another, and also see many representatives which exist in the world of spirits, and this indeed they do from the light of heaven; but their lumen is such as proceeds from a fire of coals, for the light of heaven is changed into such a lumen when it comes to them.

[3] As regards the very origin of light, this has been from eternity from the Lord alone; for Divine good itself and Divine truth, from which light comes, is the Lord. The Divine Human, which was from eternity (John 17:5), was this light itself. And whereas this light could no longer affect the human race, which had removed itself so far from good and truth, thus from light, and had cast itself into darkness, therefore the Lord willed to put on by birth the human itself; for thus He could illumine not only the rational but also the natural things of man; for He made both the rational and the natural in Himself Divine, in order that He might also be a light to those who were in such gross darkness.

[4] That the Lord is light, that is, good itself and truth itself, and that thus from Him is all intelligence and wisdom, consequently all salvation, is evident from many passages in the Word, as in John:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word; in Him was life, and the life was the light of men. John came to bear witness of the light; he was not that light, but came that he might bear witness of the light. That was the true light which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world (John 1:1, 4, 7-9).

The “Word” was the Divine truth, thus the Lord Himself as to the Divine Human, concerning which it is said that “the Word was with God, and God was the Word.”

[5] In the same Evangelist:

This is the judgment, that light is come into the world, but men loved the darkness rather than the light (John 3:19); where “light” denotes the Divine truth. Again:

Jesus said, I am the light of the world; he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life (John 8:12).

Yet a little while is the light with you; walk while ye have the light, lest darkness seize upon you; while ye have the light, believe in the light, that ye may be sons of light (John 12:35-36).

He that seeth Me seeth Him that sent Me; I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth in Me may not abide in the darkness (John 12:45-46).

In Luke:

Mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel (Luke 2:30-32).

This is the prophecy of Simeon concerning the Lord when he was born.

[6] In Matthew:

The people that sat in darkness saw a great light, and to them that sat in the region and shadow of death, did light spring up (Matthew 4 Isaiah 9:2);

from which passages it is very plain that the Lord as to the Divine good and truth in the Divine Human, is called “light.” Also in the prophecies of the Old Testament, as in Isaiah:

The light of Israel shall be for a fire, and His Holy One for a flame (Isaiah 10:17).

I Jehovah have called thee in righteousness, and I will give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles (Isaiah 42:6).

I have given thee for a light of the Gentiles, that thou mayest be My salvation, unto the end of the earth (Isaiah 49:6).

Again:

Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of Jehovah is risen upon thee. The gentiles shall walk to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising (Isaiah 60:1, 3).

[7] That all the light of heaven, consequently wisdom and intelligence, is from the Lord, is thus taught in John:

The holy city New Jerusalem, descending from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband, hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it; the glory of God will enlighten it, and the Lamb is the lamp thereof (Revelation 21:2, 23).

Again, speaking of the same:

There shall be no night there, and they need no lamp, neither light of the sun, for the Lord God giveth them light (Revelation 22:5).

[8] Again in Isaiah:

The sun shall be no more thy light by day, neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee; but Jehovah shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory; thy sun shall no more go down, neither shall thy moon withdraw itself, for Jehovah shall be thine everlasting light (Isaiah 60:19-20).

“The sun shall be no more thy light by day, neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee” denotes that this will be the case with the things not of natural, but of spiritual light, which is signified by “Jehovah being an everlasting light.” That “Jehovah” as mentioned here and elsewhere in the Old Testament, is the Lord, may be seen above (n. 1343, 1736, 2156, 2329, 2921, 3023, 3035).

[9] And that He is the light of heaven He also manifested to the three disciples, Peter, James, and John, at his transfiguration, when:

His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment became as the light (Matthew 17:2).

His “face as the sun” was the Divine good; His “raiment as the light” was the Divine truth. Hence it may be known what is meant by the expression in the benediction:

Jehovah make His faces shine upon thee, and be merciful unto thee (Numbers 6:25).

That the “faces of Jehovah” are mercy, peace, and good, may be seen above (n. 222, 223); and that the “sun” is the Divine love; thus that it is the Divine love of the Lord which appears as a sun in the heaven of angels, may also be seen above (n. 30-38, 1053, 1521, 1529-1531, 2441, 2495).