9825. And a robe. That this signifies Divine truth there in the internal form, is evident from the signification of “the robe,” as being the middle of the spiritual kingdom, thus the truth itself which is there; for by Aaron’s garments was represented the Lord’s spiritual kingdom (n. 9814), thus the truths which are there, in their order (see n. 9822); and as this kingdom has been distinguished into three degrees, the inmost, the middle, and the external, therefore by “the robe” was signified that which is in the middle of this kingdom. The reason why this kingdom has been distinguished into three degrees, is that the inmost there communicates with the celestial, and the external with the natural, and therefore the middle partakes equally of both. Moreover, in order that anything may be perfect, it must be distinguished into three degrees. This is the case with heaven, and with the goods and the truths in it. That there are three heavens is known; consequently there are three degrees of goods and truths there. Each heaven also is distinguished into three degrees; for its inmost must communicate immediately with what is higher, and its external with what is lower, and so, through these, its middle must communicate with both, whence comes its perfection. The case is the same with the interiors of man, which in general have been distinguished into three degrees, namely, into the celestial, the spiritual, and the natural; in like manner each of these into its own three degrees; for a man who is in the good of faith and of love to the Lord is a heaven in the least form corresponding to the greatest (n. 9279). Such also is the case in all things of nature. (That the natural of man has been distinguished into three degrees, see n. 4570, and in general all his interior and exterior things, n. 4154.) The reason of its being so is that everywhere there must be end, cause, and effect; the end must be the inmost, the cause the middle, and the effect the ultimate, in order that the thing may be perfect. It is from this that in the Word “three” signifies what is complete from beginning to end (n. 2788, 4495, 7715, 9198, 9488, 9489). From all this it can be known why Aaron’s garments of holiness were an ephod, a robe, and a tunic; and that the ephod represented the external, the robe the middle, and the tunic the inmost, of the spiritual kingdom.

[2] As the robe represented the middle in the spiritual kingdom, and the middle partakes of both the others, it is taken representatively for that kingdom itself, as in the first book of Samuel:

Samuel turned about to go away, but Saul laid hold upon the skirt of his robe, and it was rent; wherefore Samuel said, Jehovah shall rend the kingdom of Israel from upon thee this day, and shall give it to thy companion who is better than thou (1 Samuel 15:27-28);

from these words it is evident that “the rending of the skirt of Samuel’s robe” signified the rending of the kingdom of Israel from Saul, for “the kingdom of Israel” signifies the Lord’s spiritual kingdom (n. 4286, 4598, 6424, 6637, 6862, 6868, 7035, 7062, 7198, 7201, 7215, 7223, 8805). In like manner in the same:

David cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily; and when he showed it to Saul, Saul said, Now I know that reigning thou shalt reign, and the kingdom of Israel shall continue in thine hand (1 Samuel 24:4-5, 11, 20).

When Jonathan made a covenant with David, he stripped himself of his robe, and gave it to David, even to his sword, to his bow, and to his girdle (1 Samuel 18:3-4);

by which was represented that Jonathan, who was the heir, abdicated the kingdom of Israel and transferred it to David.

[3] As a robe represented the spiritual kingdom, so likewise it represented the truths of this kingdom in general. The truths of this kingdom are what are called spiritual truths, which are in the intellectual part of man. These are signified by “robes” in Ezekiel:

All the princes of the sea shall come down from upon their thrones, and shall cast away their robes, and put off the garments of their embroidery (Ezekiel 26:16);

this is said of Tyre, by which are signified the knowledges of good and truth (n. 1201); the vastation of these in the church is here described; “the robes which they shall cast away” denote the truths of faith which are in the intellectual part; but “the garments of embroidery” denote the memory-knowledges which are in the natural (n. 9688). The reason why these truths are signified, is that the truth which belongs to the understanding reigns in the Lord’s spiritual kingdom; but in the celestial kingdom the good which belongs to the will.

In Matthew:

The scribes and Pharisees do all their works to be seen of men, and enlarge the borders of their robes (Matthew 23:5); where “enlarging the borders of the robes” denotes to speak truths grandiloquently, merely to be heard and seen by men. That such things are signified by “the robe,” will be seen still better from the description of it below in this chapter (verses 31-35).

2788. On the third day. That this signifies completeness, and the beginning of sanctification, is evident from the signification of the “third day.” “Day” in the Word signifies state (n. 23, 487, 488, 493, 893); as also does “year,” and in general all periods of time; as an “hour,” a “day,” a “week,” a “month,” a “year,” an “age;” as also “morning,” “noon,” “evening,” and “night;” and “spring,” “summer,” “autumn,” and “winter;” and when “third” is added to these, they signify the end of that state, and at the same time the beginning of the following state. As the Lord’s sanctification is here treated of, which was effected by temptations, the “third day” signifies completeness, and at the same time the beginning of sanctification, as also follows from what has been already said. The reason of this signification is that when the Lord had fulfilled all things He would rise again on the third day; for the things that were done, or that would be done by the Lord when He lived in the world, were in the representatives of the church as if already done (as also they were in the internal sense of the Word); for in God to be and to become are the same; indeed all eternity is present to Him.

[2] Hence the number “three” was representative, not only in the Ancient Church and in the Jewish, but also among various nations. (See what is said concerning this number above, n. 720, 901, 1825.) That this was the origin of the signification of “three,” is evident in Hosea:

Let us return unto Jehovah, for He hath wounded, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up; after two days He will revive us, on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live before Him (Hos. 6:1-2); where the “third day” denotes the Lord’s coming, and His resurrection. And from Jonah, that he “was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights” (Jonah 1:17); concerning which the Lord thus speaks in Matthew:

As Jonah was in the whale’s belly three days and three nights, so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth (Matthew 12:40).

[3] Be it known that in the internal sense of the Word “three days” and the “third day” signify the same, as also do “three” and “third” in the passages which now follow.

In John:

Jesus said to the Jews, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. He spake of the temple of His body (John 2:19-21; Matthew 26:61; Mark 14:58; 15:29).

[4] That the Lord rose again on the third day is known. For the same reason the Lord distinguished the periods of His life into three, as stated in Luke:

Go ye and tell that fox, Behold I cast out demons, and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I am perfected (Luke 13:32).

His last temptation also, that of the cross, the Lord endured at the “third hour” of the day (Mark 15:25); and after three hours there came darkness over the whole land, or at the “sixth hour” (Luke 23:44); and after three hours, or at the “ninth hour,” the end (Mark 15:33-34, 37). But on the morning of the “third day” He rose again (Mark 16:1-4; Luke 24:7; (see Matthew 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:18-19; Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:33-34; Luke 18:33; 24:46). From all this, and especially from the Lord’s resurrection on the third day, the number “three” was representative and significative, as may be seen from the following passages in the Word:

When Jehovah came down upon Mount Sinai, He told Moses to sanctify the people today and tomorrow, and that they should wash their garments, and be ready against the third day, for on the third day Jehovah would descend (Exodus 19:10-11, 15-16).

When they set forth from the mount of Jehovah on a journey of three days, the ark of Jehovah went before them a three days’ journey to seek out a resting place for them (Numbers 10:33).

There was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days, and they saw not one another for three days, but the sons of Israel had light (Exodus 10:22-23).

[5] The flesh of the sacrifice of a vow, or of a freewill-offering, was to be eaten on the first and second day; nothing was to be left to the third day, but the remainder was to be burnt, because it was an abomination.

So too with the flesh of the peace-offering; and if it should be eaten on the third day it would not propitiate, but the soul should carry its iniquity (Leviticus 7:16-18; 19:6-7).

He that touched one dead was to purify himself on the third day, and on the seventh day he should be clean; otherwise that soul should be cut off from Israel; and one that was clean should sprinkle water upon him that was unclean on the third day and on the seventh day (Numbers 19:12-13, 19).

They who slew a person in battle, or touched one that was slain, were to purify themselves on the third day, and on the seventh day (Numbers 31:19).

[6] When they came into the land of Canaan the fruit was to be uncircumcised three years, and was not to be eaten (Leviticus 19:23).

At the end of three years they were to bring all the tithes of their increase in that year and lay it up in their gates, that the Levite, the sojourner, the orphan, and the widow might eat (Deuteronomy 14:28-29; 24:12).

Three times in the year they were to keep a feast to Jehovah, and three times in the year every male was to appear before the face of the Lord Jehovih (Exodus 23:14, 17; Deuteronomy 16:16).

Joshua told the people that in three days they should pass over the Jordan and inherit the land (Josh. 1:11; 3:2).

[7] Jehovah called to Samuel three times, and he answered the third time (1 Samuel 3:8).

When Saul wished to kill David, David hid himself in the field till the third evening. Jonathan said to David that he would sound his father on the third day. Jonathan shot three arrows by the side of the stone, and David then fell upon his face to the earth before Jonathan and bowed himself down three times (1 Samuel 20:5, 12, 19-20, 30, 36, 41).

David was to choose one of three things: seven years of famine in the land; or that he should flee before his enemies three months; or a pestilence in the land three days (2 Samuel 24:12-13).

[8] There was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year (2 Samuel 21:1).

Elijah stretched himself upon the dead child three times and brought him to life (1 Kings 17:21).

When Elijah had built the altar to Jehovah, he told them to pour water upon the burnt offering and upon the wood three times (1 Kings 18:34).

The fire twice consumed the commanders over fifty, sent to Elijah, but not him that was sent the third time (2 Kings 1:13).

It was a sign to king Hezekiah that they should eat that year what sprung up spontaneously, in the second year the aftergrowth, but in the third year they should sow, reap, plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them (2 Kings 19:29).

[9] Daniel entered into his house and had the windows open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, and here three times a day he blessed upon his knees and prayed (Daniel 6:11, 14).

Daniel mourned three weeks of days, eating no pleasant bread, nor drinking wine, nor anointing himself, until the three weeks of days were fulfilled (Daniel 10:2-3.

Isaiah went naked and barefoot three years, for a sign and a wonder upon Egypt and upon Cush (Isaiah 20:3).

Out of the candlestick went forth three branches on each side, and three almond-shaped cups on each branch (Exodus 25:32-33).

In the Urim and Thummim there were three precious stones in each row (Exodus 28:17-19).

[10] In the new temple there were to be three chambers of the gate on this side and three on that side, and they three should have one measure; at the porch of the house the breadth of the gate should be three cubits on this side and three cubits on that side (Ezekiel 40:10, 21, 48).

In the new Jerusalem there were to be three gates to the north, three to the east, three to the south, and three to the west (Ezekiel 48:31-34; Revelation 21:13).

So in the following passages:

Peter denied Jesus thrice (Matthew 26:34, 26:69-75 d following verses).

The Lord said to Peter three times, “Lovest thou Me?” (John 21:17).

Also in the parable, the man who planted the vineyard sent servants three times, and at length his son (Luke 20:12; Mark 12:2, 4-6).

They who labored in the vineyard were hired at the third hour, the sixth hour, the ninth hour, and the eleventh hour (Matthew 20:1-17).

Because the fig tree did not bear fruit for three years, it was to be cut down (Luke 13:6-7).

[11] As a trine and a third were representative, so also was a third part; as that in the meat offering of fine flour two tenths were mixed with a third part of a hin of oil; and the wine for a libation was a third part of a hin (Numbers 15:6-7; Ezekiel 46:14).

The prophet Ezekiel was to pass a razor upon his head, and upon his beard, and then divide the hair and burn a third part in the fire, and smite a third with the sword, about it [the city], and scatter a third to the wind (Ezekiel 5:1-2, 11).

In the whole land, two parts were to be cut off and the third was to be left; but the third was to be brought through the fire and proved (Zech. 13:8-9).

[12] When the first angel sounded there came hail and fire mingled with blood, and it fell upon the earth so that a third part of the trees were burnt up. The second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea, and a third part of the sea became blood; because of which a third part of the creatures in the sea having souls, died, and a third part of the ships were destroyed. The third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven burning like a lamp, and it fell upon a third part of the rivers; the name of the star was Wormwood. The fourth angel sounded, and a third part of the sun was smitten, and a third part of the moon, and a third part of the stars, so that a third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night in like manner (Revelation 8:7-12).

[13] The four angels were loosed to kill a third part of men (Revelation 9:15).

By these three were the third part of men killed, by the fire, and the smoke, and the brimstone, which proceeded out of the mouth of the horses (Revelation 9:18).

The dragon drew with his tail a third part of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth (Revelation 12:4).

A “third part,” however, signifies some, and what is not yet complete; but the “third,” and a “trine,” what is complete; and this, of evil to the evil, and of good to the good.