1825. That 'three years old' embodies all things of the Church as to periods and states is clear from the meaning of 'three' in the Word. Three means the whole time of the Church from start to finish, and so its total state. The final phase of the Church is therefore meant by the third day, by the third week, by the third month, by the third year, or by the third decade, ¹ all having the same meaning. As the state of the Church is meant by the number three, so also is the state of every individual who is a Church, and indeed everything that is part of the Church, as becomes clear from the meaning of that number in the places quoted from the Word in 720, 901.

[2] That 'a three year old heifer' accordingly means the whole time or state of the Church even to its end, that is to say, when it has been vastated, or laid desolate, also becomes clear in Isaiah,

My heart cries out upon Moab, his fugitives flee even to Zoar, a three year old heifer, for at the ascent of Luhith he will go up weeping, for on the road to Horonaim they will raise a cry of ruination. Isaiah 15:5.

Also in Jeremiah,

Gladness and exultation have been plucked from Carmel, and from the land of Moab, and I will make the wine cease from the winepresses. None will tread the hedad; the hedad will not be a hedad. ² From the cry of Heshbon even to Elealeh, as far as Jahaz they uttered their voice, from Zoar even to Horonaim, a three year old heifer, for the waters of Nimrim also will become desolations. Jeremiah 48:33-34.

Nobody could possibly perceive what these details mean unless he knew what is meant by Moab, Zoar, the ascent of Luhith, the shout of Heshbon even to Elealeh, Jahaz, Horonaim, the waters of Nimrim, and a three year old heifer. That a final vastation is meant is plainly evident.

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4209. Verses 54-55 And Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his brothers to eat bread; and they ate bread and stayed the night in the mountain. And in the morning Laban rose up early, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them; and Laban went and returned to his place.

'Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain' means worship founded on good that stems from love. 'And called his brothers to eat bread' means [an invitation] to make the good from the Lord's Divine Natural their own. 'And they ate bread' means the achievement of this. 'And stayed the night in the mountain' means serenity. 'And in the morning Laban rose up early' means the enlightenment of that good by the Lord's Divine Natural. 'And kissed his sons and his daughters' means the acknowledgement of those truths and of affections for them. 'And blessed them' means the resulting joy. 'And Laban went and returned to his place' means the end of the representation by means of Laban.