761. Where she is nourished a time and times and half a time, from the face of the serpent, signifies until the church grows and comes to its fullness. This is evident from the signification of "to be nourished," as being to be sustained, and in the meantime to grow; from the signification of "a time and times and half a time," as being a state of increase of the church, even to its fullness, for this has a similar signification as "a thousand two hundred and sixty days," in the sixth verse above, for it is there, too, said of the woman that "she fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared by God, that there they may nourish her a thousand two hundred and sixty days." That this number has a similar signification as the number "three and a half," as also the number "seven," namely, until it grows to its full, may be seen above n. 732. But here it is said "a time, times, and half a time," because the above named numbers in their places also signify times, and "times" signify the states of life in their progress (as may be seen above, n. 571, 610, 664, 673, 747), so here, their progress and growth even to fullness. It is said "a time, times, and half a time," because "time" in the singular signifies a state of good, "times" in the plural a state of truth, both in respect to their implantation, and "half a time" signifies a holy state of the church. They have this signification because a thing in the singular involves good, in the plural truths, and a "half" holiness; a "half" involves holiness because "three," likewise "three and a half" and "seven," signify fullness, but "seven" signifies fullness when things holy are treated of, and the half after the three fills out or constitutes the number seven, for three and a half doubled makes seven, and a number doubled or multiplied has a similar signification as the number that is doubled or multiplied, as seven has a similar signification here as three and a half. That "seven" signifies fullness and the whole, and is predicated of things holy, may be seen above (n. 20, 24, 257). That "a time, times, and half a time," have this signification can be seen from these words in Daniel:

A man clothed in linen held up his right hand and his left hand unto the heavens, and sware by Him that liveth forever that it shall be for a fixed time of fixed times and a half; and when they shall make an end of scattering the hand of the people of holiness all these things shall be consummated (Daniel 12:7).

From this it is clear that these times signify a consummation, for it is said "until all these things shall be consummated," and consummation means fulfillment, thus even to fullness.