8750. In the third month. That this signifies fullness of state, is evident from the signification of “month,” as being state; for all periods of time, as “days,” “weeks,” “months,” and “years,” signify states (see n. 2788); and from the signification of “three” and “third,” as being what is complete (n. 1825, 2788, 4495, 5159); consequently “in the third month” denotes in fullness of state.

[2] What fullness of state is, shall be briefly told. Every state has its beginning, its progression, and its end. When a state arrives at its end, it is then full, and is called “fullness.” In the other life all things are measured by progressions of state and their successive changes from beginning to end, as in the world by times. That this is so is because in heaven there are no times, but states in their stead. The reason is that the sun in the other life, which is the Lord, remains constantly in its place, and does not, as in the world, by apparent daily progressions distinguish the day into morning, noon, evening, and night; nor by apparent annual progressions distinguish the year into spring, summer, autumn, and winter. From this it is that in heaven there are no times, but states in their stead. But as in the inmost sphere of heaven there is a certain progression according to the Divine heavenly form, which comes to the perception of no one, and as according to this progression the states of all in heaven undergo changes, the angels there are by turns in the good of love, in the truth of faith, and in obscurity as to the one and the other. From this it is that there is a correspondence of the states there with times in the world, namely, of the state of the good of love with morning, of the state of the truth of faith with good, and of an obscure state with evening and night. Moreover the heat also, which is from the sun there, is the good of love; and the light which is from the sun there, is the truth of faith. From this also it is that there is a correspondence of the heat in the world with love, which is therefore called “spiritual heat;” as also of the light in the world with faith, which is therefore called “spiritual light.”

[3] There are in general two states of life, namely, a state of thought, which is of the understanding, and a state of affection, which is of the will. The state of thought, which is of the understanding, bears relation to the truth which is of faith. It is this state that is enlightened by light from the sun of heaven, which is the Lord. So also is the light of the understanding in man from that light. But the state of affection, which is of the will, bears relation to the good which is of charity; and moreover the heat of the will in man, which is love, is from the heat from that sun in heaven, which is the Lord. From all this it can now be seen how the case is with states and their changes in the other life, and what is meant by the fullness of state which is signified by “the third month.” By state here, of which fullness is predicated, is meant the former state which those who were of the spiritual church had passed through. (That these pass through two states, the first when they are led by the Lord by means of truth, the second when they are led by Him by means of good, see n. 8643, 8648, 8658, 8685, 8690, 8701.) Here there is meant a fullness of the former state which has been described in what goes before; now the second state is described.