862. And it came to pass at the end of forty days. That this signifies the duration of the former state, and the beginning of the following one, is evident from the signification of “forty” which was explained at n. 730; where, the subject being temptation, it is said “forty days and forty nights” signifying the duration of the temptation. But because the subject here is the state following temptation, it is said “forty days” but not forty nights. The reason is, that charity, which in the Word is compared to “day” and called “day” now begins to appear; and faith which precedes being not yet so conjoined with charity, is compared to “night” and called “night” (as in Genesis 1:16; and in other parts of the Word). In the Word faith is also called “night” from its receiving its light from charity, as the moon does from the sun; and hence faith is compared to the “moon” and called the “moon” and love or charity is compared to the “sun” and called the “sun.” “Forty days” (or the duration which they signify) have respect both to what precedes and to what follows, wherefore it is said, “at the end of forty days;” thus they signify the duration of the former state and the beginning of that now treated of. Here then commences the description of the second state of the man of this church after temptation.

731. Every substance that I have made will I destroy from off the faces of the ground. That this signifies man’s Own, which is as if destroyed when vivified, is evident from what has been said before respecting this Own. Man’s Own is all evil and falsity. So long as this continues, the man is dead; but when he comes into temptations it is dispersed, that is, loosened and tempered by truths and goods from the Lord, and thus is vivified and appears as if it were not present. That it does not appear and is no longer hurtful, is signified by “destroyed;” and yet it is not destroyed, but remains. It is almost as with black and white, which when variously modified by the rays of light are turned into beautiful colors—such as blue, yellow, and purple—whereby, according to their arrangement are presented lovely and agreeable tints, as in flowers, yet remaining radically and fundamentally black and white. But as here at the same time the final vastation of those who were of the Most Ancient Church is treated of, by “I will destroy every existing thing that I have made, from off the face of the ground” are signified those who perished (as likewise in the following verse,). The “substance that I have made” is all that, or every man, in which there was heavenly seed, or who was of the church; and therefore, both here and in the following verse, “ground” is mentioned, which signifies the man of the church in whom good and truth have been implanted. This seed, in those called “Noah”—evils and falsities being dispersed, as before said—gradually grew up; but with the antediluvians who perished it was extinguished by tares.