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.

571. That had been prepared for the hour, and day, and month, and year, signifies continually in the state. This is evident from the signification of "being prepared for the hour and day and month and year," as being to be continually in the state, that is, of depriving themselves of all understanding of truth, and thence of spiritual life, which is signified by what follows, namely, "that they should kill the third part of men;" for "hours," "days," "months," and "years," signify in the Word the states of life in particular and in general, therefore "to be prepared for" these periods signifies to be continually in that state. "Hours," "days," "months," and "years," do not mean hours, days, months, and years, because in the spiritual world times are not divided into such intervals, for the sun from which the angelic heaven has its light and its heat is not carried around as the sun in the natural world is apparently, therefore it does not cause years, months, days, or hours; but times in the spiritual world, although they succeed each other as times do in the natural world, are distinguished by the states of life. (What these are may be seen in the work on Heaven and Hell, under the head, The Sun in Heaven, n. 116-125; Changes of the State of the Angels in Heaven, n. 154-161; Time in Heaven, n. 162-169.) From this it can he seen that the angels "had been prepared for the hour, day, month, and year," signifies to be continually in the state that is treated of in what follows. That an "hour," signifies state, so also a "day," a "month," and a "year," in like manner, is evident from the passages in the Word in which they are mentioned, but to quote those passages here would be too lengthy. (This, however, can be seen from what is shown respecting Time in the work on Heaven and Hell; also Arcana Coelestia, that "times" do not signify in the Word times, but states of life, n. 2788, 2837, 3254, 3356, 4814, 4901, 4916, 7218, 8070, 10133, 10605.) "Times" signify states for the reason that in the spiritual world there are no stated times of the day called morning, noon, evening, and night, nor stated times of the year called spring, summer, autumn, and winter; nor are there changes of light and shade, of heat and cold, as in our world, but instead of these there are changes of state in respect to love and faith; and from these no idea can be had of the intervals into which our times are divided, although times have progression there as in the natural world (as to this see Arcana Coelestia 1274, 1382, 3356, 4882, 6110, 7218). And as the sun of the angelic heaven, which is the Lord, is continually in its rising, and makes no revolutions as the sun of our world apparently does, but there are instead merely changes of state with the angels and spirits according to their reception of the good of love and the truth of faith, therefore times correspond to changes of state and signify them (Arcana Coelestia 4901, 7381). Therefore angels and spirits think apart from any idea of time, which man cannot do (Arcana Coelestia 3404).