3786. It is not time for the cattle to be gathered together. That this signifies that the goods and truths of the churches and of doctrinal things could not yet be gathered into a one, is evident from the signification of “time,” as being state in general (n. 2625, 2788, 2837, 3254, 3356); from the signification of “being gathered together,” as being to be in a one; and from the signification of “cattle,” as being in general the goods and truths of churches and of doctrinal things. That “cattle” in general have this signification, is because in the rituals of the representative church, and in the Word, animals signify the affections of good or of truth; as may be seen from what has been shown above (n. 45, 46, 142, 143, 246, 714, 715, 2679, 2697, 2979, 3203, 3502, 3508, 3510, 3665, 3699, 3701).

[2] The case is the same in general with the church when it is being set up again-the doctrinal things of good and truth must be collected into a one, for it is on these that it is built. Moreover doctrinal things have a connection with and mutual respect to each other, and therefore unless they are first collected into a one, there will be a defect, and that which is lacking must be supplied by man’s rational; and how blind and illusory this is in spiritual and Divine things, when its conclusions are from itself, has been abundantly shown above. For this reason there has been given to the church the Word, which contains all the doctrinal things of good and truth. In this regard, with a man who is being regenerated, the case is the same with the church in general as it is with the church in particular; for such a man is the church in particular. That the doctrinal things of good and truth which belong to the church must needs first be together in a man before he is regenerated has been shown above. This then is what is signified in the internal sense by “Behold as yet the day is great, it is not time for the cattle to be gathered together.”

2625. At the appointed time. That this signifies when the rational was such as to receive, is evident from the signification of “time.” There are two things which while man lives in the world appear to be essential, because they are proper to nature, namely, space and time. Hence to live in space and time is to live in the world or in nature. But in the other life these two things are of no consequence. In the world of spirits indeed they do appear to be of some consequence, for the reason that spirits fresh from the body still retain the idea of natural things; yet it is not long before they perceive that there is no space and time there, but state instead; and that in the other life states correspond to spaces and times in nature; to spaces states as to Being [esse], and to times states as to Coming forth [existere]. (In regard to space or place see above, n. 1274, 1379, 1380, 1382)

[2] From this anyone can see what kind of an idea a man may have, while in the world or in nature, respecting the things of the other life and many arcana of faith; namely, that he is not willing to believe them until he apprehends them by means of the things in the world, nay, by sensuous things; for he must needs suppose that if he were to put off the idea of space and time, and still more space and time themselves, he would become absolutely nothing; and thus that he would have nothing left from which he could feel and think, except something confused and incomprehensible; when yet the case is exactly the reverse. Angelic life is of such a nature as to be the wisest and happiest of all.

[3] This is the reason why in the Word “ages” in the internal sense do not signify ages, but states; so that in this verse “old age” does not mean old age. And in the same way the numbers do not signify numbers, but some specific state, as for instance the number a hundred years, concerning which hereafter. From this we can now see that by the “appointed time” is signified the state when the rational was such as to receive.

[4] In regard to the specific matter here treated of, namely, that the Divine rational was and came forth from the unition of the Divine spiritual with the Divine celestial of the Lord, when the days were fulfilled for the human to be put off, and when the rational was such as to receive (all of which is signified in the internal sense by Sarah’s conceiving and bearing to Abraham a son to his old age at the appointed time), be it known that the human begins in the inmost of the rational (see n. 2106, 2194); and that the Lord advanced successively to the union of the Human Essence with the Divine Essence, and of the Divine Essence with the Human Essence (n. 1864, 2033, 2523); and this by His own power (n. 1921, 2025, 2026, 2083), by continual temptations and victories (n. 1737, 1813, 1690), and by continual revelations from His Divine (n. 1616, 2500); and this until at length He had expelled all the maternal human (n. 1414, 1444, 2574); and thus had made His Human Divine in respect to the rational, according to the things contained in this verse. Hence it is manifest what is to be understood by the days being fulfilled for the human to be put off, and by the rational being such as to receive.

[5] Some idea of this may be formed from what takes place in those who are being regenerated. The celestial things of love and the spiritual things of faith are not at once implanted in them by the Lord, but successively; and when by means of them the man’s rational has become such that it can receive, then for the first time is he becoming regenerate, for the most part by means of temptations in which he conquers. When these things take place, the days are fulfilled for him to put off the old man, and to put on the new. (Concerning man’s regeneration, see above, n. 677, 679, 711, 848, 986, 1555, 2475)