664. And after three days and a half.- That this signifies when completed, thus the end of the old church, and the beginning of a new church, is evident from the signification of three days and a half, as denoting fulness or completion at the end of the old church, when there is the beginning of a new church, concerning which see above (n. 658). The reason why it is said, after three days and a half, is, that days, in the Word, signify states, here, the last state of the church. For all times, in the Word, as hours, days, weeks, months, years, and ages, signify states in the Word, as in this case, the last state of the church, when there is no longer any good of love or truth of faith remaining. Because days signify states, and since in the first chapter of Genesis the establishment of the Most Ancient Church is treated of which was accomplished successively from one state to another, therefore it is said there that there was evening and there was morning the first, the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, and sixth days, unto the seventh, when it was completed (Genesis 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31), and the days there do not mean days, but the successive states of the regeneration of men at that time, and the consequent establishment of the church with them. So also elsewhere in the Word.

523. Verse 12. And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; and so that the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise. "And the fourth angel sounded," signifies influx out of heaven, and thence a fourth change; "and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars," signifies that all the good of love perished, all the good and truth of faith, and all cognition of good and truth; and "so that the third part of them was darkened," signifies they were all converted into falsities of evil, and into evils of falsity; "and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise," signifies that the light of spiritual truth, and the light of natural truth, were completely extinguished.