487. 'Days means periods of time and states in general. This has been shown in Chapter 1, where the 'days of creation' have no other meaning. In the Word it is very common for a whole period of time to be called 'a day', as it clearly is in the present verse and in verses 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 27, 31, below; and therefore the states that belong to periods of time in general are meant by 'days' as well. And when 'years' is attached, then periods of years mean the natures of those states, and so the states in particular.

[2] The most ancient people had their own particular numbers which they would use to mean different aspects of the Church - for instance, the numbers three, seven, ten, twelve, and many which they obtained from these and other numbers - and in so doing incorporated states of the Church. These numbers therefore contain arcana that would require considerable effort to unravel. Really a number was an evaluation of the states of the Church. The same feature occurs throughout the Word, especially in the prophetical. And the religious ceremonies of the Jewish Church also entail numbers specifying periods of time as well as quantities; for example, in connection with sacrifices, minchahs, oblations, and other practices, which in every case have special reference to holy things. Consequently eight hundred in this verse, nine hundred and thirty in the next, and the numbers of years mentioned in the verses that follow after that, embody in particular more matters than can possibly be retold; matters, that is to say, which have to do with changes in the state of their Church in relationship to their own general state. Later on, in the Lord's Divine mercy, the meaning of the simple numbers up to twelve will be given, for without knowing these first of all no one can grasp what compound numbers mean.

213. And to know that I have loved thee. That this signifies knowledge thence, that the Lord is present in charity and not in faith without it, is evident from the signification of knowing, as denoting knowledge; and from the signification of, I have loved thee, when predicated of the Lord, as denoting that He is present. The reason why it denotes His being present in charity and not in faith without it is, that the subject treated of is those who are in the faith of charity (as may be seen above, n. 203). The Lord is present in affection or love with man, thus in the life of his spirit; for love, or affection, constitutes the life of his spirit; consequently, the Lord is present in charity, charity being man's essential affection or spiritual love. And because the Lord is present in charity with man, it is evident that He is not present in faith without charity; nor is faith without charity spiritual, therefore neither is it inwardly in the man so as to constitute his life, but outside him in the memory, and thence in some natural thought. The reason why to love, when said of the Lord, denotes His presence is, that love causes conjunction and thence presence, and to him who loves, the Lord enters in, and teaches and leads, and also gives him power to love Him, that, is, to do His commandments and precepts; for this is to love the Lord. That the Lord is present with him whom He loves, and that He loves him who keeps His commandments and precepts He Himself teaches in John:

"He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him" (14:21, 23).