664. Verse 11. And after the three days and a half, signifies when it is finished, thus the end of the old church and the beginning of the New Church. This is evident from the signification of "the three days and a half," as being fullness and completion as to the end of the old church, when there is the beginning of the New Church (See above, n. 658). It is said "after the three days and a half" because in the Word "days" signify states, here the last state of the church; for in the Word all times, as "hours," "days," "weeks," "months," "years," "ages," signify states, as here the last state of the church, when there is no longer any good of love or truth of faith left. Because "days" signify states, and the establishment of the Most Ancient Church is treated of in the first chapter of Genesis, and it becomes established successively from one state to another, it is there said:

That there was evening and there was morning the first day, the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, and the sixth days, even to the seventh, when it was finished (Genesis 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31; 2:2);

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.

1096. And he cried out in strength with a great voice.- That this signifies manifestation before heaven and in the church from joy of heart, is evident from the signification of crying out, as denoting to make manifest, namely, that the Last Judgment was accomplished upon Babylon, for the words "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great" follow; and from the signification of in strength, as denoting in power before heaven and in the church, of which we shall speak in what follows; and from the signification of a great voice, as denoting joy of heart, for from that the voice becomes great. The cause of the joy of heart was, that after the Last Judgment upon those who are meant by the harlot or Babylon, the Divine Truth, which proceeds from the Lord, acquired light and power as stated in the article above. A great voice signifies joy of heart, because exclamation in a loud voice proceeds from some affection, and is more intense according to the affection or degree of love. The reason why in strength signifies in heaven and on earth, is, that strength signifies power, and the power then existed of manifesting those things before heaven and the world. Concerning this power see above (n. 1093).

[2] Continuation concerning the Athanasian Creed.- The first and primary thought that opens heaven to man, is thought concerning God; the reason of this is, that God is the All of heaven, so that whether we speak of heaven or of God it is the same thing. The Divine things (Divina) taken together, which cause the angels, of whom heaven consists, to be angels, are God. This is the reason why thought concerning God is the first and primary of all the thoughts that open heaven to man; for it is the head and sum of all truths and loves celestial and spiritual. But there is thought from light, and there is thought from love, thought from light alone is the knowledge that God exists, which appears like acknowledgement, but is not.

[3] By thought from light, man has presence in heaven, but not conjunction with heaven. For the light of thought alone, does not conjoin, but is the cause of the presence of man before the Lord and the angels; for that light is like the light of winter, in which a man sees as clearly as in the light of summer, nevertheless that light does not enter into conjunction either with the earth, or with any tree, shrub, flower, or grass. In every man is implanted, by means of the light of heaven, the faculty of thinking about God, and, also, of understanding those things that pertain to God, but thought alone from that light, which is intellectual thought, is merely the cause of his presence before the Lord and before the angels, as said above.

[4] When a man is merely in intellectual thought concerning God and concerning those things which pertain to God, he appears then to the angels, from a distance, like an image of ivory or marble, which is capable of walking and uttering sounds, but in whose face and utterance there is yet no life. He also appears to the angels, comparatively, like a tree in winter time whose branches are bare and without leaves, which, is nevertheless, expected to be covered with leaves, and afterwards with fruit, when the heat is conjoined with light, as is the case in time of spring. As thought concerning God primarily opens heaven, so thought against God primarily closes heaven.