488. As has been stated, 'days' means states in general, and 'years' states in particular. This too becomes clear from the Word, as in Ezekiel,

You have brought your days near, and you have come even to your years. Ezekiel 22:4.

This refers to people who behave abominably and sin to the fullest extent, and so 'days' has reference in this case to such people's state in general, 'years' to that state in particular.

In David,

You will add days to the king's days; and his years as generation after generation! Psalms 61:6.

This refers to the Lord and His kingdom, where again 'days' and 'years' stand for the state of His kingdom.

In the same author,

I have considered the days of old, the years of long ago. Psalms 77:5.

Here 'days of old' is states of the Most Ancient Church, and 'years of long ago' states of the Ancient Church. In Isaiah,

The day of vengeance was in My heart, and the year of My redeemed has come. Isaiah 63:4.

This stands for the final times, where 'the day of vengeance' stands for a state of condemnation, and 'the year of the redeemed' for a state of blessedness.

Similarly, in the same prophet,

To proclaim the year of Jehovah's good pleasure, and the day of vengeance for our God; to comfort all who mourn. Isaiah 61:2.

Here again 'days' and also 'years' are mentioned and mean states.

In Jeremiah,

Renew our days as of old. Lamentations 5:21.

Here 'days' plainly stands for state.

[2] In Joel,

The day of Jehovah is coming, for it is near, a day of darkness and thick darkness, a tiny of cloud and gloom, as has never happened of old, nor will be again after it through the years of generation after generation. Joel 2:1-2, 11.

Here 'day' stands for a state of darkness, thick darkness, cloud and gloom - a state of individuals in particular and of all in general.

In Zechariah,

I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day. On that day you will shout, each to his companion, under his vine and under his fig tree. Zechariah 3:9-10.

And elsewhere in Zechariah,

There will be one tiny, it is known to Jehovah, which is neither day nor night, and at evening time there will be light. Zechariah 14:7.

State is clearly meant here, for it is said that 'it will be a day, which is neither day nor night; at evening time there will be light'.

The same meaning is also clear from the following in the Decalogue,

Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged, and that it may be well with you in the land. Deuteronomy 5:16; 25:15.

Here 'a prolonging of days' does not mean living on into old age but a state that is happy.

[3] In the sense of the letter 'day' cannot be seen to mean anything other than a period of time, but in the internal sense it means a state. Angels, who abide in the internal sense of the Word, do not know what a period of time is, for the activity of the sun and moon with them does not produce divisions of time. As a consequence they do not know what a day or a year is, but only what states and changes of state are. This is why among angels, who abide in the internal sense of the Word, anything connected with matter, space, and time, goes unnoticed, as with the following usages in the sense of the letter in Ezekiel,

The day is near, even the day of Jehovah is near, a day of cloud; it will be a time of the nations. Ezekiel 30:3.

And in Joel,

Alas for the day! For the day of Jehovah is near, and as destruction. Joel 1:15.

Here 'a day of cloud' stands for cloud or falsity, 'a day of the nations' for the nations or wickedness, and 'the day of Jehovah' for vastation. When the concept of time is removed there remains the concept of the state of the things existing during that period of time. The same applies to the days and the years that are mentioned so many times in this chapter.

282. Because this cherub was like an eagle, and the eagle appeared as flying, it shall now be explained what is signified by flying in the Word. By flying are signified circumspection and presence, because a bird when it flies looks about from on high, and thus by its sight is present everywhere round about; but when flying is said, in the Word, of Jehovah, it signifies omnipresence, because omnipresence is infinite circumspection and infinite presence. This, then, is why this cherub appeared like a flying eagle; for by cherubim in general is signified the providence of the Lord that the higher heavens may not be approached except from the good of love and of charity; and by this cherub is signified the Divine intelligence, as was shown just above.

[2] That by flying, when, in the Word, it is said of the Lord, is signified omnipresence, and, when said of men, circumspection and presence is evident from the following passages. In David:

God "rode upon a cherub, he did fly, and was carried upon the wings of the wind" (Psalm 18:10; 2 Sam. 22:11).

He rode upon a cherub signifies the Divine presence; he did fly signifies omnipresence in the spiritual world; and was carried upon the wings of the wind, signifies omnipresence in the natural world. These words of the Psalmist can be understood only from the spiritual sense.

[3] In Isaiah:

"As birds flying, so will Jehovah Zebaoth protect Jerusalem" (31:5).

Jehovah is said to protect Jerusalem as birds flying, for by protecting is signified the Divine providence as to defence; by Jerusalem is signified the church, and by birds flying, with which comparison is made, is signified circumspection and presence, and in this case, as being said of the Lord omnipresence.

[4] In the Apocalypse:

"I saw, and heard one angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, to the inhabitants of the earth" (8:13).

And again:

"I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to publish unto them that dwell on the earth" (14:6).

By the former angel is here signified the damnation of all who are in evils, and by the other angel is signified the salvation of all who are in good; by flying, is signified circumspection on every side where they are.

[5] In Isaiah:

"All the flocks of Arabia shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee. Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as doves to the windows?" (60:7, 8).

The subject here treated of is the advent of the Lord and the enlightenment of the nations which shall then take place; and by the flocks of Arabia which shall be gathered together are signified the knowledges of truth and good. By the rams of Nebaioth which shall minister are signified truths, which form the life by virtue of spiritual affection; by flying as a cloud, and as doves to the windows, are signified seeking and investigation of truth from the sense of the letter of the Word, hence also by flying is signified circumspection; for a cloud signifies the sense of the letter of the Word; doves signify the spiritual affection of truth, and windows truth in light. That such a sense is contained in those words is evident from the signification of the flocks of Arabia, of the rams of Nebaioth, of a cloud, of doves, and of windows.

[6] In David:

"Fear and trembling are come upon me, whence I said, Who will give me wings like a dove? I will fly away where I may dwell. Lo, I will wander far off, and pass the night in the wilderness" (Psalms 55:5, 6, 7).

The subject here treated of is temptation and straitness at the time; fear and trembling signify that straitness; the seeking for truth at the time and casting about as to whither to turn oneself, is signified by, who will give me wings like a dove? I will fly away where I may dwell. The wings of a dove denote the spiritual affection of truth; to fly away where I may dwell denotes to rescue the life thereby from damnation; that there is as yet no hope of deliverance, is signified by, Lo, I will wander far off, and pass the night in the wilderness.

[7] In Hosea:

"Ephraim, as a bird shall their glory fly away; yea, if they have brought up sons, I will make them likewise bereaved of man" (9:11, 12).

By Ephraim is signified the enlightened understanding of those who belong to the church; by glory is signified Divine truth; by flying away as a bird is signified its deprivation. Comparison is here made with a bird, because a bird signifies the Rational and Intellectual, just as Ephraim does. By its being said, "If they have brought up sons, I will make them likewise bereaved of man" is signified that if they have even produced truths still they are not at all wise thereby; for sons denote truths, and to make them bereaved of man, is to deprive of wisdom.

[8] In Moses:

"Ye shall not make to you the form of any animal upon the earth, nor the form of any winged bird which flieth towards heaven" (Deuteronomy 4:15-17).

By these words, in the internal sense, is signified that man is not to procure to himself wisdom and intelligence from himself, or from proprium. For by the animals which walk upon the earth are signified the affections of good, from which is wisdom, and by birds are signified the affections of truth, from which is intelligence. By their being commanded not to make to themselves the form of any of these, is signified, that those things which they signify are not to be procured from man or from his proprium. It is said, "Any winged fowl that flieth towards heaven," because by winged fowl is signified the spiritual understanding of truth, and by flying towards heaven is signified the circumspection pertaining to intelligence in Divine things.

[9] From these considerations it is evident what is signified by this cherub appearing like a flying eagle, as also what is signified in Isaiah,

by the seraphim; each one had six wings; "with twain," of which "he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly" (6:2).

By the wings with which each of the seraphim covered his face is signified the spiritual affection of truth; by the wings with which he covered his feet, the natural affection of truth therefrom; and the wings with which he did fly denote circumspection and presence, in this case omnipresence, because the seraphim signify the same as the cherubim, namely, the Divine providence as to guardianship.

[10] The reason why by flying, when said of man, is signified circumspection, and at the same time presence, is that the sight is present with the object which it sees; that it appears afar off, or distant, is owing to intermediate objects, which appear at the same time, and can be measured as to space. This may be fully confirmed from those things which exist in the spiritual world; there, spaces themselves are appearances arising from the diversity of affection and of thoughts therefrom; therefore, when any persons or things appear afar off, and an angel or spirit desires from intense affection to be with them, or to view those things which are there, he is immediately present. The same is the case with thought, which is a man's internal or spiritual sight; this perceives those things which he before saw in himself, without space, thus altogether as present. This is why to fly is said of the understanding and of its intelligence, and why thereby are signified circumspection and presence.