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.

9783. 'To cause a lamp to go up continually' means faith from there, and through that faith an intelligent understanding of truth and a wise discernment of good from the Lord. This is clear from the meaning of 'a lamp' as faith, and from this an intelligent understanding of truth and a wise discernment of good, dealt with in 9548. 'A lamp' means faith because Divine Truth emanating from the Lord composes the light in heaven. This light when received by the angels there, or by a person in the world, resembles a lamp; for it casts light into all parts of the mind and imparts intelligence and wisdom. This light so received is faith. But it should be remembered that faith is not a lamp or that which casts light into the mind unless it is fed by charity, and so unless it is charity. The situation with faith and charity is the same as it is with truth and good. Just as truth is the outward form of good, or good embodied in an outward form, enabling it to be seen in light, so faith is the outward form of charity, or charity embodied in an outward form. Faith furthermore is that to which truth belongs, and charity is that to which good belongs. For truth, when believed, passes into faith; and good, when loved, passes into charity. The good and truth themselves that are loved are the neighbour, and the love of the neighbour is charity.