10209. 'Once a year' means everlastingly. This is clear from the meaning of 'once a year' as for the whole year; for the expiation on the horns of the altar of incense once a year implied expiation for the whole year. 'A year', like all references to time, means a state and its duration, and also everlastingness. In this instance it is a state of purification from evils by means of the truths of faith; for this state is meant by expiation on the horns of the altar of incense once a year, and all purification from evils, which is regeneration, persists everlastingly not only in the world but also in the next life.

'A year' means that which is everlasting and eternal, see 2906 (end), 7828.

So do 'yesterday', 'today', 'tomorrow', and like references to time, 2838,

3998, 4304, 6165, 6984, 9939.

Purification from evils, or regeneration, persists to eternity, see the places referred to in 9334, and what has been stated in 10048.

7828. 'The first shall it be for you in the months of the year' means the starting point of all states following for evermore. This is clear from the meaning of 'being the first', when used in reference to months of the year and in the internal sense to states of life, as the starting point; from the meaning of 'the months' as states, dealt with immediately above in 7827; and from the meaning of 'the year' as the period of life from start to finish, dealt with in 2906. Here, since it is speaking about members of the spiritual Church in the next life, whose period of life has a starting point but no finish, 'the year' means the period of life from the start and continuing for evermore (as 'year' can also mean, see end of 2906). The reason why this month became 'the head of months' and the first of all is that it means the starting point in the deliverance of those belonging to the spiritual Church who till then were in a state of captivity, since they were held back on the lower earth, where they were molested by the evil ones represented by Pharaoh and the Egyptians. The reason why their first state when they were delivered is the chief one of all and why it is the starting point of all following for evermore is that those who were there were delivered by the Lord's Coming into the world. They could not possibly have been saved without the Lord's Coming into the world; and their deliverance took place when the Lord rose again. From this it is evident that that state - when they were delivered - was for them the chief of all states. It was to be the same after that for all who belonged to the spiritual Church. They too could not have been saved unless the Lord had come into the world and glorified His Human, that is, made it Divine. With regard to those who belonged to the spiritual Church before the Lord's Coming, that they were held back on the lower earth, and that the Lord delivered and saved them, see 6854, 6914; and in general, that members of the spiritual Church were saved by the Lord's Coming, 2661, 1716, 6372, 7035, 7091 (end). So it is that the words under consideration here mean in the highest sense that the glorification and resurrection of the Lord, of His Human, are the source of all salvation.