900. The symbolism of the second month as all the stages that precede rebirth can be seen from the symbolism of two in the Word. Two symbolizes the same thing as six, which is the fighting and hard work that come before rebirth. So here it means all the stages we go through before becoming regenerate.

The longest and shortest intervals in the Word are generally split in three or in seven and are called days, weeks, months, years, or "ages." ¹ Three and seven are holy; two and six, being just one less, are not holy but relatively profane, as shown before (§720).

Three and seven also mean something sacrosanct, each because of its connection with the Last Judgment, predicted as coming on the third or else the seventh day. ² Every person — both collectively and individually — has a last judgment when the Lord comes. There was a last judgment when the Lord came into the world. There will be a last judgment when he enters into his glory. There is a last judgment when he comes individually to each person. There is also a last judgment for each person who dies. This last judgment is the third day and the seventh day, which is holy for those who have lived good lives but unholy for those who have lived evil lives. Consequently, a third day and a seventh is predicted for those judged worthy of death and for those judged worthy of life, so that the numbers symbolize what is unholy for those with a verdict of death but what is holy for those with a verdict of life.

Two and six, the numbers just before three and seven, bear a relationship to them and symbolize in general every preceding stage. This is the meaning of the numbers two and six, and the meaning adapts to the subject at hand and to whatever the subject applies to, which the numbers describe.

All of this will become clearer from the discussion of the number twenty-seven in the next section.

Footnotes:

394. Now, as these things were foreseen and provided in order to prevent the human race from dying an eternal death, the present verse says that no one was to do violence to Cain, who symbolizes a detached faith. It also says that a mark was placed on him, that is, that the Lord singled faith out in a special way in order to preserve it.

This is hidden knowledge that has never before come to light. The Lord had the same thing in mind when he spoke of marriage and of eunuchs in Matthew:

There are eunuchs who were born so from their mother's womb. And there are eunuchs who were made so by others. And there are eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the sake of God's kingdom. Those who can understand, let them understand. (Matthew 19:12)

"Eunuch" applies to those who enter into the heavenly marriage. ¹ The ones who are like heavenly angels are called "those born so from their mother's womb." The ones who are like spiritual angels are called "those made so by others." The ones who are like angelic spirits, who participate in that marriage not so much from charity as from obedience, are called "those who made themselves so."

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