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:

720. The symbolism of two each as things that are relatively profane can be seen from the symbolism of the number itself.

Two symbolizes marriage (and when it symbolizes the heavenly marriage it is a holy number), but it also symbolizes the same thing as six. Two has the same relation to three as the six days of labor have to the seventh, holy day of rest. So in the Word the third day is interchangeable with the seventh and involves almost the same meaning. This is because of the Lord's resurrection on the third day. For the same reason, just as the seventh day speaks of the Lord's entry into the world and into his glory (and all the other times he comes as well), so also does the third day. In consequence, the two preceding days are not holy but relatively profane, as in Hosea:

Come, let us return to Jehovah, because he has injured us and will heal us. He has struck us and will bandage us. He will bring us to life after two days; on the third day he will raise us up and we will live before him. (Hosea 6:1-2)

In Zechariah:

"It will come about in all the earth," says Jehovah, "that two parts in it will be cut off, will die, and a third will be left in it. And I will lead the third part through fire, and smelt them as silver is smelted." (Zechariah 13:8-9)

And Psalms 12:6 says that the silver would be very pure when purified seven times.

Just as seven each does not mean seven each but what is holy, then, two each plainly does not mean two each but what is relatively profane. In no way does this imply that the ratio of unclean animals (or negative emotions in those people) to clean animals (or good impulses) was as low as two to seven. On the contrary, we harbor immeasurably more evil than good.

1825. The fact that three years old covers all eras and conditions of religion can be seen from the symbolism of three in the Word. Three symbolizes an entire religious era from beginning to end, so it symbolizes every state along the way. Consequently the end of a religious era is symbolized by a third day, week, month, year, or age, ¹ which all mean the same thing.

Just as the number three symbolizes the condition of religion, it also symbolizes conditions in a religious person and in fact the condition of any feature of religion. This can be seen from the meaning of that number in the scriptural passages quoted in §§720, 901.

[2] This symbolism of a three-year-old heifer as an era or state of religion all the way to its end (when it has been devastated or stripped bare inwardly) can also be seen in Isaiah:

My heart cries out over Moab; those who flee it as far as Zoar are a three-year-old heifer. For they will ascend in tears on the ascent to Luhith, since on the way to Horonaim they will raise a cry for the wreckage. (Isaiah 15:5)

And in Jeremiah:

Gladness and exultation have disappeared from Carmel and from the land of Moab; and wine from the winepresses I will put an end to. No one will tread the hedad; the hedad will not be a hedad. ² From the cry of Heshbon all the way to Elealeh, all the way to Jahaz, they have uttered their voice, from Zoar all the way to Horonaim — a three-year-old heifer; because the waters of Nimrim will also become wastelands. (Jeremiah 48:33-34)

No one could ever tell what these words mean without knowing what is symbolized by Moab, Zoar, the ascent to Luhith, the cry of Heshbon to Elealeh, Jahaz, Horonaim, the waters of Nimrim, and the three-year-old heifer; although it is clear that they depict final devastation. ³

Footnotes: