Arcana Coelestia #737
737. 'Noah was a son of six hundred years' means his initial state of temptation. This is clear from the fact from here down to Eber in Chapter 11 nothing else is meant by numbers, years of age, or names than real things, as was the case also with the ages and names of all those mentioned in Chapter 5. Here 'six hundred years' means the initial state of temptation. This becomes clear from its prime factors which are ten and six multiplied again by ten. When the same factors are involved it makes no difference whether the number arrived at is large or small. As for ten, this has been shown already at 6:3 to mean remnants, while the meaning of six here as labour and conflict is clear from places throughout the Word. For the situation is this: What has gone before dealt with man's preparation for temptation, that is to say, he was supplied by the Lord with truths of the understanding and with goods of the will. These truths and goods are remnants, but they are not brought forth so as to be acknowledged until man is being regenerated. In the case of those who are being regenerated by means of temptations the remnants existing with any man are for the angels present with him. From these remnants they draw out those things with which they protect him against the evil spirits who activate falsities with him and in this way attack him. It is because remnants are meant by 'ten' and conflict by 'six' that six hundred years are spoken of, a number in which ten and six are the prime factors and which means a state of temptation.
[2] As regards conflict being the particular meaning of 'six', this is clear from Genesis 1, which describes the six days of man's regeneration prior to his becoming celestial. During those six days there was constant conflict, but on the seventh day came rest. Consequently there are six days of labour, and the seventh is the sabbath, a word which means rest. This also is why a Hebrew slave was to serve for six years and in the seventh was to go free, Exodus 21:2; Deuteronomy 15:12; Jeremiah 34:14, and why for six years they were to sow the land and gather in the produce, but in the seventh they were to leave it alone, Exodus 23:10-12. The same applied to a vineyard. It is also the reason why in the seventh year the land was to have a sabbath of rest, a sabbath to Jehovah, Leviticus 25:3-4. Because 'six' means labour and conflict it also means the dispersion of falsity, as in Ezekiel,
Behold, six men coming from the direction of the upper gate, which looks towards the north, every man with a weapon of dispersion in his hand. Ezekiel 9:2.
And in the same prophet, against Gog,
I will cause you to turn about, and I will split you into six, and cause you to come up from the uttermost parts of the north. Ezekiel 39:2.
Here 'six' and 'splitting into six' stand for dispersion, 'the north' for falsities, and 'Gog' for people who seize on doctrinal matters based on things of an external nature with which they destroy internal worship. From Job,
He will deliver you in six troubles, and in a seventh no evil will touch you. Job 5:19.
This stands for the conflict that constitutes temptations.
[3] 'Six' occurs in other parts of the Word where it does not mean labour, conflict, or the dispersion of falsity, but the holiness of faith. In these instances it is related to twelve, which means faith and all things of faith in their entirety, and to three which means that which is holy. Consequently there is also a genuine derivative meaning to the number six, as in Ezekiel 40:5, where the man's measuring rod with which he measured the holy city of Israel was six cubits long; and in other places. The reason for this derivative is that in the conflict of temptation the holiness of faith is present, and also that six days of labour and conflict look forward to the holy seventh day.
Acts 5
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But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
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And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
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But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
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Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
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And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
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And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
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And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
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And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
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Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.
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Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
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And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
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And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.
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And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them.
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And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)
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Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.
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There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.
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Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation,
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And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.
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But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,
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Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
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And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel and sent to the prison to have them brought.
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But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told,
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Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.
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Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.
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Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.
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Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.
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And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
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Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.
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Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
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The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.
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Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
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And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.
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When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.
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Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;
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And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.
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For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.
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After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.
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And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:
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But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.
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And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
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And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
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And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
