8506. 'Six days you shall gather it' means the acceptance of truth before it is joined to good. This is clear from the meaning of 'six days' as states of conflict and labour, dealt with above in 8494, at this point states when truth is gaining acceptance, or states when good is being acquired through truth, dealt with immediately above in 8505; for during this state there is labour and conflict. During it a person is pitched into temptations, which are conflicts with the evils and falsities residing with him; at this time the Lord fights for him and also alongside him. But this state is followed by a state in which good and truth are joined together, a state that is accordingly one of rest also for the Lord. This state is what rest on the seventh or sabbath day represented. The reason why it is rest for the Lord is that when good has been joined to truth, a person abides in the Lord and is led by the Lord without labour or conflict. This state is what is meant by the second state spoken of immediately above in 8505.

8494. '[A day of] rest' means a state of peace when there is no temptation. This is clear from the meaning of 'rest', such as belonged to sabbath days, as a representation of a state of peace in which the joining together of goodness and truth takes place. But the six days before this represented the conflict and labour, consequently the temptations, which come before a state of peace; for temptations are followed by a state of peace, in which goodness and truth are joined together. Regarding the fact that 'the six days' which come before the seventh or sabbath was a sign meaning conflict and labour, see 720, 737, 900; and regarding the fact that temptations are followed by serenity and peace, 3696, 4572, 5246, 6829, 8367, 8370 (end). As for 'the sabbath' and its meaning the joining together of goodness and truth, this will be seen in what follows immediately below.