860. From these considerations it also becomes clear that all regeneration advances from evening to morning, as is mentioned six times in Genesis 1 where the regeneration of man is the subject. Here the evening is described in verses 2-3, the morning in verses 4-5. The present verse describes the first ray of light or the morning of this state as 'the tops of the mountains appearing'.

5277. 'And seven years of famine will arise after them' means subsequent states when there will be an absence of truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'years' as states, dealt with in 482, 487, 488, 493, 893; from the meaning of 'famine' as an absence of religious knowledge or cognitions. dealt with in 1460, 9364; and from the meaning of 'after them' as subsequent ones.