3254. In a good old age, an old man and sated. That this signifies something new in the representation, is evident from the signification in the internal sense of “old age,” as being to put off what is old and put on what is new (see n. 1854, 2198, 3016). The reason why what is new, or a new state, is signified in the internal sense by “old age,” is that with the angels, for whom is the internal sense of the Word, there is no idea of time, thus no idea of such things as belong to time, as the ages of man-infancy, childhood, youth, adult age, and old age. But instead of all these they have an idea of states, thus instead of the time of infancy they have an idea of the state of innocence; instead of the time of childhood and youth they have an idea of the state of the affection of good and truth; instead of adult age they have an idea of the state of intelligence; and instead of old age an idea of the state of wisdom (n. 3183); and as at this time of life man passes from the things of time to those that are of a life without time, and thus puts on a new state, by “old age” is signified what is new, and in this case a new representative, because it is in relation to this with Abraham that “old age” is predicated, and also that he was “an old man and sated,” as can be seen from what has just been said.

3016. Abraham being old was come into days. That this signifies when the state was at hand that the Lord’s Human should be made Divine, is evident from the representation of Abraham, as being the Lord (see n. 1893, 1965, 1989, 2011, 2172, 2198, 2501, 2833, 2836, and many other places); and from the signification of “old,” or of “old age,” as being to put off what is human, and put on what is heavenly (see n. 1854, 2198); and when predicated of the Lord, as being to put on the Divine. The same is evident also from the signification of “day,” as being state (see n. 23, 487, 488, 493, 893, 2788); and hence from the signification of “coming into days,” as being when the state was at hand. Such things are signified by “old” and “coming into days,” for the reason that the angels have no idea of old age, or of the advancing age which is meant by “coming into days;” but an idea of state in regard to the life in which they are; and therefore when mention is made in the Word of advancement in age, and of old age, the angels who are with man can have no other idea than of the state of life in which the persons are, and in which men are while passing through their ages even to the last; namely, that they thus successively put off what is human and put on what is heavenly. For human life, from infancy to old age, is nothing else than a progression from the world to heaven; and the last age, which is death, is the transition itself. Therefore burial is resurrection, because it is a complete putting off (see n. 2916, 2917). As the angels are in such an idea, nothing else can be signified by “coming into days” and by “old age” in the internal sense which is principally for angels and for men who are angelic minds.