3405. And found in that year a hundred measures. That this signifies abundance, is evident from the signification of “year,” as being the entire state that is treated of (n. 487, 488, 493, 893); from the signification of a “hundred,” as being much and full (n. 2636); and from the signification of “measure,” as being the state of a thing as to truth (n. 3104). All these things collected into a one signify the abundance of truth. In the supreme sense here, as everywhere, the subject treated of is the Lord-that He too when in the maternal human was in appearances of truth; but that as He put off this human, He put off the appearances also, and put on the infinite and eternal Divine Itself. But in the internal or relative sense the subject is appearances of a higher degree which exist with the angels, as above stated, the abundance of which is signified by the finding in that year of a hundred measures. With appearances of truth, or with truths from the Divine, the case is that such as are of a higher degree immeasurably surpass those which are in a lower degree, both in abundance and in perfection; for myriads, nay myriads of myriads of things which are distinctively perceived by those who are in a higher degree, appear only as one thing to those who are in a lower degree; for lower things are nothing but the composites of higher things, as may be inferred from the memories in man, the interior of which, because in a higher degree, so immeasurably excels the exterior one which is in a lower degree (n. 2473, 2474). From this we can see how great is the angelic wisdom in comparison with that of man; the angels of the third heaven being in the fourth degree above man; concerning which wisdom therefore nothing can be told except that it is incomprehensible, nay, ineffable.

489. That by “sons and daughters” are signified the truths and goods which they had a perception of, and indeed by “sons” truths, and by “daughters” goods, is evident from many passages in the Prophets; for in the Word, as also in olden time, the conceptions and births of the church are called “sons and daughters” as in Isaiah:

The Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising; lift up thine eyes round about and see; all they gather themselves together and come to thee; thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side; then thou shalt see and flow together, and thy heart shall be amazed, and shall be enlarged (Isaiah 60:3-5),

in which passage “sons” signify truths, and “daughters” goods.

[2] In David:

Deliver me and rescue me from the hand of the sons of the stranger, whose mouth speaketh vanity; that our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth, that our daughters may be as corner-stones hewn in the form of a temple (Psalms 44:11-12),

where the “sons of the stranger” signify spurious truths, or falsities; “our sons” signify doctrinals of truth; “our daughters” doctrinals of good.

[3] In Isaiah:

I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Keep not back; bring My sons from far, and My daughters from the ends of the earth; bring forth the blind people, and they shall have eyes; the deaf, and they shall have ears (Isaiah 43:6, 8),

in which passage “sons” signify truths; “daughters” goods; the “blind” those who would see truths; and the “deaf” those who would obey them.

[4] In Jeremiah:

Shame hath devoured the labor of our fathers from our youth; their flocks, their herds, their sons, and their daughters (Jeremiah 3:24),

where “sons” and “daughters” signify truths and goods. That “children” and “sons” signify truths, is plain from Isaiah: Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale; for when he shall see his children the work of My hands in the midst of him, they shall sanctify My name, and shall sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel; they also that erred in spirit shall know understanding (Isaiah 29:22-24,

where the “Holy One of Jacob, the God of Israel” signifies the Lord; “children” signify the regenerate, who have the understanding of good and truth, as is indeed explained.

[5] Again:

Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear, for more are the sons of the desolate than the sons of the married wife (Isaiah 54:1),

where the “sons of the desolate” signify the truths of the primitive Church, or that of the Gentiles; the “sons of the married wife” the truths of the Jewish Church.

[6] In, Jeremiah:

My tent is laid waste and all My cords are plucked out; My sons are gone forth of Me, and are not (Jeremiah 10:20),

where “sons” signify truths. Again:

His sons shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before Me (Jeremiah 30:20),

where “sons” signify the truths of the Ancient Church.

In Zechariah:

I will stir up thy sons, O Zion, with thy sons, O Javan, and make thee as the sword of a mighty man (Zechariah 9:13),

signifying the truths of the faith of love.