728、“七天”在此表示试探的开始，这从本节所提到的一切细节的内义清楚可知，这一节论述的主题是被称为挪亚的人所受的试探。一般来说，这个主题不仅涉及这个人的试探，还涉及那些属于上古教会，并变得如所描述的那样之人的彻底荒废。因此，“七天”不仅表示试探的开始，还表示荒废的结束。“七天”之所以表示这些事物，是因为“七”是一个神圣数字，如前面所阐述和说明的（创世记7:2；4:15，24；84-87节）。“七天”表示主降世，还表示祂进入荣耀，尤表主的每次降临。主的每次降临都涉及那些正在重生之人的开始，和那些正在荒废之人的结束。该教会成员也是如此，主的降临标志着试探的开始，因为当人在受试探时，他开始变成一个新人并重生。同时，它也是来自上古教会的那些已经变得不可避免地灭亡之人的结束。主降世时就是这种情况；那时，教会已经进入其荒废的最后阶段，并且一个新教会产出了。
“七天”表示这些事物，这一点明显可见于但以理书：
关于你的人民和你的圣城，已经定了七十个七，为要终结罪过，封住罪恶，赎尽罪孽，引进永义，封住异象和预言，并膏至圣所。你要知道，要明白，从话语发出恢复并建造耶路撒冷，直到弥赛亚君王，必有七个七。（但以理书9:24-25）
此处“七十个七”和“七个七”，与“七天”所表相同，都表示主的降临。但由于此处明显是一个预言，所以时间更为神圣，并由涉及七的数字来明确指定。由此明显可知，当以这种方式用于时间时，“七”不仅表示主的降临（这一点由“祂要膏至圣所”和“恢复并建造耶路撒冷”来表示），还表示那时一个新教会的开始；同时“关于圣城，已经定了七十个七，为要终结罪过，封住罪恶”这些话表示最后的荒废。
类似用法也出现在圣言的其它地方，如以西结书，在那里，以西结描述自己的经历说：
我就来到提勒亚毕那些坐在迦巴鲁河边的人那里，我在那里，在他们中间惊愕地坐了七日。过了七日，耶和华的话临到我。（以西结书3:15-16）
此处“七日”表示察罚的开始，因为当他坐在被掳的人中间七日时，耶和华的话临到了他。同一先知书：
他们必用七个月埋葬歌革，为要洁净陆地。过了七个月，他们还要巡查。（以西结书39:12，14）
此处“七”同样表示荒废的最后阶段和察罚的最初阶段。但以理书：
尼布甲尼撒的心要改变，不再是人的，给他一个兽心，使他经过七期。（但以理书4:16，25，32）
这同样表示荒废的结束和一个新人的开始。
在巴比伦被囚的“七十年”所代表的也一样。无论数字七十，还是七，所包含的意义都一样。无论七天，七年，还是构成七十年的七个十年，都是如此。被囚之年代表荒废，释放和圣殿的重建代表一个新教会的开始。雅各在拉班家服事也代表类似的事，其中有这些话：
我愿为拉结服事你七年；雅各就为拉结服事了七年。拉班说，你满了这个七日，我们就把那个也给你，只是你要再服事我七年。雅各就如此行，满了这个七日。（创世记29:18，20，27-28）
此处“服事七年”体现了类似的事；七年时间之后，随之而来的是婚姻和自由。这七年的时间被称为一七（aweek），在但以理书也是如此。
类似的事也由他们要围绕耶利哥城“七次”，城墙就塌陷的吩咐来代表。经上还说：
第七天黎明时分，他们起来照样绕城七次。到了第七次，七个祭司吹七支号角，城墙就塌陷了。（约书亚记6:10-20）
除非这些事具有这种含义，否则经上永远不会吩咐绕城七次，或要有七个祭司和七个号角。从这些和其它许多经文（如约伯记2:13；启示录15:1，6-7；21:9）明显可知，“七天”表示一个新教会的开始和旧教会的结束。由于此处论述的主题不仅是被称为挪亚的教会成员及其试探，还是自我毁灭的上古教会的最后一代，所以“七天”不可能有其它含义，只表示挪亚的试探的开始，以及上古教会的结束或最终的毁灭和灭绝。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]728. The symbolism of in seven days here as the beginning of their inward trials can be seen from the inner meaning of all the words in the current verse, which deal with the trials of the people referred to as Noah. The general subjects are both the inward trials of the "Noah" element and the total devastation that befell some in the earliest church. As a result, in seven days symbolizes not only the start of trials but also the end of ruin.
The reason in seven days symbolizes these things is that seven is a holy number, as has been said and shown at verse 2 of this chapter [716-717], at Genesis 4:15 and 24 [395, 433], and at 84-87. It symbolizes the Lord's arrival in the world and his entry into glory, and it specifically symbolizes every time that the Lord comes to us.
Every arrival of the Lord entails a beginning for those who are regenerating and an end for those who are being destroyed. For the people of this church, his coming was the start of adversity, because when tested, an individual begins to turn into a new person and to regenerate. At the same time it was the end for those in the earliest church who had developed in such a way that the only possible outcome was extinction. By way of a parallel, at the time of the Lord's advent into the world the church was in the final stage of its destruction and a new church was formed.
[2] This symbolism of in seven days can be seen in Daniel:
Seventy weeks have been decreed upon your people and upon your holy city, to bring an end to transgression, and to seal up their sins, and to atone for wickedness, and to introduce everlasting justice, and to seal up vision and prophet, and to anoint the Holiest One. And you will know and perceive that from the issuing of the Word to restore and rebuild Jerusalem up to the time of Messiah the prince, there will be seven weeks. (Daniel 9:24-25)
The seventy weeks and the seven weeks here symbolize the same thing as seven days: the Lord's Coming. But since this is explicitly a prophecy, the numbers involving a seven mark the period as being even more holy and certain. The use of seven to describe this period symbolizes not only the Lord's arrival but the start of a new church at the same time, as indicated by the statement that the Holiest One would be anointed and Jerusalem would be restored and rebuilt. It also symbolizes a final devastation at the same time, as indicated by the statement that those weeks were decreed upon the holy city in order to bring an end to transgression and to seal up its sin.
[3] Similar words occur elsewhere in the Word, as in Ezekiel, where the prophet says of himself:
I came to the captives at Tel-abib, who were sitting by the river Chebar, and I sat there seven days, thunderstruck among them, and it happened at the end of seven days that the word of Jehovah came to me. (Ezekiel 3:15-16)
Here too the seven days stand for the start of a divine visitation, seeing that after the seven days during which Ezekiel sat with the captives the word of Jehovah came to him. In the same author:
They will bury Gog, in order to cleanse the land for seven months. At the end of seven months, they will make a careful search. (Ezekiel 39:12, 14)
Again the period of seven stands for the final point of devastation and the start of divine visitation. In Daniel:
Nebuchadnezzar's heart will change from [that of] a human, and the heart of an animal will be given to him, and seven seasons will pass over him. (Daniel 4:16, 25, 32)
This likewise stands for the end of devastation and the start of becoming a new person.
[4] Seventy years of captivity in Babylon represented the same thing. Whether it is seventy or seven, it involves the same meaning — seven days or seven years or the seven "ages" or decades that make up seventy years. The process of devastation was represented by the years of captivity; the beginning of a new church was represented by the liberation and rebuilding of the Temple.
Similar things were represented by Jacob's service with Laban, described in these words:
"I will serve you seven years for Rachel," and he served seven years. Laban said, "Fill out this week and we will give you her as well for the service that you serve with me yet another seven years." And Jacob did so and filled out this week. (Genesis 29:18, 20, 27-28)
The seven years of servitude here involve a similar meaning, as does the fact that marriage and liberty followed the days of the seven years. This span of seven years was called a week, as it also was in Daniel [9:24-25].
[5] The command that the people circle Jericho seven times to make the wall fall represented the same thing. It says that on the seventh day they got up at dawn and circled the city in the customary way, seven times, "and it happened on the seventh time that the seven priests blew their seven horns and the wall fell" (Joshua 6:1-20). Had such details been devoid of symbolic meaning, it never would have been ordered that they circle seven times or that there be seven priests and seven horns.
These and many other passages (such as Job 2:13; Revelation 15:1, 6-7; 21:9) show that in seven days symbolizes the beginning of a new church and the end of the old. Since the present verse deals both with the people of the church called Noah and their trials and with the last descendants of the earliest church, who destroyed themselves, the seven days more cannot symbolize anything else than the start of Noah's trials and the end of the earliest church, or its final ruination and death.
Potts(1905-1910) 728
728. That "in yet seven days" here signifies the beginning of temptation, is evident from the internal sense of all things mentioned in this verse, in that the temptation of the man called "Noah" is treated of. It treats in general both of his temptation and of the total vastation of those who were of the Most Ancient Church and had become such as has been described. Therefore "in yet seven days" signifies not only the beginning of temptation, but also the end of vastation. The reason why these things are signified by "in yet seven days" is that "seven" is a holy number, as was said and shown before (at verse 2 of this chapter, and in chapter 4:15, 24; and at n. 84-87). "In seven days" signifies the Lord's coming into the world, also His coming into glory, and every coming of the Lord in particular. It is an attendant feature of every coming of the Lord that it is a beginning to those who are being regenerated, and is the end of those who are being vastated. Thus to the man of this church the Lord's coming was the beginning of temptation; for when man is tempted he begins to become a new man and to be regenerated. And at the same time it was the end of those of the Most Ancient Church who had become such that they could not but perish. Just so when the Lord came into the world-the church at that time was in its last state of vastation, and was then made new. [2] That these things are signified by "in yet seven days" is evident in Daniel:
Seventy weeks are decreed upon thy people, and upon the city of thy holiness, to consummate the transgression, to seal up sins, and to purge away iniquity, and to bring in the righteousness of the ages, and to seal up vision and prophet, and to anoint the holy of holies. Know therefore and perceive, from the going forth of the word to restore and to build Jerusalem, unto Messiah the Prince, shall be seven weeks (Dan. 9:24-25). Here "seventy weeks" and "seven weeks" signify the same as "seven days" namely, the coming of the Lord. But as here there is a manifest prophecy, the times are still more sacredly and certainly designated by septenary numbers. It is evident then not only that "seven" thus applied to times signifies the coming of the Lord, but that the beginning also of a new church at that time is signified by the "anointing of the holy of holies" and by Jerusalem being "restored and built." And at the same time the last vastation is signified by the words, "Seventy weeks are decreed upon the city of holiness, to consummate the transgression, and to seal up sins." [3] So in other places in the Word, as in Ezekiel, where he says of himself:
I came to them of the captivity at Tel-abib, that sat by the river Chebar, and I sat there astonished among them seven days; and it came to pass at the end of seven days that the word of Jehovah came unto me (Ezek. 3:15-16). Here also "seven days" denote the beginning of visitation; for after seven days, while he sat among those who were in captivity, the word of Jehovah came unto him. Again:
They shall bury Gog, that they may cleanse the land, seven months; at the end of seven months they shall search (Ezek. 39:12, 14). Here likewise "seven" denotes the last limit of vastation, and the first of visitation. In Daniel:
The heart of Nebuchadnezzar shall they change from man, and the heart of a beast shall be given unto him, and seven times shall pass over him (Dan. 4:16, 25, 32), denoting in like manner the end of vastation, and the beginning of a new man. [4] The "seventy years" of Babylonish captivity represented the same. Whether the number is "seventy" or "seven" it involves the same, be it seven days or seven years, or seven ages which make seventy years. Vastation was represented by the years of captivity; the beginning of a new church by the liberation and the rebuilding of the temple. Similar things were also represented by the service of Jacob with Laban, where these words occur:
I will serve thee seven years for Rachel; and Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and Laban said, Fulfill this week, and I will give thee her also, for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years; and Jacob did so, and fulfilled this week (Gen. 29:18, 20, 27-28). Here the "seven years" of service involve the same, and also that after the days of seven years came the marriage and freedom. This period of seven years was called a "week" as also in Daniel. [5] The same was represented too in the command that they should compass the city of Jericho "seven times" and the wall would then fall down; and it is said that:
On the seventh day they rose with the dawn and compassed the city after the same manner seven times, and it came to pass at the seventh time the seven priests blew the seven trumpets and the wall fell down (Josh. 6:10-20).If these things had not likewise had such a signification, the command that they should compass the city seven times, and that there should be seven priests and seven trumpets would never have been given. From these and many other passages (as Job 2:13; Rev. 15:1, 6-7; 21:9), it is evident that "in seven days" signifies the beginning of a new church, and the end of the old. In the passage before us, as it treats both of the man of the church called "Noah" and his temptation, and of the last posterity of the Most Ancient Church, which destroyed itself, "in yet seven days" can have no other signification than the beginning of Noah's temptation and the end or final devastation and expiration of the Most Ancient Church.
Elliott(1983-1999) 728
728. That 'seven days' time' here means the onset of temptation is clear from the internal sense of all the details in this verse, where the subject is the temptation of the man called Noah. In general the subject concerns not only the temptation of that man but also the utter vastation of those who belonged to the Most Ancient Church and who had such as described. Consequently 'seven days' time' means not only the onset of temptation but also the finish of vastation. The reason 'seven days' time' means those things is that seven Is a holy number, as stated and shown at verse 2 of this chapter, at 4:15, 24, and in 84-87. It means the Lord's Coming into the world, and also His coming into glory. In particular it means every coming He makes. Every one of His comings involves a beginning for those who are being regenerated and the end of those who are being vastated. And so for the member of this Church His coming marked the onset of temptation, for when someone is being tempted he starts to become a new man and be regenerated. At the same time it was the end of those from the Most Ancient Church who had become of such a character that inevitably they perished. It was similar when the Lord came into the world; at that time the Church had entered the final stages of its vastation, and a new one came into being.
[2] That 'seven days' time' means these things is clear in Daniel,
Seventy weeks have been decreed concerning your people and your holy city to bring transgression to a close and to seal up sins and to atone for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophet, and to anoint the Most Holy Place. And you will know and perceive that from the going forth of the Word to restore and to build Jerusalem until the Messiah, the Prince, there will be SEVEN WEEKS. Dan 9:24, 25.
Here 'seventy weeks' and 'seven weeks' are similar in meaning to seven days, namely the Coming of the Lord. But because it is plain prophecy here, periods of time are presented in an even more holy and decided fashion by numbers involving seven. From this quotation it is clear that, when applied in this way to periods of time, 'seven' means not only the Coming of the Lord, but also - in the words stating that He was to anoint the Most Holy Place and that He was to restore and build Jerusalem - the beginning of a new Church at that time, and simultaneously - in the words stating that [seventy] weeks were decreed concerning the holy city to bring transgression to a close and to seal up sin - final vastation.
[3] Similar usages occur elsewhere in the Word, as in Ezekiel where he describes a personal experience,
I came to those in captivity at Tel-abib, who were sitting by the river Chebar, and I sat there seven days, astonished among them And at the end of seven days the Word of Jehovah came to me. Ezek 3:15, 16.
Here also 'seven days' stands for the onset of visitation, for when he had sat seven days among those in captivity, the Word of Jehovah came to him. In the same prophet,
They will bury Gog, that they may cleanse the land in seven months. At the end of seven months they will make their search. Ezek 39:12, 14.
This similarly stands for the final phase of vastation and the first of visitation. In Daniel,
The heart of Nebuchadnezzar will be changed from a man and the heart of a beast given to him, and seven times will pass over him. Dan 4:16, 25, 31.
This likewise stands for the finish of vastation and the beginning of a new man.
[4] The seventy years of captivity in Babylon represented the same. Whether the number is seventy or seven what is embodied is the same. The same applies whether it is seven days, or seven years, or seven decades which make seventy years. Vastation was represented by the years of captivity, the beginning of a new Church by the liberation and by the rebuilding of the Temple. Jacob's serving in the house of Laban also represented things of a similar nature - where the following is stated,
I will serve you for seven years for Rachel. And he served for seven years. Laban said, Complete the week of this one, and we will give you also the other one for the service you render with me for another seven years. And Jacob did so, and completed the week of this one. Gen 29:18, 20, 27, 28.
Here 'the service of seven years' embodies something similar. And after the period of seven years marriage and freedom followed. The period of these seven years was called a week, as also in Daniel.
[5] Something similar was also represented by the command to go around the city of Jericho seven times, and the wall would collapse. It is also said that they rose at dawn on the seventh day and went around the city, as they were accustomed to do, seven times. And after the seventh time round, the seven priests blew on their seven trumpets and the wall collapsed, Josh 6:10-20. Unless these events had also had this meaning the command would never have been given to go round seven times, or that there were to be seven priests and seven trumpets. From these and many other places, for example in Job 2:17; Rev 15:1, 6, 7; 21:9, it becomes clear that 'seven days' time' means the beginning of a new Church and the end of the old. Since the subject here is not only the member of the Church called Noah and his temptation, but also the final descendants of the Most Ancient Church who destroyed themselves, 'seven days' time' can mean nothing other than the onset of the temptation of Noah and the finish of the Most Ancient Church, which was the final destruction and extinction of it.
Latin(1748-1756) 728
728. Quod 'ad dies septem' {x}significet hic principium tentationis, constat ex sensu interno omnium quae in hoc versu, quod agatur de tentatione hominis qui 'Noahus' vocatur; in genere agitur tam de tentatione illius quam de totali vastatione eorum qui fuerunt ab Antiquissima Ecclesia et tales facti; quare 'ad dies septem' non modo significat principium tentationis, sed etiam finem vastationis: quod 'ad dies septem' illa significent, causa est quia septem est numerus sanctus, ut prius dictum et ostensum, vers. 2 hujus capitis, et cap. iv 15, 24, et n. 84-87: significat Adventum Domini in mundum, tum adventum Ipsius in gloriam; in particulari omnem Ipsius adventum: omnis Ipsius adventus secum habet quod sit principium iis qui regenerantur, et finis eorum qui vastantur; ita homini hujus Ecclesiae adventus Ipsius fuit principium tentationis; nam cum tentatur homo, tunc incipit novus fieri et regenerari; et simul fuit finis eorum qui ab Antiquissima Ecclesia tales facti ut non potuissent aliter quam perire; sicut cum Dominus in mundum venit, tunc Ecclesia in ultima sua vastatione fuit, et tunc nova facta: quod 'ad dies septem' illa significent, constat apud Danielem, Septimanae septuaginta decisae sunt super populum tuum et super civitatem sanctitatis tuam, ad {1}consummandum praevaricationem et ad obsignandum peccata et ad expiandum iniquitatem et ad adducendum justitiam saeculorum; et ad obsignandum visionem et prophetam, et ad ungendum Sanctum Sanctorum: et scies et perCipies ab exitu Verbi ad restituendum et ad aedificandum Hierosolymam, usque ad Messiam Principem SEPTIMANAE SEPTEM, ix 24, 25;ibi 'septimanae septuaginta, et septimanae septem' significant simile ac dies septem, nempe Adventum Domini; sed quia ibi manifesta prophetia, designantur tempora adhuc sanctius et certius per septenarios numeros; inde constat quod 'septem' ita applicata temporibus significent non solum Adventum Domini, sed etiam tunc principium novae Ecclesiae, per verba, quod 'ungeretur Sanctus Sanctorum' et quod 'restitueretur et aedificaretur Hierosolyma': tum simul ultimam vastationem, per verba, quod 'septimanae decisae sint super civitatem sanctitatis ad {x}consummandum praevaricationem, et ad obsignandum peccatum:' similiter alibi in Verbo, ut apud Ezechielem ubi de se, Veni ad captivitatem {x}Tel-abib, sedentes ad fluvium Kebar, et sedi ibi septem dies, obstupescens inter illos; et fuit a fine septem dierum, et fuit verbum Jehovae ad me, iii 15, 16;
ubi 'dies septem' quoque pro principio visitationis, nam post dies septem, cum sedit apud eos qui in captivitate, factum est verbum Jehovae ad illum: apud eundem, Sepelient Gogum, propterea ut mundent terram septem mensibus,...a fine septem mensium perscrutabuntur, xxxix 12, 14;
ubi similiter pro termino ultimo vastationis, et primo visitationis: apud Danielem, Cor Nebuchadnezzaris ab homine mutabunt, et cor bestiae dabitur ei,...et septem tempora transibunt super eum, iv 13, 22, 29[A V. 16, 25, 32];
pariter pro fine vastationis, et principio novi hominis. Septuaginta anni captivitatis Babylonicae idem repraesentarunt; sive septuaginta, sive septem, idem involvunt; ut si septem dies, vel septem anni, vel septem saecula, quae faciunt septuaginta annos; vastatio repraesentata erat per annos captivitatis; principium novae Ecclesiae repraesentatum per liberationem et reaedificationem templi. Per servitium Jacobi apud Labanem similia quoque repraesentata sunt, ubi haec, Serviam tibi septem annis pro Rachele,...et servivit septem annis:...dixit Laban, Imple septimanam hanc, et dabimus etiam tibi illam pro servitio quod servias mecum adhuc septem annis aliis; et fecit Jacobus ita, et implevit septimanam hanc, Gen. xxix 18, 20, 27, 28;
ubi 'septem annorum servitium' simile involvit, tum post dies annorum septem quod conjugium et libertas; tempus horum septem annorum vocabatur septimana, sicut etiam apud Danielem. Simile quoque repraesentabat quod mandatum, ut 'circumirent urbem Jericho septem vicibus,' et caderet murus, et dicitur quod Die septimo surrexerint sub auroram, et circumiverint urbem, secandum morem, septem vicibus,...et factum vice septima clanxerunt septem sacerdotes septem buccinis, et cecidit murus, Jos. {x}vi 10-20;
quae nisi talia etiam significavissent, nusquam mandatum fuisset quod septies circumirent, et septem sacerdotes et septem buccinae essent. Ex his et pluribus aliis locis, ut apud Job. ii 13; Apoc. xv 1, 6, 7; xxi 9, constare potest quod 'ad dies septem' significent principium novae Ecclesiae, et finem veteris; hic quia tam de homine Ecclesiae quae Noahus vocatur, et de ejus tentatione agitur, quam de posteritate ultima Ecclesiae Antiquissimae quae se perdidit, per 'a diebus adhuc septem' non aliud significari potest quam principium tentationis Noahi, et finis Antiquissimae Ecclesiae seu devastatio ultima et exspiratio. @1 I has consumandum, Sch. consumendum.$