562.“躲避那蛇的面。她在那里被养活一载二载半载”表由于那些迷惑人者的狡诈，小心谨慎地规定新教会要来到许多人当中，直到它长足身量。“养活”论及新教会时，表示对新教会要来到许多人当中所做的规定，如前所述（547节）。“一载二载半载”表示直到结束和开始，因而在它从少数人增长到许多人，直到长足身量期间，如前所述（547节）。“那蛇的面”表示那些迷惑人者的狡诈，“面”表示狡诈，“蛇”表示那些迷惑人者。“蛇”表示那些迷惑（或引诱）人者，这一点从本章的这些话明显看出来：
大龙被摔下来，就是那古蛇，是迷惑全世界的。（启示录12:9）
还有：
他捉住那龙，就是古蛇，把他扔在无底深渊，使他不得再迷惑列族。（启示录20:2，3）
引诱夏娃和亚当的蛇也表示与此处类似的事物，论到这蛇，经上说：
蛇比田野一切野兽更狡猾，女人对耶和华说，那蛇引诱我。（创世记3:1，13）
“面”（face，即脸）表示人里面的内层事物，因为脸是其心智的形像，为了对应而形成；所以，“蛇的面”表示愤怒、仇恨和狡诈。“一载二载半载”在此与“一千二百六十天”（12:6）所表相同，那里有这些话：
妇人就逃到旷野，在那里有神给她预备的地方，使他们在那里养活她一千二百六十天。（启示录12:6）
这句话的意思从前面的解读可以看出来（547节）。类似事物还由“三天半”（启示录11:9，11）；饥荒的“三年零六个月”（路加福音4:25）；以及当他们要粉碎圣民权力时，但以理所听见的“一载二载半载”（但以理书12:7）来表示。
562. Where she might be nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the face of the serpent. This symbolically means, because of the cunning of those leading astray, to provide vigilantly for the New Church to spread among more people, until it grows to its appointed state.
To nourish, when mentioned in connection with the New Church, means, symbolically, to provide that it spread among more people, as we said in no. 547 above. "A time and times and half a time" means, symbolically, to the end and a new beginning, thus until it grows from a few people to many more, till it reaches its appointed state, as we said also in no. 547 above. The face of the serpent symbolizes the cunning of those leading astray - the face symbolizing the cunning, and the serpent those who lead astray.
That a serpent symbolizes people who lead astray is apparent from these words in this chapter:
The great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old..., which leads the whole world astray. (Revelation 12:9)
And elsewhere:
He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old..., and he cast him into the bottomless pit..., so that he should lead the nations no more astray... (Revelation 20:2-3)
The meaning here is the same as that of the serpent which led Eve and Adam astray, of which it is said,
Now the serpent became more cunning than any beast of the field... And the woman said (to Jehovah), "The serpent led me astray...." (Genesis 3:1, 13)
[2] A face in the Word symbolizes what lies within a person, because the face reflects his character, its expression being formed in correspondence with it. The face of a serpent, therefore, symbolizes anger, hatred and cunning.
"A time, times and half a time" here has the same symbolic meaning as the one thousand two hundred and sixty days in verse 6, which says,
Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they may feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days. (Revelation 12:6)
An explanation of the meaning may be seen in no. 547 above.
The same is also the meaning of the three and a half days in Revelation 11:9, 11, and of the three years and six months of famine in Luke 4:25.
It is also the meaning of the appointed time of appointed times and a half in Daniel, "when they shall completely disperse the hands of the holy people" (Daniel 12:7).
562. 'Wherein she might be nourished a the and times and half a the away from the face of the serpent signifies that on account of the craftiness of those leading astray provision that it may come among many is made with circumspection until it increases to its full stature. By 'to be nourished,' when said of the New Church, is signified provision being made that it may come among many, as above (547). By 'a time and times and half a time' is signified to the end and the beginning, thus while it is increasing from a few to many even to its full stature, as also above (547). By 'the face of the serpent' is signified the craftiness of those leading astray, by 'the face' craftiness, and by 'the serpent' those leading astray. That those leading astray are signified by the serpent is plain from these words in this chapter:
The great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old who is leading the whole of the world astray (verse 9), and elsewhere:
He arrested the dragon, the serpent of old, and cast him into the deep, that he should lead the nations astray no more. Revelation 20:2-3.
A similar thing is understood here as by the serpent that led Eve and Adam astray, of which it is said:
And the serpent became flare cunning than every wild beast of the field, and the woman said to Jehovah, The serpent has led me astray. Genesis 3:1, 13.
[2] By 'face' in the Word is signified that which in the case of man is interior, Because the face is an image of his mind (animus) formed for correspondence; consequently by 'the face of the serpent' is signified anger, hatred and cunning. By 'a time, times and half a time' is signified the same here as by 'a thousand two hundred and sixty days' (verse 6) where these [words are]:
And the woman fled into the wilderness where she has a place made ready by God, where they may nourish her a thousand two hundred and sixty days; which may be seen expounded above (547). The like as is also signified by 'three days and a half' (Revelation 11:9, 11); again by 'three years and six months, when there was a famine' (Luke 4:25); and the like also in the case of Daniel, by 'a fixed time of fixed times and a half, when they are going to finish scattering the hand of the people of holiness' (Daniel 12:7).
562. Where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time from the face of the serpent, signifies that by reason of the craftiness of seducers, provision is made with circumspection that it may come among many even until it increases to its appointed state. By "being nourished" when said of the New Church, is signified to provide that it may come among many, as above, (547); by "a time, and times, and half a time," is signified to the end and the beginning, thus while from a few to many, until it reaches its appointed state, as above, (547). By "the face of the serpent" is signified the subtle arts of seducers; by "the face," subtle artfulness; and by "the serpent," seducers. That by "the serpent" are signified seducers, is plain from the following passage in this chapter:
The great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, which seduceth the whole globe of earth, (Revelation 12:9).
And again:
He laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, and cast him into the abyss, that he should seduce the nations no more, (Revelation 20:2-3).
The like is here meant as by the serpent which seduced Eve and Adam, of whom it is said:
And the serpent was more subtle than any wild beast of the field; and the woman said to Jehovah, The serpent seduced me, (Genesis 3:1, 13).
[2] By "face," in the Word, is signified that which is interior in man, because the face is the type of his mind formed to correspondence; therefore, by "the face of the serpent" is signified anger, hatred, and subtlety. By "a time, and times, and half a time," is signified the same here, as by "a thousand two hundred and sixty days," verse 6, where it is said:
And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should nourish her a thousand two hundred and sixty days, (Revelation 12:6);
which may be seen explained above, (547). The same is also signified by "three days and a half" (Rev 11:9-10); also by "the three years and six months" of famine, (Luke 4:25); and in Daniel, by
A stated time of stated times and a half when he shall have finished to scatter the hand of the people of holiness, (Daniel 12:7).
562. "Ubi aleretur ibi tempus et tempora et dimidium temporis a facie serpentis," significat ut propter astutiam seducentium circumspecte provideatur ut veniat inter plures usque dum crescit ad suum statutum. - Per "ali," cum de Nova Ecclesia, significatur provideri ut veniat inter plures, ut supra (547); per "tempus et tempora et dimidium temporis" significatur ad finem et principium, ita dum a paucis crescit ad plures usque ad suum statutum, ut quoque supra (547); per "faciem serpentis" significatur astutia seducentium, per "faciem" astutia, et per "serpentem" seducentes; quod per "serpentem" significentur seducentes, patet ab his in hoc capite, "Conjectus est Draco magnus, Serpens antiquus, qui seducit orbem terrarum totum," (vers. 9); et alibi,
"Comprehendit Draconem, Serpentem antiquum, et conjecit eum in abyssum, ne Seduceret gentes amplius," (Apocalypsis 20:2-3);
simile hic quod per Serpentem qui seduxit Evam et Adamum, intelligitur, de quo dicitur Et Serpens factus est astutus prae omni fera agri; et dixit mulier ad Jehovam, Serpens seduxit me," (Genesis 3:1, 13).
Per "faciem" in Verbo significatur id quod interius apud hominem est, quia facies est typus animi ejus formata ad correspondentiam; inde per "faciem serpentis significatur ira, odium et astutia. Per "tempus, tempora et dimidium temporis," significatur hic simile quod per "dies mille ducentos sexaginta," vers. 6, ubi haec, "Et Mulier fugit in desertum, ubi habet locum praeparatum a Deo, ubi alant illam diebus mille ducentis sexaginta;" quae explicata videantur supra (547). Simile etiam quod per "Tres dies et dimidium," (Apocalypsis 11:9, 11); 1
tum per "Annos tres et menses sex" cum fames, (Luca 4:25);
simile etiam quod apud Danielem, per "Tempus statum temporum statorum et dimidium cum consummaturi dispergere manum populi sanctitatis," (12:7). 2
Footnotes:
1. 11 pro "10"
2. 7 pro "9"