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 (n. 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 (n. 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 (Rev. 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 (Rev. 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 (Gen. 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 (Rev. 12:6);
which may be seen explained above (n. 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 (Dan. 12:7).