101. And ye shall have affliction ten days, signifies that this will endure its full time, that is, as long as they are willing to remain in falsities. "Affliction" here signifies infestation (of which above, n. 33, 95), thus temptation; and "ten days" signify the duration of that state to the full; therefore it follows, "Be thou faithful unto death," by which is signified the reception and acknowledgment of truths, until by their means falsities are removed, and as it were abolished. That "ten days" signify duration of state even to the full is, because "days" signify states, and "ten" what is full: for times in the Word signify states (n. 947), and numbers describe their quality (n. 9). [2] As "ten" signify what is full, they also signify much and many, also each and all, as may appear from these passages which follow:
The men who have seen My glory, have tempted Me ten times (Num. 14:22). These ten times have ye treated me with ignominy (Job 19:3). Daniel was found ten times wiser than the astrologers (Dan. 1:20). Ten women shall bake bread in one oven (Lev. 26:26). Ten men out of all languages of the nations shall take hold of the skirt of a man a Jew (Zech. 8:23). Because "ten" signifies many, and also all, therefore the things which were written upon the tables of the Decalogue by Jehovah, are called the "Ten Words" (Deut. 4:13; 10:4); the "Ten Words" signify all truths, for they include them. And because "ten" signifies all and all things, therefore the Lord compared the kingdom of the heavens to "ten virgins" (Matt. 25:1). Likewise in the parable He said of the nobleman, that he gave his servants "ten pounds" to trade with (Luke 19:12-27). Many are also signified by:
The ten horns of the beast which came up out of the sea (Dan. 7:7); And by the ten horns and the ten diadems upon the horns of the beast coming up out of the sea (Rev. 13:1);
Also by the ten horns of the dragon (Rev. 12:3);
And by the ten horns of the scarlet-colored beast, upon which the woman sat (Rev. 17:3, 7, 12). [3] By "ten horns" is signified much power. From the signification of the number "ten," as being what is full, much, and all, it may be seen why it was ordained, that:
A tenth part of all the produce of the earth was given to Jehovah, and by Jehovah to Aaron and the Levites (Num. 18:24, 28; Deut. 14:22);
also, why Abram gave Melchizedek tithes of all (Gen. 14:18, 20); for by this was signified that thus all they had was from Jehovah, and was sanctified (see Mal. 3:10). From these things, it may now appear, that by having "affliction ten days," is signified that temptation will last its full time, that is, so long as they are willing to remain in falsities; for falsities are never taken away from a man against his will, but with it.
This page is part of 
© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church