583. And there was given unto him authority to work forty-two months, signifies the ability of teaching and doing the evils and falsities of that doctrine, even to the end of that church, and the beginning of the New. By "authority was given him of working" is signified the authority of speaking great things and blasphemies, that is, of teaching and doing the evils and falsities mentioned above (n. 582); "forty-two months" signify even to the end of the former church and beginning of the New, as above (n. 489); the same as is signified by "three days and a half" (n. 505); and by "a time and times and half a time" (n. 562); and also by "a thousand two hundred and sixty" (n. 491), because forty-two months make three years and a half.