“Age” is used in slightly different ways in natural language, and those differences are reflected in the spiritual meanings offered by Swedenborg. All the variations, though, reflect the fact that, according to Swedenborg, there is no time in spiritual reality, and what we experience as time in the physical world reflects changes in the states of life and love in the spiritual world.
People’s ages, when mentioned in the Bible, represent particular spiritual states, connected to the things those people represent.
An “age” as a measurement of time represents the duration of a particular spiritual state, which could be temporary or eternal. When it is used as the “consummation of the age,” “age” represents the pre-eminence of a particular church or belief system, which has turned to evil and must be destroyed to make way for the next.
When used as “this age” – some translations of the Bible talk about “sons of this age” – it represents physical life as opposed to life in heaven.
Finally, when used as “ages of ages” it represents a permanent spiritual state which is unchanging.
Passages from Swedenborg
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 1041
1041. ‘Into the generations of an age’ means all unceasingly who are being created anew. This is clear from the meaning of ‘generations of an age’. ‘Generations’ means descendants of those going before as their parents. ‘An age’ is that which continues unceasingly. Here the subject is those things that have been regenerated and therefore ‘the generations of an age’ is used to mean those people who are unceasingly being regenerated in this way, that is, who are being created anew. In the internal sense the meaning of everything is determined by the subject under discussion.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 3254
3254. ‘In a good old age, an old man and full [of years]’ means a new state of representation. This is clear from the meaning of ‘old age’ in the internal sense as laying aside the old and taking up the new, dealt with in 1854, 2198, 3016. The reason why that which is new, or a new state, is meant by ‘old age’ in the internal sense is that with angels for whose sake the internal sense of the Word exists there is no concept of time, and so no concept of things that belong to time, such as the ages of man, which are those of infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age. Instead of all these they have the concept of states – instead of the time of infancy they have the concept of the state of innocence; instead of the time of childhood and adolescence the concept of the state of affection for goodness and truth; instead of adulthood the concept of the state of intelligence; and instead of old age the concept of the state of wisdom, 3183. And since, when he dies, a person passes from things belonging to time into those of the life where time does not exist, and in so doing he assumes a new state, ‘old age’ means that which is new, here a new representative; for it is to this representation involving Abraham that ‘old age’, and also ‘an old man and full [of years]’ have reference, as may become clear from what has been stated just above.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 4676
4676. ‘For he was the son of his old age’ means its own life within it. This is clear from the meaning of ‘old age’ as the casting aside of the previous state and the assumption of the new one, and also as newness of life, dealt with in 3492, 4620. For in the internal sense ‘old age’ does not mean old age, for the reason that the internal man, or man’s spirit, does not know what old age is; but as the body or the external man grows old, so he passes into newness of life. As he ages man’s spirit is made more perfect, at the same time as his physical powers diminish. This is truer still in the next life, for those in heaven are constantly being led by the Lord into a more perfect life, and at length into the bloom of youth, including those people who have died at a ripe old age. From these considerations it may be seen that in the internal sense ‘old age’ means life. What is meant by the expression ‘its own life within it’ has been explained above in 4667.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 9966
9966. ‘It shall be the statute of an age for him and his seed after him’ means laws of order in the representative Church. This is clear from the meaning of ‘the statute of an age’ as a law of Divine order in heaven and in the Church, dealt with in 7884, 7995, 8357. The reason for saying ‘in the representative Church’ is that ‘statutes’ was the term given to outward forms of worship which represented inner realities, 8972, thus which were the things of the Church that were representative. And since the inner realities which were represented were Divine, and so eternal, the words ‘the statute of an age’ are used; for ‘an age’ means something eternal.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 10225
10225. ‘From a son of twenty years and over’ means the state in which the understanding of truth and good exists. This is clear from the meaning of the word ‘twenty’, when it refers to a person’s age, as the state in which the understanding of truth and good exists. The reason why ‘twenty’ means the state in which the understanding of truth and good exists is that when a person attains twenty years he starts to think for himself. For from earliest childhood to extreme old age a person passes inwardly through a number of states, which are those of understanding (or intelligence) and wisdom. The first state lasts from birth to the person’s fifth year. It is a state of ignorance and of innocence within ignorance; and it is called early childhood. The second state lasts from the fifth to the twentieth year. This is a state in which instruction is received and knowledge is acquired; and it is called later childhood. The third state lasts from the twentieth to the sixtieth year, which is a state in which understanding exists; and it is called adulthood, maturity, or full manhood. The fourth or last state lasts from the sixtieth year onwards, which is a state of wisdom and of innocence within wisdom. [2] These consecutive states of a person’s life are meant in Moses by the numbers five, twenty, and sixty, used in Moses to describe the following age-groups,
When anyone makes a particular vow, the valuation for a male from a son of twenty years to a son of sixty years shall be fifty shekels of silver; if it is a female the valuation shall be thirty shekels. But from a son of five years to a son of twenty years the valuation shall be, if a male, twenty shekels; if a female, ten shekels. But from the son of a month to a son of five years the valuation of a male shall be five shekels, of a female three shekels. But from a son of sixty years onwards the valuation [of a male] shall be fifteen shekels, of a female ten shekels. Lev. 27:2-7.
[3] The fact that the first state is a state of ignorance and also of innocence within ignorance is self-evident. While this state exists the inner levels of the mind are being put into shape for the use they will serve, and consequently are not yet opened up. Only the most external levels, those of the senses, are open; and when these alone are open ignorance exists. For a person’s understanding and perception of anything at all springs from those inner levels. From this it also becomes clear that the innocence which exists at this time and is called the innocence of young childhood is of a most external nature.
[4] The fact that the second state is one in which instruction is received and knowledge is acquired is also self-evident. This is not yet a state in which understanding exists because the young person does not arrive at any conclusion by himself; neither by himself does he draw any distinction between one truth and another, nor even between truth and falsity, only with the help of others. His thought and speech consist purely of matters contained in his memory, thus solely of acquired knowledge; nor does he see or perceive whether something is true unless he takes it on trust from his teacher, consequently because another says it is.
[5] The third state however is called a state in which understanding exists because the person now thinks for himself, drawing distinctions and arriving at conclusions; and the conclusions are his, not another’s. At this time belief begins; for belief is not a person’s own until he has confirmed what he believes with ideas that are the product of his own thinking. Till then the belief is not his but another’s within him; for till then he trusts in the person, not in the matter of belief. From this it becomes clear that the state in which understanding exists begins with a person when not his teacher’s but his own ideas constitute what he thinks, which does not happen until inner levels of the mind are opened towards heaven. It should be remembered that the outer levels of the human mind exist in the world and the inner ones in heaven, and that the amount of light flowing from heaven into ideas derived from the world determines how much understanding and wisdom a person has. This comes about according to how far and in what kind of way the inner levels have been opened; and how far they are open depends on how far the person leads a life looking to heaven and not to the world.
[6] The last state however is one of wisdom and of innocence within wisdom, which exists when a person is no longer concerned just to gain an understanding of truths and forms of good, but is concerned to make them part of his will and life; for then the person has wisdom. And how far that person is able to make them part of his will and life depends on how much innocence he has, that is, on how far he believes that left to himself he has no wisdom at all, but that whatever wisdom he has is derived from the Lord, and also on how far he loves this to be so. So it is that this state is also one of innocence within wisdom.
[7] From the way in which these states follow one another the person possessing wisdom can also see the marvels of Divine Providence, namely these: An earlier state serves as the basis for those following on continuously; and, The opening up or unclosing of inner levels advances in consecutive stages from the outermost right through to the inmost ones, till at length they have been so opened up that what existed initially on outermost levels – that is to say, ignorance and innocence – also exists finally on inmost levels. For anyone who knows that by himself he is ignorant of everything and that whatever he knows is derived from the Lord has the ignorance of wisdom and also the innocence of wisdom within him. All this now makes clear what the state of understanding is, meant by ‘twenty’ when this number is used in reference to a person’s age.
[8] This number is used with a similar meaning elsewhere in the Word, for example in Moses,
Take the sum of all the congregation, from a son of twenty years and over – every [male] going into the army in Israel. Num. 1:2, 3, 18ff.
This refers to the encampment and journeying of the children of Israel according to their tribes, which too means the arrangement in order by the Lord of the truths and forms of the good of faith and love, this arrangement in order being meant by the encampment of them, 4236, 8103 (end), 8130, 8131, 8155, and the forms of good and the truths of faith in their entirety by their tribes, 3858, 3926, 3939, 4060, 6335, 6337, 6397. Consequently ‘a son of twenty years and over’ is used to mean those who are in the state when understanding exists, because in their case truths and forms of the good of faith and love are able to be arranged and set in order by the Lord. For the Lord flows into their understanding and will, where He arranges and sets those things in order, and also removes and casts aside falsities and evils. This explains why it says ‘from a son of twenty years and over, every [male] going into the army; for ‘the army’ means truths drawn up in order, in such a way that they may have no fear of falsities and evils, but may drive them back if they attack. The fact that such truths are meant in the internal sense by ‘the army’, see 3448, 7236, 7988, 8019.
[9] But in the case of those who are in the state of early childhood or that of later childhood, thus those who are under twenty years old, truths and forms of good are not so well arranged that they can go into the army and perform military service. They cannot do so because, as has been stated above, they do not as yet draw distinctions or arrive at conclusions by themselves, and cannot therefore as yet use reason to banish any falsity or evil at all; and those who cannot do this are not sent into battle, either. This is why a person is not allowed to undergo temptations, which are spiritual conflicts against falsities and evils, until he has entered the state in which understanding exists, that is, when he can judge things for himself, 3928, 4248, 4249, 8963.
[10] Twenty years of age and over is used with the same meaning elsewhere in Moses,
Jehovah said to Moses and Eleazar, Take the sum of the whole assembly of the children of Israel from a son of twenty years and over – everyone going into military service in Israel. Num. 26:1, 2.
In the spiritual sense ‘going into military service’ means going into battles against falsities and evils which come from hell.
[11] Anyone who does not know that ‘a son of twenty years and over’ means the state in which understanding exists, or those who are in that state, cannot know either why it was declared, when the people grumbled against Jehovah, that all who came up from Egypt, from a son of twenty years and over, would die in the wilderness, Num. 14:29; 32:10, 11. For those who are in the state of understanding, in which they are able to draw distinctions, arrive at conclusions, and make judgements for themselves, are guilty of the wrong they do, but not so those who are not as yet in that state. From this also it is evident that ‘twenty years’, used in reference to an age, means the state in which understanding or judgement exists. But the number ‘twenty’ has a different meaning when used in reference to any other subject, see above in 10222.
Conjugial Love (Rogers) n. 41
41. (7) Spiritual marriage is meant by the Lord’s words, that after the resurrection they are not given in marriage. In the Gospels we read the following:
Some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection…, asked Jesus, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote…that if anyone’s brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother…. There were seven brothers, (and one after another they took her as wife, but they died childless)…. Lastly…the woman died also. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of them does she become…?”
But Jesus, answering, said to them, “The children of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who shall be held worthy to attain the second age, and the resurrection from the dead, shall neither marry nor be given in marriage; nor can they die any more, for they are like the angels, and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. Moreover, that the dead rise again, even Moses showed in reference to the bush, when he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ So, then, He is not God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him.” (Luke 20:27-38; cf. Matthew 22:23-32, Mark 12:18-27)
The Lord taught two things by these words. First, that a person rises again after death. And secondly, that people are not given in marriage in heaven.
He taught that a person rises again after death by saying that God is not God of the dead but of the living, and that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are still alive. So likewise in the parable about the rich man in hell and Lazarus in heaven (Luke 16:19-31).
[2] Secondly, He taught that people are not given in marriage in heaven by saying that those who are held worthy to attain the second age neither marry nor are given in marriage.
The only kind of marriage meant here is spiritual marriage, and this clearly appears from the words that immediately follow, that they cannot die any more because they are like the angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection.
By spiritual marriage, conjunction with the Lord is meant, and this is achieved on earth. And when it has been achieved on earth, it has also been achieved in heaven. Therefore in heaven the marriage does not take place again, nor are people given in marriage. This, too, is meant by the words, “The children of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are held worthy to attain the second age neither marry nor are given in marriage.”
True Christian Religion (Ager) n. 755
755. That the consummation of the age is the last time of the church, can be seen from those passages in the Word where it is spoken of, as in the following:
A consummation and decision I have heard from Jehovah upon the whole land (Isa. 28:22).
A consummation is determined, righteousness has overflowed, for the Lord Jehovah of Hosts is making a consummation and a decision in the whole land (Isa. 10:22, 23).
The whole land shall be devoured in the fire of Jehovah’s jealousy for He shall make a speedy consummation of all them that dwell in the land (Zeph. 1:18).
In these passages “the land” signifies the church, because the land of Canaan is meant, where the church was. That “the land” signifies the church may be seen proven by many passages from the Word in the Apocalypse Revealed (n. 285, 902).
At last upon the bird of abominations shall be desolation, and even to theconsummation and decision shall it drop upon the devastation (Dan. 9:27).
That these words were spoken by Daniel respecting the end of the present Christian church may be seen in Matt. 24:15:
The whole earth shall be a waste, yet will I not make a consummation (Jer. 4:27).
The iniquity of the Amorites is not yet consummated (Gen. 15:16).
Jehovah said, I will go down and see whether they have made a consummationaccording to the cry that is come unto Me (Gen. 18:21).
This was said of Sodom. The last period of the present Christian church is also meant by the Lord by the consummation of the age in the following passages:
The disciples asked Jesus, What shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of theconsummation of the age? (Matt. 24:3).
In the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, to burn them; but gather the wheat into My barn. So shall it be in the consummationof the age (Matt. 13:30, 39, 40).
In the consummation of the age the angels shall go forth and separate the wicked from the midst of the righteous (Matt. 13:49).
Jesus said to His disciples, lo, I am with you always, even unto the consummationof the age (Matt. 28:20).
It must be known that the meaning of “devastation,” “desolation,” and “decision” is similar to the meaning of “consummation;” but “desolation” signifies theconsummation of truth, “devastation” the consummation of good, and “decision” the full consummation of both; also that “the fullness of time” in which the Lord came and is to come into the world means consummation.
Apocalypse Explained (Tansley) n. 468
468. Be unto our God unto the ages of the ages.- Signifies to the Lord to eternity; for by our God is meant “He who sitteth on the throne and the Lamb,” and the Lord alone is meant by both; by him who sitteth on the throne, the Lord as to Divine Good, and by the Lamb, the Lord as to Divine Truth, as shown above (n. 460); and “unto the ages of the ages,” when stated of the Lord, signifies eternity. The reason why the expression “to eternity,” is not used, but “unto the ages of the ages,” is, that ages of ages is a natural, and eternity a spiritual, expression, and the sense of the letter of the Word is natural, and the internal sense spiritual, and the latter is contained in the former. There is the same distinction in other places in the Word; thus in Daniel:
To the son of man “there was given dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, his dominion the dominion of an age which shall not pass away” (vii. 14).
And in Isaiah:
“Trust ye in Jah Jehovah, a rock of ages” (xxvi. 4).
Again, in the same:
“Israel is saved by Jehovah with the salvation of ages; they shall not be ashamed unto everlasting ages” (xlv. 17).
And again:
“My salvation shall be unto an age, and my justice shall not be abolished. My justice shall be unto an age, and my salvation unto generation and generation” (li. 6, 8).
So in David:
“Before the mountains were brought forth, and the earth and the world were formed, from age even to age thou art God” (Psalm xc. 2).
Again:
“The mercy of Jehovah is from age to age upon them that fear him” (Psalm ciii. 17).
And in the Apocalypse:
“To him be might unto the ages of the ages. Behold I am alive unto the ages of the ages” (i. 6, 18).
And again:
“Unto him that sitteth on the throne and unto the Lamb be blessing, and honour, and glory, and dominion unto the ages of the ages, and they worshipped him that liveth unto the ages of the ages” (v. 13, 14).
Again:
“He swore by him who liveth unto the ages of the ages, who created the heaven” (x. 6).
Again:
“The kingdoms of the world have become of our Lord and his Christ, and he shall reign unto the ages of the ages” (xi. 15),
and in many other places besides. Moreover also, in the Word, “an age,” signifies time from of old; also, time even to the end; and also the same as “the world”; but concerning these significations of an age we shall speak elsewhere.
Apocalypse Explained (Tansley) n. 685
685. And He shall reign unto the ages of the ages.- That this signifies His dominion to eternity by means of Divine Truth, is evident from the signification of reigning, when said of the Lord, as denoting to have dominion by means of Divine Truth, concerning which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of unto the ages of the ages as denoting to eternity. Unto the ages of the ages denotes to eternity, because the sense of the letter of the Word is natural, to which the spiritual sense corresponds. The natural sense of the Word consists of such things as are in nature, which have reference in general to times and spaces, and to places and persons; and the ages of the ages have relation to times, to which eternity corresponds in the spiritual sense. It is the same with generation of generations, where the extension of faith and charity in the church is treated.
Apocalypse Explained (Tansley) n. 889
889. (v. 11) And the smoke of their torment ascendeth unto ages of ages. That this signifies the dense falsity encompassing them, and flowing forth from their loves continually, is evident from the signification of smoke, as denoting the dense falsity flowing forth out of the hells from the evils of earthly and corporeal loves, which prevail with those who are there (concerning which see above, n. 539); and from the signification of torment, as denoting the direfulness of hell, thus hell itself (see above, n. 888); and from the signification of ascending, as denoting to encompass and flow forth; of which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of, unto ages of ages, as denoting continually. Strictly, by ages ofages is signified eternal or without end; but in the spiritual sense, which has no reference to the idea of time, is signified the state interiorly ruling continually. It is, therefore, evident, that by the smoke of their torment ascending unto ages of ages, is signified the dense falsity encompassing them, and flowing forth from their loves continually.