Apocalypse Revealed # 284
284. "And we shall reign on the earth." This symbolically means, and they will dwell in His kingdom, He in them and they in Him.
To reign on the earth means nothing other than to be in the Lord's kingdom and to be united with Him in it, according to these words of the Lord:
...that all (those who believe in Me) may be one; (and one) as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us... The glory which You gave Me I have given to them, that they may be one as We are one, I in them, and You in Me..., that they also... may be with Me where I am... (John 17:20-24)
So then, since they are thus one with the Lord, and together with the Lord form the kingdom that is called the kingdom of God, it is apparent that nothing else is symbolically meant by reigning.
Reigning is mentioned because of the prior statement, "You have made us kings and priests;" and because kings symbolize people who are governed by wisdom springing from Divine truths from the Lord, and priests symbolize people who are governed by love springing from Divine good from Him (no. 20).
It is because of this that the Lord's kingdom is also called a kingdom of saints (Daniel 7:18, 27); and of the Apostles it is said that with the Lord they will judge the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28), even though it is the Lord alone who judges and reigns. For He judges and reigns from Divine good by means of Divine truth, which they have in them as well from Him. But anyone who believes that what they have from the Lord is something of their own, is expelled from the kingdom, that is, from heaven.
Reigning has the same symbolic meaning in the following places in the book of Revelation:
...they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6, cf. 20:4)
And of those who will come into the New Jerusalem, it is said:
(The Lamb) gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever. (Revelation 22:5 [cf. Revelation 21:23])
Zechariah 3
1
He showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of Yahweh, and Satan standing at his right hand to be his adversary.
2
Yahweh said to Satan, "Yahweh rebuke you, Satan! Yes, Yahweh who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Isn't this a burning stick plucked out of the fire?"
3
Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the angel.
4
He answered and spoke to those who stood before him, saying, "Take the filthy garments off of him." To him he said, "Behold, I have caused your iniquity to pass from you, and I will clothe you with rich clothing."
5
I said, "Let them set a clean turban on his head." So they set a clean turban on his head, and clothed him; and the angel of Yahweh was standing by.
6
The angel of Yahweh protested to Joshua, saying,
7
"Thus says Yahweh of Armies: 'If you will walk in my ways, and if you will follow my instructions, then you also shall judge my house, and shall also keep my courts, and I will give you a place of access among these who stand by.
8
Hear now, Joshua the high priest, you and your fellows who sit before you; for they are men who are a sign: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant, the Branch.
9
For, behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua; on one stone are seven eyes: behold, I will engrave its engraving,' says Yahweh of Armies, 'and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.
10
In that day,' says Yahweh of Armies, 'you will invite every man his neighbor under the vine and under the fig tree.'"
