491. "And they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days." This symbolically means that these two - an acknowledgment of the Lord and a life in accordance with the Ten Commandments, which are the two essential elements of the New Church - must be taught until the end and a new beginning.
That these two, an acknowledgment of the Lord and a life in accordance with the Ten Commandments, are the two essential elements of the New Church, and are meant by the two witnesses, may be seen just above in no. 490. And that to prophesy means, symbolically, to teach, in nos. 8, 133.
One thousand two hundred and sixty days means, symbolically, until the end and a new beginning, that is, until the end of the previous church and thus the beginning of a new one. This is the symbolic meaning of the number because the number has the same symbolic meaning as three and a half; for when expressed in terms of years, 1260 days is equivalent to three and a half years, 1 and three and a half symbolizes an end and a beginning (no. 505).
This same number has the same symbolic meaning in the next chapter:
Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days. (Revelation 12:6)
Notes de bas de page:
1. Reckoning a year to comprise 360 days, or 12 months of 30 days each, a reckoning common in the ancient Near East before the establishment of the Julian calendar.
