547. Where she has a place prepared by God, that they may feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days. This symbolizes the state of that church then, that in the meantime provision may be made for it to exist among more people, until it grows to its appointed state.

A place symbolizes a state (no. 947), and to feed means, symbolically, to provide for the church's growth, for thus is a church fed. Consequently, having a place prepared by God, that they may feed her, symbolizes the state of the church, that in the meantime provision may be made for it to exist among more people. One thousand two hundred and sixty days means, symbolically, to the end and a new beginning (no. 491), namely, to the end of the previous church and the beginning of a new one, having the same meaning as "time and times and half a time" in verse 14 (no. 562). Thus it means also to its appointed state, that is, until it comes into being as provided.

It is of the Lord's Divine providence that the church be at first among few and that it gradually grow to be among more, because the falsities of the previous church must first be removed. For truths cannot be accepted before then, inasmuch as truths accepted and implanted before falsities have been removed do not remain, and they are also expelled by followers of the dragon. The case is the same as with the Christian Church and its gradual growth from few to many.

A second reason is that the New Heaven that must function together with the church on earth has to first be formed. Consequently we read that John saw a new heaven, and the holy Jerusalem descending from God out of heaven (Revelation 21:1-2).

One thing is certain, that the New Church, which is the New Jerusalem, will come into being, because it is foretold in the book of Revelation, chapters 21, 22. And it is also certain that the falsities of the previous church have to be removed before then, because that is the subject dealt with in the book of Revelation up through chapter 20.

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)

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