547、“在那里有神给她预备的地方，叫他们在那里养活她一千二百六十天”表示那时该教会的状态，与此同时规定它可以在许多人当中，甚至直到它增长到指定状态，或长足身量。“地方”表示状态(AR 947节)；“养活”表示为教会的增长而规定，因为这样教会就得到滋养；因此，“在那里有神给她预备的地方，叫他们养活她”表示这教会的状态，与此同时规定它可以在许多人当中；“一千二百六十天”表示直到结束和开始(AR 491节)，也就是说，直到前教会的结束和新教会的开始，与启12:14中的“一个时期，两个时期，半个时期”是一样的(AR 562节)；因此也表示直到它的指定状态，或长足身量，也就是说，直到它如所规定的那样存在。按照主的圣治，教会起初要在少数人当中，然后在许多人当中渐渐增长，因为前教会的虚假必须先被移除；在此之前，真理无法被接受，因为在虚假被移除之前，被接受和植入的真理无法保留下来，它们也会被龙的追随者驱散；类似的事发生在基督教会当中，基督教会也是从少数人逐渐增长到多数人的。另一个原因是，新天堂首先被形成，它要与将在地上的教会行如一体；因此，我们读到：
约翰看见一个新天，又看见圣耶路撒冷由神那里从天而降。(启示录21:1, 2)
可以肯定的是，新教会，即新耶路撒冷，将会存在或出现，因为启示录(21-22章)预言了这一点；还可以肯定的是，前教会的虚假必须先被移除，因为它们就是启示录直到第20章所论述的主题。
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.
547. 'Where she has a place made ready by God, that they may nourish her there a thousand two hundred and sixty days' signifies the state of the Church then, that meanwhile provision may be made with many until it increases to its full stature. By 'place' is signified state (947); and by 'to nourish' is signified to provide that it may increase, for thus the Church is nourished. Consequently by 'to have a place made ready by God that they may nourish her' is signified the state of the Church that meanwhile provision may be made among many. By 'a thousand two hundred and sixty days' is signified to the end and the beginning (491), that is, to the end of the former Church and the beginning of the New, similar to what is signified by 'the and times and half a time' (verse 14, 562), thus also to full stature, that is, until it comes into existence as has been provided. It is of the Lord's Divine Providence that the Church may be at first among a few and increase successively among many, because the untruths of the former Church must first be removed; for before this truths cannot be received, since the truths that are received and implanted before the untruths have been removed are not permanent, and are also rejected by the dragonists. The same sort of thing took place with the Christian Church which increased successively from few to many. Another reason is that the New Heaven must first be formed, and this is going to become one with the Church on earth. Therefore we read that:
He saw a New Heaven, and the holy Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven. Revelation 21:1-2.
It is certain that a New Church, which is the New Jerusalem, is going to come into existence, because it has been foretold in the Apocalypse (chapters 21; 22); and it is also certain that the untruths of the former Church must be removed before this, because these things have been treated of in the Apocalypse as far as the twentieth chapter.
547. Where she hath a place prepared by God, that they may nourish her there a thousand two hundred and sixty days, signifies the state of the church at that time, that in the meantime it may be provided among many, even until it increases to its appointed state. By "place" is signified state, (947); and by "to nourish," provision for its increase, for thus is the church nourished; hence by "having a place prepared by God that they may nourish her," is signified the state of the church that in the meantime it may be provided among many; by "a thousand two hundred and sixty days" is signified to the end and the beginning, (491), that is, to the end of the former church and the beginning of the New, the same as by a time, and times, and half a time, verse 14 (562); thus, also, to its appointed state, that is, until it exists as has been provided. It is of the Lord's Divine providence, that the church should at first be among a few, and that it should successively increase among many, because the falsities of the former church must first be removed; for before this, truths cannot be received, since truths, which are received and implanted before falsities are removed, do not remain, and they are also dissipated by the dragonists; the like happened with the Christian church, which increased successively from a few to many. Another reason is, that the New Heaven is first to be formed, which will act as one with the church that will be on earth; therefore we read that:
He saw a New Heaven, and the Holy Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, (Revelation 21:1-2).
It is certain that the New Church, which is the New Jerusalem, will exist, because it is foretold in Revelation (Revelation 21-22); and it is also certain that the falsities of the former church are first to be removed, because they are what it treats of in Revelation as far as chapter 20.
547. "Ubi habet locum praeparatum a Deo, ut ibi alant eam diebus mille ducentis sexaginta," significat statum illius Ecclesiae tunc, ut interea provideatur apud plures, usque dum crescit ad suum statutum. - Per "locum" significatur status (947) et per "alere" significatur providere ut crescat, nam sic Ecclesia alitur; inde per "habere locum praeparatum a Deo ut alant eam" significatur status Ecclesiae ut interea provideatur inter plures: per "dies mille ducentos sexaginta" significatur ad finem et principium (491), hoc est, ad finem prioris Ecclesiae (et) ad principium Novae, simile quod per tempus et tempora et dimidium temporis, vers. 14 (562), ita quoque ad statutum, hoc est, usque dum, sicut provisum est, existit. Quod ex Divina Providentia Domini sit, ut Ecclesia primum inter paucos sit, et successive crescat inter plures, est quia falsa prioris Ecclesiae primum removenda sunt vera enim non antea possunt recipi, nam vera quae recipiuntur et implantantur, antequam falsa remota sunt, non permanent, et quoque a Draconicis elimantur. Similiter factum est cum Ecclesia Christiana, quod a paucis ad plures successive creverit. Altera causa est, quod primo formandum sit Novum Caelum, quod unum cum Ecclesia in terris facturum est; quare legitur, quod "Viderit Novum Caelum, ac Sanctam Hierosolymam descendentem a Deo e Caelo," (Apocalypsis 20:1-2).
Certum est quod Nova Ecclesia, quae est Nova Hierosolyma, exstitura sit, quia praedicta est in Apocalypsi 21; 22; et quoque certum est quod falsa prioris Ecclesiae antea removenda sint, quia de illis actum est in Apocalypsi usque ad cap. 20.