4.“必要快成的事”表它们必成就，免得教会灭亡。“快成”不是指启示录所预言的事即将速速成就，而是指必然成就，否则教会必要灭亡。神性观念，因而灵义里面没有时间，取而代之的是状态。“快”因涉及时间，故表示必然，且提前成就。因为启示录赐于第一世纪，如今十七个世纪已经过去了，由此明显可知，“快成”表示与之对应的事且是必然的。
主的这些话同样包含这样的意思：
若不减少那日子，凡有血气的，总没有一个得救的；只是为选民，那日子必减少了。（马太福音24:22）
这些话的意思是，除非教会提前走到尽头，否则必彻底灭亡。这一章论述了时代的终结和主的到来；时代的终结是指旧教会的最后状态，主的到来是指新教会的状态。
前面说过，神性观念里没有时间，只有过去和未来的一切事的当下，所以诗篇上说：
在你看来，千年如已过的昨日。（诗篇90:4）
我要传圣旨，耶和华曾对我说，你是我的儿子，我今日生你。（诗篇2:7）
“今日”是指主到来的当下。正因如此，在圣言中，一个完整的时代被称为“一日”，其最初状态被称为黎明和早晨，其最后状态被称为晚上或黄昏和黑夜。
4. Things which must shortly take place. This symbolically means that they must surely come to pass to keep the church from perishing.
"Which must shortly take place" does not mean that the things predicted in the book of Revelation are going to happen immediately or quickly, but that they will happen surely, and that unless they come to pass, the church will perish.
In the Divine view, and so in the spiritual sense, time does not exist, but instead of time, state. And because "shortly" has to do with time, it symbolically means certainty and that something will happen before its time. For the book of Revelation was written in the first century, and seventeen centuries have now gone by, from which it is apparent that "shortly" means, symbolically, what corresponds to it, which is certainty.
[2] Something quite similar is involved in these words of the Lord:
Unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened. (Matthew 24:22)
This, too, means that unless the church should be ended before its time, it would perish entirely. That chapter has as its subject the end of the age and the Lord's advent, and by the end of the age is meant the last state of the old church, and by the Lord's advent, the first state of a new church.
[3] We said that in the Divine view there is no time, but the presence of everything that has happened and will happen. Accordingly we are told in the Psalms,
...a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday... (Psalms 90:4)
And in the same book:
I will declare the decree: Jehovah has said to Me, "You are My Son, today I have begotten You." (Psalms 2:7)
"Today" is the presence of the Lord's advent.
For this reason, too, a whole period in the Word is called a day, its first state being called dawn and morning, and its last state evening and night.
4. 'Things which must shortly come to pass' signifies that they are certainly going to happen so that the Church may not perish. By 'must shortly come to pass' is not understood that the things that have been predicted in the Apocalypse are going to happen at once and shortly, but certainly; and that unless they do happen the Church perishes. In the Divine idea, and thence in the spiritual sense, there is no time, but instead of time there is state; and because 'shortly' is of time, certainty is signified by it, and that it is going to happen before its time. For the Apocalypse was given in the first century, and now seventeen centuries have passed by, in consequence of which it is plain that by 'shortly' is signified that which corresponds [to it], and that is certainty.
[2] These words of the Lord involve exactly the same:
Except those days should be shortened, no flesh would be preserved; but for the elect's sake, those days shall be shortened. Matthew 24:22.
By them it is also understood that unless the Church was brought to an end before its time it would perish absolutely. In that chapter the consummation of the age and the Lord's coming are dealt with, and by the consummation of the age the last state of the old Church, and by the Lord's coming the first state of the new Church, is understood.
[3] It has been said that in the Divine idea there is no time, but the presence of all the things that have been and are going to be. Therefore it is said in David:
A thousand years in Thy sight are as yesterday. Psalms 90:4.
And in the same:
I will declare the decree, Jehovah has said unto Me, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee. Psalms 2:7.
'This day' is the presence of the Lord's coming. It is in consequence of this also that an entire period is termed 'a day,' its first state being a daybreak and morning, and its last an evening and night.
4. Things which must shortly come to pass signifies that they will certainly be, lest the church perish. By coming to pass shortly, is not meant that the things which are foretold in Revelation, will happen immediately and speedily, but certainly; and that unless they do happen the church must perish. In the Divine idea, and thence in the spiritual sense, there is no time, but instead of time there is state; and because shortly relates to time, by it is signified certainly, and that it will come to pass before its time, for Revelation was given in the first century, and since that seventeen centuries have now elapsed, from which it is evident, that by shortly is signified that which corresponds to it, and that is, certainly.
[2] The like is also involved in these words of the Lord:
Except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved; but for the elect's sake, those days shall be shortened, (Matthew 24:22);
by which also is meant that unless the church should come to an end before its time, it would altogether perish; in that chapter the consummation of the age and the Lord's coming are treated of; and by the consummation of the age is meant the last state of the old church, and by the Lord's coming, the first state of the new church.
[3] It was said that in the Divine idea there is not time, but the presence of all things past and future; wherefore it is said in David:
A thousand years in Thy sight are as yesterday, (Psalms 90:4);
I will declare the decree, Jehovah hath said unto Me, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee, (Psalms 2:7).
"This day" is the presence of the Lord's advent. Thence also it is, that an entire period is called day in the Word, and its first state the dawning and the morning, and the last evening and night.
4. "Quae oportet fieri cito," significat quod certe futura sint, ne pereat Ecclesia. - Per "oportet fieri cito" non intelligitur quod illa quae in Apocalypsi praedicta sunt, statim et cito futura sint, sed quod certe, et nisi fiant pereat Ecclesia: in idea Divina, et inde in sensu Spirituali, non est tempus, sed pro tempore est status; et quia cito est temporis, per id significatur certum, et quod ante suum tempus futurum sit; Apocalypsis enim data est primo saeculo, et nunc praeterierunt septendecim saecula; ex quo patet, quod per cito significetur id quod correspondet, quod est certum. Consimilia etiam involvunt haec verba Domini:
"Nisi abbreviarentur dies illi, non conservaretur ulla caro, sed propter electos abbreviabuntur dies illi," (Matthaeus 24:22);
per quae etiam intelligitur, quod Ecclesia nisi finiretur ante suum tempus, prorsus periret; agitur in eo Capite de Consummatione saeculi et de Adventu Domini, et per Consummationem saeculi intelligitur ultimus status Ecclesiae veteris, et per Adventum Domini primus status Ecclesiae novae. Dictum est, quod in idea Divina non sit tempus, sed praesentia omnium quae fuerunt et futura Sunt; quare dicitur apud Davidem,
"Mille anni in oculis Tuis sicut dies hesternus," (Psalm 90:4);
et apud eundem,
"Annuntiabo de statuto, Jehovih dixit ad Me, Filius Meus Tu, hodie genui Te," (Psalm 2:7);
hodie est praesentia adventus Domini. Inde etiam est, quod integra Periodus in Verbo dicatur Dies, ac primus ejus status Diluculum et Mane, ac ultimus Vespera et Nox.