842.“把他捆绑一千年”表此处“龙”所指的那些人被扣留，与灵人界中其余的人分开，以便一段时间或相当长的时间内他们之间不再有联系。“捆绑”在此表示扣留，并与灵人界中其余的人分开，防止他们之间发生联系，这一点可见于下一节。“一千年”不是指一千年，而是指一段时间或相当长的时间。这是因为在灵界，只是“一千”，没有附加其它数字，就表示这个意思。凡以为“一千年”表示一千年的人，都不知道在圣言中，一切数字都表示事物，因而有可能在涉及事物的含义上被误导，尤其在读到启示录中的数字，如5，7，10，12，144，666，1200，1600，12000，144000，以及许多其它数字时。在这些数字中，“一千”只表示某种修饰成分，“一千”用来标明时间时，表示稍微有点或多了几分；但当如此处单独使用时，表示一段时间或相当长的时间。
我从天上得知，事实的确如此；在天上，圣言里面读不到数目，取而代之的是事物，取代“一千”的是一段时间。令他们惊讶的是，当教会之人在启示录中看到如此多的数字无非表示某些事物时，他们仍执着于前千禧年派和千年主义者的猜想，关于教会末后状态的虚妄观念由此给其心智造成深刻印象。
842. And bound it for a thousand years. This symbolically means that those meant by the dragon here were forcibly drawn away and separated from the rest of the people in the world of spirits to keep them from having any communication with the rest for a while or a period of time.
To bind here means, symbolically, to forcibly draw away and separate from the rest of the people in the world of spirits in order to keep them from having any communication with the rest, as we will see in the following number.
A thousand years does not mean a thousand years, but a while or a period of time, because in the spiritual world that is the symbolism of a thousand without any additional numbers. Someone who believes that a thousand years means a thousand years does not know that numbers in the Word all have symbolic meanings, and so he may develop some delusional ideas about the meanings of things, especially in the book of Revelation, when he encounters numbers such as 5, 7, 10, 12, 144, 666, 1,200, 1,600, 12,000, 144,000, and many others. The thousands in the last of these numbers symbolize only some modifier, and when thousands are used to designate periods of time, they symbolize an additional extent. When used alone, however, as in the present instance, a thousand means, symbolically, a while or a period of time.
The reality of this is something I have been told from heaven, where none of these numbers are found in the Word that exists there, but instead of the number some property, and instead of a thousand a period of time. The inhabitants there marvel that even though people in the church see so many numbers in the book of Revelation, which cannot but symbolize properties, still they cling to the conjectures of chiliasts and millenarians, and in so doing impress upon themselves vain ideas regarding the final period of the church.
842. 'And bound him for a thousand years' signifies that those who are here understood by 'the dragon' were withdrawn and torn away from the rest in the world of spirits, so that for a while or for a considerable time there should not be communication with them. That by 'to bind' here is signified to withdraw and tear away from the rest in the world of spirits so that there should not be communication with them will be seen in the paragraph following. The reason why by 'a thousand years' is not understood a thousand years but for a while or for a considerable time is because a thousand without other numbers added signifies that in the spiritual world. He who believes that 'a thousand years' signifies a thousand years does not know that all the numbers in the Word signify things, and thus he can be misled about the meaning of the things, especially in the Apocalypse where numbers are read, as where the numbers 5, 7, 10, 12, 144, 666, 1200, 1600, 12000, 144000 and many others occur. In these latter numbers the 'thousand' only signifies something added, and when the 'thousand' is applied to designate times it signifies somewhat more; but when it is mentioned on its own, as here, it signifies for a while or for a considerable time. That it is so has been told me out of heaven, where in the Word that is there not any number is read but instead of the number a thing, and instead of 'a thousand' a while. They are astonished there that, when the men of the Church see in the Apocalypse so many numbers that can but signify things, they still adhere to the conjectures of the Chiliasts or Millenarians, and thereby have become impressed with empty ideas about the last state of the Church.
842. And bound him a thousand years, signifies that they who are here meant by "the dragon," were withdrawn and torn away from the rest in the world of spirits, that for some time there might be no communication with them. That by "binding" is here signified to withdraw and tear them away from the rest in the world of spirits, in order to prevent communication with them, will be seen in the next article. The reason why by "a thousand years" are not meant a thousand years, but for a while or for some time, is because "a thousand" without other numbers added to it in the spiritual world, has that signification; he who believes that "a thousand years" signify a thousand years, does not know that all numbers in the Word signify things, and thus may be misled, especially in the Apocalypse, with respect to the sense of the things, where numbers are read, as where the numbers 5, 7, 10, 12, 144, 666, 1200, 1600, 12,000, 144,000, and many others occur; in which latter numbers "a thousand" only signifies a certain adjunct, and when a thousand is used to designate times, it signifies somewhat more; but when it is used by itself, as here, it signifies for a while or for some time; that this is so has been told me from heaven, where in the Word which is there, no number is read, but instead of a number the thing, and instead of a "thousand" for a while; they are surprised there, that, when the men of the church have seen in the Apocalypse so many numbers, which cannot but signify things, they should still adhere to the conjectures of the chiliasts and millennialists, by which their minds are impressed with vain things concerning the last state of the church.
842. "Et ligavit eum mille annos" significat quod illi qui hic per "Draconem" intelliguntur, retracti et evulsi sint a reliquis in Mundo spirituum, ne communicatio esset cum illis aliquamdiu seu aliquanto tempore. -Quod per "ligare" hic significetur retrahere et avellere a reliquis in Mundo spirituum, ne communicatio esset cum illis, videbitur in mox sequente articulo. Quod per "mille annos" non intelligantur mille anni, sed aliquamdiu aut aliquanto tempore, est quia "mille" absque aliis numeris adjectis in mundo spirituali id significant: qui credit quod "mille anni" significent mille annos, non scit quod omnes numeri in Verbo significent res, et sic hallucinari potest, imprimis in Apocalypsi, de sensu rerum, ubi leguntur numeri, ut ubi "5," "7," "10" "12," "144," "666," "1200," 1600," "12,000," "144,000," et plures alii; in quibus posterioribus numeris "mille" non significant quam aliquod adjectivum, et cum "mille" adhibentur ad designanda tempora, significant aliquantum plus; at cum solitarie dicuntur, ut hic, significant aliquamdiu seu aliquanto tempore. Quod ita sit, mihi dictum est e Caelo, ubi in Verbo, quod ibi est, non aliquis numerus legitur, sed res pro numero, et pro "mille" aliquamdiu; mirantur ibi quod cum homines Ecclesiae viderunt in Apocalypsi tot numeros; qui non possunt non significare res, usque adhaeserint Chiliastarum seu Millenariorum conjecturis, et per id sibi impresserint vana de Ecclesiae statu ultimo.