855.“并要与祂一同作王一千年”表当还没有复活，也就是尚未接受天上生命的其他人尚在灵人界时，他们就已经在天上了。“与基督一同作王”并非表示与祂一同作王，而是表示在祂的国度中，或在天上（参看284，289节）。“一千年”不是指一千年，而是表示一段时间，如前所述（842节）；“一千年”无非表示介于那龙被关在无底深渊和被释放之间的那个时间段，这是显而易见的，因为经上说，他被“扔进无底深渊，关起来，用印封上一千年，然后才被释放”（启示录20:3，7）。此处也表示这个时间段；因此，他们要“与基督一同作王一千年”表示他们早已在天上，而其余的死人尚未复活，仍在灵人界（第5节经文论及他们）。不过，那些不知道启示录中的数字不是指数字，而是表示事物的人，理解不了这些事。我可以断言，天使不像世人那样属世地理解任何数字，而是属灵地理解；事实上，他们不知道一千年是什么，只知道它是或大或小的某个时间段，而这个时间段只能以某个时间来表述。
855. And shall reign with Him a thousand years. This symbolically means that the people described were already in heaven when the rest who did not live again, that is, who did not accept the life of heaven, were still in the world of spirits.
To reign with Christ does not mean to reign with Him, but to be in His kingdom, or in heaven, as may be seen in nos. 284, 849 above. A thousand years does not mean a thousand years, but symbolically means for a while, as in no. 842 above.
The thousand years symbolizes nothing else than that period of time which intervened between the shutting up of the dragon in the bottomless pit and its being set loose, as is apparent because we are told that it was cast into the bottomless pit, shut up, and had a seal set on it for a thousand years, and then that it was set loose (verses 3 and 7). This same period of time is also symbolically meant here. Therefore that the people described would reign with Christ a thousand years means, symbolically, that they were already in heaven when the rest of the dead who did not live again, mentioned in verse 5, were in the world of spirits.
But this is not comprehended by people who do not know that numbers in the book of Revelation do not mean numbers but properties. I can testify that angels do not entertain a natural idea of any number, as people do, but a spiritual one. Indeed, they do not know what a thousand years is, but only that it is some interval of time, short or long, which can only be expressed as a while.
855. 'And they shall reign with Him for the thousand years' signifies that they were already in heaven when the rest who did not live again, that is, accept heavenly life, were in the world of spirits. By 'to reign with Christ' is not signified to reign with Him but to be in His kingdom or in heaven, as may be seen above (is. 284, 849). By 'the thousand years' is not signified a thousand years, but it signifies for a while, as above (842). It is plain that 'the thousand years' does not signify anything else but that space of time which existed between the shutting up of the dragon in the deep and his release, because it is said that he was cast into the deep, shut up, and that a seal was set upon him for a thousand years, and at length that he was let loose (verse 3, 7). This same space of time is signified here also; and therefore by 'they shall reign with Christ for the thousand years' is signified that they were already in heaven when the rest of the dead 'who did not live again' (treated of in verse 5) were in the world of spirits. But these things are not comprehended by those who do not know that by the numbers in the Apocalypse are not understood numbers but things. I can definitely state that angels do not understand any number naturally, as men do, but spiritually; indeed that they do not know what a thousand years are, only that it is some interval of time, small or great, and this cannot be expressed otherwise than by 'a while.
855. And shall reign with Him a thousand years, signifies that they were already in heaven, when the rest, who did not yet live again, that is, receive heavenly life, were in the world of spirits. "To reign with Christ" does not signify to reign with Him, but to be in His kingdom, or in heaven, see above, (284, 289). By "a thousand years" is not meant a thousand years, but it signifies some time, as above, (842); that "a thousand years" signifies nothing else but that space of time which intervened between the shutting up of the dragon in the abyss and his release, is evident because it is said that he was cast into the abyss, shut up, and a seal set upon him for a thousand years, and then that he was loosed (verses 3, 7). This same space of time is also here signified; therefore, "they shall reign with Christ a thousand years," signifies that they were already in heaven, while the rest of the dead who did not yet live again were in the world of spirits (of whom verse 5). But these things cannot be comprehended by those who do not know that by numbers, in Revelation, are not meant numbers, but things. I can assert that the angels do not understand any number naturally, as men do, but spiritually; yea, that they do not know what a thousand years are, except that it is some interval of time, small or great, which cannot be otherwise expressed than by some time.
855. "Et regnabunt cum Ipso mille annos," significat quod illi jamdum in Caelo essent, cum reliqui qui nondum revixerunt, hoc est, vitam caelestem acceperunt, in Mundo spirituum essent. -Per "regnare cum Christo" non significatur regnare cum Ipso, sed in Regno Ipsius seu in Caelo esse (284, 849); per "mille annos" non intelliguntur mille anni, sed significatur aliquamdiu (842); quod "mille anni" non aliud significent quam illud spatium temporis quod erat inter inclusionem Draconis in abysso, et ejus solutionem, patet, quia dicitur quod conjectus sit in abyssum, conclusus, et quod obsignatum sit super eo mille annos, et dein quod solvetur (vers 3 et 7); hoc idem spatium temporis significatur etiam hic; quare per "regnabunt cum Christo mille annos" significatur quod illi jamdum in Caelo essent, dum reliqui mortuorum qui nondum revixerunt (de quibus vers. 5), in Mundo spirituum essent. Sed haec non capiunt illi qui non sciunt quod per numeros in Apocalypsi non intelligantur numeri, sed res. Asseverare possum quod angeli non aliquem numerum naturaliter intelligant, sicut homines, sed quod spiritualiter; imo quod non sciant quid mille anni, solum quod sit aliquod interstitium temporis, parvum aut magnum, quod non aliter exprimi potest quam per aliquamdiu.