491. 'And they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days' signifies that these two, the acknowledgment of the Lord, and a life in accordance with the precepts of the Decalogue, being the two Essentials of the New Church, are to be taught even to the end and the beginning. That these two, the acknowledgment of the Lord and a life in accordance with the precepts of the Decalogue, are the two Essentials of the New Church and are understood by the 'two witnesses' may be seen just above (n. 490); and that 'to prophesy' signifies to teach (n. 8, 133). By '1260 days' is signified to the end and the beginning, that is, to the end of the former Church thus to the beginning of the New. This is signified by that number because by that number the like is signified as by 'three and a half', for the number 1260, when reduced into years, makes three years and a half, and by 'three and a half' is signified the end and the beginning (n. 505). Something similar to what is here is signified by that number in the following chapter:-