850. [verse 5] 'And the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished' signifies that besides those mentioned no others were taken up into heaven till after 'the dragon' was let loose, and those were then tested and examined [to discover] what they were like. By 'the rest of the dead' are signified those who were also rejected by those who are in faith alone, because they worshipped the Lord and lived in accordance with His precepts, but who were not yet tested and examined [to discover] what they were like. That here those are signified by 'the dead' may be seen above (n. 847). For all after their departure from the world first come into the world of spirits, which is midway between heaven and hell, and there they are tested and examined, and there prepared, the evil for hell and the good for heaven. It is said of these that they 'did not live again' yet, that is, they were not yet so conjoined with the Lord and in association with the angels of heaven as the former. That afterwards many also were saved is plain from vers. 12 and 15 of this chapter, where it is said that also 'the book of life was opened, and if anyone was not found written in the book of life he was cast into the lake of fire'.