853. Over such the second death has no power. This symbolically means that the people described do not suffer damnation.
The second death has no other symbolic meaning than spiritual death, which is damnation. For the first death is natural death, which is a death of the body. But the second death is spiritual death, which is a death of the soul, and this is damnation, as people know. Moreover, because the second death is damnation, and the first death is a transition, a death that is not a spiritual one, therefore nowhere in the book of Revelation is the first death mentioned, but only the second death, which is mentioned here and in verse 14 in this chapter, and in the following chapter 21:8, and also earlier in chapter 2, 2:11.
Someone who does not notice this may easily believe that there are two spiritual deaths, because reference is made to a second death, even though there is only one spiritual death, which is here meant by the second death. He may likewise believe that there are two resurrections, because reference is made to a first resurrection, even though there is only one resurrection, as may be seen in no. 851 above, which is why a second resurrection is nowhere mentioned.
It is apparent from this that "over such the second death has no power" symbolically means that the people described do not suffer damnation.
