22
until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most high [places]; and the appointed time arrived, and the saints possessed the kingdom.
Daniel 7:22
Rise
It is common in the Bible for people to "rise up," and it would be easy to pass over the phrase as simply describing a physical action. But in fact it represents an elevation in spiritual state, moving to a more internal frame of mind closer to the Lord. Often it has to do with understanding a new or important idea; we "rise up" to a state of greater perception and enlightenment. Obviously context is crucial to the exact meaning of the phrase in a given passage -- it matters greatly who it is that is rising up, and why.
Apocalypse Revealed # 921
921. And the kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honor into it. This symbolically means that all those people who possess truths of wisdom springing from spiritual goodness will in the New Church confess the Lord and attribute to Him all the truth and all the goodness that they possess.
Kings of the earth symbolize people governed by truths that spring from a goodness received from the Lord (nos. 20, 854). Here, therefore, they are people impelled by truths of wisdom springing from the goodness of a spiritual love, because nations are mentioned first, which symbolize people impelled by the goodness of a celestial love, as described in the previous number. To bring their glory and honor into the city, or into the New Jerusalem, means, symbolically, to confess the Lord and attribute to Him all the truth and goodness that they possess. That this is the symbolic meaning of bringing or giving glory and honor, see nos. 249, 629, 693. For glory is mentioned in reference to the Lord's Divine truth, and honor in reference to His Divine goodness (no. 249).
Nations and kings have the same symbolic meaning as nations and peoples, as explained in no. 483 above, nations symbolizing people impelled by the goodness of love, and peoples those who are impelled by truths of wisdom. The same is the case also in an opposite sense. Consequently nations and kings are mentioned as frequently in the Word as nations and peoples, as in the following places:
All kings shall prostrate themselves before Him, and all nations shall serve Him. (Psalms 72:11)
You shall suck the milk of nations, and suck the nipples of kings. (Isaiah 60:16)
...many nations and great kings shall make them serve... (Jeremiah 25:14)
The Lord at Your right hand shall smite kings in the day of His wrath. He shall judge among the nations... (Psalms 110:5-6)
And so on elsewhere.
