1672. And the kings that were with him. That this signifies the apparent truth which is of that good, is evident from the signification of “kings” in the Word. “Kings,” “kingdoms,” and “peoples,” in the historical and the prophetical parts of the Word, signify truths and the things which are of truths, as may be abundantly confirmed. In the Word an accurate distinction is made between a “people” and a “nation;” by a “people” are signified truths, and by a “nation” goods, as before shown (n. 1259, 1260). “Kings” are predicated of peoples, but not so much of nations. Before the sons of Israel sought for kings, they were a nation, and represented good, or the celestial; but after they desired a king, and received one, they became a people, and did not represent good or the celestial, but truth or the spiritual; which was the reason why this was imputed to them as a fault (see 1 Samuel 8:7-22, concerning which subject, of the Lord’s Divine mercy elsewhere). As Chedorlaomer is named here, and it is added, “the kings that were with him,” both good and truth are signified; by “Chedorlaomer,” good, and by “the kings,” truth. But what was the quality of the good and truth at the beginning of the Lord’s temptations has already been stated.

7172. I once saw spirits belonging to our planet with spirits belonging to the planet Mercury, and I heard them talking to one another. Among other things the spirits belonging to our planet asked them whom they believed in, to which they replied that they believed in God. But when they questioned them further about the God they believed in they were unwilling to say anything more, because it is not their custom to answer questions directly. Yet at that point the spirits from the planet Mercury in turn asked the spirits from our planet whom they believed in. They said, In the Lord God. But the spirits belonging to Mercury then said they perceived that they believed in no God at all and that they were accustomed to say with their lips that they believed, when in fact they did not (the reason why spirits belonging to Mercury possess keen perception is that they are constantly seeking by means of their perception to get hold of what others know). The spirits belonging to our planet were some of those who in the world were moved by what the Church taught to declare their faith, yet did not lead the life of faith. When they heard these things said about themselves they fell silent, for at that point they were given the ability to see that such things were true.