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.

693. And they did not repent so as to give Him glory. This symbolically means that because of this they cannot accept with any faith that the Lord is God of heaven and earth, even in respect to His humanity, even though it is what the Word teaches.

Not repenting means, symbolically, not to turn away from evils, but to remain in them. And not to give Him glory means, symbolically, not to accept with any faith that the Lord is God of heaven and earth, for that is to give Him glory.

That the Lord is God of heaven and earth is something He Himself clearly teaches in Matthew 28:18, John 13:3; 17:2-3; also that He and the Father are one in John 10:30; 12:45; 14:6-11; 16:15, and elsewhere. Furthermore, Church doctrine also teaches that the Divine and the human are one person, united as soul and body.

249. And when the living creatures gave glory and honor and thanks to Him who sat on the throne. (4:9) This symbolically means that the Word ascribes all truth and good and all worship to the Lord, who is about to judge.

The living creatures are the Word, as we have shown. Glory and honor referring to the Lord mean that all truth and good belong to Him and spring from Him. Thanks means all worship. He who sat on the throne is the Lord in relation to judgment, as before. Hence it is apparent that the statement, "when the living creatures gave glory and honor and thanks to Him who sat on the throne," symbolically means that the Word ascribes all truth and good and all worship to the Lord, who is about to judge.

To give glory and honor to the Lord has no other meaning in the Word than to acknowledge and confess that all truth and good come from Him, thus that He alone is God; for glory belongs to Him owing to His Divine truth, and honor owing to His Divine good.

[2] Glory and honor have these symbolic meanings in the following places:

Jehovah made the heavens. Glory and honor are before Him. (Psalms 96:5-6)

Jehovah... God, You are very great; You are clothed with glory and honor. (Psalms 104:1)

Great are the works of Jehovah... Glory and honor are His work... (Psalms 111:2-3)

Glory and honor You will place upon him... blessings to eternity. (Psalms 21:5-6, said in reference to the Lord.)

Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One in... glory and... honor. In Your honor mount up, ride upon the word of truth... (Psalms 45:3-4)

You have made him a little less than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor. (Psalms 8:5)

The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the honor of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of Jehovah, (and) the honor of our God. (Isaiah 35:2)

All of this is said in reference to the Lord, and also elsewhere, as in Psalms 145:4-5, 12 and Revelation 21:24, 26.

Moreover, where the Word speaks of Divine truth, it uses the term glory (no. 629), and where it speaks of Divine good, it uses the term honor.