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.

174. (Verse 26) And he that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end. That this signifies perseverance in love and faith after combat against those loves and the removal of them as far as possible is evident from the signification of overcoming, as denoting to fight against the delights of the loves of self and of the world, and to remove them. That this is the spiritual sense of these words follows from the series of the things treated of; and from the signification of keeping unto the end, as denoting, perseverance even unto death; for he who thus perseveres in love and faith is saved, because all of a man's life remains to eternity, such as he is at the time of death (as may be seen above, n. 125); also from the signification of works as being the things of love and faith, in cause and in effect, or in internals and in externals. The reason why these things are here signified by works is, that the subject treated of in what is written to the angel of this church is such things (see above, n. 150). It is said, and keepeth my works, because the all of love and faith and all the opening of the internal and its conjunction with the external is from the Lord alone; hence the works by which those things are signified, are not of man, but of the Lord with man, and therefore they are called "my works."