The Bible

 

Hosea 12:10

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10 I have also spoken unto the prophets, and I have multiplied visions; and by the ministry of the prophets have I used similitudes.

Commentary

 

Gilgal

  

Gilgal signifies the doctrine of natural truth serving as an introduction into the church.

(References: Apocalypse Revealed 700)

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #18

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18. And the ruler of the kings of the earth. This symbolically means, from whom originates all truth from good in the church.

This follows from the preceding, because "a faithful witness" symbolizes the Lord in respect to Divine truth, and "the firstborn" the Lord in respect to Divine good. Thus "the ruler of the kings of the earth" means, symbolically, that from Him originates all truth from good in the church. This is symbolically meant by "the ruler of the kings of the earth" because in the spiritual sense of the Word, kings mean people who possess truths from good, and abstractly, truths from good themselves, and the earth means the church.

That these are the symbolic meanings of kings and earth may be seen in nos. 20 and 285 below.

  
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Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.