1063. (Verse 10) And they are seven kings. That this signifies also the truths of the Word falsified and profaned by them, is evident from the signification of kings, as denoting the truths of the Word (see (n. 29, 31, 625, 1034). And from its being said seven, as relating to what is holy, and in the opposite sense to what is profane. Whence it follows, that by seven kings are signified the truths of the Word falsified and profaned. The reason why they are signified by seven kings is, that by the seven mountains, mentioned just above, are signified the goods of the Word adulterated and profaned. For in the Word where good is treated of, truth is also treated of, because of the heavenly marriage, which is the marriage of good and truth in all its details (concerning which see above, n. 238, 660, 775).

[2] He who does not know that by kings, in the Word, are signified truths, can never know what is meant by kings in many passages in the Word.

As in Daniel, where it is also said that the heads and horns of the beasts are kings or kingdoms. As also in the Apocalypse (16:12, 14; 18:3; 19:19; 21:24), and elsewhere.

And in this chapter:

The seven heads are seven kings. Five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and the beast that was, and is not, he is the eighth king, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. And the ten horns are ten kings, which have not yet received a kingdom; and more things that follow.

For if kings were here meant by kings, it could not be conjectured what is meant by such words. But when it is known, that by kings are signified the truths of the Word and the truths of the church therefrom, it is quite evident what is meant. But in this case, also, by the numbers are not meant so many truths, but such truths as are signified by the number in the spiritual sense. For if seven truths were signified by seven kings, and five truths by the five kings who fell, also ten truths by the ten kings and as many horns, then there could be no spiritual sense involved. Therefore in every case it must be observed that all numbers, in the Word, signify the qualities of the things described.

Continuation concerning the fourth kind of Profanation:-

[3] In this kind of profanation are those especially who read the Word, and have knowledge concerning the Lord; because from the Lord through the Word are all the holy things that are capable of being profaned; the things not therefrom cannot be profaned. That is called profane which is opposed to what is holy, and which offers violence to what is holy, and destroys it. It therefore follows that those who do not read the Word, and do not approach the Lord, as is the case with the Roman Catholics, are not in this kind of profanation; still less, those who have no knowledge of the Lord, or of the Word, as is the case with the Gentiles.

Those who are in this kind of profanation, after death, appear, at first, with a face of human colour, around which float many wandering stars. And those of this kind, who were Prelates, sometimes appear to have a shining mouth. But when they are brought into the light of heaven, the stars and the shining of the mouth disappear, and the colour of the face is turned into black; and the same is the case with their garments. But the blackness of these profaners is of a blueish tinge, whereas the blackness of the former kind of profaners is of a reddish colour. This is because the latter profane the goods of the Word and of the church, but the former, the truths thereof. For red, as being derived from the sun, signifies good, and blue, as being derived from the sky, signifies truth.

1034. (Verse 2) With whom the kings of the earth have committed whoredom. That this signifies that they have falsified all the truths of the church, is evident from the signification of committing whoredom, as denoting to falsify (concerning which see n. 141, 161, 817, 881); and from the signification of the kings of the earth, as denoting the truths of the church, kings denoting truths, and the earth denoting the church. Kings are mentioned very frequently in the Word, and it is believed that kings or their kingdoms are thereby meant, whereas all those who are in truths from good from the Lord are meant in the Word by them; and, in the abstract sense, in which consists the spiritual sense, truths from good. That these things are meant by kings may be seen above (n. 29, 31, 553, 624, 625), which is further evident from the following passages in the Apocalypse:

"Jesus Christ, the Prince of the kings of the earth, who hath made us kings and priests" (1:5, 6).

Again:

"The Lamb hath made us kings and priests, that we might reign upon the earth" (5:10; also 16:12, 14).

[2] Because by kings are signified truths from good, they also signify, in the opposite sense, falsities from evil. For most expressions in the Word have also an opposite sense. Such is the signification of kings in the following parts of this chapter:

The seven heads of the beast "are also seven kings, five have fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come, and when he doth come he must abide but a short time" (ver. 11).

Also:

"The ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings" (ver. 12).

As also:

"The woman is the great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth" (ver. 18).

Similarly in the following passages, where it is said,

That the beast, the kings of the earth, and their army, made war with him that sat on the white horse (Apoc. 19:19).

From these things it is evident what is signified by the kings of the earth committing whoredom with the whore sitting upon many waters, namely, the falsification of the truths of the church by those who belong to Babylon. Similarly in the following passages, where it is said,

That the kings of the earth committed whoredom with that woman, "and the merchants of the earth waxed rich, from the abundance of her delicacies."

Likewise:

"The kings of the earth, who have committed whoredom, and lived delicately with her, shall weep over her and bewail her" (Apoc. 18:3, 9, 11).

Similar things are signified by the kings in Daniel:

That the ten horns of the fourth beast "are ten kings, which shall arise from that kingdom, and another after them, who shall be diverse from the former, who shall humble three kings" (7:24).

[3] The reason why kings signify those who are in truths from good, and, abstractedly, truths from good is, that the Lord is called king from Divine truth, and priest from Divine good; and hence the heaven where Divine truth reigns is called "His throne." This is why the angels in the heavens, and men on earth, who are in truths from good from the Lord, are called sons of the king, also sons of the kingdom, and heirs; therefore these are they who are meant by kings where the Lord is called the "King of kings," as in verse 14 of this chapter, and in chapter 19:16, and elsewhere.