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.

5. (Verse 1) The revelation of Jesus Christ. That this signifies predictions by the Lord concerning the last times of the church, is evident from the signification of revelation as denoting predictions; and because these are from the Lord alone, it is said, "the revelation of Jesus Christ." The reason why the revelation, or the predictions, are concerning the last times of the church, is because those times are especially treated of. It may be imagined that the successive states of the church from beginning to end are treated of in the Apocalypse; but those states are not there the subject, but only the state of heaven and the church about the time of its end, when the Last Judgment takes place; the last times are consequently treated of. The successive states of the church, however, were predicted by the Lord Himself in Matthew (chapters24 and 25), and also in Mark (chapter 13); but the things contained in these chapters are written in the Divine prophetic style, which is by correspondences, and consequently they are such as can be revealed and laid open only by means of the internal or spiritual sense. (It has therefore been granted me by the Lord to explain those things in Arcana Coelestia, at the beginning of chapters 24-40 of Genesis; which explanations may be seen there in their order, in the following places: n. 3353-3356, 3486-3489, 3650-3655, 3751-3757, 3897-3901, 4056-4060, 4229-4231, 4332-4335, 4422-4424, 4635-4638, 4661-4664, 4807-4810, 4954-4959, 5063-5071.)