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.

35. The Word has made it known that a church comes to its end when there is no longer any faith within it; but it is not yet known that there can be no faith if there is no charity. I must therefore next say a little about this subject.

The Lord foretells that there will be no faith at the end of a church:

When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth? Luke 18:8.

And also that then there will be no charity:

At the ending of the age lawlessness will be increased many times, the charity of many will grow cold; and this gospel will be preached throughout the world. Then the end will come. Matthew 24:12, 14.

The ending of the age is the final period of a church. In that chapter the Lord describes the progressively declining state of the church as regards love and faith; but the description is given only by means of correspondences. The Lord's predictions therefore cannot be understood without knowing the spiritual sense which corresponds to each item. For this reason I have been permitted by the Lord to explain everything in that chapter and part of the following chapter, dealing with the ending of the age, the Lord's coming, the progressive laying waste of the church and the Last Judgment. This is to be seen in ARCANA CAELESTIA 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).