1063. (v. 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 (xvi. 12, 14; xviii. 3; xix. 19; xxi. 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.
This page is part of 
© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church