Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 41taught that Divine truth is from the Lord, and that he is Divinetruth; therefore, immediately after his question:He went out to the Jews, saying, I find no fault in him; andafterwards put upon the cross, This is Jesus, the king of the Jews. Andwhen the chiefs of the priests said unto him, Write not, The king of theJews, but that he saith I am the king of the Jews, Pilate answered, WhatI have written, I have written (John 19:4, 19–22).[4] When these things are understood, it may be known what ismeant by “kings” in the following passages in Revelation:The sixth angel poured out his bowl upon the great riverEuphrates, and the water thereof was dried up, that the way might bemade ready for the kings that come from the sun rising (Rev. 16:12).The great harlot that sitteth upon many waters, with whom thekings of the earth committed fornication (Rev. 17:1–2).The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth,and they are seven kings; the five are fallen, the one is, the other is notyet come. And the ten horns that thou sawest are ten kings, who havereceived no kingdom as yet, but they receive power as kings with thebeast for one hour. These shall war against the lamb, and the lamb shallovercome them; for he is Lord of lords and king of kings (Rev. 17:9, 10,12, 14).And the woman whom thou sawest is the great city, which haththe kingdom over the kings of the earth (Rev. 17:18).Of the wine of the wrath of her fornication all the nations havedrunk, and the kings of the earth committed fornication with her (Rev.18:3).And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies,gathered together, to make war against him that sat on the horse andagainst his army (Rev. 19:19).And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light ofit, and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it (Rev.21:24).