AR 917 - the twelve gates of pearls

AR 917
. . . the knowledge of the Lord
is the universal of all things of doctrine
and consequently of all things of the church;
from it all worship derives its life and soul,
for the Lord is the all in all of heaven and the church,
and consequently in all things of worship.

[2] The reason why the acknowledgment and knowledge of the Lord
conjoins into one all the knowledges of truth and good from the Word,
is because there is a connection of all spiritual truths,
and if you will believe it,
their connection is like the connection
of all the members, viscera, and organs of the body;
wherefore as the soul contains all these in their order and connection,
so that they are felt no otherwise than as one,
so, in like manner,
the Lord holds together all spiritual truths with a person.

That the Lord is the very gate,
by which people are to enter into the church and then into heaven,
He Himself teaches in John:

I am the door; by Me if anyone enter in, he shall be saved.
(John 10:9)

And that the acknowledgment and knowledge of Him is the pearl itself,
is meant by these words of the Lord in Matthew:

The kingdom of the heavens is like unto a merchant seeking beautiful pearls,
who when he had found one precious pearl,
went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
(Matthew 13:45-46)

"One precious pearl" is the acknowledgment and knowledge of the Lord.