472、“他呼喊的时候，就有七雷发声”表示主将在整个天堂揭开小书卷里的内容。这个含义是显而易见的，因为经上接着说，约翰想将这七雷所说的“写出来”，但从天上来被告知“要封上，不可写出来”；后来要他吃光小书卷，并在口中甜如蜜，肚子却发苦；以此表示它里面有诸如直到现在没有被接受的那类事；原因可见于下一节。但我要揭开小书卷里的内容。小书卷里有那些包含在《新耶路撒冷教义之主篇》中从头至尾的内容，这些内容如下：
整本圣经都涉及主，或说以主为主题，主就是圣言(Lord 1-7节)；主成全了律法的一切，是指祂应验了圣言的一切(Lord 8-11节)；主降世是为了征服地狱并荣耀祂的人身，十字架受难是最后的争战，祂通过十字架受难完全征服了地狱，并完全荣耀了祂的人身(Lord 12-14节)；主通过十字架受难不是除去罪，而是担当了它们(Lord 15-17节)；主功德的归算只是指悔改之后的罪的赦免(Lord 18节)；主在其神性人身方面被称为神的儿子，在圣言方面被称为人子(Lord 19-28节)；主出于自己里面的神性使祂的人身变成神性，从而与父为一(Lord 29-36节)；主是神自己，圣言来自祂并涉及祂(Lord 37-44节)；只有一位神，主就是这位神(Lord 45节)；圣灵是从主发出的神性，就是主自己(Lord 46-54节)；只要将三位格的三位一体理解为在主里面的一位格的三位一体，那么《亚他那修信经》的教义与真理是一致的(Lord 55-61节)。
经上之所以说“七雷发声”，是因为主所说的话在经由天堂降至低层区域时，听上去就像雷声。由于祂同时通过整个天堂，因而完全地说话，所以它们被称为“七”雷，数字“七”表示所有人，所有事物和整体(AR 10, 390节)；因此，“雷”也表示教导和对真理的感知(AR 236节)；在此也表示揭开并显明。从天上来的声音当来自主时，听上去就像打雷，这一点从以下经文明显看出来；约翰福音：
耶稣说，父啊，愿你荣耀你的名；就有声音从天上来，说，我已经荣耀了它，还要再荣耀；众人听见这声音就像打雷。(约翰福音12:28-30)
约伯记：
神发声吼叫，以自己的威严之声打雷。(约伯记37:4-5)
撒母耳记：
耶和华从天上打雷，至高者发出响声。(撒母耳记下22:14)
启示录：
我从天上听见一个响声，像大雷的响声。(启示录14:2)
诗篇：
你向我呼求，我在隐密处用雷回答了你。(诗篇81:7)
472. And when he cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices. This symbolically means that the Lord has disclosed throughout the whole of heaven what is in the little book.
This is the symbolic meaning, because we read next that John wished to write what the seven thunders said, but that he was told from heaven to seal those things up and not to write them, and later that he ate the little book, which in his mouth was as sweet as honey, but made his stomach bitter. The symbolic meaning is that present within were such things as would not yet be accepted. The reason may be seen in the next number.
But now I will reveal what the little book had in it. The little book had in it the same contents as found from beginning to end in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Lord, which are as follows:
[2] The Sacred Scripture throughout has the Lord as its subject, and the Lord is the Word (nos. 1-7).
The Lord's fulfilling all things of the Law 1means that He fulfilled all things of the Word (nos. 8-11).
The Lord came into the world to conquer the hells and glorify His humanity, and His suffering of the cross was the final battle by which He fully overcame the hells and fully glorified His humanity (nos. 12-14).
By His suffering of the cross the Lord did not take away sins, but bore them (nos. 15-17).
Any imputation of the Lord's merit is simply the forgiveness of sins following repentance (no. 18).
The Lord is called the Son of God in relation to His Divine humanity, and the Son of Man in relation to the Word (nos. 19-28).
The Lord made His humanity Divine from the Divinity in Him, and thus became one with the Father (nos. 29-36).
The Lord is God Himself, from whom the Word originated and who is the subject of the Word (nos. 37-44).
There is one God, and the Lord is that God (no. 45).
The Holy Spirit is the Divinity emanating from the Lord, and it is the Lord Himself (nos. 46-54).
The doctrine of the Athanasian Creed accords with the truth, provided a trinity of persons is interpreted to mean a trinity of person, which is present in the Lord (nos. 55-61).
[3] We are told that the seven thunders uttered their voices because the Lord's speech descending through the heavens into the lower regions sounds like thunder. And because He speaks at the same time throughout the whole of heaven, thus in fullness, there are said to be seven thunders, for the number seven means, symbolically, all people or all things, and thus completeness (nos. 10, 390). Consequently thunder also symbolizes instruction and a perception of truth (no. 236), and here discovery and disclosure as well.
That a voice from heaven sounds like thunder when it comes from the Lord is apparent from the following:
(Jesus said,) "Father, glorify Your name." Then a voice came from heaven, saying, "I have both glorified it and will glorify it again." (John 12:28-30)
The multitude heard this as thunder.
(God roars with His voice;) He thunders with His majestic voice... (Job 37:4-5)
Jehovah thundered from heaven, and the Most High uttered His voice. (2 Samuel 22:14)
I heard a voice from heaven... like the voice of loud thunder. (Revelation 14:2)
You called... and... I answered you in secret with thunder. (Psalms 81:7)
Footnotes:
1. Luke 24:44
472. 'And when he cried, the seven thunders uttered their voices' signifies that the Lord has disclosed throughout the entire heaven what is in the little book. This is signified because it follows on that he wanted to write the things that the seven thunders had spoken, but that it was said to him out of heaven that he should seal them up and not write. And [it continues] afterwards that he ate the little book up, and that in his mouth it was sweet as honey, but that it resulted in his belly's being made bitter, by which is signified that such things were in it as would not be received till now. The reason may be seen in the following paragraph. But I will open what was in the little book. In the little book were those things that are contained in THE DOCTRINE OF THE NEW JERUSALEM CONCERNING THE LORD, from the beginning to the end, and they are as follows:
[2] That the entire Sacred Scripture is concerning the Lord, and that the Lord is the Word, (1-7).
That the Lord fulfilled all things of the Law is equivalent to His fulfilling all things of the Word, (8-11).
That the Lord came into the world in order that He might bring the hells under control and glorify the Human, and that the passion of the cross was the last combat, by means of which He fully overcame the hells and fully glorified His Human (12-14).
That the Lord did not take sins away by means of the passion of the cross, but that He bore them, (15-17).
That the imputation of the Lord's merit is nothing else than the remission of sins after repentance, (18).
That the Lord as to the Divine Human is termed the Son of God, and as to the Word is termed the Son of Man, (19-28).
That the Lord made His Human Divine out of the Divine in Himself, and that in such a manner He became one with the Father, (29-36).
That the Lord is God Himself from Whom and concerning Whom is the Word, (37-44).
That God is one, and that the Lord is that God, (45).
That the Holy Spirit is the Divine proceeding from the Lord, and that It is the Lord Himself, (46-54).
That the Doctrine of the Athanasian Faith is in agreement with the truth (veritas), only so long as by a Trinity of Persons is understood the Trinity of Person that is in the Lord, (55-61).
[3] It is said that 'the seven thunders uttered their voices' because the Lord's speech, fallen down into lower regions, is heard as thunder; and because He speaks at the same time throughout the whole heaven, thus fully, there are said to be 'seven thunders,' for by 'seven' are signified all, all things, and the whole, (10, 391); and therefore also by 'thunder' is signified instruction and the perception of truth, (236), here also disclosure and manifestation. That a voice out of heaven is heard as thunder whenever it is from the Lord is plain from these [words]:
Jesus said, Father glorify Thy Name, and there came forth a voice out of heaven and said, I have both glorified it and I will glorify it. The crowd heard this as thunder. John 12:28-30.
God roars with His voice, He thunders with the voice of majesty, Job 37:4-5.
Jehovah has thundered out of heaven, and the Most High has uttered His voice, 2 Samuel 22:14.
I heard a voice out of heaven as the voice of a great thunder. Revelation 14:2.
Thou calledst Me, and I answered thee in hidden thunder. Psalms 81:7; [H.B. 8].
472. And when he cried, seven thunders uttered their voices signifies that the Lord throughout the entire heaven disclosed what was in the little book. This signification is evident, because it presently follows, that he wished "to write what the seven thunders uttered," but was enjoined from heaven "to seal it up and not to write it;" and afterwards "to eat up the little book;" and that "in his mouth it was sweet as honey" but that "it made his belly bitter;" by which is signified that such things were in it as could not yet be received: the reason may be seen in the following article. But I will open what was in the little book. In the little book were those things which are contained in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Concerning the Lord, from beginning to end, which are as follows:
[2] That the whole Sacred Scripture is concerning the Lord, and that the Lord is the Word, (1-7).
That by the Lord fulfilled all things of the law is meant that He fulfilled all things of the Word, (8-11).
That the Lord came into the world to subdue the hells and glorify His Human, and that the passion of the cross was the last combat, by which He fully conquered the hells, and fully glorified His Human, (12-14).
That the Lord, by the passion of the cross, did not take away sins, but that He bore them (n. . 15-17).
That the imputation of the Lord's merit is nothing else than the remission of sins after repentance (n. . 18).
That the Lord, as to His Divine Human, is called the Son of God, and, as to the Word, He is called the Son of man, (19-28).
That the Lord made His Human Divine from the Divine in Himself, and thus He became one with the Father (n. . 29-36).
That the Lord is God Himself, from whom and concerning whom the Word is, (37-44).
That there is one God, and that the Lord is that God, (45).
That the Holy Spirit is the Divine proceeding from the Lord, and that it is the Lord Himself, (46-54).
That the doctrine of the Athanasian faith agrees with the truth, if only by a Trinity of Persons is understood a Trinity of Person, which is in the Lord (n. . 55-61).
[3] The reason why it is said that "the seven thunders uttered their voices," is, because what the Lord speaks, as it descends through the heavens into the lower parts, is heard as thunder; and because He speaks through the whole heaven at once, and thus fully, they are called "seven" thunders, for by "seven" are signified all, all things, and the whole, (10, 391); therefore also by "thunder" is signified instruction and the perception of truth, (236); here also disclosure and manifestation. That a voice from heaven is heard as thunder, when from the Lord, is evident from these passages:
Jesus said, Father, glorify Thy name: and there came forth a voice out of heaven, and said, I have glorified it, and I will glorify it: the multitude heard this as thunder, (John 12:28-30).
God roareth with His voice, He thundereth with the voice of majesty, (Job 37:4-5).
Jehovah thundered out of heaven, and the Most High uttered His voice, (2 Samuel 22:14).
I heard a voice out of heaven, as the voice of great thunder, (Revelation 14:2).
Thou calledst unto me, and I answered thee in secret thunder, (Psalms 81:7).
472. "Et cum clamavit, locuta sunt septem tonitrua voces suas," significat quod Dominus per universum Caelum detexerit quid in Libello. - Quod hoc significetur, est qua sequitur quod vellet "scribere quae Septem tonitrua locuta sunt," sed quod e Caelo illi dictum sit ut "obsignaret illa, et non scriberet:" et postea, quod "devoraret Libellum," et quod "ille in ore ejus esset dulcis sicut mel," sed quod "ex eo amaricatus sit venter ejus;" per quae significatur, quod talia inessent, quae adhuc non reciperentur; causa videatur in articulo Sequente. Sed aperiam quid in Libello. In Libello erant illa quae in Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae de Domino, a principio ad finem, continentur, quae sunt sequentia:
Quod universa Scriptura Sacra sit de Domino, et quod Dominus sit Verbum (1-7);
Quod Dominus impleverit omnia Legis sit quod impleverit omnia Verbi (8-11);
Quod Dominus in mundum venerit, ut subjugaret Inferna, et glorificaret Humanum, et quod Passio crucis fuerit ultima pugna, per quam plene vicit Inferna, et plene glorificavit Humanum Suum (12-14);
Quod Dominus per Passionem crucis non abstulerit peccata, sed quod portaverit illa (15-17);
Quod imputatio meriti Domini non aliud sit quam remissio peccatorum post paenitentiam (18);
Quod Dominus quoad Divinum Humanum dicatur Filius Dei, et quoad Verbum dicatur Filius Hominis (19-28);
Quod Dominus Humanum Suum fecerit Divinum ex Divino in Ipso, et quod sic unum factus sit cum Patre (29-36);
Quod Dominus sit Ipse Deus a Quo et de Quo Verbum (37-44);
Quod Deus unus sit, et quod Dominus sit Ille Deus (45);
Quod Spiritus Sanctus sit Divinum procedens a Domino, et quod Illud sit Ipse Dominus (46-54);
Quod Doctrina Fidei Athanasianae concordet cum veritate, dum modo per Trinitatem Personarum intelligatur Trinitas Personae, quae est in Domino (55-61).
Quod dicatur quod "septem tonitrua locuta sint voces suas," est quia loquela Domini per Caelos delapsa in inferiora auditur sicut tonitru; et quia loquitur simul per totum Caelum, ita plene, dicuntur Septem tonitrua, per "septem" enim significantur omnes, omnia, et totum (10, 391); quare etiam per "tonitru" significatur instructio et perceptio veri, (236), hic etiam detectio et manifestatio. Quod vox e Caelo audiatur sicut tonitru, quando a Domino, patet ab his:
Jesus dixit, "Pater glorifica Nomen Tuum: et exiit vox e Caelo et dixit, Et glorificavi et glorificabo:" turba audivit hoc sicut Tonitru, (Johannes 12:28-30);
"Deus rugit voce Sua, Tonat voce majestatis," (Hiob 37:4-5);
"Tonavit e Caelo Jehovah, et Altissimus dedit vocem Suam," (2 Samuelis 22:14);
"Audivi vocem e Caelo tanquam vocem Tonitrui magni," (Apocalypsis 14:2);
"Invocasti Me, et respondi tibi in occulto Tonitru," (Psalm 81:8 (B.A. 7)).