----中文待译----
273. (Verse 5) And out of the throne proceeded lightnings, and thunderings, and voices. That this signifies enlightenment, understanding, and perception of the Divine truth in the heavens from the Lord is evident from the signification of lightnings, thunderings and voices, as being said of the Divine truth; lightnings of its enlightenment, thunderings of its understanding, and voices of its perception; that these things are signified will be evident from the passages in the Word where they are mentioned. But something shall first be said concerning the ground of those significations. All the things seen in the visible heaven by the eyes of men are correspondences; as the sun, the moon, the stars, the air, the ether, light, heat, clouds, mists, showers, and many others; they are correspondences because all the things in the natural world correspond to those that are in the spiritual world. Those things are also correspondences in heaven, where the angels are, since similar things are seen by them; but there they are not natural but spiritual, as is evident from what is shown respecting them in Heaven and Hell. For example, concerning the sun and the moon in heaven (n. 116-125); concerning light and heat in heaven (n. 126-140); and in general concerning the correspondence of heaven with all things on earth (n. 103-115); and concerning appearances in heaven (n. 170-176). Hence also lightnings and thunderings are correspondences; and because they are correspondences, they signify those things to which they correspond; in general they signify the Divine truth received and uttered by the higher angels, which, when it descends to the lower angels, is sometimes seen as lightning, and heard as thunder with voices. This is why lightning signifies the Divine truth as to enlightenment; thunder, the Divine truth as to understanding; and voices, the Divine truth as to perception.
It is said as to understanding and as to perception, because what enters by hearing into the mind is both seen and perceived; it is seen in the understanding, and it is perceived by communication with the will. (What is properly perception, such as the angels in heaven enjoy, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 140.)
[2] This, now, is why lightnings and thunders in the Word signify Divine truth as to enlightenment and as to understanding, as is evident from the following passages. In David:
"Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people. The clouds dropped waters; the skies uttered a voice; thine arrows also went abroad; the voice of thy thunder into the world; the lightnings lightened the world" (Psalms 77:15, 17, 18).
The subject treated of in this Psalm is the establishment of the church anew; by the clouds dropping waters are signified truths from the sense of the letter of the Word; by the skies, or higher clouds, uttering a voice, are signified truths from the spiritual sense of the Word; by the arrows which went abroad are meant thunderbolts, from which there appear as it were arrows from a bow, these being present when there are thunders and lightnings, and by them are signified Divine truths; by the voice of thunder into the world is signified Divine truth as to perception and understanding in the church; and by the lightning lightening the world is signified enlightenment: the world signifies the church.
[3] Again:
"A fire shall go before" Jehovah, "and burn up his enemies round about. His lightnings shall enlighten the world" (Psalms 97:3, 4).
From these words also It is evident that lightnings signify Divine truth as to enlightenment: for it is said his lightnings shall enlighten the world.
[4] In Jeremiah:
"The maker of the world by his power, he prepareth the world by his wisdom, and by his intelligence stretcheth out the heavens; at the voice which he giveth there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he maketh the vapours to ascend from the end of the earth, he maketh the lightnings of the rain" (10:12, 13; 51:16; Psalms 135:7).
Here also the establishment of the church is treated of. That by the voice of thunder is signified the Divine truth as to perception and understanding, and by lightnings the same as to enlightenment is evident from its being said that the maker of the earth prepareth the world by His wisdom, and stretcheth out the heavens by His intelligence; and immediately after, that when He uttereth His voice there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and that He maketh lightnings of the rain. The earth and the world signify the church; waters in the heavens signify spiritual truths; rain signifies the same when they descend and become natural; their enlightenment is signified by lightnings.
[5] In the second book of Samuel:
"Jehovah thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice, and sent arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and confounded them" (22:14, 15).
Thunders are here expressed by thundering from heaven, and by uttering a voice; flying thunderbolts by arrows; and by both are signified Divine truths, and by lightning, their light. And as these quicken and enlighten the good, so they affright and blind the wicked; which is meant by His sending arrows and scattering them, lightning, and confounding them for the evil cannot sustain Divine truths, nor any light at all from heaven, therefore they flee away from their presence.
[6] Similarly in David:
"Jehovah also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest uttered his voice, and sent his arrows, and scattered them and many thunderbolts, and discomfited them" (Psalms 18:13, 14).
And elsewhere:
"Hurl thy lightning, and scatter them; send forth thine arrows, and destroy them" (Psalms 144:6).
That thunders and lightnings signify the Divine truth as to understanding and as to enlightenment is still further evident from the following passages. In David:
"Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place, in thunder" (Psalms 81:7).
In the Apocalypse:
"And I heard as it were the voice of thunder, and one of the four animals saying, Come and see" (6:1).
Again:
"The angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth; and there were thunderings, voices, and lightnings" (8:5).
Again:
The angel "cried with a loud voice, as a lion; and when he cried seven thunders uttered their voices" (10:3, 4).
Again:
"The temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in the temple the ark of the covenant; and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings" (11:19).
Again:
"I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder" (14:2).
And again:
"I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia, for the Lord our God omnipotent reigneth" (19:6).
Because thunders and lightnings signify Divine truths, therefore also when Jehovah descended upon Mount Sinai to promulgate them,
"There were voices, and lightnings, and also the voice of a trumpet" (Exodus 19:16).
That the voice of a trumpet signifies Divine truth as to revelation, may be seen above (n. 12:28, 29); and James and John were called Boanerges, or sons of thunder (Mark 3:14, 17).
273. Verse 116-125; On Light and Heat in Heaven, n. 126-140; and in general, On the Correspondence of Heaven with all Things of the Earth, n. 103-115; and on Appearances in Heaven, n. 170-176), Therefore "lightnings" and "thunders" also are correspondences; and because they are correspondences, they have the like significance as the things have to which they correspond. Their significance in general is Divine truth received and uttered by the highest angels; which, when it descends to the lower angels sometimes appears as lightning, and is heard as thunder with voices. From this it is that "lightning" signifies Divine truth in respect to illustration; "thunder" Divine truth in respect to understanding; and "voices" Divine truth in respect to perception. It is said in respect to the understanding and in respect to the perception, since what enters into the mind through the hearing is both seen and perceived; seen in the understanding, and perceived through communication with the will. (What perception is, strictly, such as the angels in heaven have, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 140.)
[2] From this then it is that "lightnings" and "thunders" in the Word signify Divine truth in respect to illustration and in respect to the understanding, as can be seen from the following passages. In David:
Thou hast with Thine arm redeemed Thy people. The clouds poured out waters; the skies gave forth a voice; Thine arrows also went forth; the voice of Thy thunder into the world; the lightning lightened the world (Psalms 77:15, 17-18).
Here the establishment of the church is treated of; "the clouds poured out waters" signifies truths from the sense of the letter of the Word; "the skies gave forth a voice" (that is, the higher clouds), signifies truths from the spiritual sense of the Word; "the arrows that went forth" (meaning thunderbolts, from which there is an appearance as of arrows from a bow and which are present when there are thunders and lightnings) signify Divine truths; "the voice of thunder into the world" signifies Divine truth in respect to perception and understanding in the church; and "the lightnings lightened the world" signifies Divine truth in respect to illustration thence; "the world" signifies the church.
[3] In the same:
A fire shall go before Jehovah, and burn up His enemies round about; His lightnings shall lighten the world (Psalms 97:3-4).
From these words also it is clear that "lightnings" signify Divine truth in respect to illustration, for it is said "His lightnings shall lighten the world."
[4] In Jeremiah:
The Maker of the earth by His power, He prepareth the world by His wisdom, and by His intelligence stretcheth out the heavens; at the voice that He giveth forth there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and He maketh the vapors to go up from the end of the earth, He maketh lightnings for the rain (Jeremiah 10:12-13; 51:16; Psalms 135:7-8).
Here again the establishment of the church is treated of. That "the voice of thunder" signifies Divine truth in respect to perception and understanding, and "lightnings" Divine truth in respect to illustration, can be seen from its being said, "The Maker of the earth prepareth the world by His wisdom, and by His intelligence stretcheth out the heavens;" and then, "at the voice that He giveth forth there is a multitude of waters in the heavens," and "He maketh lightnings for the rain;" "earth" and "world" signifying the church; "waters in the heavens" spiritual truths; "rain" these truths when they descend and become natural; "lightnings" their illustration.
[5] In the second book of Samuel:
Jehovah thundered from heaven, and the Most High gave forth His voice and sent forth His arrows and scattered them, lightning, and discomforted them (2 Samuel 22:14-15).
Thunders are here described by "thundering from heaven" and by "giving forth a voice," flying thunderbolts by "arrows," and all these signify Divine truths, and "lightning" their light; and as these vivify and illustrate the good, so they terrify and blind the evil, which is meant by "He sent forth arrows and scattered them, lightning, and discomfited them;" for the evil cannot bear Divine truths, nor any light at all from heaven, therefore they flee away at their presence.
[6] Likewise in David:
Jehovah thundered in the heavens, and the Most High gave forth His voice; and He sent forth His arrows and scattered them, and many lightnings and discomfited them (Psalms 18:13-14).
Lighten forth lightning and scatter them; send forth Thine arrows and discomfit them (Psalms 144:6).
That "thunders" and "lightnings" signify Divine truth in respect to the understanding and illustration is still further evident from the following passages.
In David:
In distress thou didst call and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place with thunder (Psalms 81:7).
In Revelation:
I heard one of the four animals saying, as with a voice of thunder, Come and see (Revelation 6:1).
Again:
And the angel took the censer and filled it from the fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth; and there followed thunders and voices and lightnings (Revelation 8:5).
Again:
The angel cried with a great voice, as a lion, and when he cried the seven thunders uttered their voices (Revelation 10:3-4
Again:
The temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in the temple the ark of the covenant; and there followed lightnings and voices and thunders (Revelation 11:19).
Again:
I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of great thunder (Revelation 14:2).
And again:
I heard the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, as the voice of vehement thunders, saying, Alleluia; for the Lord our God, the Almighty, hath received the kingdom (Revelation 19:6).
Moreover, since "thunders" and "lightnings" signify Divine truths, when Jehovah came down upon Mount Sinai to promulgate these truths:
There were voices and lightnings, and also the voice of a trumpet (Exodus 19:16).
That "the voice of a trumpet" signifies Divine truth in respect to revelation, see above (n. John 12:28-29).
That James and John were called Boanerges, sons of thunder (Mark 3:14, 17).
273. (Vers. 5.) "Et e throno prodibant fulgura et tonitrua et voces." - Quod significet illustrationem, intellectum et perceptionem Divini Veri in caelis a Domino, constat ex significatione "fulgurum, tonitruum et vocum", quod praedicentur de Divino Vero, "fulgura" de ejus illustratione, "tonitrua" de ejus intellectu, et "voces" de ejus perceptione: quod haec significentur per illa, constabit ex locis in Verbo ubi nominantur; sed primum aliquid dicetur, unde significationes illae. Omnia quae in caelo aspectabili coram oculis hominum apparent, correspondentiae sunt; sicut sol, luna, stellae, aer, aether, lux, calor, nubes, nimbi, imbres, et plura: correspondentiae sunt quia omnia quae in naturali mundo sunt correspondent illis quae in spirituali mundo; sunt quoque illa correspondentiae in caelo, ubi angeli, quoniam apparent illis similia, verum ibi non sunt naturalia sed sunt spiritualia: (ut constare potest ex illis quae in opere De Caelo et Inferno ostensa sunt, ut De Sole et Luna in Caelo, n. 116-125; De Luce et Calore in Caelo, n. 126-140; et in genere De Correspondentia Caeli cum omnibus Telluris, n. 103-115; ac De Apparentiis in Caelo, n. 170-176): inde etiam "fulgura" et "tonitrua" sunt correspondentiae; et quia correspondentiae sunt, ideo significant similia quibus correspondent. In genere significant Divinum Verum ab angelis superioribus receptum et enuntiatum, quod cum descendit ad angelos inferiores, quandoque apparet sicut fulgur, et auditur sicut tonitru cum vocibus. Inde est quod "fulgur" significet Divinum Verum quoad illustrationem, "tonitru" Divinum Verum quoad intellectum, et "voces" Divinum Verum quoad perceptionem. Quoad intellectum et quoad perceptionem dicitur, quoniam quod intrat per auditum in mentem, hoc et videtur et percipitur, videtur in intellectu, et percipitur per communicationem cum voluntate. (Quid proprie perceptio, qualis est angelis in caelo, videatur in Doctrina Novae Hierosolyma, n. 140.)
[2] Inde nunc est quod "fulgura" et "tonitrua" in Verbo significent Divinum Verum quoad illustrationem et quoad intellectum, ut constare potest a sequentibus his locis:
- Apud Davidem,
"Redemisti brachio populum tuum;... stillarunt aquas nubes, vocem dederunt aetheres, etiam tela tua iverunt; vox tonitrui tui in orbem, illustrarunt fulgura orbem" (Psalms 77:16, 18, 19 [B.A. 15, 17, [18]);
agitur ibi de instauratione ecclesiae; et per "stillarunt aquas nubes", significantur vera ex sensu litterae Verbi; per "vocem dederunt aetheres" seu nubes superiores, significantur vera ex sensu spirituali Verbi; per "tela" quae iverunt intelliguntur fulmina, ex quibus apparent sicut sagittae ex arcu, et quae adsunt cum tonitrua et fulgura, et per illa significantur Divina vera; per "vocem tonitrui in orbem", significatur Divinum Verum quoad perceptionem et intellectum in ecclesia; et per "illustrarunt fulgura orbem", significatur quoad illustrationem inde; "orbis" est ecclesia.
[3] Apud eundem,
"Ignis coram" Jehovah "ibit, et inflammabit circumcirca hostes Ejus; illustrabunt fulgura Ipsius orbem" (Psalms 97:3, 4);
ex his quoque patet quod "fulgura" significent Divinum Verum quoad illustrationem, nam dicitur "Illustrabunt fulgura orbem."
[4] Apud Jeremiam,
"Factor terrae per virtutem suam, praeparat orbem per sapientiam suam, et per intelligentiam suam extendit caelos; ad vocem quam dat Ille multitudo aquarum in caelis, et ascendere facit vapores a fine terrae, fulgura pluviae facit" (10:12, 13, 1
Psalms 51:16; Psalms 135:7, 8);
etiam hic agitur de instauratione ecclesiae; quod per "vocem tonitrui" significetur Divinum Verum quoad perceptionem et intellectum, et per "fulgura" illud quoad illustrationem, constare potest ex eo, quod dicatur quod "Factor terrae praeparet orbem per sapientiam suam, et extendat caelos per intelligentiam suam"; et mox, quod "ad vocem quam dat, multitudo aquarum in caelis", et quod "fulgura pluviae faciat": "terra" et "orbis" significant ecclesiam; "aquae in caelis" significant vera spiritualia; "pluviae" illa cum descendunt et fiunt naturalia; illustratio eorum significatur per "fulgura."
[5] In Libro Secundo Samuelis,
"Tonuit de caelo Jehovah, et Altissimus dedit vocem suam, et misit tela et dispersit eos, fulgur et confudit" (22:14, 15);
tonitrua hic exprimuntur per "tonare e caelo" et per "dare vocem", fulmina volantia per "tela", et per haec et per illa significantur Divina vera, et per "fulgur" eorum lux; quae sicut vivificant et illustrant bonos, ita per terre faciunt et occaecant malos, quod intelligitur per quod "misit tela et dispersit eos, ac fulgur et confudit": mali enim non sustinent Divina vera, et prorsus non aliquam lucem e caelo quare ad praesentiam eorum aufugiunt.
[6] Similiter apud Davidem,
"Tonavit in caelis Jehovah, et Altissimus dedit Vocem suam, ... et misit tela sua et dispersit eos, et fulmina multa et conturbavit illos" (Psalms 18:14, 15 [B.A. 13, [14]):
et alibi,
"Fulgurando fulgura et disperge illos, mitte tela tua et conturba illos" (Psalms 144:6).
Quod "tonitrua" et "fulgura" significent Divinum Verum quoad intellectum et quoad illustrationem, constat adhuc a sequentibus his locis:
- Apud Davidem,
"In angustia invocasti, et eripui te, respondi tibi in occulto, tonitru" (Psalms 81:8 [B.A. 7]):
in Apocalypsi,
"Audivi unum ex quatuor Animalibus, dicens tanquam vocem tonitrui Veni et aspice" (6:1);
alibi,
"Accepit angelus thuribulum, et implevit illud ex igne altaris, et abjecit in terram; et facta sunt tonitrua, voces et fulgura" (8:5);
alibi,
Angelus "clamavit voce magna sicut leo; et cum clamavit, locuta sunt septem tonitrua voces suas" (10:3, 4);
alibi,
"Apertum est templum Dei in caelo, et visa est arca foederis in templo, et facta sunt fulgura et voces et tonitrua" (11:19);
alibi,
"Audivi vocem e caelo tanquam vocem aquarum multarum, et tanquam sonum tonitrui magni" (14:2);
et alibi,
"Audivi sonitum turbae multae, et tanquam sonitum aquarum multarum, tanquam sonitum tonitruum vehementium, dicentium Halleluia, quia regnum cepit Dominus Deus noster omnipotens" (19:6).
Quoniam "tonitrua" et "fulgura" significant Divina vera, ideo etiam cum Jehovah descendit super Monte Sinai ut promulgaret illa,
"Erant voces, et fulgura, ... et quoque vox buccinae" (Exodus 19:16);
quod "vox buccinae" significet Divinum Verum quoad revelationem, videatur supra (n. 55, 262).
(Vox e caelo ad Dominum audita ut tonitru, Johannes 12:28, 29.)
(Quod 2
Jacobus et Johannes vocati Boanerges, filii tonitrui, Marcus 3:14, 17.)
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.
2. The editors made a correction or note here.