236.“有闪电、雷轰、声音从宝座中发出”表从主而来的启示、觉知和教导。“闪电”因炫目的闪光而表示启示，“雷轰”因震耳的响声而表示觉知；当这二者表示启示和觉知时，“声音”就表示教导。三者之所以“从宝座中”发出，是因为它们从人子，或主的圣言发出，一切启示、觉知、教导皆从主经由圣言而来。在圣言其它地方，“闪电、雷轰、声音”具有相同的含义，如以下经文：
你曾用你的膀臂赎了你的民；天空发出响声；雷声响彻世界；闪电照亮世界。（诗篇 77:15，17-18）
耶和华的闪电光照世界。（诗篇97:4）
你在急难中呼求我，我就搭救你。我在雷的隐密处应允你。（诗篇81:7）
我听见一大群人的声音，像大雷的声音，说，哈利路亚！因为主我们的神，全能者取了这国了。（启示录19:6）
正因“闪电、雷轰、声音”表示启示、觉知和教导，故当耶和华降临西乃山，颁布律法时，有雷轰和角声（出埃及记19:16）。并且当有声音从天上传给主时，这声音听上去像“打雷”（约翰福音12:28-29）。由于雅各和约翰代表仁爱及其行为，对真理和良善的一切觉知皆出于此，故主给他们“起名叫半尼其，就是雷子的意思”（马可福音3:17）。由此明显可知，在启示录的以下经文中，“闪电、雷轰、声音”所表相同：
我从四活物那里听到一个声音，好像雷轰的响声。（启示录6:1）
我听见从天上有声音，像大雷的声音。（启示录14:2）
天使把香炉倒在地上，随有雷轰、大声、闪电。（启示录8:5）
当时神天上的殿开了，有闪电，声音，雷轰。（启示录11:19等）
236. And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. (4:5) This symbolizes enlightenment, perception, and instruction from the Lord.
Because of the flash of light that strikes the eyes, lightnings symbolize enlightenment, and because of the crash that strikes the ears, thunderings symbolize perception. And since these two together symbolize enlightenment and perception, voices then symbolize instruction.
These phenomena were seen to proceed from the throne because they emanated from the Son of Man or from the Lord in relation to the Word, and all enlightenment, perception and instruction comes from the Lord by means of the Word.
Lightnings, thunderings and voices have similar symbolic meanings elsewhere in the Word, as in the following places:
You have with Your arm redeemed Your people...; the skies sent out a voice... The voice of Your thunder was into the world; the lightnings lit up the world... (Psalms 77:15, 17-18)
(Jehovah's) lightnings light the world... (Psalms 97:4)
In distress you called, and I rescued you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder... (Psalms 81:7)
I heard... the voice of a great multitude..., as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty has taken the kingdom. (Revelation 19:6)
[2] Because lightnings, thunderings and voices symbolize enlightenment, perception and instruction, therefore when Jehovah descended on Mount Sinai and promulgated the Law, "there were thunderings and lightnings" (Exodus 19:16). Moreover, when a voice issued from heaven to the Lord, it sounded like thunder (John 12:28-29). And because James and John represented charity and its works, and from these spring every perception of truth and good, the Lord called them "Boanerges, that is, 'Sons of Thunder'" (Mark 3:17).
It is apparent from this that lightnings, thunderings and voices have similar symbolic meanings in the following places in the book of Revelation:
I heard one of the four living creatures... with a voice like thunder... (Revelation 6:1)
I heard a voice from heaven... like the voice of loud thunder. (Revelation 14:2)
(When) the angel... threw (the censer) to the earth..., there were thunderings, voices, and lightnings... (Revelation 8:5)
When (the angel) cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices. (Revelation 10:3-4)
(When) the temple of God was opened in heaven... there were lightnings, voices, and thunderings... (Revelation 11:19)
So likewise elsewhere.
236. [verse 5] 'And out of the throne were going forth lightnings and thunderings and voices' signifies enlightenment, perception, and instruction, from the Lord. 'Lightnings,' by reason of the flash striking the eyes, signify enlightenment, while 'thunderings,' by reason of the crash striking the ears, signify perception, and when these two signify enlightenment and perception, then 'voices' signify instruction. These were seen to be going forth 'out of the throne' because they go forth from the Son of Man, or from the Lord as to the Word; and all enlightenment, perception, and instruction comes from the Lord by means of the Word. Similar things are signified by 'lightnings,' 'thunderings,' and 'voices' elsewhere in the Word, as in these passages:
Thou hast with [Thine] arm redeemed Thy people, the ethers gave forth a voice, a voice of thunder into the world; the lightnings enlightened the world. Psalms 77:15, 17-18 [H.B. 16, 18-19].
The lightnings of Jehovah shall enlighten the world. Psalms 97:3-4.
Thou didst call upon Me in straitness, and I rescued thee, I answered thee in the secret place of thunder. Psalms 81:7; [H.B. 8].
I heard the sound of a great crowd, as the sound of powerful thunderings, saying, Hallelujah, for our Omnipotent Lord God has taken the kingdom. Revelation 19:6.
[2] Because enlightenment, perception and instruction are signified by 'lightnings,' 'thunderings,' and 'voices,' therefore when Jehovah came down upon mount Sinai and announced the Law, there were 'lightnings' and 'voices' (Exodus 19:16). And when a voice was sent out of heaven to the Lord, it was heard as 'thunder' (John 12:28-29). And because James and John were representing charity and the works thereof, and every perception of truth and good is out of these, they were called 'Boanerges' by the Lord, that is, 'sons of thunder' (Mark 3:17). It is plain from these considerations that similar things are signified by 'lightnings,' 'thunderings,' and 'voices' in the following passages in the Apocalypse:
I heard one of the four animals as it were the voice of thunder. Revelation 6:1.
I heard a voice out of heaven as it were the voice of a great thunder. Revelation 14:2.
When the angel cast the censer upon the land, there were thunderings, voices, and lightnings. Revelation 8:5.
When the angel cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices. Revelation 10:3-4.
When the temple of God in heaven was opened, there were lightnings and voices and thunderings. Revelation 11:19.
Similarly elsewhere.
236. Verse 5. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings, and thunders, and voices, signifies enlightenment, perception, and instruction from the Lord. "Lightnings," by reason of the flash which strikes the eyes signify enlightenment, and "thunders," by reason of the noise which strikes the ears signify perception, and when these two signify enlightenment and perception, then "voices" signify instruction. These were seen to proceed "from the throne," because they proceed from the Son of man, or from the Lord as to the Word, and from the Lord through the Word come all enlightenment, perception, and instruction. "Lightnings, thunders, and voices," have a similar signification in other parts of the Word, as in these passages:
Thou hast with Thine arm redeemed Thy people: the skies gave forth a voice; the voice of thunder went into the world; the lightnings enlightened the world, (Psalms 77:15, 17-18).
The lightnings of Jehovah shall enlighten the world, (Psalms 97:4).
Thou didst call upon Me in straitness, and I rescued thee: I answered thee in the secret place of the thunder, (Psalms 81:7).
I heard the sound of a great multitude, as the sound of mighty thunders, saying, Hallelujah, because the Lord, our God, the Almighty, hath taken the kingdom, (Revelation 19:6).
[2] Because enlightenment, perception, and instruction are signified by "lightnings, thunders, and voices," therefore:
When Jehovah descended upon Mount Sinai, and promulgated the Law, there were thunders and voices, (Exodus 19:16).
And when:
A voice was sent down from heaven to the Lord, it was heard as thunder, (John 12:28-29).
And as James and John represented charity and its works, and all perception of truth and good is from these:
They were called by the Lord, Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder, (Mark 3:17).
From these things it is manifest that similar things are signified by "lightnings, thunders, and voices," in the following passages in Revelation:
I heard a voice from the four animals, as it were a voice of thunder, (Revelation 6:1).
I heard a voice out of heaven as a voice of great thunder, (Revelation 14:2).
When the angel cast the censer unto the earth, there were thunders, voices, and lightnings, (Revelation 8:5).
When the angel cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices, (Revelation 10:3-4).
When the temple of God was opened in heaven, there were lightnings, and voices, and thunders, (Revelation 11:19).
236. (Vers. 5.) "Et e throno prodibant fulgura et tonitrua et voces," significat a Domino illustrationem, perceptionem et instructionem. - "Fulgura," ex flamma stringente oculos, significant illustrationem; ac "tonitrua," ex fragore stringente aures, significant perceptionem; et cum haec et illa significant illustrationem et perceptionem tunc voces" significant instructionem. Haec visa sunt "e Throno" prodiisse, quia a Filio Hominis seu a Domino quoad Verbum, et a Domino per Verbum omnis illustratio, perceptio et instructio venit. Similia per "fulgura, tonitrua et voces" significantur alibi in Verbo, ut in his:
"Redemisti brachio populum Tuum, Vocem dederunt aetheres; vox Tonitrui in orbem, illustrarunt Fulgura orbem," (Psalm 77:16, 18-19 (B.A. 15, 17-18));
"Illustrabunt Fulgura Jehovae Orbem," (Psalm 97:4; 1
"In angustia invocasti Me, et eripui te, respondi tibi in occulto Tonitru," (Psalm 81:8 (B.A. 7));
"Audivi sonitum turbae multae, tanquam sonitum Tonitruum vehementium, dicentium Halleluia, quia Regnum cepit Dominus Deus noster Omnipotens," (Apocalypsis 19:6).
Quia per "fulgura, tonitrua et voces" significantur illustratio, perceptio et instructio, ideo Jehovah cum descendit super Monte Sinai, et promulgavit Legem, erant Fulgura et Voces, (Exodus 19:16);
Et cum ad Dominum e Caelo emissa est vox, audita est tanquam Tonitrui, (Johannes 12:28-29).
Et quia Jacobus et Johannes repraesentabant Charitatem et Opera ejus, et ex his est omnis perceptio veri et boni,
A Domino vocati sunt Boanerges, hoc est, filii Tonitrui, (Marcus 3:17).
Ex his patet, quod similia per "fulgura, tonitrua et voces" significentur in sequentibus in Apocalypsi:
"Audivi unum ex quatuor Animalibus tanquam vocem Tonitrui," (6:1);
"Audivi vocem e Caelo tanquam vocem Tonitrui magni," (14:2); 2
Cum Angelus projecit thuribulum in terram, "facta sunt Tonitrua, Voces et Fulgura," (8:5);
Cum Angelus clamavit, "locuta sunt septem Tonitrua voces suas," (10:3-4);
Cum apertum est Templum Dei in Caelo, "facta sunt Fulgura et Voces et Tonitrua," (11:19).
(Similiter alibi.)
Footnotes:
1. 4 pro "3, 4"
2. xiv. pro "iv."