42.“我转过身来，要看那与我说话的声音”表就觉知圣言的真理而言，那些处于生活良善之人转向主时状态的颠倒。约翰说他听见后面有声音（10节），便转过身来，要看那声音；既转过来，就看见七灯台。由此明显可知，他听见后面有声音，便转过身来，要看那声音是从哪里发出的；显然，此中含有一个奥秘。这奥秘是：人在转向主、承认祂为天地之神以前，无法看见圣言中的神性真理。原因在于，无论在位格上还是在本质上，神都是一，三位一体在祂里面；这位神就是主。因此，承认三位格的三一体的人主要仰望父，有些人也仰望圣灵，却很少仰望主；即使仰望主，也视其人性如普通人的人性。人若这样做，绝不能在圣言中得到启示，因为主就是圣言，圣言出于祂并涉及祂。不唯独靠近主的人，看主及其圣言在他们后头，而不是在他们前头，或向后看，而不是向前看。这就是隐藏在这些话里面的奥秘，即：“约翰听见在后面有声音，就转过身来，要看那声音，既转过来，就看见七个金灯台，和七灯台中间的人子”；因为约翰所听见的声音出自人子，也就是主。
唯独主是天地之神，如今祂以活生生的声音教导了这一点，因为祂说：我是阿拉法，是俄梅戛，是始，是终，主说，是昔在、今在、以后永在的。（启示录1:8）
还有此处：
我是阿拉法，是俄梅戛，是首先的，是末后的。（启示录1:11，17；2:8）
以及后面：
“声音”当来自主时，就表示神性真理（参看37节）。“约翰”表示那些处于生活良善的教会中人（5，6节）。从这些事明显可知，“我转过身来，要看那与我说话的声音”这句话表示就觉知圣言的真理而言，那些处于生活良善之人转向主时状态的颠倒。
42. Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. (1:12) This symbolizes a turning around of the state of those people who possess goodness of life, in respect to their perception of the truth in the Word, when they turn to the Lord.
John says that he heard the voice behind him (verse 10), and now that he turned to see the voice, and secondly, that having turned he saw seven lampstands. From this it is apparent that he heard the voice in back of him, and that he turned to see where it was coming from.
Clearly in this lies an arcanum. The secret to it is that before a person turns to the Lord and acknowledges Him as God of heaven and earth, he cannot see the Divine truth in the Word. That is because God is one both in person and in essence, in whom is the Trinity, that God being the Lord. People who accept a trinity of persons, therefore, look primarily to the Father, and some to the Holy Spirit, but rarely to the Lord; and if they do look to the Lord, they think of His humanity in the same way that they do an ordinary person. When a person does this, he can by no means be enlightened in the Word, for the Lord embodies the Word, since it comes from Him and has Him as its subject. Therefore people who do not turn to the Lord alone regard Him and His Word as being behind them and not before them, or as being in back of them and not in front of them.
This is the secret that lies concealed in these words, that John heard the voice behind him, that he turned to see the voice, and that having turned he saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of them the Son of Man. For the voice that he heard came from the Son of Man, who is the Lord.
[2] That the Lord alone is God of heaven and earth, He now teaches in a clear statement, for He says,
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come...." (Revelation 1:8)
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last." (Revelation 1:11)
And later,
"I am the First and the Last." (Revelation 1:17, cf. 2:8)
To be shown that a voice, when coming from the Lord, means Divine truth, see no. 37 above; and that John means those people of the church who possess goodness of life, see nos. 5 and 6 above.
It can now be seen from this that these words, "Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me," symbolize a turning around of the state of those people who possess goodness of life, in respect to their perception of the truth in the Word, when they turn to the Lord.
42. [verse 12] 'And I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me' signifies the inversion of the state of those who are in the good of life as to the perception of truth in the Word while they turn to the Lord. John says that he heard the voice behind him (verse 10); and now [he says] that he turned to see the voice; and again, that having turned he saw seven lampstands. By reason of these [statements] it is plain that he heard the voice from the rear and that he turned to see whence it [came]. It is plain that in this there is an arcanum. The arcanum is that before a man turns to the Lord and acknowledges Him as the God of heaven and earth he is not able to see the Divine Truth in the Word. This is because God, in both Person and Essence, is One, in Whom is the Trinity, and that God is the Lord. They, therefore, who acknowledge a Trinity of Persons, look primarily to the Father, and some to the Holy Spirit, and seldom to the Lord, and if to the Lord, they think of His Human as of an ordinary man. When a man does this he is quite unable to be enlightened in the Word, for the Lord is the Word, for it is from Him and concerning Him. On that account they who do not approach the Only Lord look at Him and His Word behind, and not in front of, themselves, or from the back and not from the face. This is the arcanum that lies hidden in the [statement] that John heard a voice behind him, and he turned to see the voice, and having turned he saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of them the SON OF MAN; for the voice that he heard came from the SON OF MAN, Who is the Lord.
[2] That the Lord Only is the God of heaven and earth He now teaches with a manifest voice, for He says:
I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, says the Lord, Who is and Who was and Who is to come. Revelation 1:8; and here:
I am Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last. Revelation 1:11; and afterwards:
I am the First and the Last. Revelation 1:17; 2:8.
That by a 'voice,' when from the Lord, Divine Truth is understood, may be seen above (37); and that by 'John' are understood those belonging to the Church who are in the good of life (5-6 above). It can now be established from these things that by the words 'And I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me' is signified the inversion of the state of those who are in the good of life, as to the perception of truth in the Word when they turn to the Lord.
42. Verse 12. And I turned to see the voice that spoke with me, signifies inversion of the state of those who are in the good of life, as to the perception of truth in the Word, when they turn themselves to the Lord. John says that he heard a voice behind him (verse 10), and now, that he turned to see the voice; and again, that being turned, he saw seven lampstands; from which it is evident, that he heard a voice from behind, and that he turned himself, to see from whence it proceeded; that there is an arcanum in this, is evident. The arcanum is that before man turns himself to the Lord, and acknowledges Him as the God of heaven and earth, he cannot see the Divine truth in the Word. The reason is, that God is one, both in Person and in essence, in whom there is the Trinity; and that God is the Lord. Therefore, they who acknowledge a Trinity of Persons, look primarily to the Father, and some to the Holy Spirit, and rarely to the Lord, and if to the Lord, they think of His Human as of an ordinary man. When a man does this, he can by no means be enlightened in the Word, for the Lord is the Word, for it is from Him and concerning Him. Therefore they who do not approach the Lord alone, see Him and His Word behind them, and not before them; or backward, and not in front. This is the arcanum which lies concealed in these words: "That John heard a voice behind him, and that he turned to see the voice, and, being turned, saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of them the Son of man;" for the voice which he heard came from the Son of man, who is the Lord.
[2] That the Lord alone is the God of heaven and earth, He now teaches in a manifest voice, for He says:
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, saith the Lord, Who is, and Who was, and Who is to come, (Revelation 1:8);
and here:
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, (Revelation 1:11);
and afterwards:
I am the First and the Last, (Revelation 1:17; 2:8).
That by a "voice," when from the Lord is meant the Divine Truth, may be seen above, (37). And that by "John" are meant those of the church, who are in the good of life, (5, 6). From these things it may now appear, that by these words:
And I turned to see the voice which spake with me, is signified an inversion of the state of those who are in the good of life, as to the perception of truth in the Word, when they turn themselves to the Lord.
42. (Vers. 12.) "Et conversus videre vocem quae mecum loquebatur," significat inversionem status illorum, qui in bono vitae sunt, quoad perceptionem veri in Verbo, dum se convertunt ad Dominum. - Dicit Johannes, quod audiverit vocem post se (vers. 10); et nunc quod conversus sit videre vocem; ac iterum, quod conversus viderit Septem Candelabra; ex quibus patet, quod audiverit vocem a tergo, et quod converterit se, ut viderit unde illa: quod in hoc sit arcanum, patet; arcanum est, quod antequam homo convertit se ad Dominum, et Ipsum agnoscit pro Deo Caeli et Terrae, non possit videre Divinum Verum in Verbo; causa est, quia Deus Unus est et Persona et Essentia, in Quo Trinitas, et Ille Deus est Dominus; quare qui Trinitatem Personarum agnoscunt, Spectant primario ad Patrem, et quidam ad Spiritum Sanctum, et raro ad Dominum, et si ad Dominum, cogitant de Humano Ipsius sicut de vulgari homine; cum homo hoc facit, nequicquam illustrari potest in Verbo, est enim Dominus Verbum, ab Ipso enim est, et de Ipso; idcirco qui non solum Dominum adeunt, illi spectant Ipsum et Verbum Ipsius post se, et non ante se, seu a tergo et non a facie. Hoc arcanum est quod latet in his,
Quod Johannes audiverit post se, et quod conversus sit videre vocem, et conversus viderit Septem Candelabra aurea, et in medio illorum Filium Hominis;
vox enim, quam audivit, a Filio Hominis, Qui est Dominus, venit. Quod Dominus Solus sit Deus Caeli et Terrae, docet nunc manifesta voce, dicit enim,
"Ego sum Alpha et Omega, Principium et Finis, dicit Dominus Qui Est et Qui Fuit et Qui Venturus," (vers. 8);
et hic,
"Ego sum Alpha et Omega, Primus et Ultimus," (vers. 11);
et postea,
"Ego sum Primus et Ultimus," (vers. 17; et 2:8).
Quod per "vocem," cum a Domino, intelligatur Divinum Verum, videatur supra (37); et quod per "Johannem" intelligantur illi ab Ecclesia, qui in bono vitae sunt, supra (5, 6). Ex his nunc constare potest, quod per haec verba, "Et conversus videre vocem quae loquebatur mecum," Significetur inversio status illorum, qui in bono vitae sunt, quoad perceptionem veri in Verbo, cum se convertunt ad Dominum.