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.
