55. And I heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet. That this signifies clear perception of Divine truth to be revealed from heaven, is evident from the signification of hearing, as denoting to perceive and obey (concerning which see Arcana Coelestia 2542, 3869, 4653, 5017, 7216, 8361, 8990, 9311, 9397); from the signification of "behind me," as denoting clearly, concerning which more will be said in what follows; from the signification of a voice, when heard from heaven, as denoting Divine truth (concerning which see Arcana Coelestia 219, 220, 3563, 6971, 8813, 8914), and from the signification of a trumpet, as denoting what was to be revealed from heaven, concerning which we shall also speak presently. The reason why "behind me" signifies clearly is, because those things that flow from heaven into the affection of man, flow into the back part of the head, and thus enter clearly into his perception; for the things which enter into the affection are perceived clearly, all the life of perception being from that source; but the things that flow from heaven immediately into the thought, flow into the part above the forehead. (Concerning this influx see what is said in the work, Heaven and Hell 251.) It is therefore evident what is signified by John's hearing behind him, and by his afterwards turning to see the voice which spake with him. The reason why a trumpet, or horn, signifies Divine truth to be revealed from heaven, is, because Divine truth is sometimes so heard when it flows down from the Lord through the heavens to man; for it becomes louder in its descent and thus flows in. But it is heard in this way only in the beginning, by those to whom Divine truth is to be revealed in the ultimate sense, which is representative of interior things; afterwards it is heard as a human voice.

[2] From these considerations it is evident why it is that the voice of a trumpet, or horn, signifies Divine truth that must be revealed from heaven. He who knows that a horn or trumpet signifies Divine truth from heaven, will be able to understand several passages in the Word in which they are mentioned; as in Matthew:

"He shall send angels with a great voice of a trumpet, and they shall gather together the elect from the four winds" (24:31).

In Isaiah:

"All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, when the sign of the mountains is lifted up, behold; and when the trumpet is sounded, hear" (18:3).

In Jeremiah:

"Proclaim with the trumpet in the land. Set up the standard towards Zion. How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet? For my people is stupid: they are foolish sons, and have no understanding" (4:5, 6, 21, 22).

In the same prophet:

"I have set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the voice of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken. Therefore hear ye nations" (6:17, 18).

In Ezekiel:

"He heard the voice of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But had he taken warning, he would have delivered his soul" (33:5).

And in Hosea:

"Set the trumpet to thy mouth, because they have transgressed my covenant, and have trespassed against my law" (8:1).

And in Zechariah:

"The Lord Jehovih shall sound with the trumpet, and shall go forth in whirlwinds of the south" (9:14).

And in David:

"God goeth up with a shout, and Jehovah with the voice of a trumpet" (Psalm 47:5).

And also in Apoc. 4:1; 8:2, 7, 8, 13; 9:1, 13, 14; 10:7; 18:22. Because a trumpet signified Divine truth, therefore when Divine truth had first to be revealed before the people of Israel, the voices of a trumpet were heard from Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:16). Hence, therefore, to sound with a trumpet became a representative with them, when they were convoked, when they journeyed, and also in their solemnities, in the beginnings of months, at burnt offerings and peace offerings (Numbers 10:1-10). They also sounded with trumpets when they went to battle against the Midianites (Numbers 31:6); and when they took the city of Jericho (Joshua 6:4-20); for those wars and battles signified spiritual combats, which are combats of truth against falsity, and of falsity against truth.

9311. 'For if you indeed hear his voice' means learning and accepting the commandments of faith. This is clear from the meaning of 'hearing' as learning and accepting, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'voice' as the commandments of faith, as above in 9307. In the Word 'hearing' means much more than simply hearing with the ear. Besides this it means receiving things in the memory and learning them, also receiving them in the understanding and believing them, and in addition receiving them in obedience and doing them. The reason why all this is meant by 'hearing' is that speech heard by the ear passes on into a person's inner sight, which is the understanding, and so is received within the person. Then what is seen there is either retained, believed, or obeyed, according to how compelling the reasons for it are or else how far the person has been swayed by others. So it is that there is a correspondence of the ear and of hearing with such things in the spiritual world; regarding this, see 4652-4660, 5071, 7216, 8361, 8990.

[2] The fact that 'hearing' means receiving things in the memory and learning them, also receiving them in the understanding and believing them, and in addition receiving them in obedience and doing them, is also evident from the following places: In Matthew,

I speak in parables, because those who see do not see, and those who hear do not hear, nor do they understand, that in them may be fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah which says, By hearing you will hear and not understand, and seeing you will see and not discern. This people's heart has become gross, and with ears they have heard in a dull manner, and their eyes they have closed, lest perhaps they see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and with their heart understand. Blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. Many prophets and righteous people desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it. Matthew 13:12-17.

In this passage the word 'hear' is used with all its meanings; it stands both for learning and for believing, as well as for obeying. 'Those who hear do not hear' stands for being taught things and yet not believing them, also for learning them and not obeying them. 'With ears they have heard in a dull manner' stands for refusing to learn, believe, and obey. 'Blessed are your ears, for they hear' stands for the blessedness that comes as a result of accepting the teachings of faith which concern the Lord and are received through the Word from the Lord.

[3] In John,

He who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep; the sheep hear His voice. Those who were before Me were thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not hear them. Other sheep I have which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. John 10:2-3, 8, 16, 27.

'Hearing His voice' stands for learning the commandments of faith and accepting them in faith and obedience. The same things are meant by the words the Lord used so many times, He who has an ear to hear, let him hear, Matthew 11:15; 13:9, 43; Mark 4:9, 23; 7:16; Luke 8:8; 14:35.

[4] The same are also meant in the following places: In Matthew,

Behold, a voice from the cloud, saying, This is My beloved Son; hear Him. Matthew 17:5.

In John,

He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. John 3:29.

In the same gospel,

Truly I say to you, that the hour will come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. John 5:25.

'The dead' stands for those who do not as yet have spiritual life owing to lack of knowledge of the truth of faith; 'hearing the voice of the Son of God' stands for learning the truths of faith and obeying them; 'living' stands for being endowed with spiritual life through those truths.

[5] In the same gospel,

He who is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God. John 8:47.

In the same gospel,

Jesus said, Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice. John 18:37.

In Luke,

Abraham said to the rich man, They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them. Luke 16:29.

In Mark,

They said about Jesus, He has done all things well, for He makes the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak. Mark 7:37.

'The deaf' stands for those who have no knowledge of the truths of faith and therefore are unable to live in accordance with them, see 6989. 'Hearing' stands for learning, accepting, and obeying them. In John,

When the Spirit of Truth comes He will guide you into all truth; He will not speak from Himself, but whatever He hears He will speak. He will receive from what is Mine. John 16:13-14.

'Whatever He hears' stands for whatever He receives from the Lord. In Matthew,

Everyone who hears My words and does them I will liken to a wise man. But everyone hearing My words yet not doing them will be likened to a foolish man. Matthew 7:24, 26.

And in Luke,

Everyone who comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show [you] whom he is like. Luke 6:47.

'Hearing His words' and 'hearing His sayings' stand for learning and knowing the commandments of faith which come from the Lord; 'doing' stands for living in accordance with them.