Arcana Coelestia # 7573
7573. 'And Jehovah gave forth voices' means the departure and severance of communication with those governed by good and guided by truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'voices', which are claps of thunder, as God's truths which enlighten and perfect those in heaven, but frighten those in hell and subject them to vastation; and since they devastate the latter they mean the departure and severance of communication with those governed by good and guided by truth, this being the way in which they are devastated. The situation in all this is evident from what has been stated already in 7502, 7541, 7542, 7545, 7554. In these places it was shown that those who have belonged to the Church and consequently absorbed cognitions of truth and good from the Word, yet have led an evil life, have a line of communication with heaven through the truths and forms of good which they have brought with them from their time in the world, where they were in the Church. (A person brings with him into the next life whatever he knew in the world, indeed whatever he saw, heard, thought, spoke, willed, or did, see 2474, 2475, 2481-2486, 7398). This communication is what is taken away when they undergo vastation; and when communication has been taken away, so are truths and forms of good, and cognitions of them, removed. For whatever spirits, and indeed angels know flows in from the Lord by way of heaven, thus through communications that are made, see 6053-6058, 6180, 6215, 6307-6717, 6466-6495, 6613-6626. All this shows what is meant by a departure and severance of communication with those who are guided by truth and governed by good. The situation with God's truth in heaven and in hell - the truth that is meant by 'voices' - is like that with claps of thunder on earth. On high mountains claps of thunder are heard as no more than a gentle, quiet sound; but on the land lying below they are heard as a frightening crash. In the same way God's truth in heaven is gentle and mild, whereas in hell it is frightening.
[2] The meaning of 'voices', which are claps of thunder, as God's truths that enlighten and perfect those in heaven, and that frighten those in hell and subject them to vastation, is evident from the following places: In Isaiah,
You will have joy of heart, as when one marches with a pipe to come to the mountain of Jehovah, to the Rock of Israel. Then Jehovah will cause His glorious voice 1 to be heard, and will cause His arm to see repose, in the indignation of [His] anger, and the flame of a devouring fire, [in] scattering, and deluging, and hailstones. For by the voice of Jehovah Asshur will be dismayed. Isaiah 30:29-31.
Here 'the voice of Jehovah' stands for God's truth which enlightens and perfects those who are governed by good but frightens those under the influence of evil and subjects them to vastation. In Joel,
The earth quaked before Him, the sun and moon were darkened, and the stars withdrew their shining; and Jehovah uttered His voice before His army, His camp is exceedingly great; for that which executes His word is uncountable. For great is the day of Jehovah, and extremely frightening. Joel 3:16.
Here the meaning is similar.
[3] In the same prophet,
Jehovah will roar from Zion, and from Jerusalem will give forth His voice; and the heavens and the earth will be shaken. But Jehovah will be a shelter for His people, and a fortification for the children of Israel. Joel 3:16.
'The voice of Jehovah' likewise stands for God's truth. It is given forth 'from Jerusalem' because that city means the Lord's spiritual kingdom, inhabited by those who are moved by truth to be governed by good and moved by good to be guided by truth.
[4] In David,
Jehovah thundered in the heavens, and the Most High gave forth His voice, hail, and coals of fire, so that He sent His arrows and scattered them, and many thunder-bolts, and threw them into confusion. Psalms 18:13-14.
'Giving forth voice, hail, and coals of fire' stands for the devastation of truth and good by means of falsities and evil desires. In the same author,
The clouds dropped water, the skies gave voice, also Your arrows went out, the voice of Your thunder into the earth; the lightnings lit up the earth. Psalms 77:16-18.
'A voice' stands for God's truth which enlightens those who belong to the Church.
[5] In the same author,
The voice of Jehovah is upon the waters, the God of glory causes it to thunder, Jehovah is over great waters; the voice of Jehovah is powerful; the voice of Jehovah is majestic; the voice of Jehovah breaks the cedars, Jehovah breaks to pieces the cedars of Lebanon; the voice of Jehovah strikes as flames of fire; the voice of Jehovah causes the wilderness to shake; the voice of Jehovah causes the hinds to calve, and strips the forests bare. Psalms 29:3-11.
Here 'the voice of Jehovah' stands for God's truth and the power it has. Thus it also stands for the Word since this is God's truth.
[6] In John,
A mighty angel coming down called out with a loud voice; and when he called out, seven thunders uttered their voices. I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them. Revelation 10:3-4.
'Voices' stands for God's truth, 'thunders' for those who convey it, bringing it from heaven to earth. No one can fail to see that 'thunders and 'voices' mean things that are Divine, not thunders and crashes. And since they mean Divine things and are called Jehovah's voices it is evident that they are Divine Truth. This was why, when Jehovah came down on Mount Sinai and proclaimed Divine Truth, there were voices, lightnings, and thunders, Exodus 19:16; 20:18, and why He spoke out of the midst of the fire, Deuteronomy 4:11-12; 5:22-24.
Poznámky pod čarou:
1. literally, the voice of His glory
Psalms 18
1
I love you, Yahweh, my strength.
2
Yahweh is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower.
3
I call on Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised; and I am saved from my enemies.
4
The cords of death surrounded me. The floods of ungodliness made me afraid.
5
The cords of Sheol were around me. The snares of death came on me.
6
In my distress I called on Yahweh, and cried to my God. He heard my voice out of his temple. My cry before him came into his ears.
7
Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations also of the mountains quaked and were shaken, because he was angry.
8
Smoke went out of his nostrils. Consuming fire came out of his mouth. Coals were kindled by it.
9
He bowed the heavens also, and came down. Thick darkness was under his feet.
10
He rode on a cherub, and flew. Yes, he soared on the wings of the wind.
11
He made darkness his hiding place, his pavilion around him, darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.
12
At the brightness before him his thick clouds passed, hailstones and coals of fire.
13
Yahweh also thundered in the sky. The Most High uttered his voice: hailstones and coals of fire.
14
He sent out his arrows, and scattered them; Yes, great lightning bolts, and routed them.
15
Then the channels of waters appeared. The foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, Yahweh, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
16
He sent from on high. He took me. He drew me out of many waters.
17
He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me.
18
They came on me in the day of my calamity, but Yahweh was my support.
19
He brought me forth also into a large place. He delivered me, because he delighted in me.
20
Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness. According to the cleanness of my hands has he recompensed me.
21
For I have kept the ways of Yahweh, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22
For all his ordinances were before me. I didn't put away his statutes from me.
23
I was also blameless with him. I kept myself from my iniquity.
24
Therefore Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.
25
With the merciful you will show yourself merciful. With the perfect man, you will show yourself perfect.
26
With the pure, you will show yourself pure. With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd.
27
For you will save the afflicted people, but the haughty eyes you will bring down.
28
For you will light my lamp, Yahweh. My God will light up my darkness.
29
For by you, I advance through a troop. By my God, I leap over a wall.
30
As for God, his way is perfect. The word of Yahweh is tried. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him.
31
For who is God, except Yahweh? Who is a rock, besides our God,
32
the God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect?
33
He makes my feet like deer's feet, and sets me on my high places.
34
He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms bend a bow of bronze.
35
You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your right hand sustains me. Your gentleness has made me great.
36
You have enlarged my steps under me, My feet have not slipped.
37
I will pursue my enemies, and overtake them. Neither will I turn again until they are consumed.
38
I will strike them through, so that they will not be able to rise. They shall fall under my feet.
39
For you have armed me with strength to the battle. You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.
40
You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, that I might cut off those who hate me.
41
They cried, but there was none to save; even to Yahweh, but he didn't answer them.
42
Then I beat them small as the dust before the wind. I cast them out as the mire of the streets.
43
You have delivered me from the strivings of the people. You have made me the head of the nations. A people whom I have not known shall serve me.
44
As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me. The foreigners shall submit themselves to me.
45
The foreigners shall fade away, and shall come trembling out of their close places.
46
Yahweh lives; and blessed be my rock. Exalted be the God of my salvation,
47
even the God who executes vengeance for me, and subdues peoples under me.
48
He rescues me from my enemies. Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up against me. You deliver me from the violent man.
49
Therefore I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the nations, and will sing praises to your name.
50
He gives great deliverance to his king, and shows loving kindness to his anointed, to David and to his seed, forevermore. For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.
