261. And the first voice that I heard, signifies revelation now of things to come. This is evident from the signification of "voice," as being whatever proceeds from the Lord and is perceived by angels and by men; here especially revelation of things to come, that were to occur before the Last Judgment, about the time of it, and after it, since these are treated of in what now follows. That "the voice of Jehovah" in the Word signifies the Divine proceeding which is Divine truth, from which is all intelligence and wisdom (See Arcana Coelestia 219, 220, 375, 3563, 6971, 8813, 9926); this is clear also from the following passages. In David:

The voice of Jehovah is upon the waters, the voice of Jehovah is in power; the voice of Jehovah is with honor. The voice of Jehovah breaketh the cedars. The voice of Jehovah hewing as a flame of fire. The voice of Jehovah maketh the wilderness to shiver. The voice of Jehovah maketh the hinds to travail; and in His temple everyone saith: Glory (Psalms 29:3-9).

This Psalm treats of the Divine that proceeds from the Lord, and that is called, in a word, Divine truth. Its effect both with the good and with the evil is described in this passage; from which it is evident what is meant by "the voice of Jehovah."

[2] In John:

He is the Shepherd of the sheep; to Him the porter openeth, and the sheep hear His voice. A stranger they do not follow, for they know not the voice of strangers. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice. But ye are not of My sheep, for My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me (John 10:2-5, 16, 26-27).

"Sheep" in the Word mean those who are in truths from good, thus who are in faith from charity; "voice" here means not a voice but the Divine proceeding, which is Divine truth. This flows in with those who are in the good of charity, and gives them intelligence, and so far as they are in good gives them wisdom; intelligence is of truth, and wisdom is of truth from good.

[3] In Jeremiah:

The Maker of the earth, through His intelligence hath He stretched out the heavens, at the voice which He utters there is a multitude of waters in the heavens (Jeremiah 10:12-13; 51:16).

In David:

The voice of Jehovah is upon the waters. Jehovah upon great waters (Psalms 29:3).

In Revelation:

The voice of the Son of man was as the voice of many waters (Revelation 1:15).

Again:

I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters (Revelation 14:2).

"The voice of Jehovah" and "the voice from heaven" is the Divine proceeding, or Divine truth, from which is all intelligence and wisdom; it is said to have been heard "as the voice of many waters" because "waters" signify Divine truths in ultimates (that this is the signification of "waters," see above, n. 71).

[4] In David:

Ye kingdoms of the earth, sing psalms unto the Lord. To Him, that rideth upon the heaven of the heaven of old; behold, He will give forth with His voice, a voice of strength (Psalms 68:32-33).

In John:

I say unto you, that the hour is coming when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of man, ¹ and they that hear shall live (John 5:25).

In Joel:

Jehovah shall give forth His voice from Jerusalem, that the heavens and the earth may shake (Joel 3:16).

In the same:

Jehovah hath given forth His voice before His army; for it is numberless that doeth His word (Joel 2:11).

That Divine truth here is "the voice of Jehovah" is evident, as in many other places.

Poznámky pod čarou:

9926. 'And his voice will be heard' means the inflow of truth among those in heaven and those on earth. This is clear from the meaning of 'being heard' as reception and perception, dealt with in 5017, 5471, 5475, 7216, 8361, 9311, and therefore also an inflowing, since things that are received and perceived must flow in; and from the meaning of 'voice' - when Aaron, who represents the Lord, is the subject - as Divine Truth, dealt with in 8813. For 'voice' means the declaration of that truth; and because the declaration is meant, truth among those in heaven and those on earth is meant. Divine Truth fills all things of heaven, and composes all things of the Church. Such declaration was represented by the 'voice' or sound made by the bells of gold when Aaron 'went into the holy place before Jehovah, and when he came out', as stated by the words that immediately follow in the present verse.

[2] The fact that 'voice' in the Word means Divine Truth that is heard and perceived in heaven and on earth is clear from the following places: In David,

The voice of Jehovah is upon the waters; the voice of Jehovah is powerful; the voice of Jehovah is majestic; the voice of Jehovah breaks the cedars; the voice of Jehovah strikes as a flame of fire; the voice of Jehovah causes the wilderness to shake; the voice of Jehovah causes the hinds to calve. But in His temple everyone says, Glory! Psalms 29:3-9.

The subject in this Psalm is the Divine Truth which destroys falsities and evils. This Divine Truth is meant by 'the voice of Jehovah', but by 'Glory' that is uttered is meant Divine Truth present in heaven and in the Church. For the meaning of 'glory' as Divine Truth, see 9429; and for that of 'temple' as heaven and the Church, 3720.

[3] In John,

He who is the Shepherd of the sheep, to him the gate-keeper opens, and the sheep hear His voice. The sheep follow Him, because they know His voice. A stranger they do not follow, because they do not know the voice of strangers. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice. But you are not of My sheep, for My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. John 10:2-5, 16, 26-27.

Here it is plainly evident that 'voice' means Divine Truth emanating from the Lord, which is the Word, 'the voice of strangers' being falsity.

[4] In Isaiah,

The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of Jehovah. For the glory of Jehovah will be revealed. The voice says, Cry! Get up on to the high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings. Lift it up; [say,] Behold, the Lord Jehovih comes with might. Isaiah 40:3, 5-6, 9-10; John 1:23.

'The voice' here means the declaration from the Word, telling about the Lord's Coming, and therefore also means Divine Truth, which the Word tells. 'The wilderness' is the state of the Church then, which is so to speak in the wilderness because the Word is no longer understood. 'The glory' which will be revealed is the Word on its more internal levels, for which meaning of 'glory' see 9429. 'Jehovah' for whom the way should be prepared, and 'the Lord Jehovih' who is to come in might, is plainly the Lord, for this is what it clearly says.

[5] In Isaiah,

The voice of your watchmen, they will lift up [their] voice, when they see eye to eye that Jehovah returns to Zion. Isaiah 52:8.

'Watchmen' stands for those who search the Scriptures regarding the Lord's Coming. Their 'voice' is the Word, which is Divine Truth, their source. In Jeremiah,

He who makes the earth, by His intelligence He spreads out the heavens; when He utters His voice, ¹ there is a multitude of waters in the heavens. Jeremiah 10:12-13; 51:15-16.

'Voice' stands for Divine Truth, 'waters' for truths which are in the heavens and come from the heavens (for the meaning of 'waters' in the Word as truths, see 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668, 8568, 9323), as also in the Book of Revelation,

[6] ... the voice of the Son of Man as the sound of many waters. Revelation 1:15. I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters. Revelation 14:2.

And in David,

The voice of Jehovah is upon the waters, Jehovah is upon great waters. Psalms 29:3.

In Joel,

Jehovah uttered His voice before His army; for those who execute His Word are uncountable. Joel 2:11.

Here also 'voice' stands for Divine Truth, as does 'the Word' which they execute. In the same prophet,

Jehovah from Jerusalem will give forth His voice, that the heavens and the earth may be shaken. Joel 3:16.

In David,

O kingdoms of the earth, make melody to the Lord who rides above the heaven of the heaven of old. Behold, He will utter His voice, a mighty voice. ² Psalms 68:32-33.

In John,

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.

Here, it is evident, 'the voice' means Divine Truth and therefore the Word of the Lord.

[7] In Ezekiel,

The Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice ³ of a great earthquake, Blessed is the glory of Jehovah. And [I heard] the voice ³ of the wings of the living creatures, and the voice ³ of the wheels, and the voice ³ of the great earthquake. Ezekiel 3:12-13.

And after this,

The voice ³ of the wings of the cherubs was heard as far as the outer court, like the voice of God Shaddai when He speaks. Ezekiel 10:5.

Here also 'the voice' is Divine Truth, for by 'the cherubs' is meant the Lord's providence and watchfulness, guarding against access to Himself, or into heaven, except through the good of love, 9277 (end), 9509. 'The voice of the wings' and 'the voice of the wheels' are spiritual truths.

[8] In the present verse, in which Aaron is the subject, the sound or ring from the bells is what 'the voice' refers to. There are also places in the Word in which the sounds or blasts from trumpets, or else the sounds or peals of thunder, are called 'voices', and by these in like manner Divine Truths are meant, see 7573. Furthermore the sounds made by different types of musical instruments have a similar meaning, though those producing separate vibrating notes mean Divine Truths that are spiritual, whereas those producing notes continuing one into the next mean Divine Truths that are celestial, 418-420, 4138, 8337. From this it is evident that by the sounds or 'the voices' of the bells Divine Truths that are spiritual are meant; for Aaron's garments, and in particular the robe, which had the bells on its hem round about, represented the Lord's spiritual kingdom or heaven, 9814, 9825.

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