55. And I heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, signifies manifest perception of Divine truth about to be revealed from heaven. This is evident from the signification of "hearing," as being to perceive and obey (See Arcana Coelestia 2542, 3869, 4653, 5017, 7216, 8361, 8990, 9311, 9397); and from the signification of "behind me," as being manifestly (of which hereafter); and from the signification of "voice," when heard out of heaven, as being Divine truth (See Arcana Coelestia 219-220, 3563, 6971, 8813, 8914); and from the signification of a "trumpet," as being truth to be revealed out of heaven (of which hereafter). "Behind me" signifies manifestly, because the things that flow in from heaven into man's affection flow in into the occipital region, and come thus into his manifest perception; for whatever enters into affection is manifestly perceived, for the whole life of perception is from affection; but whatever flows out of heaven immediately into the thought flows into the region above the forehead. (Concerning this influx, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 251.) From this it is clear what is signified by John's having heard "behind him," and by his afterwards "having turned to see the voice which spoke with him." A "trumpet" or "horn" signifies Divine truth about to be revealed out of heaven, because sometimes Divine truth is heard in this way when it flows down from the Lord through the heavens with man; for it is increased in coming down; and it thus flows in. But it is thus heard only in the beginning with those through whom Divine truth is to be revealed in the ultimate sense, which is representative of interior things. But afterwards it is heard as a human voice. From this it is evident why "the voice of a trumpet" or "horn" signifies Divine truth about to be revealed out of heaven.

[2] He who is aware that "trumpet" or "horn," signifies Divine truth out of heaven can understand many passages in the Word where these are mentioned. As in Matthew:

He shall send forth His angel, with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together the elect from the four winds (Matthew 24:31).

In Isaiah:

All ye inhabitants of the world, and ye dwellers on the earth, when the sign of the mountains shall be lifted up, see ye; and when the trumpet is blown, hear ye (Isaiah 18:3).

In Jeremiah:

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

In the same:

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

In Ezekiel:

He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him; whereas if he had taken warning he should have delivered his soul (Ezekiel 33:5).

In Hosea:

[Set] the trumpet to thy mouth, because they have transgressed My covenant, and trespassed against My law (Hosea 8:1).

In Zechariah:

The Lord Jehovih shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with the whirlwinds of the south (Zechariah 9:14).

In David:

God is gone up with a shout, and Jehovah with the sound of a trumpet (Psalms 47:5).

And also in Revelation (chap. Revelation 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 was first about to be revealed before the people of Israel:

Sounds of a trumpet were heard from Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:16).

For this reason sounding the trumpet became representative with them:

When they were to assemble, and when they went forward, and also in their solemnities, at the beginnings of months, at burnt-offerings and eucharistic sacrifices (Numbers 10:1-10).

They also sounded trumpets when they went forth to battle against the Midianites (Numbers 31:6).

And when they took the city of Jericho (Joshua 6:4-20);

for 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.