615. And like the voice of loud thunder. This symbolizes the Lord speaking through the new heaven out of Divine love.

Lightnings, thunderings and voices symbolize enlightenment, perception and instruction, as may be seen in no. 236. And seven thunders speaking symbolize the Lord's speaking through the whole of heaven (no. 472).

When the Lord speaks through heaven, He does so from the third heaven through the second heaven, thus from love through Divine wisdom, for the third heaven is impelled by His Divine love, and the second heaven by His Divine wisdom. The Lord never speaks in any other way when He speaks from the higher heavens. This, then, is what is meant by a voice like the voice of many waters, and by a voice like the voice of loud thunder. Many waters are the Divine truths of Divine wisdom, and loud thunder is the Divine goodness of Divine love.