Apocalypse Explained # 854
854. Verse 2. And I heard a voice from heaven as the voice of many waters, signifies glorification of the Lord from the Divine truths that are from Him. This is evident from the signification of "a voice from heaven" as being the glorification of the Lord, since "a voice from heaven" involves the things thus spoken, and these here follow, and are especially contained in "the new song," by which acknowledgment and confession of the Lord are signified. Also from the signification of "many waters," as being Divine truths that are from the Lord. That "waters" signify in the Word Divine truths, may be seen above (n. 71, 483, 518); and because this is the signification of "waters" therefore speech is sometimes heard from heaven as the sound of flowing waters; such was the sound of the voice of the Son of man walking in the midst of the lampstands:
Whose voice was as the sound of many waters (Revelation 1:15).
Also in the following words:
I heard the voice of a great multitude, and as it were the voice of many waters, and as it were the voice of mighty thunders (Revelation 19:6).
And again:
The sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard like the sound of great waters (Ezekiel 1:24).
Restore
Everyone knows the phrase "the natural order of things." It means that everything is in its proper place, occupying the niche it is meant to fill. There is also the phrase "the spiritual order of things," meaning that every spiritual thing is in its proper spiritual place, occupying the spiritual niche it is meant to fill. This is, of course, what the Lord intends for us, and happens when we accept life and love from Him by willing what is good and acting according to truth. Of course, things are frequently out of order, because even the best of us indulge in unhealthy self-obsession and attachment to the material world. Ideally, we will repeatedly turn to the Lord and ask for His help with the cleanup, putting things back where they belong in the "spiritual order of things." This is what is meant when the Bible talks about restoring things -- it means putting them back into their proper spiritual place.
