609. Who created heaven and the things that are therein, and the earth and the things that are therein, and the sea and the things that are therein, signifies the Lord in respect to all things of heaven and the church, interior and exterior. This is evident from the signification of "to create," as being not only to cause to be, but also to be perpetually, by holding it together and sustaining it by the Divine proceeding; for the heavens have had existence and perpetually have existence, that is, subsist by means of the Lord's Divine, which is called the Divine truth united to Divine good. This received by angels makes heaven. Thence it is that when heaven is mentioned the Lord is meant, because heaven, where the angels are, is heaven from the Lord, that is from the Divine proceeding from Him. This, therefore, is what is signified here by "to create." (That "to create," in reference to the church and to men of the church, means to create anew, that is, to regenerate, may be seen above, n. 294.) The above is evident also from the signification of "heaven, earth, and sea, and the things that are in them," as being all things of heaven and the church, interior and exterior. "Heaven, earth, and sea," signify here in particular the higher and the lower heavens, since in the spiritual world the face of things is similar as in the natural world, that is, there are mountains, lands, and seas; the mountains there are the higher heavens, because the angels of those heavens dwell upon mountains, and the land and sea are the lower heavens, for the angels of these heavens dwell below the mountains upon the lands, and as it were in seas (See above, n. 594). Thence it is that the angel who spoke these things was seen "standing upon the earth and the sea." "The earth and the sea and the things that are in them" signify also all things of the church, both interior and exterior, because there are in the church things interior and exterior, as there are in the heavens things higher and lower, and the former correspond to the latter. (That "the sea and the earth," signify the church in respect to its exteriors and interiors, may be seen above, n. 600.) According to the sense of the letter, "heaven, earth, and sea," mean the visible heaven, the habitable earth, and the navigable sea, and "the things therein" mean birds, beasts, and fishes; but that this is not the meaning of these words is evident from this, that John was "in the spirit" when he saw the angel "standing upon the sea and upon the earth;" and what is seen "in the spirit" is seen not in the natural world but in the spiritual world, where also, as has been said just above, there are earths and seas, and angels and spirits in them. But respecting the appearance of the seas in that world, and those who are in them, see above n. 342.

55. And I heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet. That this signifies clear perception of Divine truth to be revealed from heaven, is evident from the signification of hearing, as denoting to perceive and obey (concerning which see Arcana Coelestia 2542, 3869, 4653, 5017, 7216, 8361, 8990, 9311, 9397); from the signification of "behind me," as denoting clearly, concerning which more will be said in what follows; from the signification of a voice, when heard from heaven, as denoting Divine truth (concerning which see Arcana Coelestia 219, 220, 3563, 6971, 8813, 8914), and from the signification of a trumpet, as denoting what was to be revealed from heaven, concerning which we shall also speak presently. The reason why "behind me" signifies clearly is, because those things that flow from heaven into the affection of man, flow into the back part of the head, and thus enter clearly into his perception; for the things which enter into the affection are perceived clearly, all the life of perception being from that source; but the things that flow from heaven immediately into the thought, flow into the part above the forehead. (Concerning this influx see what is said in the work, Heaven and Hell 251.) It is therefore evident what is signified by John's hearing behind him, and by his afterwards turning to see the voice which spake with him. The reason why a trumpet, or horn, signifies Divine truth to be revealed from heaven, is, because Divine truth is sometimes so heard when it flows down from the Lord through the heavens to man; for it becomes louder in its descent and thus flows in. But it is heard in this way only in the beginning, by those to whom Divine truth is to be revealed in the ultimate sense, which is representative of interior things; afterwards it is heard as a human voice.

[2] From these considerations it is evident why it is that the voice of a trumpet, or horn, signifies Divine truth that must be revealed from heaven. He who knows that a horn or trumpet signifies Divine truth from heaven, will be able to understand several passages in the Word in which they are mentioned; as in Matthew:

"He shall send angels with a great voice of a trumpet, and they shall gather together the elect from the four winds" (24:31).

In Isaiah:

"All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, when the sign of the mountains is lifted up, behold; and when the trumpet is sounded, hear" (18:3).

In Jeremiah:

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

In the same prophet:

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

In Ezekiel:

"He heard the voice of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But had he taken warning, he would have delivered his soul" (33:5).

And in Hosea:

"Set the trumpet to thy mouth, because they have transgressed my covenant, and have trespassed against my law" (8:1).

And in Zechariah:

"The Lord Jehovih shall sound with the trumpet, and shall go forth in whirlwinds of the south" (9:14).

And in David:

"God goeth up with a shout, and Jehovah with the voice of a trumpet" (Psalm 47:5).

And also in Apoc. 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 had first to be revealed before the people of Israel, the voices of a trumpet were heard from Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:16). Hence, therefore, to sound with a trumpet became a representative with them, when they were convoked, when they journeyed, and also in their solemnities, in the beginnings of months, at burnt offerings and peace offerings (Numbers 10:1-10). They also sounded with trumpets when they went to battle against the Midianites (Numbers 31:6); and when they took the city of Jericho (Joshua 6:4-20); for those wars and battles signified spiritual combats, which are combats of truth against falsity, and of falsity against truth.