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Genesis 1:5

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5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first Day.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Explained #261

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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.

Footnotes:

1. For "Son of man" the Greek has "Son of God," as found in Apocalypse Explained 815, 899.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.

The Bible

 

Psalms 68

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1 Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.

2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.

3 But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.

4 Sing unto God, Sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.

5 A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.

6 God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.

7 O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah:

8 The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

9 Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary.

10 Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor.

11 The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it.

12 Kings of armies did flee apace: and she that tarried at home divided the spoil.

13 Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.

14 When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was white as snow in Salmon.

15 The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan; an high hill as the hill of Bashan.

16 Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the LORD will dwell in it for ever.

17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.

18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.

19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.

20 He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death.

21 But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.

22 The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring my people again from the depths of the sea:

23 That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies, and the tongue of thy dogs in the same.

24 They have seen thy goings, O God; even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary.

25 The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after; among them were the damsels playing with timbrels.

26 Bless ye God in the congregations, even the Lord, from the fountain of Israel.

27 There is little Benjamin with their ruler, the princes of Judah and their council, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali.

28 Thy God hath commanded thy strength: strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us.

29 Because of thy temple at Jerusalem shall kings bring presents unto thee.

30 Rebuke the company of spearmen, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the people, till every one submit himself with pieces of silver: scatter thou the people that delight in war.

31 Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.

32 Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O Sing praises unto the Lord; Selah:

33 To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of old; lo, he doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice.

34 Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds.

35 O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.