2
In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Revelation 22:2
Apocalypse Revealed #50
50. And His voice as the sound of many waters. This symbolizes natural Divine truth.
A voice, when coming from the Lord, symbolizes Divine truth, as may be seen in no. 37 above. Waters symbolize truths, and specifically natural truths, which are concepts from the Word, as follows from many passages in the Word, of which we cite only the following:
...the earth is full of the knowledge of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 11:9)
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. (Isaiah 12:3)
He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly...: bread will be given him, (and) his water will be constant. (Isaiah 33:15-16)
The poor and needy seek water, but there is none; their tongue fails for thirst... I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will turn the wilderness into a pool of water, and the dry land into springs of water..., that they may see, know, consider and understand... (Isaiah 41:17-18, 20)
I will pour out water on him who is thirsty, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit... (Isaiah 44:3)
...your light shall rise in the darkness..., that you may be like a watered garden, and like an issue of water, whose waters do not deceive. (Isaiah 58:10-11)
...My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns... that hold no water. (Jeremiah 2:13)
Their great ones have sent their young ones for water. They went to the cisterns and found no water. Their vessels came back empty. (Jeremiah 14:3)
...they have forsaken Jehovah, the fountain of living waters. (Jeremiah 17:13)
They shall come with weeping, and with prayers I will lead them. I will lead them to a fountain of waters, in the way of rectitude... (Jeremiah 31:9)
...I will break the staff of bread... and they shall drink water by measure and with astonishment..., so that... they waste away because of their iniquities. (Ezekiel 4:16-17; cf. 12:18-19, Isaiah 51:14)
Behold, the days will come... when I will send hunger on the land, not a hunger for bread, nor a thirst for water, but for hearing the words of Jehovah. They shall wander from sea to sea, and... shall run to and fro, to hear the word of Jehovah, but shall not find it. In that day the... young women and the young men shall faint for thirst. (Amos 8:11-13)
In that day... living waters shall flow from Jerusalem... (Zechariah 14:8)
Jehovah is my shepherd..., He leads me to still waters. (Psalms 23:1-2)
They did not thirst...; He caused waters to flow from the rock for them, and He split the rock, so that waters gushed out. (Isaiah 48:21)
O God..., in the morning will I seek You; My soul thirsts...; ...(I am) weary, without water. (Psalms 63:1)
(Jehovah) sends out His word...; He causes (the) wind to blow, so that the waters flow. (Psalms 147:18)
Praise (Jehovah), you heavens of heavens, and you waters from above the heavens! (Psalms 148:4)
(Jesus sitting by Jacob's well said to the woman,) "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will not thirst to eternity. And the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life." (John 4:7-15)
(Jesus said,) "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture says, out of his belly will flow rivers of living water." (John 7:37-38)
To him who thirsts I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely. (Revelation 21:6)
He showed (him) a... river of the water of life..., proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. (Revelation 22:1)
And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. And whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. (Revelation 22:17)
Waters in these passages mean truths, and it is apparent from this that the sound of many waters means the Lord's Divine truth in the Word, as also in the following places:
Behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east, and His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth was illumined by His glory. (Ezekiel 43:2)
I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters... (Revelation 14:2)
The voice of Jehovah is on the waters...; Jehovah is on many waters. (Psalms 29:3)
When it is known that waters in the Word mean truths in the natural self, it can be seen what washings in the Israelite Church symbolized, and also what baptism symbolizes, and moreover what is symbolically meant by these words of the Lord in John,
Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. (John 3:5)
"Of water" means, symbolically, "by truths," and "of the Spirit" means, symbolically, "by a life in accordance with them."
In an opposite sense, waters symbolize falsities, as we will see in subsequent explanations.
Psalms 22
1
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?
2
My God, I cry in the daytime, but you don't answer; in the night season, and am not silent.
3
But you are holy, you who inhabit the praises of Israel.
4
Our fathers trusted in you. They trusted, and you delivered them.
5
They cried to you, and were delivered. They trusted in you, and were not disappointed.
6
But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people.
7
All those who see me mock me. They insult me with their lips. They shake their heads, saying,
8
"He trusts in Yahweh; let him deliver him. Let him rescue him, since he delights in him."
9
But you brought me out of the womb. You made me trust at my mother's breasts.
10
I was thrown on you from my mother's womb. You are my God since my mother bore me.
11
Don't be far from me, for trouble is near. For there is none to help.
12
Many bulls have surrounded me. Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me.
13
They open their mouths wide against me, lions tearing prey and roaring.
14
I am poured out like water. All my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax; it is melted within me.
15
My strength is dried up like a potsherd. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have brought me into the dust of death.
16
For dogs have surrounded me. A company of evildoers have enclosed me. They have pierced my hands and feet.
17
I can count all of my bones. They look and stare at me.
18
They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.
19
But don't be far off, Yahweh. You are my help: hurry to help me.
20
Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog.
21
Save me from the lion's mouth! Yes, from the horns of the wild oxen, you have answered me.
22
I will declare your name to my brothers. In the midst of the assembly, I will praise you.
23
You who fear Yahweh, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify him! Stand in awe of him, all you descendants of Israel!
24
For he has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, Neither has he hidden his face from him; but when he cried to him, he heard.
25
Of you comes my praise in the great assembly. I will pay my vows before those who fear him.
26
The humble shall eat and be satisfied. They shall praise Yahweh who seek after him. Let your hearts live forever.
27
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to Yahweh. All the relatives of the nations shall worship before you.
28
For the kingdom is Yahweh's. He is the ruler over the nations.
29
All the rich ones of the earth shall eat and worship. All those who go down to the dust shall bow before him, even he who can't keep his soul alive.
30
Posterity shall serve him. Future generations shall be told about the Lord.
31
They shall come and shall declare his righteousness to a people that shall be born, for he has done it. A Psalm by David.
