261. And the first voice which I heard. That this signifies revelation now concerning things to come is evident from the signification of voice, as denoting whatever proceeds from the Lord and is perceived by angels and men, in this case principally revelation concerning things to come that were to take place before the Last Judgment, to be attendant on it, and to follow it, because these things are treated of in what now follows. That the voice of Jehovah in the Word signifies the proceeding Divine, which is Divine truth, from which are all intelligence and wisdom, may be seen (Arcana Coelestia, n. 219, 220, 375, 3563, 6971, 8813, 9926), and is also evident from the following passages. In David:
"The voice of Jehovah upon the waters. The voice of Jehovah with power, the voice of Jehovah with honour. The voice of Jehovah breaketh the cedars. The voice of Jehovah falleth as a flame of fire. The voice of Jehovah maketh the wilderness to tremble. The voice of Jehovah maketh the hinds to bring forth; but in his temple every one saith, Glory" (Ps. xxix. 3-9).
The subject here treated of is the Divine which proceeds from the Lord, and which in one expression is called the Divine truth; its effect, both with the good and with the evil, is described by those things that are there mentioned; it is therefore evident what is signified by the voice of Jehovah. [2] In John:
"He who is the shepherd of the sheep, to him the porter openeth, and the sheep hear his voice; a stranger will they not follow; for they know not the voice of strangers. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also must I 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" (x. 2-5, 16, 26, 27).
By sheep in the Word are meant those who are in truths from good, thus who are in faith from charity; by the voice here mentioned is not meant voice, but the proceeding Divine, which is the Divine truth. This flows into those who are in the good of charity and gives them intelligence, and so far as they are in good it gives them wisdom; intelligence pertains to truth, and wisdom to truth from good. [3] In Jeremiah:
"The maker of the earth, by his understanding he stretched out the heavens, at the voice which he giveth there is a multitude of waters in the heavens" (x. 12, 13 li. 16). In David:
"The voice of Jehovah upon the waters, Jehovah upon the great waters" (Ps. xxix. 3).
In the Apocalypse:
"And his voice as the sound of many waters" (i. 15).
And again:
"I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters" (xiv. 2).
The voice of Jehovah, and the voice from heaven is the proceeding Divine, or the Divine truth, from which are intelligence and wisdom; the reason why it is compared to the voice of many waters is that waters signify Divine truths in ultimates, as may be seen above (n. 71). In David:
Ye kingdoms of the earth, sing praises unto the Lord, who rideth upon the heaven of the heaven of old; behold, he will give in a voice, a voice of strength" (Ps. lxviii. 32, 33).
In John:
"I say unto you, that the hour will come when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live" (v. 25).
In Joel:
"Jehovah shall give his voice from Jerusalem, that the heavens and the earth may tremble" (iii. 16).
Again:
"Jehovah hath uttered his voice before his army; because innumerable is the host that executeth his word" (ii. 11).
That the Divine truth is here signified by the voice of Jehovah is clear; also in many other places.
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