236. [verse 5] 'And out of the throne were going forth lightnings and thunderings and voices' signifies enlightenment, perception, and instruction, from the Lord. 'Lightnings', by reason of the flash striking the eyes, signify enlightenment, while 'thunderings', by reason of the crash striking the ears, signify perception, and when these two signify enlightenment and perception, then 'voices' signify instruction. These were seen to be going forth 'out of the throne' because they go forth from the Son of Man, or from the Lord as to the Word; and all enlightenment, perception, and instruction comes from the Lord by means of the Word. Similar things are signified by 'lightnings', 'thunderings' and 'voices' elsewhere in the Word, as in these passages:-
Thou hast with [Thine] arm redeemed Thy people, the ethers gave forth a voice, a voice of thunder into the world; the lightnings enlightened the world Ps. lxxvii 15, 17, 18 [H.B. 16, 18, 19].
The lightnings of Jehovah shall enlighten the world Ps. xcvii 3, 4.
Thou didst call upon Me in straitness, and I rescued thee, I answered thee in the secret place of thunder Ps. lxxxi 7 [H.B. 8].
I heard the sound of a great crowd, as the sound of powerful thunderings, saying, Hallelujah, for our Omnipotent Lord God has taken the kingdom Rev. xix 6.
[2] Because enlightenment, perception and instruction are signified by 'lightnings', 'thunderings' and 'voices', therefore when Jehovah came down upon mount Sinai and announced the Law, there were 'lightnings' and 'voices' (Exod. xix 16). And when a voice was sent out of heaven to the Lord, it was heard as 'thunder' (John xii 28, 29). And because James and John were representing charity and the works thereof, and every perception of truth and good is out of these, they were called 'Boanerges' by the Lord, that is, 'sons of thunder' (Mark iii 17). It is plain from these considerations that similar things are signified by 'lightnings', 'thunderings' and 'voices' in the following passages in the Apocalypse:-
I heard one of the four animals as it were the voice of thunder Rev. vi 1.
I heard a voice out of heaven as it were the voice of a great thunder Rev. xiv 2.
When the angel cast the censer upon the land, there were thunderings, voices, and lightnings Rev. viii 5.
When the angel cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices Rev. x 3, 4.
When the temple of God in heaven was opened, there were lightnings and voices and thunderings Rev. xi 19.
Similarly elsewhere.
This page is part of 
© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church