472. And when he cried, seven thunders uttered their voices signifies that the Lord throughout the entire heaven disclosed what was in the little book. This signification is evident, because it presently follows, that he wished "to write what the seven thunders uttered," but was enjoined from heaven "to seal it up and not to write it;" and afterwards "to eat up the little book;" and that "in his mouth it was sweet as honey" but that "it made his belly bitter"; by which is signified that such things were in it as could not yet be received: the reason may be seen in the following article. But I will open what was in the little book. In the little book were those things which are contained in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Concerning the Lord, from beginning to end, which are as follows:
[2] That the whole Sacred Scripture is concerning the Lord, and that the Lord is the Word (n. 1-7). That by the Lord fulfilled all things of the law is meant that He fulfilled all things of the Word (n. 8-11). That the Lord came into the world to subdue the hells and glorify His Human, and that the passion of the cross was the last combat, by which He fully conquered the hells, and fully glorified His Human (n. 12-14). That the Lord, by the passion of the cross, did not take away sins, but that He bore them (n. 15-17). That the imputation of the Lord's merit is nothing else than the remission of sins after repentance (n. 18). That the Lord, as to His Divine Human, is called the Son of God, and, as to the Word, He is called the Son of man (n. 19-28). That the Lord made His Human Divine from the Divine in Himself, and thus He became one with the Father (n. 29-36). That the Lord is God Himself, from whom and concerning whom the Word is (n. 37-44). That there is one God, and that the Lord is that God (n. 45). That the Holy Spirit is the Divine proceeding from the Lord, and that it is the Lord Himself (n. 46-54). That the doctrine of the Athanasian faith agrees with the truth, if only by a Trinity of Persons is understood a Trinity of Person, which is in the Lord (n. 55-61). [3] The reason why it is said that "the seven thunders uttered their voices," is, because what the Lord speaks, as it descends through the heavens into the lower parts, is heard as thunder; and because He speaks through the whole heaven at once, and thus fully, they are called "seven" thunders, for by "seven" are signified all, all things, and the whole (n. 10, 391); therefore also by "thunder" is signified instruction and the perception of truth (n. 236); here also disclosure and manifestation. That a voice from heaven is heard as thunder, when from the Lord, is evident from these passages:
Jesus said, Father, glorify Thy name: and there came forth a voice out of heaven, and said, I have glorified it, and I will glorify it: the multitude heard this as thunder (John 12:28-30). God roareth with His voice, He thundereth with the voice of majesty (Job 37:4, 5). Jehovah thundered out of heaven, and the Most High uttered His voice (2 Sam. 22:14). I heard a voice out of heaven, as the voice of great thunder (Rev. 14:2). Thou calledst unto me, and I answered thee in secret thunder (Ps. 81:7).
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