9955. And thou shalt fill their hand. That this signifies a representative of the Lord as to the truth of faith, is evident from the signification of “filling the hand” of Aaron and of his sons, as being to inaugurate into the representation of the Lord in respect to the Divine truth which is of faith; for by “the hand” is signified the power that belongs to truth from good; and therefore “the hand” is predicated of truth (see n. 3091, 3387, 4931-4937, 7518, 8281, 9025). From this then it is that just as anointing represented the Lord as to Divine good, so the filling of the hands represented the Lord as to Divine truth; for all things in the universe bear relation to good and truth, and to both, in order that they may be anything; and therefore in the Word where good is treated of, truth also is treated of (see the places cited in n. 9263, 9314). In what manner the hands were filled, is described in the following chapter; and therefore of the Lord’s Divine mercy the meaning of it shall be told there.

8935. An altar of ground thou shalt make unto Me. That this signifies a representative of worship in general from good, is evident from the signification of “an altar,” as being the principal representative of the Lord, and consequently of the worship of Him (see n. 921, 2777, 2811, 4489, 4541); and from the signification of “ground,” as being good. That “ground” denotes good is because by “ground” is signified the church which is in good (n. 566). Hence Adam was said to be “from the ground” (Genesis 2:7; 3:19), for by him was signified the man of the celestial church, or the church which is in good (n. 478, 479). There are two things from which the worship of the Lord is effected; good and truth. Worship from good was represented by an altar of ground, but worship from truth was represented by an altar of stones; both kinds of altars are here treated of. These two things from which worship is effected are called faith and charity; worship from truth bears relation to faith, and worship from good to charity. As regards worship from faith and worship from charity, or from truth and from good, the case is this. Before a man is regenerated he is in worship from truth, but when he has been regenerated, he is in worship from good. For before a man has been regenerated he is led by means of truth to good, that is, by means of faith to charity; but when he has been regenerated he is in good and thence in truth; that is, he is in charity and thence in faith (n. 8516, 8539, 8643, 8648, 8658). These two kinds of worship are what are represented by altars of ground and of stone. (That an altar is the chief representative of the worship of the Lord, because thereon were made burnt-offerings and sacrifices, and these were the things in which the Divine worship of the Hebrew nation, and thus of the Israelitish and Jewish nation, chiefly consisted, see n. 923, 1343, 2180, 2805, 2807, 2830, 3519, 6905)