8153. 'And the children of Israel went out with a lofty hand' means although they had been rescued by God's power from their attempt to bring them under their control. This is clear from the representation of 'the children of Israel' as those who belong to the spiritual Church, that is, who are governed by faith bonded to charity, as immediately above in 8152; from the meaning of 'going out' as being delivered or rescued from the others' attempt to bring them under their control, which attempt is meant by 'pursuing', 8152; and from the meaning of 'a lofty hand' as God's power, for 'hand' means power, 878, 3387, 4931-4937, 5327, 5328, 5544, 6292, 6947, 7011, 7188, 7189, 7518, 7673, 8050, 8069, and 'lofty' means God's. The reason why 'lofty' means God's is that the word is used to indicate heaven, where God is. This is why the Word says of Jehovah or the Lord that He dwells 'in the lofty place' and why He is called 'the Most High', as in Isaiah,

Jehovah is exalted, for He dwells in the lofty place. Isaiah 33:5.

In the same prophet,

Thus said the High and Lofty One inhabiting eternity, whose name is the Holy One, I inhabit the holy and high [place]. Isaiah 57:15.

In David,

Jehovah sent from on high and snatched me away Psalms 18:16.

So it is that Jehovah is called the Most High in Deuteronomy 32:8; Daniel 4:17, 24, 34; 7:18, 22, 25; Psalms 7:17; 9:2; 18:13; 46:4; 50:14; 57:2; 82:6. Because 'high' meant heaven, and God in heaven, the worship of God performed by those who belonged to the representative Church was established on mountains and on high places. It was therefore also performed in lofty shrines which they built for themselves, referred to in various places in the historical sections and prophetical parts of the Word, as in Ezekiel,

You built for yourself a lofty shrine, and made a high place for yourself in every street; at every head of a road you built your lofty shrine. Ezekiel 16:24-25, 31.

The reason why God's was meant by 'high' is that the starry heaven was a sign of the angelic heaven, which was also thought to be located there. But the wiser ones among them knew that heaven was not located on high but where the good of love was, and that this resided within a person, wherever he might be. For the meaning of 'high places' as interiors, or forms of good residing in them, see 450, 1735, 2148, 4210, 4599.

8595. 'And Moses said to Joshua' means a Divine influx into truth that engages in conflict. This is clear from the meaning here of 'saying' as influx, since it passes into truth that engages in conflict, represented by 'Joshua', the reason why this influx is Divine being that 'Moses' represents Divine Truth, that is, truth which goes forth directly from the Lord (this truth, since it is wholly Divine, is what flows into any truth of faith whatever and causes it to be a truth); and from the representation of 'Joshua' as truth that engages in conflict. 'Joshua' clearly represents truth that engages in conflict because he was commanded to fight against Amalek, that is, against falsities arising from interior evil. This is what the truth made militant through an influx of Divine Truth has to fight against. God's truth itself which goes forth directly from the Lord does not engage in conflict but is peaceable, being peace itself, since it goes forth from the Divine Goodness of the Lord's Divine Love. But to become militant it flows in among such angels as have a burning zeal for what is true and good, and when roused by that zeal they go into battle. This is the origin of the truth engaging in conflict that is represented by 'Joshua'.

[2] Because such truth was represented by 'Joshua' he also became the leader of the children of Israel after Moses, led them into the land of Canaan, and fought the nations there. This also explains why, when he came into the land of Canaan, there appeared to him the Angel of Jehovah with his sword drawn in his hand, who called himself Commander of Jehovah's army, Joshua 5:13-15. 'His sword drawn in his hand' means God's truth that engages in conflict, in its power.

'The sword' means truth engaging in conflict, see 2799, 4499; as unceasing conflict against falsities and evils, 8294.

'Hand' means power, 878, 4931-4937, 7518, 8050, 8153.

And by 'the nations' in the land of Canaan are meant the falsities and evils that must be fought against, 8054.