458. And palms in their hands, signifies in the good of life according to truths. This is evident from the signification of a "palm," as being the good of truth, that is, spiritual good (of which presently); also from the signification of "hands" as being power, and thus all ability in man (of which above, n. 72, 79); therefore that "palms were in their hands" signifies that the good of truth was in them, or that they were in good of truth. The good of truth, when it is with anyone, is the good of life, for truth becomes good by a life according to it; before that truth is not good in anyone. For when truth is merely in the memory and in thought therefrom it is not good, but it becomes good when it comes into the will and thence into act; for it is the will that transforms truth into good. This is shown by the fact that whatever a man wills he calls good, and whatever he thinks he calls truth. Man's interior will, which is the will of his spirit, is the receptacle of his love, for that which a man loves from his spirit he wills, and that which he thence wills he does; therefore the truth that is of his will is also of his love, and that which is of his love he calls good. This makes evident how good is formed in man by means of truths, and that every good that is good in man is the good of life. It is believed that there is good of thought also, although not of the will, since man can have in thought that this or that is good; but yet this is not good, but truth; the thought that there is such a thing as good is a truth; and knowing and thus thinking that a thing is good is regarded as a truth; but when that truth in the thought is so loved as to be willed, and from being willed is done, then, since it belongs to the love, it becomes good.

[2] This may be illustrated by the following example. There were spirits who in the life of the body had believed charity, and not faith alone, to be the essential of the church, and thus essential to salvation; nevertheless they had not lived the life of charity, for this was merely their thought and conclusion. But they were told that merely thinking, and from thought believing, that charity saves, and not willing and acting accordingly, is similar to believing that faith alone saves; therefore they were cast out. This makes evident that merely thinking good, and not willing and doing it, does not constitute good with anyone. The like would be true if a man should gain a knowledge of truths and goods themselves, and from mere thought should bear witness to them, without giving them life by willing and doing them. This has been said to make known that the good of truth, that is, spiritual good, when it is in anyone, is the good of life; and it is this that is signified by "palms in their hands."

[3] Because "palms" signify spiritual good, therefore in the temple built by Solomon there were, besides other things, palms sculptured on the walls, as described in the first book of Kings:

Solomon carved all the walls of the house round about with openings of cherubim and palm-trees and openings of flowers, within and without. Likewise upon the two doors (1 Kings 6:29, 32).

"The walls of the house" signify the ultimates of heaven and the church, which are effects that go forth from things interior, and the "doors" signify the entrance into heaven and the church; the "cherubim" upon them signify celestial good, which is the good of the inmost heaven; the "palms" spiritual good, which is the good of the second heaven; and "the flowers" spiritual-natural good, which is the good of the lowest heaven: thus these three signify the goods of the three heavens in their order. But in the highest sense, the "cherubim" signify the Lord's Divine Providence, and also guard; "palms" the Lord's Divine wisdom; and "flowers" His Divine intelligence; for Divine good united to Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, is received in the third or inmost heaven as Divine Providence, in the second or middle heaven as Divine wisdom; and in the first or lowest heaven as Divine intelligence.

[4] The "cherubim and palms" in the "new temple" have a similar significance in Ezekiel:

In the new temple there were made cherubim and palm-trees, so that a palm-tree was between a cherub and a cherub; and the cherub had two faces; from the ground unto above the door. Cherubim and palm-trees were made on the walls and on the folding doors (Ezekiel 41:18-20, 25, 26).

The "new temple" here signifies a new church to be established by the Lord when He came into the world; for this description of a new city, a new temple, and a new earth, signifies all things of a new church, and thence of a new heaven, and these are described by pure correspondences.

Because "the feast of tabernacles" signified the implantation of good by means of truths, it was commanded:

That they should then take the fruit of the tree of honor, leaves of palm-trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and should be glad before Jehovah seven days (Leviticus 23:39, 40).

"The fruit of the tree of honor" signifies celestial good, "palm-trees" spiritual good, that is, the good of truth, "boughs of thick trees" scientific truth with its good, and "willows of the brook" the lowest truths and goods of the natural man, which belong to external sensual things; thus these four signify all goods and truths in their order, from first to last in man.

[5] Because "palms" signify spiritual good, and from spiritual good is all joy of the heart, for spiritual good is the affection itself or the love of spiritual truth, therefore formerly by "palms in their hands" men testified their joy of heart, and also that they were acting from good. This is the signification of the following:

Many who came to the feast when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm-trees, and went forth to meet Him, and cried out, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel (John 12:12, 13).

[6] The "palm" signifies also spiritual good, or the good of truth, in the following passages. In David:

The righteous shall flourish as the palm-tree; he shall grow as the cedar in Lebanon. They that are planted in the house of Jehovah shall grow up in the courts of our God (Psalms 92:12, 13).

"The righteous" signifies those who are in good, for by the "righteous" in the Word those who are in the good of love are meant, and by the "holy" those who are in truths from that good (See above, n. 204); consequently it is said of the "righteous" that "he shall flourish as the palm-tree, and grow as the cedar in Lebanon," for the fructification of good with him is meant by "he shall flourish as the palm-tree," and the multiplication of truth by "he shall grow as the cedar in Lebanon;" the "palm" signifying spiritual good, the "cedar" the truth of that good, and "Lebanon" the spiritual church. The "house of Jehovah in which they are planted," and "the courts in which they shall grow up," signify heaven and the church, "the house of Jehovah" the internal church, and "the courts" the external church; planting is effected in the interiors of man, where the good of love and of charity resides, and growing up takes place in the exteriors of man, where the good of life resides.

[7] In Joel:

The vine is withered, and the fig-tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm-tree also, and the apple-tree, all the trees of the field are dried up; joy is dried up from the sons of man (Joel 1:12).

This describes the desolating of truth and good in the church, and thence of all joy of heart, that is, of all spiritual joy; for the "vine" signifies the spiritual good and truth of the church, the "fig-tree" the natural good and truth therefrom, and the "pomegranate" sensual truth and good, which is the ultimate of the natural; "palm" signifies joy of heart, from spiritual good, and "apple" the same from natural good derived from spiritual good; the "trees of the field that are dried up," signify the perceptions of good and the knowledges of truth, that there are none; and because spiritual joy and natural joy therefrom are signified by the "palm-tree" and the "apple-tree," it is added, "joy is dried up from the sons of man;" "sons of man" meaning in the Word those who are in truths from good, and "joy" signifying spiritual joy, which is solely from good through truths. Who cannot see that vine, fig-tree, pomegranate, palm-tree, apple-tree, and the trees of the field are not here meant? Why should it be said in the Word and of what consequence is it to the church to say that these trees are withered and dried up?

[8] In Jeremiah:

One cutteth wood out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe. He doth deck it with silver and with gold; he doth fasten them with nails and with hammers, that it move not; they are firm like a palm-tree (Jeremiah 10:3-5).

This describes natural good separate from spiritual, which is good from one's own (proprium), but this regarded in itself is not good, but the delight of cupidity chiefly from the love of self and the world, which is felt as a good. How man so forms this in himself as to give it the appearance of good, and to induce a persuasion that it is good, is described by "One cutteth wood out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe;" "wood" signifying good, here such good; "forest" the natural, here the natural separate from the spiritual; "the work of the hands of the workman with the axe" signifies what is from one's own [proprium] and from self-intelligence; the confirmation of this by means of truths and goods from the Word, which are thereby falsified, is described by "he doth deck it with silver and with gold," "silver" meaning truth, and "gold" good from the Word; making these to cohere by confirmations from one's own [proprium] is described by "he doth fasten them with nails and with hammers, that it move not;" their thus appearing as good formed by truths is signified by "they are firm like a palm-tree."

[9] In Moses:

They came to Elim, where were twelve fountains of waters and seventy palm-trees; and they encamped there by the waters (Exod. 15:27; Num. 33:9).

This history also contains a spiritual sense, for there is a spiritual sense in all the histories of the Word. Here "they came to Elim" signifies a state of illustration and affection, thus consolation after temptation; "twelve fountains of water" signify that they then had truths in all abundance; "seventy palm-trees" signify that they had goods of truths likewise; "and they encamped by the waters" signifies the arrangement of truth by good after temptation (this may be seen further explained in Arcana Coelestia, n. 8366-8370).

[10] Because "Jericho" signifies the good of truth:

That city was called the city of palm trees (Deuteronomy 34:3; Judges 1:16; 3:13);

for all names of places and cities in the Word signify such things as pertain to heaven and the church, which are called spiritual; and "Jericho" signifies the good of truth. Because of this signification of "Jericho," the Lord in the parable of the Samaritan said:

That he was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho (Luke 10:30);

which signifies by means of truths to good; for "Jerusalem" signifies the truth of doctrine, and "Jericho" the good of truth, which is the good of life, and this he exercised towards the man wounded by robbers.

[11] Again, because of this signification of Jericho:

When Joshua was by Jericho he saw a man standing with a drawn sword in his hand, who said to Joshua, Put off thy shoe from off thy foot in the place whereon thou standest, for it is holy. And Joshua did so (Joshua 5:13, 15).

So, too, when the sons of Israel had taken Jericho by carrying the ark round about it, the silver and the gold and the vessels of brass and of iron which they found there they put into the treasury of the house of Jehovah (Joshua 6:24). From the above it is evident why Jericho was called "the city of palm-trees."

[12] Furthermore, in the spiritual world, in the paradises where the angels are who are in spiritual good or in the good of truth, palm-trees are seen in great abundance, from which also it is clear that the "palm-tree" signifies the good of truth; for all things that appear in that world are representatives of the state of life and of the affections, thus of the good and truth with angels.

10019. 'And you shall fill the hand of Aaron and the hand of his sons' means consecration to represent the Lord's Divine Power exercised through Divine Truth springing from Divine Good ¹ . This is clear from the meaning of 'filling the hand' as being consecrated to represent the Lord in respect of Divine Truth springing from Divine Good, consequently to represent His power. Two practices existed through which consecration to the priesthood was effected, anointing and filling the hand. Through anointing consecration to represent the Lord in respect of His Divine Good was effected, for the oil used in anointing was a sign of the good of love, 10011; and through filling the hand consecration to represent the Lord in respect of Divine Truth springing from Divine Good, and so to represent His power, was effected, since 'the hand' means power, 878, 4931-4937, 5327, 5328, 6947, 7011, 7188, 7189, 7518, 7673, 8050, 8069, 8153, and 'hand' is used in reference to truth that springs from good, 3091, 3563, 4931, 8281, 9025. Because all power belongs to truth springing from good, 5623, 6344, 6423, 6948, 8200, 8304, 9327, 9410, 9639, 9643, and since the head and whole body exercise their power through the hands, and this power is the capacity to act that a human life possesses, 'the hand' also means whatever resides with a person, thus the entire person's capacity to act, 9133. From all this it may be seen what 'filling the hand' means. All power belongs to the Lord alone, and none whatever exists with any angel, spirit, or man other than that derived from Him, see 8200, 8281, 9327, 9410, 9639. The reason why consecration to the priesthood was effected through the two practices of anointing and filling the hand was that all things without exception that exist or come into existence in heaven and on earth have connection with good and with truth.

[2] But in what way filling the hand was carried out is described in verses 9-36 ² of the present chapter and in Leviticus 8:22-end. It was carried out by the use of the second ram, which for that reason is also called 'the ram of fillings [of the hand]'. The procedure was that after this ram had been slaughtered some of its blood was put on the tip of the right ear, the thumb of the right hand, and the big toe of the right foot of Aaron and his sons. Some blood from the altar and some of the anointing oil was then sprinkled over Aaron and his sons, and over their garments. The fat, the tail, the fat covering the intestines, the omentum on the liver, the kidneys with their fat, and the right flank of that ram, also unleavened bread, cakes, and wafers from the basket were placed on the palms of Aaron and his sons, and waved, after which they were burned on top of the burnt offering made from the first ram. But the breast, after it had been waved, and the left flank were for Aaron and his sons; the flesh from these was boiled in the holy place and, together with the remainder of the bread in the basket, was eaten by them at the door of the tent of meeting. Such was the procedure for 'filling the hand'. What is meant by each detail however will in the Lord's Divine mercy be stated further on.

[3] The Lord's Divine Power, which was represented by filling the hand of Aaron and his sons, is the Divine Power of saving the human race; and the power of saving the human race is power over the heavens and over the hells. By that power of the Lord's and by no other is a person saved; for all good that belongs to love and all truth that belongs to faith flow in from the Lord by way of the heavens. But neither can flow in unless the hells are removed, for the hells are the source of all evil and of all falsity arising from it. It is by the removal of the evils and consequent falsities which come from the hells, and at the same time by the inflow of the good of love and the truth of faith from the Lord by way of heaven, that a person is saved. When He was in the world the Lord overcame the hells and restored the heavens to order, and acquired for Himself Divine Power over them, see 9486, 9715, 9809, 9937, and the places referred to in 9528 (end). This power that is the Lord's is what was represented by filling the hand of priests; for the Lord's whole work of salvation was meant by the priestly office, 9809.

[4] The truth that the Lord possesses this power is His own explicit teaching in Matthew,

All power in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Matthew 28:18.

And in Luke,

Jesus spoke to the seventy who were saying that the demons obeyed them, Behold, I give you the power to trample on serpents and on scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, that nothing whatever may hurt you. All things have been delivered to Me by My Father. Luke 10:19, 22.

These words describe the Lord's power over the hells. 'The demons' are those in the hells, 'serpents and scorpions' are evils and the falsities of evil, 'trampling on them' is destroying them. The hells are also meant by 'the enemy' whom they would have power over.

[5] The truth that the Lord acquired that power for Himself when He was in the world is clear in Isaiah,

Who is This who comes from Edom, marching in the vast numbers of His strength, mighty to save? My own arm brought salvation to Me. Therefore He became their Saviour. Isaiah 63:1-10.

The fact that these words refer to the Lord is well known in the Church, as in like manner do those which occur elsewhere in the same prophet,

His own arm brought salvation to Him, and His righteousness lifted Him up. Consequently He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation upon His head. And the Redeemer came to Zion. Isaiah 59:16-21.

And in David,

Jehovah said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand, till I make your enemies as your footstool. Jehovah will send the rod of your strength from Zion; have dominion in the midst of [your] enemies. The Lord is at your right hand. Psalms 110:1ff.

The fact that these statements refer to the Lord is His own teaching in Matthew 22:44. His dominion over the hells is described there by 'sitting at the right hand', for 'the right hand' means the power that Divine Truth springing from Divine Good possesses. The hells and the evils and falsities coming from them are the enemies that were to be made as His footstool; they are also the enemies in whose midst He was to have dominion.

[6] The truth that 'Jehovah's right hand' means Divine Power is evident from a large number of places in the Word, as in Moses,

Your right hand, O Jehovah, is magnificent in strength; Your right hand, O Jehovah, breaks the enemy in pieces. Exodus 15:6.

In David,

O God, You give me the shield of salvation, and Your right hand supports me. Psalms 18:35.

In the same author,

Their arm did not save them, but Your right hand, and Your arm, and the light of Your face. Psalms 44:3.

The words 'Your right hand, and Your right arm, and the light of [Your] face' are used because 'right hand' means power, 'arm' strength, and 'light of the face' Divine Truth springing from Divine Good. For the meaning of 'arm' as strength, see 4932, 4934, 4935, 7205; 'light' as Divine Truth, 9548, 9684; and 'Jehovah's face' as Divine Good, 222, 5585, 9306. In the same author,

O God, Your right hand supports me. Psalms 63:8.

In the same author,

O Jehovah, You have an arm with power; strong is Your hand. Your right hand will be lifted up. Psalms 89:13.

In Isaiah,

Jehovah has sworn by His right hand, by His mighty arm ³ . Isaiah 62:8.

And in David,

O Jehovah, let Your hand be for the man of Your right hand, for the son of man [whom] You have made strong for Yourself. Then we will not turn back from You. Psalms 80:17-18.

[7] From these things it may now be seen what the meaning of the Lord's words in Matthew is,

Jesus said, Hereafter you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of power. Matthew 26:64.

And in Luke,

Hereafter the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God. Luke 22:69.

'The Son of Man' means the Lord in respect of Divine Truth, see 9807, while 'right hand', as is clear from what has been shown immediately above, means Divine Power; and this also accounts for the expression 'the right hand of power'.

From all this it is now evident what the anointing of Aaron and his sons represented, and what filling their hand represented, namely that anointing them represented the Divine Good of Divine Love within the Lord, 9954 (end), and filling their hand Divine Truth and therefore Divine Power. For all power resides with Divine Good exercised through Divine Truth, and that power belongs to the Lord alone, see the texts quoted above. Here also is the reason why in the Old Testament Word the Lord is called Hero, Man of War, and also Jehovah Zebaoth, that is, Jehovah of Armies.

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