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.

7518. 'Take for yourselves in fistfuls' means the power, imparted in the measure that it could be received. This is clear from the meaning of 'the fists', or the hollows of the hands, as power. The reason why 'the fists' or the hollows of the hands means power is that 'the hand' means power, dealt with below, in the measure that it can be received being meant by 'fullness'. ¹ With regard to the meaning of 'the fists' or hollows of the hands, it should be recognized that in the Grand Man the arms correspond to power; and from this not only the actual arms mean power but also the shoulders, as well as the hands even to the fingers. For the meaning of the arms as power, see 878, 4932, 4934, 4975, 7205; the shoulders, 1085, 4937; the hands, 878, 3387, 5327, 5328, 5544, 6292, 6947, 7011, 7188, 7189; also the fingers, 7430; and regarding their correspondence in general, 4931-4937. The reason why all the parts belonging to the arm correspond to power is that the body exerts its power through them. All this serves to show what is meant by 'sitting at the right hand' in Matthew,

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.

That is to say, one may see that the almighty power belonging to the Lord is meant; that is why 'the right hand of power' is used. So also in David,

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

From all this one may see how much light the internal sense provides in the Word. For unless one knew from that sense that 'the right hand' means power one would take those words to mean that the Lord was literally going to sit to the right of Jehovah.

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