2798. That 'Abraham took the pieces of wood for the burnt offering' means the merit of righteousness is clear from what has been stated and shown above in 2784, and so without further explanation.

[2798a] 'And laid them on Isaac [his son]' means that it, that is to say, the merit of righteousness, was joined to the Divine Rational. This becomes clear from the representation of 'Isaac' as the Lord's Divine Rational, often dealt with already, and from the meaning of 'laying it on him' as allying it. The expression 'his son' is used because the Lord's Divine Human was not only conceived but was also born from Jehovah. The Lord's conception from Jehovah is very well known from the Word of the Lord, and therefore He is called 'Son of the Most High', 'Son of God', and 'Only Begotten of the Father' in Matthew 2:15; 3, 16, 17; 16:13-17; 17:5; 27:43, 54; Mark 1:11; 9:7, 9; 14:61-62; Luke 1:31-32, 35; 3:21-22; 9:35; 10:22; John 1:14, 18, 49; 3:13, 16-18; 5:20-27; 6:69; 9:34-35, 38; 10:35-36; 20:30-31, and besides these in very many other places where He calls Jehovah His Father.

[2] It is also well known that He was born of a virgin Mary, yet even so like any other. But when He was born again, that is, became Divine, this was from Jehovah who dwelt within Him and who was Himself as to the very Being (Esse) of life. The union of the Divine Essence and the Human Essence was effected mutually and reciprocally, so that He united the Divine Essence to the Human Essence, and the Human Essence to the Divine Essence, see 1921, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2018, 2025, 2083, 2508, 2523, 2618, 2628, 2632, 2728, 2729. From this it may become clear that the Lord made the Human within Himself Divine from His own power and in so doing became Righteousness. That which was allied to the Divine Rational when He underwent inmost temptation was the merit of righteousness; and it was from the Divine Rational that He fought, and it was against it that evil genii fought, until He glorified that Divine Rational also. These are the things meant in the internal sense by Abraham's laying the pieces of wood for the burnt offering on Isaac his son, and they are the things which angels perceive when these words are being read.

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.