298. "Right hand," in reference to the Lord, signifies both omnipotence and omniscience, for the reason that in heaven the south is on the right and the north on the left; and the "south" signifies Divine truth in light, and the "north" Divine truth in shade; and as Divine good has all power through Divine truth, "right hand" in reference to the Lord signifies omnipotence, and as Divine good has all intelligence and wisdom through Divine truth, and to the right in heaven Divine truth is in light (as was said), so "right hand" in reference to the Lord also signifies omniscience. (That in heaven the south is on the right, and there Divine truth is in light, and those who are there are in intelligence and wisdom; and that the north is on the left, and Divine truth there is in shade, see in the work on Heaven and Hell, where The Four Quarters in Heaven are treated of, n 141-153; that all power is from Divine good through Divine truth, see the same work, where The Power of the Angels of Heaven is treated of, n. 228-233; then that all intelligence and wisdom is also from Divine good through Divine truth, see the same work, where The Wisdom of the Angels of Heaven is treated of, n. 265-275; and the Wise and Simple in Heaven, n 346-356)
[2] That "right hand" in reference to the Lord signifies both omnipotence and omniscience, and in reference to men power and wisdom, can be seen from the following passages. In David:
The north and the right hand Thou hast created them; Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in Thy name. Thou hast an arm with might; strong is Thy hand; Thy right hand shall be exalted. Justice and judgment are the support of Thy throne; mercy and truth shall stand together before Thy faces (Psalms 89:12-14).
Here the "right hand" plainly means the south, for it is said, "the north and the right hand Thou hast created," and the "south" signifies Divine truth in light; thus in the highest sense, which treats of the Lord, it signifies omnipotence and omniscience, which Divine good has through Divine truth (as was said above). Because both omnipotence and omniscience are signified, it is said, "Tabor and Hermon," "justice and judgment," "mercy and truth." By "Tabor and Hermon" those in Divine good and those in Divine truth are signified; by "justice and judgment," and in a like manner by "mercy and truth," Divine good and Divine truth are signified; the two together signify in the spiritual sense Divine good through Divine truth. Omnipotence and omniscience, which Divine good has through Divine truth, are signified by "Thou hast an arm with might," and by "strong is Thy hand; Thy right hand shall be exalted."
[3] In the same:
If I shall forget thee, O Jerusalem, let My right hand forget (Psalms 137:5).
"Jerusalem" signifies the church in respect to the doctrine of Divine truth; and the "right hand of Jehovah," Divine truth in light, since (as was said above) those are at the right hand of the Lord in heaven who are in light and in wisdom from Divine truth; thence it is evident why it is said, "If I shall forget thee, O Jerusalem, let My right hand forget."
[4] In the same:
Behold, I am brutish, I know not. But I am continually with Thee; Thou hast held my right hand. Thou leadest me in Thy counsel, and afterwards receivest me with glory (Psalms 73:22-24).
Since "right hand," in reference to man, signifies wisdom from Divine truth, it is said, "I am brutish, I know not. Thou leadest me in Thy counsel, and afterwards receivest me with glory," "to lead in counsel" meaning to lead by Divine truth, and "to receive with glory" meaning to make blessed with intelligence; "glory" in reference to the Lord signifying Divine truth and Divine wisdom, but in reference to man intelligence therefrom.
[5] In the same:
Jehovah is thy keeper; Jehovah is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night (Psalms 121:5, 6).
"To be a shade on the right hand" signifies to be a defense against evil and falsity. "Shade" stands here for a shady place to preserve from hurt, and "right hand" for power and wisdom from Divine truth, which would be hurt by evil and falsity unless the Lord defended. Because this is what is signified it is said, "the sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night," the "sun" here signifying the love of self and thence all evil, and the "moon" the falsity of evil. (That this is the signification of "sun" and "moon" see in the work on Heaven and Hell 122, 123 ; and Arcana Coelestia 2441, 7078, 8487, 9755, 10130, 10189, 10420, 10702.)
[6] In the same:
Let Thy hand, O Jehovah, be over the man of Thy right hand, over the son of man whom Thou hast made strong for Thyself (Psalms 80:17).
"Let Thy hand, O Jehovah," means guard by omnipotence and omniscience; "the man of the right hand," who is guarded, signifies one who is wise; and "the son of man," one who is intelligent, each through Divine truth.
[7] In the same:
Gird the sword upon the thigh, O mighty One, with Thy splendor and in Thine honor; in Thine honor mount, ride on the Word of truth, of gentleness, and of righteousness; Thy right hand shall teach Thee wonderful things. Kings' daughters are among Thy precious ones; on Thy right hand shall stand the queen in the best gold of Ophir (Psalms 45:3-4, 9).
These things are said of the Lord. "To gird the sword upon the thigh" signifies Divine truth combating from Divine good; therefore it is said, "O mighty One, with Thy splendor and in Thine honor," "splendor" signifying Divine truth, and "honor" Divine good (See above, n. 131, 288). It is also said, "in Thine honor mount, ride on the Word of truth," "in honor to mount" signifying to combat from Divine good, and "to ride upon the Word of truth" signifying to combat from Divine truth, thus from Divine good through Divine truth. The Lord's omnipotence and omniscience are signified by "Thy right hand shall teach Thee wonderful things;" "kings' daughters, who are among the precious ones" signify the affections of truth; and "the queen who is on the right hand in the best gold of Ophir" signifies heaven and the church and those therein who are in truths from good; the "right hand" meaning truth in light, and "gold of Ophir" the good of love.
[8] In the same:
The saying of Jehovah to my Lord, Sit thou at My right hand until I shall make thine enemies a stool for thy feet. The Lord at thy right hand hath stricken through kings in the day of His anger (Psalms 110:1, 5; Matthew 22:44; Mark 12:36; Luke 20:42-43).
It is known that these things were said of the Lord; they are a description of the Lord's combats, in the world against the hells, and their subjugation which was effected from Divine good through Divine truth; "right hand" here signifies Divine truth; it is therefore said "until I shall make thine enemies a stool for thy feet;" "enemies" signifying the hells; "making them a stool for thy feet" signifying to subjugate altogether; "the Lord at thy right hand hath stricken through kings in the day of His anger" has a like signification; "day of anger" being a state of combat, and "kings" those who are in falsities from evil. That the Lord, when He was in the world, put on Divine truth from Divine good, and that He thereby subjugated the hells and disposed all things in heaven into order, see Last Judgement 46; and in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem (n.293-294, 301, 303).
[9] In the gospels:
Jesus said, Henceforth shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power (Matthew 26:64; Mark 14:62; Luke 22:69);
and in Mark:
The Lord after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God (Mark 16:19).
"To sit at the right hand of power," and "at the right hand of God" signifies the omnipotence and omniscience which the Lord has from Divine good through Divine truth.
[10] In Isaiah:
I have strengthened thee, yea, I have helped thee, [yea, I have upheld thee, ] by the right hand of My righteousness. I, Jehovah God strengthening thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I help thee (Isaiah 41:10, 13).
"I have strengthened thee, yea, I have helped thee" signifies to give power and intelligence by omnipotence and omniscience, which are from Divine good through Divine truth; it is therefore said, "I have upheld thee by the right hand of My righteousness," "right hand" signifying Divine truth, and "righteousness" Divine good; the power and wisdom that man has by these is signified by "strengthening thy right hand." Since both, namely, the omnipotence and omniscience which the Lord has from Divine good through Divine truth are here meant, He is called "Jehovah God;" for the Lord is called "Jehovah" from Divine good, and "God" from Divine truth (See Arcana Coelestia 709, 732, 2586, 2769, 2807, 2822, 3921, 4287, 4402, 7010, 9167).
[11] In the same:
Jehovah said to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before Him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open doors before Him, that the gates may not be shut (Isaiah 45:1).
"Cyrus" in the representative sense is the Lord. The Lord's omnipotence and omniscience from Divine good through Divine truth, by which in the world He subjugated all the hells, and thereafter keeps them subjugated forever, is signified by "whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him, and I will loose the loins of kings;" also by "to open doors before him that the gates may not be shut;" "the nations to be subdued before Him" signify the hells in respect to evils; and "the king whose loins He should loose," signify the hells in respect to falsities; "the doors open before Him, that the gates may not be shut," signifies that by omniscience all things are manifest to Him, and that by omnipotence He has power to save.
[12] "The right hand" signifies the omniscience and omnipotence that the Lord has from Divine good through Divine truth also in the following passages. In David:
Jehovah is always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved (Psalms 16:8).
In the same:
O God, Thy right hand sustaineth me (Psalms 18:35).
In the same:
O God, Thy hand is full of righteousness (Psalms 48:10).
In Isaiah:
My hand hath founded the earth, and My right hand hath spanned the heavens (Isaiah 48:13).
In the same:
God hath sworn by His right hand and by the arm of His strength (Isaiah 62:8).
In Revelation:
The Son of man, having in His right hand the seven stars (Revelation 1:16).
In David:
The right hand of Jehovah doeth valiantly; the right hand of Jehovah has been exalted (Psalms 118:15-16).
[13] As "right hand," in reference to angels and men, means the wisdom and intelligence that they have from Divine good through Divine truth proceeding from the Lord.
So there appeared to Zechariah the angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense (Luke 1:11);
And an angel was seen in the tomb where the Lord had been, sitting on the right side (Mark 16:5-6);
And for the same reason the sheep are said to have been set on the right hand, and the goats on the left (Matthew 25:33-34 seq.);
"sheep" here being those who are in truths from good, or in the faith of truth from the good of charity; and "goats" being those who are in faith without charity, which faith is called faith alone, and regarded in itself is no faith.
[14] Because of this signification of "right hand" when Aaron and his sons were inaugurated into the priesthood:
Blood was sprinkled upon their right ear and upon their right hand, and upon the great toe of the right foot (Exodus 29:20);
"blood" here signifying Divine truth from Divine good; "the right ear" the ability to perceive truth from good; "the right hand" and "the right foot" understanding and power of truth from good in the internal or spiritual man and in the external or natural man; and "great toe" fullness.
[15] As most expressions in the Word have also a contrary sense, so has "right hand," which in that sense signifies falsity from evil, and its reasoning and combat against truth from good. As in David:
Thou hast exalted the right hand of his adversaries (Psalms 89:42).
Whose mouth speaketh vanity and their right hand is a right hand of a lie (Psalms 144:8, 144:11).
In Isaiah:
That he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand? (Isaiah 44:20).
In Revelation:
They who should receive the mark of the beast on the right hand or on the forehead (Revelation 13:16; 14:9).
The "right hand" in reference to evil, signifies falsity, and consequent reasoning and combat against truth, because with those who are in evil and with those who are in good the quarters are opposite; therefore to the right hand of those in evil truths are in dense darkness, but falsities, as it were, in the greatest light. (That in the spiritual world with those who are in evil and with those who are in good the quarters are opposite, see in the work on Heaven and Hell, n 151-152; and why, n. 122-123.)
