10557. 'And his minister Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not move away from the midst of the tent' means Divine Truth ministering meantime in the holy things of the Church and worship in place of Moses. This is clear from the representation of 'Joshua, minister of Moses' as Divine Truth ministering in place of Moses (he is called 'the son of Nun' by virtue of what is true, and 'a young man' by virtue of what is good); and from the meaning of 'did not move away from the midst of the tent' as not ceasing meantime to minister in the holy things of the Church and worship. 'Not moving away' means not ceasing meantime, and 'the tent' means the holiness of the Word, the Church, and worship, dealt with above in 10545. In paragraph 10556 immediately above it has been stated that Moses now comes to represent the head of the Israelite nation. Consequently in order that the train of thought in the internal sense might not be broken, it happened that Joshua remained in the tent during Moses' absence. For 'Joshua' represents Divine Truth in respect of some function performed by it, such as Divine Truth engaged in conflict, 8595; Divine Truth engaged in contemplation and discernment, 10454; but here Divine Truth engaged in ministering, in the absence of Moses, which is why he is called Moses' 'minister'.

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.