AC 8125 - Exodus 24, Crossing the Sea of Suph; AC 8131 - Temptations

AC 8125
 
In this chapter (Exodus 24), in the internal sense,
the subject treated of is the first temptation
of those who are of the spiritual church,
and the conducting of them through the midst of hell,
and their protection then by the Lord;
and also the immersion of those
who were in faith separate from charity in hell,
where are falsities from evils.
They who are of the spiritual church
are represented by the sons of Israel;
those who are in faith separate from charity
by the Egyptians.
The first temptation is described
by the murmuring of the sons of Israel
when they saw the army of Pharaoh.
Hell is signified by the "sea Suph"
through which the sons of Israel
were conducted in safety,
and in which the Egyptians were immersed.
Falsities from evils are signified
by the waters which covered the latter.

AC 8131

Temptations with man are spiritual combats
between evil and good spirits,
which combats are from those things
and concerning those things
which the man has done and thought,
and which are in his memory.
The evil spirits accuse and attack;
but the good excuse and defend.
These combats appear as if in the man,
for the things which flow in
from the spiritual world with a man
are not presented as being from that world,
but in himself.
It is the same with spirits
when they undergo temptations.
Therefore when people are about to undergo temptations,
the interior things in them,
that is, the truths and goods,
are arranged by the Lord into such a state
that by immediate influx from Himself
and mediate influx through heaven,
the falsities and evils which are from the hells
may be resisted,
and thereby he who is in temptation may be protected.
When a man is being tempted he is also near hell,
especially near that hell
which is signified by "the sea Suph,"
for in this hell are those
who have been in the memory-knowledge
of truth but in a life of evil,
and thereby in falsities derived from evil.
From the hells, through spirits,
those things flow in
which bring anxiety upon man in temptations.
From all this it can be seen what is meant
by the influx of temptation from hell,
which is signified by
their "encamping over against it by the sea Suph."