10685. 'And he was with Jehovah forty days and forty nights' means temptations before the Church, worship, and the Word exist on an internal level. This is clear from the meaning of 'forty days and nights', when it has reference to the Church with a person, as states involving temptation, dealt with in 730, 862, 2272, 2273, 8098. Before the Church, worship, and the Word exist on an internal level is meant because temptations are the means by which the internal level in a person, called the internal man, is opened up to that person and handed over to him. Consequently everyone who is being regenerated undergoes temptations. The reason why temptations are the means by which the internal level is opened up and brought into existence is that while a person is embroiled in temptations, which are conflicts against evils and falsities, the Lord flows in from the interior and fights on the person's behalf. This may be recognized by a person from the fact that at the times when he is embroiled in temptations he inwardly offers resistance; for unless he did so he would not be victorious but would go under. He is not conscious of that inward resistance during temptations, because while embroiled in them he is in the dark, on account of the evil and falsities of evil that assail him; but after temptations those with a perception of truth are conscious of it. For while a person is living in the world he has no knowledge of the things which the Lord introduces into him on an internal level, because at that time, before he enters the next life, he thinks on the level of the external or natural man, and not perceptibly on an internal level. Nevertheless he ought to know and acknowledge, when victorious in temptations, that all the fighting was done not by himself but by the Lord on his behalf.

218. Of Bread.

"Bread," when mentioned in relation to the Lord, signifies the Divine good of the Lord's Divine love, and the reciprocal of the man who eats it (n. 2165, 2177, 3478, 3735, 3813, 4211, 4217, 4735, 4976, 9323, 9545). "Bread" involves and signifies all food in general (n. 2165, 6118). "Food" signifies everything that nourishes the spiritual life of man (n. 4976, 5147, 5915, 6277, 8418). Thus "bread" signifies all celestial and spiritual food (n. 276[1-2], 680[1-5], 2165, 2177, 3478, 6118, 8410). Consequently, "everything which proceeds out of the mouth of God," according to the Lord's words (Matt. 4:4; n . 681). "Bread" in general signifies the good of love (n. 2165, 2177, 10686). The same is signified by "wheat," of which bread is made (n. 3941, 7605). "Bread and water," when mentioned in the Word, signify the good of love and the truth of faith (n. 9323). Breaking of bread was a representative of mutual love in the ancient churches (n. 5405). Spiritual food is science, intelligence, and wisdom, thus good and truth, because the former are derived from the latter (n. 3114, 4459, 4792, 5147, 5293, 5340, 5342, 5410, 5426, 5576, 5582, 5588, 5655, 8562, 9003). And because they nourish the mind (n. 4459, 5293, 5576, 6277, 8418). Sustenance by food signifies spiritual nourishment, and the influx of good and truth from the Lord (n. 4976, 5915, 6277).

The "bread" on the table in the tabernacle, signified the Divine good of the Lord's Divine love (n. 3478, 9545). The "meal-offerings" of cakes and wafers in the sacrifices, signified worship from the good of love (n. 4581, 10079, 10137). What the various meal-offerings signified in particular (n. 7978, 9992-9994, 10079).

The ancients, when they mentioned bread, meant all food in general (see Gen. 43: 16, 31; Exod. 18:12; Judges 13:15, 16; 1 Sam. 1_Samuel 14:28-29; 20: 24, 27; 2 Sam. 9: 7, 10; 1_Kings 4:22-23; 2 Kings 25:29).