8131. 'Over against it you are to encamp, close to the sea' means that the influx of temptation comes from there. This is clear from the meaning of 'over against it' as close enough for it to be within view, in the internal sense close enough for the influx to come from there; from the meaning of 'encamping' as the arrangement of truth and good for undergoing temptations, as immediately above in 8130; and from the meaning of 'the Sea Suph' as the hell where falsities arising from evils prevail, dealt with in 8099. How one should understand the explanation that the influx of temptation comes from there must be stated briefly. The temptations a person undergoes are spiritual conflicts between evil spirits and good ones. The conflicts arise from and have to do with the things the person has done or thought, recorded in his memory. The evil spirits incriminate and attack, but the good ones pardon and defend. It appears as though those conflicts are within the person, for what flows into a person from the spiritual world presents itself not as something from there but as something inside him, see 741, 751, 761, 1820, 3927, 4249, 4307, 4572, 5036, 6657, 6666. A similar situation exists with spirits when they undergo temptations. When therefore they are about to undergo temptations interior things residing with them, that is, the truths and forms of good, are rearranged by the Lord into a condition which is such that by means of direct influx from Himself, and indirect influx through heaven, resistance can be offered to the falsities and evils coming from the hells, and in that way the one undergoing temptation can be protected. When a person is tempted he is also close to hell, in particular to this hell that is meant by 'the Sea Suph'; for its inhabitants are people who had a knowledge of truth but led a life of evil, and are consequently ruled by falsities arising from evil. From the hells through evil spirits come those influences which lead to the anxiety experienced by a person in temptations. From all this one may see what one should understand by the influx of temptation from hell, meant by the command the people received to encamp over against it, close to the Sea Suph.

751. Since the subject here is the temptation of the member of the new Church called Noah, and since few, if any, know what temptations are, because nowadays few people undergo such temptations - and those who do are not aware of anything other than the feeling that it is something within them which is suffering in this way - let a brief explanation be given. There are evil spirits who at that time activate a person's falsities and evils, as has been stated. Indeed they draw out of his memory whatever he has thought and carried out since early childhood. Evil spirits can do this so cleverly and wickedly as to defy description. But the angels who are with him draw out his goods and truths, and in this way defend him. This conflict is what the person feels and perceives in himself and is what causes the sting and torment of conscience.

[2] There are two kinds of temptation, the first involving things of the understanding, the second those of the will. When a person's temptation involves those of the understanding, evil spirits activate only the evil deeds he has carried out, which are meant here by 'unclean beasts'. And with these they accuse and condemn. They even activate his good deeds as well, which are also meant here by the 'clean beasts'; but these they corrupt in a thousand ways. At the same time they also activate his thoughts, which are also meant here by 'bird', and in addition they activate the things meant here by 'things creeping over the ground'. This kind of temptation however is mild and is perceived only through the recollection of such experiences, and a kind of mental anguish resulting from this.

[3] When however someone's temptation involves things of the will, it is not so much his deeds and thoughts that are activated. Instead there are evil genii, as evil spirits of this type may be called, who inflame him with the evil desires and the foul loves in which he is steeped, and in this way direct their attack through the person's very desires. They do this so wickedly and secretly that one cannot possibly believe it is they who are doing it. In fact they worm their way in no time at all into the life of his desires, and almost instantaneously twist and convert the affection for good and truth into the affection for evil and falsity. They act in such a way that the individual inevitably thinks that these things come from himself and flow forth of his own free will. This kind of temptation is very severe, and is felt as inward pain and burning torment. This subject is dealt with later on. I have been allowed from much experience to know and realize that this is true, and to know also when evil spirits or genii were flowing in and overwhelming, and from where, who they were and how they did it. In the Lord's Divine mercy these experiences will be described in detail later on.