4586. And Rachel brought forth, and suffered hard things in her bringing forth. That this signifies the temptations of interior truth, is evident from the signification of “bringing forth,” as being the coming forth of the spiritual things which are of truth and of the celestial things which are of good, for in the internal sense “to bring forth” denotes the things of the spiritual birth (see n. 1145, 1255, 2584, 3860, 3868, 3905, 3915, 3919, 4070); from the representation of Rachel, as being the affection of interior truth (see n. 3758, 3782, 3793, 3819); and from the signification of “suffering hard things,” as being to undergo temptations, for when “to suffer hard things” is predicated of truths and goods, or of spiritual things and celestial things, it cannot mean anything else, because no one can attain to these except by means of temptations, for then interior goods and truths fight with the evils and falsities from what is hereditary and what is actual, the man being kept by the Lord from within in goods and truths, and being assaulted by the evils and falsities which burst forth from what is hereditary, and which are present from what is actual, that is, by the spirits and genii who are in these evils and falsities and are with the man. Hence come temptations, whereby not only are evils and falsities, when overcome, cast out and removed, but also goods and truths are confirmed. These are the things which are signified by Rachel’s bringing forth, and by her suffering hard things in her bringing forth.

1145. These are the nativities of the sons of Noah. That these signify derivations of the doctrinals and worships of the Ancient Church, which in general is “Noah,” is evident from the signification of “nativities” (of which above [89, 469-474, 610]). In the external or literal sense, “nativities” or “births,” as is known, are generations of one from another; but in the internal sense all things have regard to what is celestial and spiritual, that is, to the things of charity and of faith. Thus here the “nativities” are those of the church, consequently are doctrinal matters, as will be made more clear in what follows.