114. "'Because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.'" This symbolically means that they have among them people who perform hypocritical works, by which the worship of God in the church is defiled and adulterated.

That this means people who perform works which defile and adulterate worship is apparent from the stories in the Word about Balaam and Balak, king of Moab. For Balaam was a hypocrite and sorcerer. He spoke favorably, indeed, from Jehovah regarding the children of Israel, and yet at heart he harbored a wish to destroy them, and also did destroy them by the counsel he gave Balak. It is apparent from this that his works were hypocritical.

We are told that he was a sorcerer (Joshua 13:22, Numbers 22:7; 24:1). That he spoke favorably on behalf of the children of Israel by blessing them (Numbers 23:7-10, 18-24; 24:3-9, 15-19. That at heart he harbored a wish to destroy them, and also did destroy them by the counsel he gave Balak (Numbers 31:16). The counsel that he gave is found in Numbers 25:1-3. The latter was the stumbling block that he put before the children of Israel, which is described in this way:

...in Shittim... the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab, and they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods. The people ate and bowed down to their gods. Israel (especially) was joined to Baal of Peor... (Therefore there were killed of Israel) twenty-four thousand. (Numbers 25:1-3, 9)

The children of Israel symbolize the church. Eating of their own sacrifices symbolizes an assimilation of what is holy. Consequently eating of the sacrifices of other gods or of things sacrificed to idols symbolizes a defiling and profanation of what is holy. To commit sexual immorality means, symbolically, to adulterate and corrupt worship. Moab and thus its king and its women also symbolize people who defile and adulterate worship, as may be seen in Arcana Coelestia (The Secrets of Heaven), published in London, no. 2468.

It is apparent from this now that the spiritual meaning of these words is as stated.