8351. 'And the people grumbled against Moses' means grief caused by the bitterness of the temptation. This is clear from the meaning of 'grumbling' as complaint, the kind made in temptations, thus grief caused by the bitterness of the temptation. The temptations which those belonging to the Lord's spiritual Church underwent after they had been delivered from molestations, in addition to the temptations which members of that Church are destined to undergo, are described by the grumblings of the children of Israel in the wilderness. And since spiritual temptations are as a general rule protracted till a person is in despair, 1787, 2694, 5279, 5280, 7147, 7166, 8165, 'grumbling' means complaint because of grief felt in temptations, as in Exodus 16:2-3; 17:3; Numbers 14:27, 29, 36; 16:11. The words 'against Moses' are used because it was a grumbling against what was Divine; for 'Moses' represents Divine Truth, 6723, 6752, 6771, 6827, 7010, 7014, 7089, 7382.

[2] As regards the temptations which those belonging to the spiritual Church underwent, and the temptations which members of that Church are destined to undergo, it should be recognized that no faith, nor thus any charity, can ever be instilled into those who belong to the spiritual Church except by means of temptations. In temptations a person is involved in conflict against falsity and evil. These - falsity and evil - flow into the external man from the hells, while goodness and truth flow in from the Lord by way of the internal man; and so there arises from a conflict of the internal man with the external that which is called temptation. And in the measure that the external man is brought into a state of obedience to the internal, faith and charity are instilled; for the external or natural level of a person is a receptacle of truth and good from the internal. If the receptacle is not properly adjusted it does not receive anything flowing in from the more internal level but either repels, destroys, or stifles it, as a consequence of which there is no regeneration. So it is that temptation is necessary, in order that a person may undergo regeneration, which is effected through the instillation of faith and charity, and thereby through the formation of a new will and new understanding. This also explains why the term 'militant' is applied to the Lord's Church. See what has been stated and shown already about these matters in 3928, 4249, 4341, 4572, 5356, 6574, 6611, 6657, 7090 (end), 7122, 8159, 8168, 8179, 8273.

5357. Verses 53-57 And the seven years of abundance of corn ended, which was in the land of Egypt. And the seven years of famine began to come, even as Joseph had said; and the famine was in all lands, and in all the land of Egypt there was bread. And all the land of Egypt suffered famine, and the people cried out to Pharaoh for bread. And Pharaoh said to all Egypt, Go to Joseph; do what he tells you. And the famine was over all the face of the earth; and Joseph opened all the places in which [there was grain] and sold to Egypt. And the famine was becoming great in the land of Egypt. And all the earth came to Egypt to buy [grain], to Joseph; for the famine became great in all the earth.

'And the seven years of abundance of corn ended' means those states during which truth was multiplied. 'Which was in the land of Egypt' means, within the natural. 'And the seven years of famine began to come' means the subsequent states of desolation. 'Even as Joseph had said' means as was foreseen by the celestial of the spiritual. 'And the famine was in all lands' means a desolation everywhere in the natural. 'And in all the land of Egypt there was bread' means the remnants of the truths from good that have been multiplied. 'And all the land of Egypt suffered famine' means desolation in both parts of the natural. 'And the people cried out to Pharaoh for bread' means the need of good which was felt by truth. 'And Pharaoh said to all Egypt' means a discernment. 'Go to Joseph' means that the celestial of the spiritual is the supplier of it. 'Do what he tells you' means provided that obedience exists. 'And the famine was over all the face of the earth' means when there was desolation even to the point of despair. 'And Joseph opened all the places in which [there was grain]' means a communication of remnants. 'And sold to Egypt' means a making over to. 'And the famine was becoming great in the land of Egypt' means an increasing severity. 'And all the earth came to Egypt' means that forms of truth and good were gathered into the facts known to the Church. 'To buy [grain]' means a making one's own. 'To Joseph' means where the celestial of the spiritual was. 'For the famine became great in all the earth' means that, apart from there, desolation existed everywhere in the natural.