CHAPTER TWENTY-SECOND. 13

That the Lord is represented and understood in the internal sense of all these preceding passages, where the subject is Abraham, is evident. It is also clear that the temptations described in this chapter were the Lord's most serious and intimate ones. That it is said "God tempted him" is in accordance with the sense of the letter, in which temptations and many other things are attributed to God. However, according to the internal sense, God tempts no one; rather, He is constantly liberating people from temptations as much as is possible—that is, as much as such liberation does not cause harm—and He is constantly looking toward the good to which He leads those who are in temptations. For God never otherwise acts in conjunction with temptations. Although it is stated of Him that He "permits" them, this is not according to the idea that man has of "permission"—namely, that He concurs by permitting—for man cannot grasp it otherwise than that he who permits also wills it. Rather, it is the evil in man that causes it and that leads him into temptation, for which there is no cause in God, just as there is no cause in a King or a Judge for a man to do evil and subsequently suffer the penalties. For whoever separates himself from the laws of Divine Order—which are all Good and consequently Truth—casts himself into laws opposed to the Divine Order, which are those of evil and falsity, and therefore of punishments and torments.

2769. "And said to him, Abraham" signifies the Lord’s perception from Divine Truth. This is evident from the meaning of "to say" in the historical parts of the Word, which signifies to perceive (see n. 1898, 1919, 2080, 2619), and from the representation of Abraham, who signifies the Lord. That the perception was from Divine Truth is clear from the fact that "God" is named, not "Jehovah." For where the Word treats of Truth, it names God; but where it treats of Good, it names Jehovah (see n. 2586). Hence it is that God is mentioned in this verse, and in the following ones down to verse 11, for the reason that the subject here is temptation; and that in verse 11 and those that follow, Jehovah is used, is because the subject there is liberation. For from Truth comes all temptation and condemnation, but from Good comes all liberation and salvation. That Truth condemns and Good saves, see n. 1685, 2258, 2235.

2770. "And he said, Behold, here I am," which signifies thought and reflection, is clear from the meaning of "to say" as perceiving (see n. 2769). Here, however, it signifies to think and reflect, because it is a reply; for all thought and subsequent reflection come from perception (see n. 1919, 2515, 2552).

2771. Verse 2. "And he said, Take I pray thee thy son, thine only one, whom thou lovest, Isaac, and get thee into the land of Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of." "He said, Take I pray thee thy son, whom thou lovest," signifies the only one in the universe by whom He would save the human race. "Isaac" signifies his quality. "And get thee into the land of Moriah" signifies the place and state of temptation. "And offer him there for a burnt offering" signifies the sanctifying of Himself by the Divine. "Upon one of the mountains" signifies Divine Love. "Which I will tell thee of" signifies just as He would perceive.