8567. Why do ye tempt Jehovah? That this signifies that it was against the Divine, of whose aid they despair, is evident from the signification of "tempting Jehovah," as being to complain against the Divine; that it denotes even to despairing of His aid, is because complaints in temptations involve such despair. For temptations are continual despairings of salvation, in the beginning slight, but in course of time grievous, until at last there is doubt, almost denial, of the presence of the Divine and of His aid. In temptations the spiritual life is for the most part brought to this extremity; for in this way the natural life is extinguished, because then, in the midst of the despair, the inmost is kept by the Lord in combat against falsity; and therefore this despair is soon dissipated by comfortings that are in the next place insinuated by the Lord; for after every spiritual temptation there is consolation, and as it were newness of life. (That temptations are carried even to despair, see n. 1787, 2694, 5279, 5280, 7147, 7155, 7166, 8165, and that after temptations there is consolation, n. 3696, 4572, 5246, 6829, 8367, 8370.)