The Inner Meaning of the Prophets and Psalms # 143
143. Internal Meaning of Ezekiel, Chapter 20 (11)
Successive states of the Jewish church. (2, 11)
1-3 Those who are of the Jewish church worship the Lord with the mouth and not with the heart. (2, 11)
4 The first of them, that is, their fathers. (2)
4-9 They worshipped other gods, and did not depart from them, however much admonished, because they were natural external; this concerning them when in Egypt. (2)
10-12 They were let into temptations, and then instructed. Also, respecting conjunction of the Lord with the church. (2)
13 And they cannot even thus be brought to the worship of the Lord. (2)
14-17 Although they were of such a character, yet they were not cast off. (2)
18-20 Their offspring were instructed in like manner. (2, 6)
21-24 They in like manner reprobated all things of the church. (2)
25-26 In consequence they had representatives different from the former good ones, because they had profaned them; this concerning them in the wilderness. (2)
27-29 When they had been introduced into the land of Canaan, they worshipped other gods in every way. (2)
30-31 They profaned things holy. (2)
32-36 They are to be cast out of the church, because they have been such from the beginning. (2, 3)
37-39 They will not return to the church, but will be among the profaners of the holy things of the church. (3)
40-42 A new church will be instituted, which will worship the Lord, (11)
43-44 and they will acknowledge their evils, and at the same time the Lord's mercy. (11)
The church has perished by reason of falsities. (3)
45-46 An external or natural church, which is able to be in the light of truth. (3)
47-48 It is destroyed by evil love. (3)
49, 1-3 It is the Jewish nation, which is here further treated of. (3)
Ezekiel 19
1
Moreover, take up a lamentation for the princes of Israel,
2
and say, What was your mother? A lioness: she couched among lions, in the midst of the young lions she nourished her cubs.
3
She brought up one of her cubs: he became a young lion, and he learned to catch the prey; he devoured men.
4
The nations also heard of him; he was taken in their pit; and they brought him with hooks to the land of Egypt.
5
Now when she saw that she had waited, and her hope was lost, then she took another of her cubs, and made him a young lion.
6
He went up and down among the lions; he became a young lion, and he learned to catch the prey; he devoured men.
7
He knew their palaces, and laid waste their cities; and the land was desolate, and its fullness, because of the noise of his roaring.
8
Then the nations set against him on every side from the provinces; and they spread their net over him; he was taken in their pit.
9
They put him in a cage with hooks, and brought him to the king of Babylon; they brought him into strongholds, that his voice should no more be heard on the mountains of Israel.
10
Your mother was like a vine, in your blood, planted by the waters: it was fruitful and full of branches by reason of many waters.
11
It had strong rods for the scepters of those who bore rule, and their stature was exalted among the thick boughs, and they were seen in their height with the multitude of their branches.
12
But it was plucked up in fury, it was cast down to the ground, and the east wind dried up its fruit: its strong rods were broken off and withered; the fire consumed them.
13
Now it is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty land.
14
Fire is gone out of the rods of its branches, it has devoured its fruit, so that there is in it no strong rod to be a scepter to rule. This is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation.
