162. Internal Meaning of Ezekiel, Chapter 39

1-6 Those who are in the mere sense of the letter and in external worship, will come into the church, but will perish. These are meant by Gog. (2)

7-8 This will take place when the Lord comes and establishes the church. (3, 1)

9-10 This church will then disperse all the evils and falsities of such, (3)

11-16 and will wholly destroy them. (3, 16)

17-22 The new church that will be established by the Lord will be imbued with goods of all kinds, (11)

23-24 and the former church will be destroyed because of evils and falsities. (3)

25-29 The Lord will then gather together a church from all nations. (11)

2805. 'Where is the animal for a burnt offering?' means, Where are those members of the human race who are to be sanctified? This is clear from the representation of sacrifices, in particular burnt offerings. Burnt offerings and sacrifices were representative of internal worship, see 922, 923; they were made from the flock and from the herd - when from the flock, lambs, sheep, she-goats, kids, rams, or he-goats were used, when from the herd, oxen, young bulls, or calves, all of which meant various kinds of celestial and spiritual things - see 922, 1823, 2180; and by means of them people were sanctified, 2776. From all this it may become clear that Isaac's question, 'Where is the animal for the burnt offering?' means, Where are those members of the human race who are to be sanctified? The same is more plainly evident from what comes next, that is to say, from the reply made by Abraham his father, 'God will see for Himself to the animal for a burnt offering', verse 8, which means that the Divine Human will provide those who are to be sanctified; from the fact that later on he saw a ram behind him caught by its horns in a thicket, and offered that as the burnt offering, verse 13, which means members of the human race who belong to the Lord's spiritual Church; as well as from the details that follow after this in verses 14-17.