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 20:4-9
4
Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? Cause them to know the abominations of their fathers;
5
and tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: In the day when I chose Israel, and swore to the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I swore to them, saying, I am Yahweh your God;
6
in that day I swore to them, to bring them forth out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands.
7
I said to them, Cast away every man the abominations of his eyes, and don't defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am Yahweh your God.
8
But they rebelled against me, and would not listen to me; they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.
9
But I worked for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, among which they were, in whose sight I made myself known to them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.
