The Inner Meaning of the Prophets and Psalms # 155
155. Internal Meaning of Ezekiel, Chapter 32
Lament over those who by knowledges [scientiae] have perverted the holy things of the church. (3, 3)
1-2 They pervert all truths of the church. (3)
3-8 They fall into all falsities of evil, until they no longer see what is good and true. (3)
9-10 Those who are outside the church are horrified at their falsities. (3)
11-12 They destroy all things of the church by reasonings from the natural man. (3)
13-16 They shall be cast into hell, that they may no longer pervert truths in those who are in an affection for truth. (15)
15 In hell they will be associated with those who have profaned the holy things of the Word; (15, 17)
24-25 also with those who have falsified truths of doctrine; (15)
26-30 with those who have falsified the sense of the letter of the Word.
31-32 All of these will be with those who by knowledges [scientiae] have perverted the holy things of the church, and thus they will be separated from those who are of the church, lest they persecute them. (15)
Arcana Coelestia # 410
410. There are two kinds of vastation. The first is the vastation of people who know yet do not wish to know, or who see yet do not wish to see, as was characteristic of the Jews, and is characteristic of Christians at the present time. The second is the vastation of people who neither know nor see anything because they have no knowledge, as was characteristic of gentiles in the past and still is characteristic of them today. When the final point of vastation is reached with those who know and yet do not wish to know, or who see and yet do not wish to see, a Church rises up anew, not however among the same people, but among others whom they call gentiles. This was what happened to the Most Ancient Church which existed before the Flood, what happened to the Ancient Church after the Flood, and also what happened to the Jewish Church. The reason new light at that point starts to shine for the first time is, as has been stated, that it is then no longer possible for people to profane things that are revealed, since they do not acknowledge and believe that these are true.
