140. Internal Meaning of Ezekiel, Chapter 17

How the Ancient Church was instituted by the Lord, and what it became among the Jewish nation (the eagle meaning the understanding, and Lebanon the rational of the church).

1-3 Those who were in the capacity to understand were brought to the church. (11, 2)

4-5 They were brought into the Lord's spiritual church, and instructed. (11, 2)

6 They became the church. (11, 2)

7-8 Others succeeded, who had not the rational of the understanding, of whom the church was to consist, and to whom all Divine truths were given, because the Word was given them, (11, 2)

9-10 but they utterly rejected all things of the church, so that they could not but be devastated of them. (2)

11-13 They destroyed them by reasonings from the natural man, (2)

14 excepting as yet a few, (2)

15-16 who, however, were natural external without an internal. (2)

17-18 Therefore they have destroyed those things which were of the church. (2)

20 They will perish by means of reasonings from the natural man, and will therefore be dispersed. (2)

22-24 The Lord will establish a new church of others, in their place. (11)