The Inner Meaning of the Prophets and Psalms #140
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)
Ezekiel 16:15-20
15
But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was.
16
And of thy garments thou didst take, and deckedst thy high places with divers colours, and playedst the harlot thereupon: the like things shall not come, neither shall it be so.
17
Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them,
18
And tookest thy broidered garments, and coveredst them: and thou hast set mine oil and mine incense before them.
19
My meat also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey, wherewith I fed thee, thou hast even set it before them for a sweet savour: and thus it was, saith the Lord GOD.
20
Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast borne unto me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured. Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter,
