'Wilderness' signifies something with little life in it, as described in the internal sense in Luke 1:80 'Wilderness' signifies somewhere there is no good because there is no truth. 'Wilderness,' as in Jeremiah 23:10, signifies the Word when it is adulterated.

(References: Arcana Coelestia 1927)

'The time of the heathen,' as mentioned in Ezekiel 30:3, signifies the heathen, or wickedness.

(References: Arcana Coelestia 488)