The Prophetical Books:

1. Internal Meaning of Isaiah, Chapter 1 (1)

1-8 The church has been vastated by evil of life, (3)

9 so that there is little of a residue. (3)

10-15 Therefore their external worship is of no avail. (3)

16-19 Exhortation that they should repent of the evil of life, and thus they will receive good. (3)

20-23They falsify the Word. (3)

24-27 The Lord when He comes will destroy them, and will establish the church with others; (1, 11)

28-31 This when nothing of the church remains with them. (3)

'Washing of the hands' was an ancient declaration of innocence, and signifies purification from evils and falsities, as in Psalms 73:13 and Matthew 27:24.

(References: Apocalypse Explained 475)

3876. 'For I have borne him three sons' means that which happens next. This is clear from what has been stated above in 3871. That which happens next, meant here by 'three sons', is the arrival of charity. For when a person is being regenerated, that is, becoming the Church, the first thing is his need to know and understand what the truth of faith is; the second is his determination to will and do it; and the third comes when he has an affection for it. When a person has an affection for truth, that is, when he experiences delight and blessing in acting in accordance with truth, charity or mutual love has arrived in him. This next stage is what is meant here by 'I have borne him three sons'.