'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.

(Referencat: Arcana Coelestia 1927)

The 'government upon his shoulder,' as in Isaiah 9:5, 6, signifies all divine truth in the heavens from the Lord himself because the heavens are distinguished into governments according to truths from good.

(Referencat: Arcana Coelestia 5044 [1-13]; Isaiah 9:5-6)