The "wilderness" is a church where there is no faith; the "voice of one crying," is the annunciation of the Lord's advent, and in general every announcement of His coming, as with the regenerate, with whom there is an internal dictate.
221. That by the "air" or "breath" "of the day," is signified a period when the church had still somewhat of perception remaining, is evident from the signification of "day" and of "night." The most ancient people compared the states of the church to the times of the day and of the night, to the times of the day when the church was still in light, wherefore this state is compared to the breath or air "of the day," because there was still some remnant of perception by which they knew that they were fallen. The Lord also calls the state of faith "day," and that of no faith "night;" as in John:—
I must work the works of Him that sent Me, while it is day; the night cometh when no man can work (ix. 4).
The states of the regeneration of man were for the same reason called "days" in chapter i.
222. That to "hide themselves from the face of Jehovah," means to be afraid of the dictate, as is wont to be the case with those who are conscious of evil, is evident from their reply (verse 10): "I heard Thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked." The "face of Jehovah," or of the Lord, is mercy, peace, and every good, as is clearly evident from the benediction:—
Jehovah make His faces to shine upon thee, and be merciful unto thee; Jehovah lift up His faces upon thee, and give thee peace (Num. vi. 25, 26).
And in David:—
God be merciful unto us, and bless us, and cause His faces to shine upon us (Ps. lxvii. 1).
And in another place:—
There be many that say, Who will show us any good? Jehovah, lift Thou up the light of Thy faces upon us (Ps. iv. 6).
The mercy of the Lord is therefore called the "angel of faces," in Isaiah:—
