659. Verse 17 And I, behold, I am bringing a flood of waters over the earth, to destroy all flesh in which there is the spirit of lifea from under the heavens; everything that is on earth will breathe its last.
'A flood' means a deluge of evil and falsity. 'To destroy all flesh in which there is the spirit of life' from under the heavens' means that all the descendants of the Most Ancient Church would destroy themselves. 'Everything that is on the earth will breathe its last' means those belonging to that Church who had become such.