Questions for thought:
1. The Lord compared Israel to a vine tree and when she had forsaken God, she was as useless as a vine tree. Jesus said He is the true vine and we are the branches. What happens if we forsake Him?
2. What happens when God’s people lose their moral values?
3. Our trust must always be in the God of Heaven. What happens when we decide to depend upon ourselves or others?
Last time we ended up with God’s judgments against those who were prophesying falsely and against the elders or leaders of the people who were setting up idols in their hearts instead of listening to God. This time we will begin in Ezekiel 15 with a parable.
The word of the Lord came to Ezekiel and asked him about the vine tree. The Lord asked how was the vine tree any better than other trees in the forest. He asked if the wood could be used for anything other than being cast into the fire for fuel. The Lord said when the vine tree was whole, it was not good for any work and once fire devoured it, it was even less useful. Then the Lord compared the vine tree to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. They too were useless and because of their trespasses, the Lord would make the land desolate. We too are useless if we forsake the Lord. According to Jesus, He is the vine and we are the branches. He said in John 15:5-6 if we abide in Him we will bring forth much fruit, but if we do not abide in Him, we will be cast forth and withered and burned.
Earlier in scripture, God had compared Israel to a vine. In Psalm 80:8-16 the psalmist wrote about the vine brought out of Egypt and made to flourish. But then the Lord broke the vine and burned it with fire. In Jeremiah 2:21, God had planted a noble vine, but it had turned into a degenerate vine. Isaiah 5:7 makes it very clear the vineyard of the Lord was Israel. But the parable here in Ezekiel 15 makes it very clear the land would be desolate.
In chapter 16 we have another summary of how God had mercy on Israel and made her a nation. In verses 1-6 we read how God had mercy on Israel when she was young. She is compared to a child born without proper care, but God was her redeemer. Beginning in verse 7 we see how He caused her to multiply and increase. He gave her much beauty and made her prosperous. But beginning in verse 15 we have another account of how Israel rejected God. She trusted in her own beauty according to verse 15. She did not remember her days of youth and how God had pulled her out of her woes according to verse 22. She again worshipped idols according to verses 24-25. She played the harlot with other nations and instead of expecting payment as a whore would, according to verses 28-33, she paid the other nations!
It was because of her degenerate heart or having lost her moral values she was doing such evil according to verse 30. Beginning in verse 35 are the reasons why God was punishing her. He compared her to her sisters, to Sodom and Samaria. He said they were more righteous than Isarael. We too can lose our moral compass and find ourselves becoming degenerate. The solution lies in repentance and turning back to God. Israel had some who had not fallen into this trap who were referred to in many places as a remnant. Like other accounts of Israel’s fall, in verse 60 is the promise of an everlasting covenant with those who remained faithful.
Another parable is revealed in chapter 17 and this one includes a riddle according to verse 2. Before looking at this parable, I think a quick review of what has already happened to Judah along with a little timeline may help us to see this parable and riddle more clearly.
Around 930 B.C. the kingdom of Israel divided into a northern and southern kingdom with the northern kingdom of 10 tribes called Israel being led by Jeroboam and the southern kingdom of two tribes called Judah being led by Solomon’s son Rehoboam. In 1 Kings 11:38 God promised Jeroboam if he would walk in the Lord’s ways, the kingdom would remain in his family.
From 930 B.C. to 721 B.C. most of the kings were not pleasing to God. They led the people into idolatry or the worship of false gods.
Around 740-685 B.C. Isaiah was a prophet of Judah. He warned the people of how their rebellion was going to cause them to be in captivity
721 B.C. the northern kingdom was taken into captivity by Assyria.
627-560 B.C. Jeremiah told Judah God said to surrender to the Babylonians (but they refused)
605 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar became king of Babylon
605 B.C. Babylonians invaded Judah and the first wave of Jews were deported to Babylon
601 B.C. Judah appealed to Egypt for help (against God’s commands)
597 B.C. Judah’s King Jehoiachin was taken captive by Babylon
597-586 B.C. Zedekiah was king of Judah
597 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians captured Jerusalem and made Zedekiah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king
597 B.C. Babylonians capture Jerusalem and the second wave of Jews was taken to Babylon
597 B.C. Ezekiel was taken captive to Babylon
590-589 B.C. Zedekiah joined forces with Egypt (against God’s command)
586 B.C. Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and the temple
586 B.C. Third wave of Jews taken to Babylon
586 B.C. Zedekiah taken prisoner by Babylon and had his eyes put out
539 B.C. Babylon fell
539 B.C. Decree of Cyrus allowed Jews to return to Jerusalem
516 B.C. Jews rebuilt the temple
In the parable in Ezekiel 17, a great eagle took the top of the highest branch of a cedar and carried it away to a land of trade. This eagle also took of the seed of the land and planted that seed. It grew and became a vine which turned toward this great eagle. But there was another great eagle and the vine turned away from the first eagle and toward this eagle so this eagle would support the vine.
Beginning in verse 9, God asked if that vine was going to prosper. He asked if that first eagle would allow it to live or would that eagle pluck it up and make it wither. Of course, these were rhetorical questions with the obvious answer the first eagle would not allow this vine to live or prosper.
Then beginning in verse 12, we have the explanation of the parable. The king of Babylon (the first eagle) had removed Jehoiachin (the top of the highest branch) from being king and had replaced him with his uncle (of the same family seed), Zedekiah. For about ten years, Judah (the vine that turned toward Babylon) under the rule of Zedekiah obeyed Babylon, but then he turned to Egypt (the second eagle) around 590 bringing down the wrath of Babylon and resulting in Zedekiah being taken prisoner and having his own eyes put out.
Having explained the parable, God then went on to show how this parable is also a riddle. It had a second meaning. God’s people who He had planted and caused to prosper and who had originally looked to Him for well-being had done the same things to God that Zedekiah had done to Babylon. They had promised to obey His commands but instead they had turned to idols and to serving themselves. In verse 19, God again promised recompense upon these evil people.
But once more, God had a promise of a remnant that would be saved. In verse 22, He said He would take the highest branch of the high cedar and crop off from it a tender twig and plant it upon a high mountain where it would bring forth richly. This is, of course, referring to Christ and His church just as the parable of the mustard seed in Luke 13:18-19. There in Luke Christ taught the kingdom of God is like a grain of mustard which was planted and grew into a great tree.
We Christians as that great tree must be sure we are pointing toward Christ and going to Him for our help. We cannot reach out to material things for our satisfaction. Just as Jesus said in Matthew 4:4, we do not “live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” Additionally, Christ taught in Matthew 6:25-34 we should not be concerned about physical things, but put out trust in God.
Next time we will begin with Ezekiel 18 looking at personal judgment for personal sins.
Christian Women's Responsibility in Sharing God's Word 