The Bible regularly uses the word picture of a “vine” to depict people, or groups of people. Both the Old Testament and the New do so, involving numerous speakers, particularly our Lord Jesus. (Think John 15:1 here. “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.” A good example!)
Well, in Ezekiel’s shortest chapter (Ezekiel 15, with only 8 total verses) the “vine” metaphor is again used. With the little nation of Judah being the “focus.”
(By the way, sometimes the “vine” picture is positive. At other times negative. In Isaiah 5:2 Israel is called God’s “choicest vine!” But in Hosea 10:1 she is an “empty vine!” Wow!)
So … how does Ezekiel (really, the Lord) here characterize Judah?
Let’s see.
We begin with an analogy, a comparison, between grape vines and tree limbs!
“And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?” Ezekiel 15:1-2, the beginning of the brief Sermon!
With notes: “And the word of the LORD came unto me (this clause is found 49 times in Ezekiel, I just counted), saying, Son of man (93 times I count God calls Ezekiel by this name), What is the vine tree (the branches of the grape vine) more than any tree (bigger, more substantial trees), or than a branch (limb) which is among the trees of the forest?”
See the comparison? Frail vines to heavy limbs!
Next, God immediately answers His Own question: “Shall wood be taken thereof (of the grape vine) to do any work? or will men take a pin (peg) of it to hang any vessel (pot, pan as in the kitchen) thereon? Behold, it is cast (hurled) into the fire for fuel (for warmth); the fire devoureth both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned. Is it meet (suitable) for any work?” Ezekiel 15:3-4, with an implied response, “No!”
Oh, did you notice this vine is never associated with any “fruit?”
No sweet “grapes!”
This (Judah) is now an unprofitable vine, fruitless vegetation. Fit for nothing but fuel in the fire! (Back to John 15, and Jesus. “If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” Verse 6)
Wow!
Ezekiel, really God, continues: “Behold, when it was whole, it was meet for no work: how much less shall it be meet yet for any work, when the fire hath devoured it, and it is burned?” When just ashes, verse 5.
Then, the application, divinely spoken: “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; AS the vine tree among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, SO will I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” Verse 6 … as the doomed grape vine … so the people in Jerusalem!
(And Ezekiel is not even in Jerusalem. As you know he is being held captive in Babylon, hundreds of miles away. But he is still telling his little congregation about the coming awful judgment on their compatriots in their nation’s precious Capital City! What a burden he had for the children of Abraham.)
In reality, we know that letters were exchanged regularly between the Jews already in Babylon and the hold-outs back in Jerusalem. In fact, we have one such letter Jeremiah wrote (under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) to the colony of Jews in Babylon! See Jeremiah 29:1.
Then God continues, verse 7: “And I will set my face against them; they shall go out from one fire (the 606 BC deportation), and another fire (the 597 BC deportation) shall devour them.” But ultimately there were three such disastrous deportations, the last (in 586 BC) being by far the most fierce, most destructive.
I find the chapter’s final verse amazing. What God had to do to the Jews to place them in a position of “knowing” His Glory: And ye SHALL KNOW that I am the LORD, WHEN I set my face against them. And I will make the land desolate, because they have committed a trespass, saith the Lord GOD.” Verse 8, the chapter’s conclusion. If God’s “goodness” will not bring the Jews to repentance … maybe God’s “severity” will do so!
“Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the GOODNESS of God leadeth thee to repentance?” Romans 2:4, Paul to the Jews!
But by Romans 11:22 … “Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell (the Jews), severity; but toward thee (Gentiles), goodness!”
Then immediately a warning to us Gentiles: “IF thou CONTINUE in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” Romans 11:22, the last clause.
God’s judgment, another whole chapter in Ezekiel about that amazing phenomenon! I close today with Psalm 36:6 … “Thy righteousness (God) is like the great mountains; THY JUDGMENTS ARE A GREAT DEEP.”
Deep indeed!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell