CEDAR SPRIG
Ezekiel 17:22-24 NET.
22 “‘This is what the sovereign LORD says: “‘I will take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and plant it. I will pluck from the top one of its tender twigs; I myself will plant it on a high and lofty mountain. 23 I will plant it on a high mountain of Israel, and it will raise branches and produce fruit and become a beautiful cedar. Every bird will live under it; Every winged creature will live in the shade of its branches. 24 All the trees of the field will know that I am the LORD. I make the high tree low; I raise the low tree. I make the green tree wither, and I make the dry tree sprout. I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will do it!'”
Today’s message is all about a parable. Jesus is not the only one who taught in parables. The Old Testament prophets sometimes used parables, too. The parable we are going to look at today is that of the eagles and the vine. It is found in Ezekiel 17.
The large eagle, Ezekiel 17:1-6
God told Ezekiel, “Son of Adam, tell a riddle and parable to Israel. Say, ‘This is what the Lord Yahveh says: A large eagle came to Lebanon, took the cedar’s top, and brought it to a trading city. It planted some of the land’s seed in a fertile, water-rich area, like a willow. It sprouted into a vine, spreading low with branches toward him but roots beneath. It grew into a vine, producing branches and shoots.'”
This is not the entire parable, so only some elements have been revealed at this point. This large eagle is the king of Babylon. His empire is the superpower of the time. The vine is Zedekiah’s offspring: the royal line of Judah. Although humbled and in exile, the vine spread, producing branches and sending out shoots.
It is human nature to want to get out of your humbling circumstances and make something better for yourself and your children. We all want a better life for ourselves and to overcome the obstacles we encounter. But like Zedekiah, we can be tempted to do this in ways that are outside God’s purposes for us. Not all of us are destined to be mighty eagles in this life. Sometimes, the best that we can hope for is to be a spreading vine under the mighty eagle’s power. Zedekiah had made a covenant with Babylon, and things went well for his children as long as he kept it.
But there was another eagle, and the vine defaulted on its promises to the first eagle. That was an unwise choice. The vine was blooming where it had been planted, but it wanted more than God allowed.
We need wisdom to find balance in our lives. That means seeking the best we can make of our lives while staying true to our responsibilities and current boundaries.
Leaving God out of the picture, Ezekiel 17:7-8
In the parable, another large eagle with strong wings and dense plumage appears. The vine leans its roots toward it! It reaches out its branches from the plot where it was planted, as if asking for water. It was cultivated in a fertile field with plenty of water to grow branches, produce fruit, and become a magnificent vine.
As this parable continues, we are introduced to another large eagle. In real life, vines do not change their direction to accommodate the animals they encounter. But in this parable, that is exactly what the vine does.
The king and his sons chose to abandon their covenant with one evil empire and side with another. But their sin was leaving God out of the picture. Perhaps you and I should consider the choices we are making and whether our failures stem from making them without seeking the Lord’s will.
We need to consult God before making decisions outside his will. Zedekiah did not do that. He saw his chance, and he took it. He exercised his own sovereignty rather than trusting in God’s.
Will it flourish? Ezekiel 17:9-10
God asks: Will the vine flourish? Won’t he tear out its roots and strip off its fruit so that it shrivels? All its fresh leaves will wither! Notice, though it is planted, will it flourish? Won’t it wither completely when the east wind slaps it? It will wither on the plot where it sprouted.’”
The king and his sons had chosen to abandon their covenant with Babylon and seek another eagle’s protection. The parable asks about this new plan. The question is: “Will it flourish?”
Perhaps there is a change you are considering for your life and family recently. Will it make things better, or get you in more hot water?
The New Testament encourages us to pray for wisdom if we need it. James says, “If anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him.”[1] We all know how dangerous it is to make decisions based on faulty or incomplete information. Wisdom requires knowing things that we sometimes do not know. We need the courage to ask.
We need wisdom to avoid rash and hurting choices.
price of escape Ezekiel 17:11-15
God said: ‘Tell that rebellious house, ‘Don’t you understand these events?” Notice that the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, took its king and officials, and brought them to Babylon. He made a covenant with a royal family member, putting him under oath, and took away the land’s leaders so the kingdom would be humble and keep its covenant. Yet this king rebelled by sending ambassadors to Egypt to procure horses and a large army. Will he prosper? Can he escape after such betrayal? Can he break a covenant and still succeed?'”
The royal family of Judah had sought to escape its covenant with Babylon by seeking help from Egypt.
What struck me as I pondered these words today is how quickly families are destroyed by those who encounter trouble and seek to escape it by breaking the covenant with their spouse. In a fallen world like ours, some marriages may be destined to fail, but every divorced person also knows that escape comes at a heavy price.
We need strong commitments that honor God and respect each other. This includes our marriages and other commitments. The world is looking for representatives of God’s righteousness. One way we can shine the light of God’s truth is by keeping our promises.
No cheating, Ezekiel 17:16-21
God says Zedekiah will die in Babylon, the land of the king who put him on the throne, because he broke his oath and covenant. Pharaoh’s army won’t help him as ramps and siege walls are built. He thinks lightly of the oath despite giving his pledge. He will not escape! God says he will hold Zedekiah accountable for breaking his covenant, catching him in my net, and bringing him to Babylon for judgment. His top troops will fall; survivors scattered. And when it happens, they will know that God has spoken.
The king of Judah had made a terrible decision. He had made a covenant with Babylon, but then decided to switch allegiance to Egypt. This infuriated God because the Babylonian exile was his idea. He intended to punish his own people for their idolatry and hypocrisy. He wanted to humble them, and so bring them back to himself. But they wanted to cheat.
Our God does not like it when we break the rules. We can justify our cheating all we want, but God knows when we step over the line. We need to keep between the lines so that we demonstrate our commitment to God.
The cedar sprig, Ezekiel 17:22-24
God says that he will take a sprig from the top of the cedar and plant it on Israel’s high mountain so it may bear branches, produce fruit, and become a majestic cedar. Birds will nest under it, sheltering in its shade. All trees will know he is Yahveh. He will bring down tall trees and make low trees tall. He causes green trees to wither and makes withered trees thrive. He, Yahveh, will do it.
The bad news for Judah was that God would not establish Zedekiah and his dynasty. The good news for Judah was that God was not through with them. He himself would take a sprig and plant it on a high, towering mountain. Another king would come who would keep his covenant of peace with God and humanity.
There is even some good news for those of us who are not descendants of Judah. This coming king would not remain a humble sprig but would grow into a great cedar. Birds of every kind will nest under it, taking shelter in the shade of its branches.
God has established his new king, and everyone — Jew and Gentile alike- can find rest and support from him. We are the birds of every kind.
LORD, thank you for your Messiah — Jesus Christ. He is the cedar sprig whom God chose to rule over the universe. He is the king of kings and Lord of Lords. He is the Vine and we are his branches. We pledge our loyalty and trust him. We choose to abide in him. We will allow him to be sovereign in our lives. We will not break the promises we have made to him. We will not seek to escape from the commitments we have made in his presence.
[1] James 1:5.
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