This is a parable and explanation of it all in one chapter plus a promise of the Messiah’s reign. Oh it’s a good one. Enjoy!
Let’s Pray:
Lord, thank You for these words, and most of all for the couple verses that are all about Your reign. It’s going to be so good, Lord. I thank You for that. And for Your assistance in leading me through this chapter. Help me learn, Lord. In Your Name, I pray. Amen.
Read Ezekiel 17:1-2
Parable of Two Eagles and a Vine
1 Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, ask a riddle and tell a [a]parable to the house of Israel,
What do you think that means? Ask a riddle and tell a parable? I get the parable part, but the riddle part? The riddle can be seen, but isn’t it told rather than asked? I don’t know and Really don’t want to disagree with God, I just don’t understand that wording.
Read Ezekiel 17:3-6
3 saying, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “A great eagle (Nebuchadnezzar) with great wings, long pinions and a rich plumage of many colors came to Lebanon (Jerusalem) and took away the top of the cedar (Judah). 4 He broke off the topmost of its young twigs (young King Jehoiachin) and carried it to a land of traders (Babylonia); he set it in a city of merchants (Babylon). 5 He also took some of the seed of the land ([b]Zedekiah, of the royal family) and planted it in fertile soil and a fruitful field; he placed it beside abundant waters and set it like a willow tree. 6 Then it sprouted and grew and became a low, spreading vine whose branches turned [in submission] toward him, but its roots remained under it. So it became a vine and yielded shoots and sent out branches.
Try to imagine the illustration. Here we can know who is what in it. And it looks like the royal family wasn’t entirely in submission to Nebuchadnezzar or God.
The Parable Continues
Read Ezekiel 17:7-10
7 “There was [also] another great [c]eagle with great wings and many feathers; and behold, this vine (Zedekiah) bent its roots toward him and sent out its branches toward him, away from the beds where it was planted, for him to water. 8 It was planted in good soil where water was plentiful for it to produce leaves and branches and to bear fruit, so that it might become a splendid vine.”’ 9 Thus says the Lord God, ‘Ask, “Will it thrive? Will he (Nebuchadnezzar) not uproot it and strip off its fruit so that all its sprouting leaves will wither? It will not take a strong arm or many people to uproot it [ending Israel’s national existence]. 10 Though it is planted, will it thrive and grow? Will it not completely wither when the east wind touches it? It will wither in the beds where it grew.”’”
Being told to be bless the city and be fruitful and live is not what this is showing. This is something else entirely. Do you see how their not obeying God? That’s the reason they are in Babylon in the first place.
Read Ezekiel 17:11-16
Zedekiah’s Rebellion
11 Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 12 “Say now to the rebellious house, ‘Do you not know (realize) what these things mean?’ Tell them, ‘Hear this, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and took its king [Jehoiachin] and its princes and brought them with him to Babylon. 13 And he took a member of the royal family [the king’s uncle, Zedekiah] and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. He also took the important leaders of the land, 14 so that the kingdom would be in subjection, unable to restore itself and rise again, but that by keeping his covenant it might continue. 15 But Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar by sending his ambassadors to Egypt so that they might give him horses and many troops. Will he succeed? Will he who does such things escape? Can he indeed break the covenant [with Babylon] and [still] escape? 16 As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘surely in the country of the king (Nebuchadnezzar) who made Zedekiah [the vassal] king, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke, in Babylon Zedekiah shall die.
In this case, going along with the rule of Nebuchadnezzar is what they were told to do. Bring peace to the city, bless the city, be fruitful and grow and live in this city. But oh my there were those who chose instead to try and work around the judgement. See, God will judge Zedekiah because he broke a covenant.
God’s Covenant / God’s Oath
Read Ezekiel 17:17-21
17 Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company will not help him in the war, when they (the Babylonians) put up ramps and build siege walls to destroy many lives. 18 Now Zedekiah dishonored the oath by breaking the covenant, and behold, he gave his hand and pledged his allegiance, yet did all these things; he shall not escape.’” 19 Therefore, thus says the Lord God, “As I live, I will bring down on his own head My oath [made on My behalf by Nebuchadnezzar] which Zedekiah dishonored and My covenant which he broke. 20 I will spread My net over him, and he will be caught in My snare; and I will bring him to Babylon and will enter into judgment with him there for his treason which he has committed against Me. 21 All the choice men [from Judah] in all his troops will fall by the sword, and those that survive will be scattered to every wind; and you will know [without any doubt] that I the Lord have spoken.”
Dishonoring the oath by breaking the covenant that God made through this Gentile king. To go against him is to go against God and God is in complete control. Your very breath is in His hands.
Messiah’s Reign
Read Ezekiel 17:22-24
22[d]Thus says the Lord God, “I Myself will take a twig from the lofty top of the cedar and will set it out; I will crop off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one and I will plant it on a high and lofty mountain. 23 I will plant it on the mountain heights of Israel, that it may grow boughs and bear fruit and be a noble and stately cedar. And birds of every kind will live under it; they will nest [securely] in the shade of its branches. 24 All the trees of the field will know that I the Lord bring down the tall tree, exalt the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish. I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will fulfill it.”
Jesus. Oh Father, thank You for sending Jesus. Thank You for restoring and redeeming us and for this promise of peace and beauty we can find even in this chapter. All the birds will live securely which means no hunters will be there. Peace. It means Peace.
Thank You, Lord. For all You’ve done. For all You’ve promised. Thank You.
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 17:2 The parable is told in vv 3-10. The explanation follows in vv 11-24.
- Ezekiel 17:5 Nebuchadnezzar appointed Zedekiah to rule in Judah as his vassal king.
- Ezekiel 17:7 Most likely a reference to Pharaoh Hophra (Apries) of Egypt (Jer 44:30). He ruled from 589-570 b.c. In the third century a.d. an obelisk attributed to him was taken to Rome by the Emperor Diocletian where it remains to this day.
- Ezekiel 17:22 These next three verses contain a word of prophecy regarding the coming of the Messiah, from the line of David, and His worldwide reign in the Millennium.