081. III. The Moral Necessity Of Judah’s Destruction (12:21-19:14)
III THE MORAL NECESSITY OF JUDAH’S DESTRUCTION (Ezekiel 12:21toEzekiel 19:14) 1. The Popular Scepticism Supported by False Prophets (Ezekiel 12:21 to Ezekiel 13:23) The sceptical attitude of Ezekiel’s contemporaries (Ezekiel 12:21-28). The unwelcome truth came home to me that, in spite of my repeated warnings, the people were sceptical concerning the realization of the prophecies and careless regarding the future, saying to one another that none of the many predictions of past years were being fulfilled. Accordingly I warned them that the time appointed was at hand and that the sceptics themselves should see the execution of Jehovah’s word. The baneful influence of the false prophets (Ezekiel 13:1-7;Ezekiel 13:10). “Do not wonder that the people are losing their confidence in the prophetic word, for they have been deceived by uninspired prophets, unable to comprehend or proclaim the thoughts of God. Lacking moral insight and convictions, these often predict peace instead of judgment. Like jackals, they can only undermine; they do not help the nation to be strong. While not always intentional deceivers, their words cannot be trusted. Whatever wild scheme of deliverance is proposed they approve; but their sanction is as valuable as a coat of whitewash on a tottering wall.
Jehovah’s judgment against them (Ezekiel 13:8-9;Ezekiel 13:11-16). “These false religious leaders Jehovah will visit in judgment, for he cannot abide them. He will wholly cut them off from Judah; they shall never again see their native land. To make manifest to all their entire lack of wisdom and foresight, Jehovah will lay prostrate the walls which they pretend to strengthen. A judgment equally necessary against the women who practise divination (Ezekiel 13:17-23). “Jehovah’s righteous indignation is also against the women who follow prophesying as a profession, freely practising divination, thereby dragging his sacred name into disrepute and creating moral confusion. Since they discourage the righteous and embolden the wicked to be defiant, he will put an end to their activity, that all may come to know him as Jehovah.”
2. The People Idolatrous beyond Pardon (Ezekiel 14) (1) Jehovah cannot Answer Stubborn Idolaters (Ezekiel 14:1-11) The request of the elders refused (Ezekiel 14:1-8). One day when the elders came to consult me concerning Jehovah’s purposes, I saw that they were not honoring him by their lives, but, like the rest of the people, were really idolaters at heart. I therefore told them plainly that no persistent idolater would get an answer from Jehovah except in vigorous acts of judgment. The fate of a subservient prophet (Ezekiel 14:9-11). Moreover, if a so-called prophet should respond to the request of idolaters and give them a pretended answer from Jehovah, both they and the prophet would be destroyed together in order that the survivors might thus be influenced to cease from such wickedness and to become in reality his people.
(2) The Nation Not to Be Saved by a Few Good Men (Ezekiel 14:12-23) The occasion of the utterance. A wicked land not to be delivered by the virtue of a few of its citizens (Ezekiel 14:12-20). In response to the oft-expressed opinion that Jehovah would not destroy his people despite their wickedness, because of the many good men among them, I received the declaration from Jehovah, “If a land deliberately acted so as to deserve any one of my great judgments—famine, wild beasts, armed invasion, or pestilence—although there lived in that land such noble and perfectly righteous men as Noah or Daniel or Job, they would not even deliver their own families from my just vengeance; they would save themselves alone.
Jerusalem, least of all (Ezekiel 14:21-23). “Since Jerusalem has sinned so deeply as to deserve these four judgments at once, how impossible is it for her thus to be delivered. Those who are preserved, however, shall serve to prove the reasonableness of my action.”
3. Jehovah’s People a Worthless Vine (Ezekiel 15)
Judah is Jehovah’s vine, but unfruitful and hence worthless (Ezekiel 15:1-5). The people often urged, “Are we not Jehovah’s vine, planted and nourished by him. Will he destroy his own possession!” To which Jehovah bade me reply, “When a vine is unfruitful, has it any value in comparison with a tree? If already half consumed by fire, can it be put to any use? Judah is such a vine, so utterly useless as a nation that Jehovah can only destroy the fragment which still remains.”
4. The Moral History of the Israelitish Race (Ezekiel 16)
How Jehovah adopted Israel and brought her up in Egypt (Ezekiel 16:1-7). To bring home to the people the necessity of Israel’s destruction, I pictured the continued unfaithfulness of the nation to Jehovah from the beginning of its history in the familiar figure of a faithless and ungrateful wife. The covenant at Sinai and gift of the treasures of Canaan (Ezekiel 16:8-14). Israel was a foundling child of heathenish parentage, uncared for and exposed in a public field to perish. But Jehovah pitied her and supplied her needs and watched over her until she grew to womanhood. Then he took her to himself in lawful marriage, bestowed upon her costly attire and jewels and gave her delicate fare. All that wealth could buy was hers, and she became celebrated for her beauty.
Israel’s rapid adoption of idolatry (Ezekiel 16:15-22). But she soon became unfaithful to her husband, and made use of the gifts with which he had loaded her to attract her lovers. Her alliances with other nations and adoption of their religious rites (Ezekiel 16:23-34). She even sacrificed her children to their desires, entirely disregarding him who had redeemed her from her disgraceful fate. Finally, in her shameless and unbridled license, she allied herself with foreigners, the Egyptians, the Assyrians, and the Babylonians, enticing them with gifts to come to her. Her appropriate punishment inevitable (Ezekiel 16:35-43). What will Jehovah do to a spouse so persistently faithless? He will expose her to shame in the very presence of her lovers; he will take away her ornaments and costly garments of which she is proud, will cause her to undergo painful punishment in the sight of all the people, and thus bring her adulterous career to an end. Her sins more heinous than those of Sodom or Samaria (Ezekiel 16:44-52). “Had you, O Israel,” Jehovah declares, “merely followed the example of your Canaanitish mother and your sisters, Samaria and Sodom, you would deserve to suffer their merited fate. Sodom was made to prosper, but in her self-satisfied pride, she forgot her duties to man and God. Samaria, your older sister, deliberately neglected her obligations. Nevertheless, both nations were righteous in comparison with you, for they had less reason to be faithful to me. Hence your punishment must be the greater.
After suitable punishment Jehovah will restore her to Canaan and intrust to her instruction other nations (Ezekiel 16:53-63). “In the distant future I will restore the people of Samaria and Sodom as well as you to Palestine, but conditions will then have altered. After having paid the penalty of your own wickedness you will no longer be able to speak of Sodom or Samaria with contempt. Stirred to sincere repentance by the proof of my faithfulness, you will make an everlasting covenant with me, and will become a guardian over these nations which I will place under your protection. Because of my goodness and grace you will then be overwhelmed by mingled regret and gratitude.”
5. The Consequences of Zedekiah’s Breach of Faith (Ezekiel 17) The parable of the great eagle which carried off the cedar twig to Babylon (Ezekiel 17:1-4). Word came to the exiled community that Judah had again broken out into open revolt against Nebuchadrezzar. The parable of the two eagles and the dissatisfied vine (Ezekiel 17:5-10). The explanation of the first parable (Ezekiel 17:11-12). Then the prophet related a parable to show Jehovah’s view of this disloyalty. A great eagle of splendid appearance flew to Lebanon, and, plucking the topmost twig of a stately cedar, carried it to Babylon. At the same time he took a cutting which he found in Canaan and planted it under favorable conditions, hoping that it would flourish and become a fruitful vine. The vine, however, instead of contentedly bearing fruit for the eagle who planted it, put forth its runners longingly toward a rival eagle, seeking nourishment from him. What does such a disloyal vine deserve except to be blasted by a wind from the east? The explanation of the second (Ezekiel 17:13-19). The meaning of the parable is plain. King Nebuchadrezzar carried off to Babylon King Jehoiakin and the princes. He placed Zedekiah on the throne of Judah, taking from him a pledge to be a loyal vassal. Zedekiah has foolishly broken his oath, relying on the support of King Hoph’a of Egypt. When Nebuchadrezzar attacks him the Pharaoh will give no protection. Zedekiah’s punishment (Ezekiel 17:20-21). He will be brought a captive to Babylon and his warriors will be scattered as exiles, because he has defied, not only his political chief, but also Jehovah.
Jehovah’s purpose for the future (Ezekiel 17:22-24). “Although Nebuchadrezzar’s experiment was not a success, the time will come,” saith Jehovah, “when I will plant a twig from the cedar on Jerusalem’s mountain, where it will become a stately tree, giving shelter to all creatures, towering over all trees. Then shall I be known as the creator and governor of the world.”
6. The Principles in Accordance with which God Exercises Judgment (Ezekiel 18) The popular discouragement as proverbially expressed (Ezekiel 18:1-2). An oft-repeated proverb, “The fathers have eaten sour grapes and the children’s teeth are set on edge,” pithily expressed the popular feeling of my countrymen that their calamities were an inheritance from the past and that they were powerless to avert them. The prophetic announcement of the moral freedom and responsibility of the individual (Ezekiel 18:3-4).I urged that the time had come to give up this despairing attitude, since every man stands in a direct relation to God and is responsible for himself alone. The threefold illustration (Ezekiel 18:5-20). For instance, if a man lives a pure and upright life, observing faithfully his religious and social obligations, taking no advantage of others’ weakness or need, he shall live. If such a man has a son who does the reverse, breaking every law of God, that son shall die as he deserves. If, in turn, that wicked son shall have a son who sees his father’s wickedness and determines to live a righteous life, he shall not die for the sin of his father, but shall live because of his righteousness. A man’s past will not of itself condemn or save him (Ezekiel 18:21-29). Another principle must also be kept in mind. A man’s past will not of itself condemn or save him. If a wicked man sincerely repents and lives a righteous life, his transgression will be forgiven and he shall live. If a man who has been righteous deliberately does evil, his previous goodness shall not avail. Thus men’s deeds determine their own fate. Is not this a sound principle of life ? The reasonableness of Jehovah’s ways (Ezekiel 18:30-32). Let this thought of the moral freedom and responsibility of man inspire within you, O Israelites, renewed earnestness and obedience. Jehovah takes no pleasure in judgment, but is only striving to lead you into a purer and more normal life.
7. The Sad Fate of Judah’s Rulers (Ezekiel 19)
Judah, the lioness and her two unfortunate whelps, Jehoahaz and Jehoiakin (Ezekiel 19:1-9). Well may you sing, fellow captives, over the rulers of Judah this song of lamentation[18]:
How was your mother a lioness, Among the lions,—
Amid young lions she couched, She reared her whelps. And one of her whelps she brought up, He became a young lion. And he learned to catch prey, He devoured men.
Against him the nations cried out, In their pit they took him.
Away they led him with hooks, To the land of Egypt.
[18] The peculiarity of the elegiac line is that it consists of two clauses, the second the shorter of the two, and finishing the line with a mournful, falling cadence. The whole chapter is a poem of which the last few verses are in some confusion. When the mother lioness saw that her whelp was lost to her she took another young lion and sought to make him the defender of her lair. In time men heard his roaring and captured him and carried him into captivity.
Judah, the vine, consumed by fire from its own branch Zedekiah (Ezekiel 19:10-14). Judah may be also likened to a vine which has put forth many branches and spread its foliage toward the clouds. But when the hot wind from the far East withers the vine, breaks down its branches, and sets them on fire, the branch which seemed so promising will but aid in consuming the vine.