DBG - September 4 - Ezekiel 17-19

In this chapter a riddle reveals things to come.

vs. 1-10 - God speaks in a “riddle” of coming events, of which I will give a summary: A mighty eagle swoops in from the north upon Judah.  This eagle bears away the top branch of a cedar along with other seeds.  What remained grew as a vine.  A second great eagle appears, and the vine stretches toward it though it was already in fertile soil.  God then asks if the unsettled vine would prosper or if it would stand against the harsh weather.

vs. 11-21 – The interpretation of the riddle.  The first eagle is Nebuchadnezzar, who swoops down onto Judah.  He replaces king Jehoiachin with Zedekiah.  Zedekiah and the people were not content with their situation, which would have allowed them to prosper as clients of Babylon.  Instead, they looked to the other eagle, which represents Egypt, thinking an alliance with them would be better.  By not submitting to the initial judgment, they doomed themselves to greater judgment.

vs. 22-24 – This looks beyond Babylon into the establishment of the Messiah’s Millennial Kingdom.

In this chapter is a justification of God’s justice.

vs. 1-4 – The proverb stated here is also countered by Jeremiah in Jeremiah 31:29.  The meaning of it is that the fathers had sinned and the innocent children were being punished.  In essence, it was a denial of their guilt before God.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Those that would be judged were guilty.  God declares the universal death penalty upon sin in vs. 4, which will be reiterated in Romans 6:23 and Galatians 3:10-13.

vs. 5-9 – A description of the ways of the just.  This example is not given to show how to have eternal life, but rather to show the guilt of those that had fallen so short of it and deserved the coming judgment in the fall of Judah.

vs. 10-13 – A description of the ways of the wicked.  Those guilty of such would face judgment.  In context, again, this is speaking more to the coming fall of Jerusalem and not to eternal damnation.  However, the principle set forth in this chapter certainly applies in both cases.

vs. 14-20 – A refutation of the accusation that the innocent children were being punished for the sins of their forefathers.

vs. 21-32 – God is proven just in His justice.  The wicked would be judged unless they repent.

In this chapter we have parables concerning the fate of Jerusalem and her rulers.

vs. 1-9 – A parable using the imagery of a lioness and her cubs.  Jerusalem is the lioness.  The cub carried away to Egypt is Jehoahaz (II Kings 23:33-34).   This took place about 16 years prior to this.  The second cub in vs. 5 is Jehoiachin, who was carried away to Babylon (II Kings 24:11-16).  This occurred about 4 years prior to this.  This parable does not mention Jehoiakim or Zedekiah, likely because they were placed on the throne by foreign power and not elevated by the nation.

vs. 10-14 – Jerusalem is pictured as a vine.  It once flourished but was now marked for destruction. 

Chapter 18 is a profoundly important chapter.  The ideas of individual soul liberty and personal responsibility are woven throughout it.  God is seen as just in judging sinners but also offering forgiveness for those that would repent.  This is not only applicable to the natural consequences of sin in our earthly lives, but also to our eternal salvation.  No man can stand before God and say that they do not deserve their fate or that God did not provide a means of escaping judgment. 

Our hymn today is “Sinners! Turn, Why Will You Die?”, written by Charles Wesley in 1742.  The call to repentance found in it parallels the same call in Ezekiel 18.

Sinners! turn, why will ye die?
God, your Maker, asks you why?
God, who did your being give,
Made you with himself to live:
He the fatal cause demands,
Asks the works of his own hands;
Why, ye thankless creatures, why
Will ye cross his love and die?

Sinners, turn, why will ye die?
God, your Saviour, asks you why?
God, who did our souls retrieve,
Dy'd himself, that you might live,
Will you let him die in vain?
Crucify your Lord again?
Why, ye ransom'd sinners, why
Will ye slight his grace, and die?

Sinners, turn, why will ye die?
God the Spirit, asks you why?
He, who all your lives hath strove,
Woo'd you to embrace his love;
Will you not the grace receive?
Will you still refuse to live?
Why, ye long-sought sinners, why
Will you grieve your God, and die?

Dead, already dead within,
Spiritually dead in sin,
Dead to God, while here you breathe,
Pant ye after second death?
Will you still in sin remain,
Greedy of eternal pain?
O ye dying sinners, why,
Why will you for ever die?