Daily Bible Devotionals

“‘Your mother was like a vine in your bloodline, planted by the waters, fruitful and full of branches because of many waters. She had strong branches for scepters of rulers. She towered in stature above the thick branches, and was seen in her height amid the dense foliage. But she was plucked up in fury, she was cast down to the ground, and the east wind dried her fruit. Her strong branches were broken and withered; the fire consumed them. And now she is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty land. Fire has come out from a rod of her branches and devoured her fruit, so that she has no strong branch—a scepter for ruling.’” Ezekiel 19:10-14 (NKJV)

Today’s passage is the 2nd half of a lament. The first half used the imagery of a lioness and her cubs to depict the false hopes of Israel to raise up a leader to deliver her. Deliverance comes not from man’s efforts but God’s design. It is not Judah’s “lions” but the Lion of Judah who will deliver these people from their bondage.

Moving beyond the lion imagery, Ezekiel chooses a different image: that of a vine and its branches. We should note that the theme is altogether different from the allegory of chapter 17 and the transplanted vine.)  The mother of the last kings of Israel, Hamutal, was like a vine planted “by the water.”  Her family grew abundantly, sprawled out, and bore the fruit of success. Her branches represent twenty-two kings that appeared from David’s day to Zedekiah’s day. But this vine had been pulled up, left lying on the ground, its roots exposed and dried by the east wind, and burnt. She reminds me of a “lost dog” poster I once saw: Blind, three legs, no tail, goes by the name of “Lucky.”  

Apart from their fruit, grapevines aren’t useful for much more than fire fuel. Even Jesus alluded to Israel’s past as He warned of the consequences of apostasy.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me. If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned.” John 15:5-6 (HCSB)

What happened next to this vine seems impossible; it was planted in a dry and thirsty land. This is in Babylon. Even assuming that such a thing might be possible, any vestige of hope is removed at a stroke; the vine catches fire, consuming its fruit. Zedekiah’s rebellion against Babylon brought the collapse of Judah; the nation was defeated. Ezekiel gave a glimpse of what lay ahead of Judah in the not-too-distant future. Judah fell in a few short years, and this dirge was her song of lament.

At first glance, it appears cruel to tell these Judean exiles that Judah will be destroyed in a few short years. We tend to want to assure people that some hope remains, no matter how dark the circumstances might be. But Judah’s problem lay in the object of her hope: herself! What saves us from our sin is not ourselves or the combined resources of other sinners! Our “Yeshua” (Salvation) comes from the power of the Messiah alone!

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Ezekiel 18. Click the links below to watch or listen now!

“Thus says the Lord God: ‘I will take also one of the highest branches of the high cedar and set it out. I will crop off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and will plant it on a high and prominent mountain. On the mountain height of Israel I will plant it; and it will bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a majestic cedar. Under it will dwell birds of every sort; in the shadow of its branches they will dwell. And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the Lord, have brought down the high tree and exalted the low tree, dried up the green tree and made the dry tree flourish; I, the Lord, have spoken and have done it.’” Ezekiel 17:22-24 (NKJV)

In chapters 15-17, three allegories have been presented: a vine, a wayward woman, and two eagles. In all three, the rebellious nature of Judah has been portrayed, together with their consequent judgments by the Babylonians. What Ezekiel has presented here was less than five years away. The wrath of God was imminent. What was the cause of this? God’s people had “nullified” the covenant blessings and ran headlong into its curses.

Israel had chosen worldly and selfish lifestyles. In doing so, they had turned their backs on God and would face the consequences. It is difficult for me to read these accounts and not compare where America is heading. Founded by Christians who desired a place to worship the Lord freely, America has become little more than a secular society, which seeks hard after its idolatry and denies the Lord whose guidance allowed its founders to establish such a nation. And if a similar scenario exists, an inevitable end is sure to follow. Just ask Ezekiel.

All is not lost, though. Throughout the impending judgments, Ezekiel has spoken of a remnant, according to God’s grace, who will be brought back to Jerusalem. Further into the future, still, Ezekiel sees the coming of Messiah Himself and the Kingdom of God flourishing as the result of His coming.  

And that is, perhaps, the important thing to remember: God is not concerned with building a secular city or nation. He is about the establishment of His Kingdom. It is a kingdom where, if people could be described as “birds,” it would contain every “kind” of bird. (Luke 13:18-19) The requirement of citizenship in His Kingdom has nothing to do with national or ethnic heritage or a certain quota of good deeds; it has everything to do with the kind of faith that would compel a person to turn from “idolatry” and commit to following the Messiah described by the Bible.

Suppose Ezekiel’s words can be taken as a warning for the apostate Messianic community (aka “the Church-at-large”). In that case, he also assures his listeners that the true Messianic community has a beautiful and secure future. The future is as bright as the promise of God to those who live according to His Word!

Let’s keep seeking that Word daily!

“For this is what the Lord God says: I will deal with you according to what you have done, since you have despised the oath by breaking the covenant. But I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you. Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you receive your older and younger sisters. I will give them to you as daughters, but not because of your covenant. I will establish My covenant with you, and you will know that I am Yahweh, so that when I make atonement for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed, and never open your mouth again because of your disgrace.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.” Ezekiel 16:59-63 (HCSB)

Today’s chapter makes use of blunt words to convey Israel’s spiritual prostitution. Charles Spurgeon, who preached in Victorian England, felt that Ezekiel 16 was so graphic that “A minister could scarcely read it in public.”

Though the chapter comprises a single unit, Ezekiel is actually speaking of Israel – referred to by its capital city, Jerusalem – in three dimensions: Past, present, and future. It is the future that I wanted to focus on in today’s passage.

The secret to a good marriage is good communication and the willingness to extend an unlimited amount of grace! But some kinds of behavior in a marriage cannot be overlooked. And such behavior goes against the very essence of a marriage relationship. Of course, I am speaking of infidelity, and that was precisely the case with the “marriage” of God and His people. Divorce courts are full of such relationships; one party chooses to be unfaithful, and the other simply cannot live in such conditions.  

But the rare couple is one where infidelity has taken place, some level of separation or divorce takes place, true repentance occurs on the part of the unfaithful spouse, and in response, the offended spouse agrees to re-enter the marriage covenant. Instead of focusing on the “true Hollywood stories” aspect of today’s chapter, I chose to spotlight the hope that unfaithful followers of God have once they repent.

The Church-at-large may become so corrupt that it no longer deserves to be called “Christian”; nevertheless, there will always be a group of believers to worship God as He prescribes. That is something to bear in mind as we read this chapter. Also, we can’t think of ourselves above the level of judgment that God levied on Jerusalem. Jesus said:

“He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” John 14:21 (NKJV)

Jesus did not say we are “saved” by keeping His commands. Instead, He was saying that those who are truly “saved” desire to obey Him.  What if believers disobey?

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 (NKJV)

“Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so I will give up the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will set My face against them. They will go out from one fire, but another fire shall devour them. Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I set My face against them. Thus I will make the land desolate, because they have persisted in unfaithfulness,’ says the Lord God.” Ezekiel 15:6-8 (HCSB)

Every Bible teacher knows the value of a good illustration. The Bible uses several kinds of illustrations, including allegories – stories in which the meaning of something is symbolically portrayed. Between chapters 15-23, a variety of allegories are used. They begin with the grapevine, an image that will reappear in Jesus’ teaching.

A gigantic golden vine decorated the temple gates and had grape clusters over six feet long. It was a reminder that Israel was the vine God had taken out of Egypt and planted in a chosen land. Five Parables of Jesus relate to the figure of a vine: the fig tree in the vineyard (Luke 13:6-9); the laborers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16); New wine in old wineskins (Matthew 9:17); the two sons (Matthew 21:28-32); and the wicked tenants (Mathew 21:33-41; Mark 12:28-32; Luke 20:9-18).  

Of even greater significance is Jesus’ own allusion to Himself as the “true vine” in John 15:1-7. Despite the cultivation Israel had received as God’s chosen vine branch, they produced bitter fruit and were now fit, only to be cut down and burned. (John 15:6) Ezekiel puts it more bluntly. Instead of comparing Israel to the grapes themselves, he points out the vine's wood. Apart from producing fruit, the vine branch itself has no value except for firewood, and even then, its value is limited.

Following the devastation of the Assyrian invasion of Israel in 722 B.C. and the Babylonian invasions of Judah in 605 and 598 B.C., the Northern kingdom (aka “Israel”) was already a piece of charred wood. If the wood of a vine is too pliable even to make a peg to hang a pot on, half a part of the burnt vine had no use at all! Soon, the fire would rekindle, Babylon would siege a third time, and Jerusalem - the rest of the “wood” in Ezekiel’s allegory - would burn to the ground. (2 Chronicles 36:19)

“I am the vine; you are the branches” John 15:5 (NKJV)

Jesus’ words, set against the backdrop of Israel’s dubious past, would have been a message of hope and comfort for those who heard Him. A truth had now developed within the New Covenant: Messiah, together with His people (those who choose to confess He is Lord and believe in their hearts that God has raised Him from the dead), comprise the “vine” from which the fruit of the Holy Spirit should emerge – 9 attributes that distinguish followers of Messiah Jesus as “Messiah-like.” (Galatians 5:22)

But, lest the Church get haughty, we must remember the point of Ezekiel’s message: God will punish His own!! As my Messianic Jewish friend says to his Gentile Christian counterparts,  “If rebuke happened to us (Jews), it could happen to YOU (Christians)!”

“For thus says the Lord God: “How much more it shall be when I send My four severe judgments on Jerusalem—the sword and famine and wild beasts and pestilence—to cut off man and beast from it? Yet behold, there shall be left in it a remnant who will be brought out, both sons and daughters; surely they will come out to you, and you will see their ways and their doings. Then you will be comforted concerning the disaster that I have brought upon Jerusalem, all that I have brought upon it. And they will comfort you, when you see their ways and their doings; and you shall know that I have done nothing without cause that I have done in it,” says the Lord God.” Ezekiel 14:21-23 (NKJV)

Once again, Ezekiel receives a visit from some of the exiled elders in Babylon. We might assume that these elders would be in better shape than their counterparts in war-torn Jerusalem, but that would be a false assumption. They, too, worshipped their idols, even though it was in secret, “in their hearts.” No doubt, living in Babylon brought its own sources of temptation to idolatry. One thing is sure: Idolatry cannot be hidden from God. He sees into our hearts and reads us like the proverbial “open book.”

Idolatry is a covenant violation, and as such, it is cursed. Idolaters are guilty of separating themselves from God, the opposite of what it meant to be “covenanted.” Since the idolaters had cut themselves off from God (all the while attempting to have the “best of both worlds” by hiding their idolatry), God cut his covenant with them. He literally released them from the covenant to fend for themselves, now with God’s face against them.

What if a true prophet is enticed into accepting a bribe that the idolater offers? He, too, is cut off. The lure of money could entice even true prophets. Many Christian workers’ usefulness has been curtailed by the love of the “idol’s bribe.” No wonder Paul addressed Timothy:

“For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” 1 Timothy 6:10 (NIV)

God purifies believers so that His true people might emerge bearing the covenant relationship of fellowship with Him: “They will be My people, and I will be their God.” Undoubtedly, this whole process must have deeply hurt Ezekiel personally because God concludes today’s chapter with a Word of encouragement - there will be a Remnant!

Even if Ezekiel’s listeners were initially skeptical about the fairness of God’s actions toward Judah, when the second wave of exiles came among them, they would see that God's punishments had been right for the prevailing ungodliness of these people. They would be consoled regarding the disaster, and they would testify to the rightness of God’s actions. Will the same be said of us whenever God is finished “sifting” America? More importantly, will Americans say that the Lord was right in allowing our country to suffer to expose our idolatry?

“The Word of the Lord came to me: ‘Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: Hear the Word of the Lord! This is what the Lord God says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing. Your prophets, Israel, are like jackals among ruins. You did not go up to the gaps or restore the wall around the house of Israel so that it might stand in battle on the day of the Lord. They see false visions and speak lying divinations. They claim, ‘This is the Lord’s declaration,’ when the Lord did not send them, yet they wait for the fulfillment of their message.’” Ezekiel 13:1-6 (HCSB)

I have met my fair share of know-it-alls in my life, but I have met very few folks who actually know it all! Perhaps the worst kind of know-it-all is the person who claims to be an expert on the Bible and speaks on the authority of God yet puts forth (as truth) things the Bible clearly opposes. That is what the Bible calls a “false prophet.”

Before we dig deeper into today’s passage of Scripture, it is important to understand what Biblical prophecy is in our generation. The apostle Paul said we should desire prophecy above all spiritual gifts.

“Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts, and above all that you may prophesy.” 1 Corinthians 14:1 (HCSB)

So, what is this prophecy Paul is saying we should pursue? First, it does not predict new future Biblical events, per se. It is also not the process of writing new books of the Bible. Modern-day prophecy for believers is simply the Spirit-enabled ability to read and understand God’s Word. Upon salvation, every new follower of Jesus is given the gift of the Holy Spirit. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to reveal the truth of God’s Word. Paul exhorted the Messianic community in Corinth to seek God’s revelation through His Word. This is precisely what Spirit-filled believers do when they read God’s Word, and He allows them to understand it, contextualize it within the times in which we live, apply it to our lives, and share that revelation with others.

So, what is a false prophet? A false prophet is anyone who, apart from the Spirit’s revelation of God’s perfect Word, claims to speak on behalf of God. What is so dangerous about that? It gets well-meaning Believers to hope in things God never promised!

“Delayed hope makes the heart sick, but fulfilled desire is a tree of life.” Proverbs 13:12 (HCSB)

The danger of false hope is that we genuinely believe the Lord has spoken through the (unbeknownst to us) false prophet. When the prophecy is not fulfilled, we blame God! Our trust in Him is strained. That is why WE must read the Word for ourselves, as the Holy Spirit, to reveal its truth and live according to its revelation.

“Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘Son of man, look, the house of Israel is saying, “The vision that he sees is for many days from now, and he prophesies of times far off.” Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “None of My words will be postponed anymore, but the word which I speak will be done,” says the Lord God.’” Ezekiel 12:26-28 (NKJV)

Warnings about the future often go unheeded. At least, that’s what happens when I promise to discipline my kids if they don’t clean their rooms! For many years, we have become familiar with forecasts of doom for planet Earth unless mankind curbs its wastefulness. Al Gore once considered himself the World’s prophetic spokesman concerning global warming. In response to his message, millions of Americans decided to go “green,” trying to do their part to try and stave off a fiery climate-driven apocalypse. Yet, notice how many people would rather go “green” than humble themselves to receive salvation and escape the coming Day of the Lord.

Isaiah cried out, “Who has believed our message?” (Isaiah 53:1). Things were no different in Ezekiel’s day.

In the words of Charles Spurgeon, “Men display great ingenuity in making excuses for rejecting the message of God’s love. They display marvelous skill, not in seeking salvation, but in fashioning reasons for refusing it; they are dexterous in avoiding grace and in securing their own ruin. They hold up first the sword and then the shield to ward off the gracious arrows of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which are only meant to slay the deadly sins which lurk in their bosoms.” This was precisely Ezekiel’s experience.

One section of Ezekiel’s culture derided his message, while the other postponed acting on it urgently, passing its curses on to another generation. Perhaps the biggest lie of the enemy is not that there is no God or Heaven but that there is no urgency for people to choose to follow Jesus now. In short, the Devil’s biggest lie is that men have more time to determine whether they will follow God’s Word. This was the message of Jerusalem’s false prophets in today’s passage, those men who claimed to speak on God’s behalf. They said, “Ezekiel’s words are true, but not for our generation. The destruction he prophesies is far off.”

The same lie is alive and well in our culture. Sadly, similar destruction is awaiting those who refuse to trust in the Messiah Jesus. Some people reject the Gospel as foolishness, while others intend to follow Jesus at a more convenient time. I get it. I grew up around the Church and heard people saying, “Jesus is coming!” And I would answer, “When is He coming? Probably not today.” But, by God’s grace, I heard the gospel one night and felt my heart respond, “I believe!” And I have committed my life to follow Him and share the Gospel, repeating Ezekiel’s message: ‘Repent! For the Day of the Lord is coming…”

Grab your Bible & experience the Groundworks Ministries Podcast as Steve Wiggins leads us through the full chapter of Ezekiel 11. Click the links below to watch or listen now!