Ezekiel 17:1-10
THE RIDDLE ITSELF... [ Continue Reading ]
THE RIDDLE ITSELF... [ Continue Reading ]
And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,... [ Continue Reading ]
Son of man, put forth a riddle, a continued allegory with a hidden deeper meaning, AND SPEAK A PARABLE UNTO THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, a story of a comparison based upon facts, showing the likeness of the figure to the thing compared,... [ Continue Reading ]
and say, Thus saith the Lord God, A great eagle, with great wings, pointing to a very extensive dominion, long-winged, symbolical of great energy, FULL OF FEATHERS, with many subjects and a large army, WHICH HAD DIVERS COLORS, a reference to the various nationalities combined in one empire, CAME UNT... [ Continue Reading ]
he cropped off the top of his young twigs, the uppermost one, AND CARRIED IT INTO A LAND OF TRAFFIC, literally, "to the land of Canaan," that is, to a land which, in both its commercial ambitions and in its idolatry, was just like the heathen Canaan of old; HE SET IT IN A CITY OF MERCHANTS. It is ev... [ Continue Reading ]
He took also of the seed of the land, one of the native royal family of Judah, in this case undoubtedly Zedekiah, AND PLANTED IT IN A FRUITFUL FIELD, in very productive soil; HE PLACED IT BY GREAT WATERS, in a most fertile situation, AND SET IT AS A WILLOW-TREE, the well-watered location being such... [ Continue Reading ]
And it grew and became a spreading vine, though no longer the cedar of David, OF LOW STATURE, WHOSE BRANCHES TURNED TOWARD HIM, namely, they were intended to turn toward the eagle in humble submission, AND THE ROOTS THEREOF WERE UNDER HIM, deriving their strength from Babylon's practically exhaustle... [ Continue Reading ]
There was also another great eagle with great wings, namely, the king of Egypt, AND MANY FEATHERS, with 'a large population and a mighty army; AND, BEHOLD, THIS VINE, although tributary to Babylon, DID BEND HER ROOTS TOWARD HIM AND SHOT FORTH HER BRANCHES TOWARD HIM, THAT HE MIGHT WATER IT BY THE FU... [ Continue Reading ]
It was planted in a good soil, in a well-cultivated and well-watered field, BY GREAT WATERS THAT IT MIGHT BRING FORTH BRANCHES, AND THAT IT MIGHT BEAR FRUIT, that it might be a goodly vine. The thought is the same as that urged so often by Jeremiah when he admonished his countrymen and their ruler t... [ Continue Reading ]
Say thou, namely, Ezekiel, in rebuking this spirit, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD, SHALL IT PROSPER? SHALL HE, the great eagle, Nebuchadnezzar, NOT PULL UP THE ROOTS THEREOF AND CUT OFF THE FRUIT THEREOF THAT IT WITHER? He would certainly punish rebellion in this manner. IT SHALL WITHER IN ALL THE LEAVES... [ Continue Reading ]
Yea, behold, being planted, shall it prosper? Will the southern kingdom be able to maintain itself against the Chaldean power? SHALL IT NOT UTTERLY WITHER WHEN THE EAST WIND TOUCHETH IT? very appropriately said of the Babylonians, who dwelt to the northeast of Canaan. IT SHALL WHITHER IN THE FURROWS... [ Continue Reading ]
Moreover, the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DOUBLE APPLICATION OF THE PARABLE... [ Continue Reading ]
Say now to the rebellious house, literally, "the house of rebelliousness," the children of Israel, to whom this parable had been told as a warning, KNOW YE NOT WHAT THESE THINGS MEAN? Were they intellectually as well as morally stupid? TELL THEM, BEHOLD, THE KING OF BABYLON IS COME TO JERUSALEM, 2 K... [ Continue Reading ]
and hath taken of the king's seed, of the royal family, AND MADE A COVENANT WITH HIM AND HATH TAKEN AN OATH OF HIM, the oath of allegiance as a tributary ruler, this man being Zedekiah himself; HE HATH ALSO TAKEN THE MIGHTY OF THE LAND, all the representatives of the wealthier class, the landowners... [ Continue Reading ]
that the kingdom might be base, of a low condition, of a very secondary rank, THAT IT MIGHT NOT LIFT ITSELF UP, not develop enough strength to regain its independence, BUT THAT BY KEEPING OF HIS COVENANT IT MIGHT STAND.... [ Continue Reading ]
But he, the king of Judah, rebelled against him, namely, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, IN SENDING HIS AMBASSADORS INTO EGYPT, 2 Kings 24:20, THAT THEY MIGHT GIVE HIM HORSES AND MUCH PEOPLE, come to his assistance with a strong army. SHALL HE PROSPER? SHALL HE ESCAPE THAT DOETH SUCH THINGS? OR SHA... [ Continue Reading ]
As I live, saith the Lord God, the sovereign Ruler of the universe swearing his most solemn oath, SURELY, IN THE PLACE WHERE THE KING DWELLETH THAT MADE HIM KING, WHOSE OATH HE DESPISED, rejecting the obligation which it laid upon him, AND WHOSE COVENANT LIE BRAKE, EVEN WITH HIM IN THE MIDST OF BABY... [ Continue Reading ]
Neither shall Pharaoh, upon whom Zedekiah depended, WITH HIS MIGHTY ARMY AND GREAT COMPANY, MAKE FOR HIM IN THE WAR, as Zedekiah's ally in battle, BY CASTING UP MOUNTS AND BUILDING FORTS, TO CUT OFF MANY PERSONS, in an effort to relieve the besieged city;... [ Continue Reading ]
seeing he despised the oath, valid and sacred as it was, BY BREAKING THE COVENANT, WHEN, LO, HE HAD GIVEN HIS HAND, in a solemn pledge, AND HATH DONE ALL THESE THINGS, HE SHALL NOT ESCAPE, he was to pay the penalty of his perjury.... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore, thus saith the Lord God, As I live, SURELY MINE OATH THAT HE HATH DESPISED, for it was made in the name of Jehovah, AND MY COVENANT THAT HE HATH BROKEN, EVEN IT WILL I RECOMPENSE UPON HIS OWN HEAD, in His punishment upon the perjurer.... [ Continue Reading ]
And I will spread My net upon him, like a fowler setting his traps for birds, AND HE SHALL BE TAKEN IN MY SNARE, AND I WILL BRING HIM TO BABYLON, these words coming true a few years later, AND WILL PLEAD WITH HIM THERE, contending with him as when a case is argued in court, FOR HIS TRESPASS THAT HE... [ Continue Reading ]
And all his fugitives with all his bands, even the picked ones of his military forces, SHALL FALL BY THE SWORD, AND THEY THAT REMAIN SHALL BE SCATTERED TOWARD ALL WINDS, doomed to death though they escape the first onslaught; AND YE SHALL KNOW THAT I, THE LORD, HAVE SPOKEN IT, bitter experience teac... [ Continue Reading ]
Thus saith the Lord God, I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, a shoot of the royal house of David, AND WILL SET IT, give it a place where it might grow; I WILL CROP OFF FROM THE TOP OF HIS YOUNG TWIGS A TENDER ONE, tender both in age and in character, AND WILL PLANT IT UPON AN H... [ Continue Reading ]
in the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it, figurative for the exalted position of the Kingdom of Grace; AND IT SHALL BRING FORTH BOUGHS AND BEAR FRUIT AND BE A GOODLY CEDAR, a glorious and beautiful tree; AND UNDER IT SHALL DWELL ALL FOWL OF EVERY WING, representative of all nations; I... [ Continue Reading ]
And all the trees of the field, men throughout the world, SHALL KNOW THAT I, THE LORD, HAVE BROUGHT DOWN THE HIGH TREE, the proud Zedekiah, HAVE EXALTED THE LOW TREE, the lowly Messiah, HAVE DRIED UP THE GREEN TREE, which the last king of Judah considered himself to be, AND HAVE MADE THE DRY TREE TO... [ Continue Reading ]