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ISRAEL... |
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A Fruitful Vine
Bearing Grapes |
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or |
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Wood of the Vine
for Burning |
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15:1
Then the
word of the
LORD
came to me,
saying,
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Ezekiel 15 has been referred to as a "parable"
by most of the modern commentaries, some specifically referring to it as the
"Parable of the Vine". The dictionary definition of
parable is "a usually short, simple fictitious story that illustrates
or communicates a spiritual truth, a moral lesson or a religious principle."
The word parable is derived from two Greek words (para
= beside and ballo = to cast or throw) and so literally means
a throwing beside, in order that the truth about one may throw light on the
other. In other words, something familiar is used to illustrate some truth
which is less familiar. An illustration of one of the best know
parables is Nathan’s "short story" of the rich man who took the one little
ewe lamb that belonged to a poor man (2Sa
12:1–4). Using this parable, God (through his prophet) reproved
King David and convicted him of his sin of committing adultery with
Bathsheba (2Sa
12:5-15). Here in Ezekiel 15, God gives a parable to His prophet
that solidifies in no uncertain terms the coming fate of the inhabitants of
Jerusalem. With this background in mind, I would recommend that you review
the "Guidelines for Interpreting Parables" and apply these
interpretative principles to this short chapter before you read the notes. I
am amazed at the different interpretations that are found in conservative
commentaries.
|
Guidelines
for Interpreting Parables** |
1. Determine the occasion of the parable. Since parables clarify or
emphasize a truth, discover why the parable was told. Why was it told? What prompted it?
In other words what is the context?
2. Look for the intended meaning of the parable. The meaning
will sometimes be stated. If not, it can be discovered by examining
the context of the parable.
Don't extract a meaning beyond that which is clearly stated or applied to the
hearers by the speaker of the parable.
3. Identify the central idea. Every parable has one central theme or
primary emphasis. Details
of the story should not be given a meaning that is independent of the
main teaching of the parable.
4. Since a parable has one central point of emphasis, you must:
a. Identify the relevant details and remember that a detail is relevant only if it
reinforces the central theme of the parable. To attach meaning that is
not in the context
of the occasion or relevant to its central emphasis is to depart from
the meaning of the parable.
b. Identify the irrelevant
details. Not all details in a parable have significance in regard to
the main point. It is tempting to focus on every detail and totally "miss
the forest for the trees" as the saying commonly goes.
5. Interpret parables in the
context of the culture of Bible times rather than the current culture.
In the parable of the wise and foolish virgins, the central emphasis of
the parable is, "Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor
the hour" (Mt 25:13). Understanding Eastern wedding traditions would
give insight into the parable and explain why some were ready and others
were not.
6. Do not establish doctrine with
parables as the primary or only source for that teaching. Parables
should amplify or affirm doctrine, not establish it because parables are
more obscure than clear doctrinal passages.
**Adapted
from "How
To Study Your Bible" by Kay Arthur, which I highly
recommend as the best overview
of the inductive Bible Study method available.
Click here to purchase this
resource . |
The parable in this chapter states
that a vine in the forest (this description implying it may be a wild
rather than a cultivated vine) is good for nothing except the fire. Although
it is not stated in this parable, it should be noted that Israel is elsewhere portrayed
as a choice vine of God (see below for the specific Scriptures), so
the message in this parable is that she has failed to fulfill her purpose.
And what was Israel's purpose? What fruit was expected from her "vines"?
Israel was to be a light unto the nations, obeying God's statutes and living
in such a way that she would glorify God or give a proper opinion of Him to
the Gentiles. In Ezekiel chapter 5, God had said "This is Jerusalem; I
have set her at the center of the (Gentile) nations, with lands
around her." (Ezek5:5)
Given such a strategic location, did Israel bear fruit to the glory of God?
Not according to God Who said "she has rebelled against My ordinances
more wickedly than the nations and against My statutes more than the lands
which surround her; for they have rejected My ordinances and have not walked
in My statutes.' Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, 'Because you have more
turmoil than the nations which surround you, and have not walked in My
statutes, nor observed My ordinances, nor observed the ordinances of the
nations which surround you,' therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, 'Behold, I,
even I, am against you, and I will execute judgments among you in the sight
of the nations." (Ezek5:6-8)
Matthew Henry appropriately notes that
"Jerusalem was planted a choice and noble vine, wholly a right seed (Jer2:21) and, if
it had brought forth fruit suitable to its character as a holy city, it
would have been the glory both of God and Israel. It was a vine which God's
right hand had planted, a branch out of a dry ground, which, though its
original was mean and despicable, God had made strong for himself
(Ps80:15), to be to him for a name and for a praise
(Jer13:11,
KJV).
|
|
15:2 "Son
of
man,
how is the
wood of the
vine better
than
any
wood of a
branch
which is among the
trees of the
forest?
|
| Amp:
Son of man, How is the wood of the grapevine [Israel] more
than that of any tree, the vine branch which was among the trees of the
forest? |
| SON OF
MAN, HOW IS THE WOOD OF THE VINE BETTER
(Ge49:22;
Ps80:8-16;
Song2:13,15;
6:11;
7:12;
8:11,12;
Is5:1-7;
Isa27:2-6
Jer2:21;
Ezek 17:6
Ho10:1;
Mt21:33-41;
Mk12:1-9;
Lu20:9-16;
Jn15:1-6)
In the preceding section, we
noted that this chapter is a short story or parable which gives a clear
spiritual message. Although it is very tempting to
ascribe a specific spiritual meaning and application to every detail in
the parable, to do so will cause you to miss God's main point. Keep this
caution (and the guidelines in the table above) in mind as you read through
the notes in this section. Note for example that the Amplified version (see
above) translates "grapevine" as synonymous with Israel.
While this is not a major error, it does show the failure to adhere to the
basic principles of interpretation of parables, specifically that one should
look in the parable or the immediate context of the parable for the
explanation. In verse 6 God explains that the "wood of the vine among
the trees of the forest" equates not with Israel per se, but
specifically with "the inhabitants of Jerusalem." While clearly this
detail is not a major issue, it does illustrate how easy one can fall into
the trap of somewhat "loose" interpretation of parables.
Note that The comparison is not
between the vine and other trees, but between the
wood of the vine and the
wood of other trees (e.g., "cedars of Lebanon...oaks of
Bashan"
Isa2:13).
Several commentaries interpret the
"vine" as a wild, not cultivated vine, which has no function other than to
be burned.
"Wood
of the vine" in
Hebrew is
literally the "vine tree".
Who is the vine? As noted in the
guidelines for interpreting parables, one can often find the interpretation
of the parable and that is the case here where the vine equates with the
"inhabitants of Jerusalem" as described in verse 6. This simple principle of
interpretation is important to emphasize lest one arrive at conclusions not
necessarily supported by the text as did one commentator who stated that "The
vine, as described by Ezekiel, symbolizes unregenerate man in general and
sinful Israel in particular." This is not an accurate interpretation.
The idea behind this first question
("how is the wood of the vine better...?") may be that Israel thought she was "special" wood and
indestructible because of her chosen status. Although this may be the
intended meaning, I realize that one could be accused of trying to focus too
specific of an interpretation from this detail in the parable. With that
caveat, it is notable that C H Spurgeon seems to have had a similar
thought writing in
his sermon
The Fruitless Vine (exposition on Ezek
15:1-2) that "the Jewish nation had arrogant ideas of themselves;
when they sinned against God, they supposed that on account of the superior
sanctity of their forefathers or by reason of some special sanctity in
themselves, they would be delivered, sin as they pleased. In consequence of
the infinite mercy of Jehovah, which He had displayed toward them, in
delivering them our of so many distresses, they gradually came to imagine
that they were the favorite children of Providence, and that God could by no
means ever cast them away. God, therefore, in order to humble their
pride, tells them that they in themselves were nothing more than any other
nation; and He asks them what there was about them to recommend them? "I
have often called you a vine; I have planted you, and nurtured you in a very
fruitful hill, but now you bring forth no fruit; what is there in you why I
should continue you in My favor? If you imagine there is any thing about
you more than about any other nation, you are mightily mistaken... God
humbles Israel, by reminding them that they had nothing which
other nations had not; that, in fact, they were a contemptible nation, not
worthy to be set side by side with the cedar of Babylon, or with the oak of
Samaria; they were of no use, they were worthless, unless they brought forth
fruit to him. He checks their pride and humbles them, with the parable we
have here before us." (See
also Spurgeon's devotional below)
Spurgeon continues on in his sermon (The
Fruitless Vine) to note that a
vine
"is a useless plant apart from its fruitfulness. We sometimes see it in
beauty, trained up by the side of our walls, and in the East it might be
seen in all its luxuriance, and great care is bestowed in its training; but
leave the vine to itself, and consider it apart from its fruitfulness, it is
the most insignificant and despicable of all things that bear the name of
trees. Now, beloved, this is for the humbling of God's people. They are
called God's vine; but what are they by nature more than others? Others are
as good as they; yea, some others are even greater and better than they.
They, by God's goodness, have become fruitful, have been planted in a good
soil; the Lord hath trained them upon the walls of the sanctuary, and they
bring forth fruit to his glory. But what are they without their God? What
are they without the continual influence of the Spirit, begetting
fruitfulness in them? Are they not the least among the sons of men, and the
most to be despised of those that have been brought forth of women?"
|
The Vine Metaphor in
Scripture
|
| The Vine metaphor was used by
Moses to describe the wicked heathen nations as having their roots in Sodom
and Gomorrah: "For their vine is from the vine of Sodom, and from the
fields of Gomorrah. Their grapes are grapes of poison, their clusters,
bitter. Their wine is the venom of serpents, and the deadly poison of
cobras." (Dt
32:32,33) |
| The psalmist Asaph (in what some refer
to as "The Parable of the Vine") writing
approximately 400 years prior to Ezekiel's day describes "God's
Vine" as follows: "Thou didst remove (pull out a
vine
from Egypt ("unfriendly" soil not "watered" by the Nile). Thou didst
drive out the nations, and didst plant
it.
(seven nations were dug out to make space for the Lord's vine) 9 Thou
didst clear the ground before
it,
and it
took deep root and filled the land.
(metaphor of the "vine"
Israel, transplanted from Egypt and successfully planted in a soil prepared
by God Himself) 10 The mountains were covered with its shadow; and the
cedars of God with its boughs (picturing Israel's rise to prominence as
a nation). 11 It
was sending out its branches to the (Mediterranean) sea, and
its
shoots to the (Euphrates) River (under Solomon Israel came as
close to occupying all the land God had promised Abraham but this promise
awaits future fulfillment in the Millennial Kingdom). 12 (Asaph asks the
question) Why hast Thou broken down (verb describing God's
punitive activity against Israel)
its
hedges, so that all who pass that way pick
its
fruit? 13 A boar from the forest eats
it
away, and whatever moves in the field feeds on
it.
14 O God of hosts, turn again now, we beseech Thee; Look down from heaven
and see, and take care of this
vine,
15 Even the shoot
which Thy right hand has planted, and on the son whom Thou hast strengthened
for Thyself. 16 It
is burned with fire, it
is cut down. They perish at the rebuke of Thy countenance." Spurgeon
comments on this Psalm describing Israel as "small in appearance, very
dependent, exceeding weak, and apt to trail on the ground, yet the vine of
Israel was chosen of the Lord, because He knew that by incessant care, and
abounding skill, He could make of it a goodly fruit bearing plant."
Note that several respected
commentaries interpret the "vine" here in Psalm 80 as the "church".
Matthew Henry flatly states that "The church is here represented as a
vine and a vineyard...the root of this vine is Christ...the branches are
believers." Clearly this comment is not correct and reflects a
failure to interpret the passage in context. When reading the Old Testament
it is critical to let the text speak for itself and to remember that
references and metaphors to Israel are just that! On the other hand, clear
references to Israel, although having only one correct interpretation, can
have many applications but it is important not to confuse interpretation
with application.
The church is like a vine, weak and
needing support, unsightly and having an unpromising outside, but spreading
and fruitful, and its fruit most excellent. The church is a choice and noble
vine; we have reason to acknowledge the goodness of God that he has planted
such a vine in the wilderness of this world, and preserved it to this day.
Now observe here,
|
|
Isaiah (writing ~ 100 years prior to
Ezekiel 15) presents a "parable" of Israel as God's vine: "Let me
(Isaiah speaking) sing now for my well-beloved, a song of my
beloved (Isaiah is referring to God) concerning His vineyard. My well-beloved had a vineyard on a fertile
hill. 2 And He dug it all around, removed its stones, and planted it
with the choicest vine. And He built a tower in the4 middle of it and hewed
out a wine vat in it. Then He expected it to produce good grapes, but it
produced only worthless ones. 3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem
and men of Judah, judge between Me and My vineyard. 4 What more was
there to do for My vineyard that I have not done in it? Why, when I expected
it to produce good grapes did it produce worthless ones? 5 So now let
Me tell you what I am going to do to My vineyard: I will remove its hedge
and it will be consumed (this detail can be accurately interpreted as
the destruction of Israel, Judah and specifically Jerusalem). I will break down its wall and it will become
trampled ground. 6 And I will lay it waste. It will not be pruned or
hoed (which would have led to greater fruitfulness), but briars and thorns will come up. I will also charge the clouds to
rain no rain on it. 7 For (note that here Isaiah interprets the
parable) the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the
house of Israel and the men of Judah His delightful plant. Thus He looked
for (here he describes the good fruit that was expected and which would
have brought glory to God and been a light to the Gentiles) justice, but behold, bloodshed; for
righteousness, but behold, a cry of
distress." (Isa
5:1-7) What fruit was the Lord expecting from Israel while it was still "intact"?
The NIV Study Bible suggests that a wordplay in Hebrew answers this
question: “He looked for justice [mishpat], but saw bloodshed [mispah]; for
righteousness [sedaqah], but heard cries of distress [se’aqah]”. In
other words, Israel had been equipped to produce justice and
righteousness:
chosen by God, delivered from oppression by His hand, given the
Law and Covenants, and the tabernacle symbolizing God’s very presence.
Tragically, Israel
produced "fruit" that defied God's careful provision and cultivation. |
| In
Jeremiah (Ezekiel's contemporary in Jerusalem) God declares to Israel "...
I planted you a choice vine, a completely faithful seed. How then have you
turned yourself before Me Into the degenerate shoots of a foreign (wild,
"adulterous") vine?"
(Jer2:21) |
|
Hosea 10:1 tells us that "Israel is
a luxuriant (literally the Hebrew word is "degenerate")
vine.
He produces fruit for himself. The more his fruit, the more altars
(to idols) he made. The richer his
land, the better he made the sacred pillars (associated with lewd
"fertility" rites)." Economic prosperity had resulted in spiritual
corruption. Increased wealth and power brought an increase in
idolatry and its attendant evils. Israel prospered but in the process became
a "degenerate vine", falsely attributing economic success to idols
rather than to Jehovah. James gives us the proper perspective, reminding us
that "Every good thing bestowed and every perfect
gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with Whom there
is no variation, or shifting shadow." (Js1:17)
Paul adds that "those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a
snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and
destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some
by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves
with many a pang." (1Ti6:9-10) |
|
Joel 1:6-7 In the context of
describing the coming "day of the LORD" God says that "a nation
(in context locusts are portrayed as a huge swarming
army) has invaded my land, mighty and without number; its teeth are
the teeth of a lion, and it has the fangs of a lioness. It has made My vine a waste and my fig tree splinters. It has
stripped them bare and cast them away; Their branches have become white."
Whereas Fruitful vines generally represented the blessing of the Lord
on the land, the devastation pictured in this section of Joel is that
Jehovah has removed His hedge of protection and His hand of blessing
from Israel. |
|
Jer 12:10 "Many shepherds (referring
to the civil and spiritual leaders of Israel) have ruined (destroyed,
corrupted) My vineyard. They have trampled down My field. They have made
My pleasant field a desolate wilderness (a complete wasteland conveying
the idea of horror, desert). The vine was prized for the fruit it
bore, and so was an appropriate symbol of God’s people as His prized
possession |
THAN ANY WOOD OF A BRANCH WHICH IS
AMONG THE TREES OF THE FOREST? (Is44:23;
Mic3:12;
Zec11:2) |
|
Spurgeon's Morning Devotional
for January 22
Commenting on Ezekiel 15:2
(Ed note: An Application for
Believers today of God's Warning to Judah) |
| "These
words are for the humbling of God's people (Ed note: In
context Ezekiel is referring to Israel not the church - Spurgeon applies
the principles to believers); they are called God's
vine,
but what are they by nature more than others? They, by God's goodness,
have become fruitful, having been planted in a good soil; the Lord hath
trained them upon the walls of the sanctuary, and they bring forth fruit
to His glory; but what are they without their God? What are they without
the continual influence of the Spirit, begetting fruitfulness in them?
O believer, learn to reject pride, seeing that thou hast no ground for it.
Whatever thou art, thou hast nothing to make thee proud. The more thou
hast, the more thou art in debt to God; and thou shouldst not be proud of
that which renders thee a debtor. Consider thine origin; look back to what
thou wast. Consider what thou wouldst have been but for divine grace. Look
upon thyself as thou art now. Doth not thy conscience reproach thee? Do
not thy thousand wanderings stand before thee, and tell thee that thou art
unworthy to be called his son? And if he hath made thee anything, art thou
not taught thereby that it is grace which hath made thee to differ? Great
believer, thou wouldst have been a great sinner if God had not made thee
to differ. O thou who art valiant for truth, thou wouldst have been as
valiant for error if grace had not laid hold upon thee. Therefore, be not
proud, though thou hast a large estate-a wide domain of grace, thou hadst
not once a single thing to call thine own except thy sin and misery. Oh!
strange infatuation, that thou, who hast borrowed everything, shouldst
think of exalting thyself; a poor dependent pensioner upon the bounty of
thy Saviour, one who hath a life which dies without fresh streams of life
from Jesus, and yet proud! Fie on thee, O silly heart!" |
|
15:3 "Can
wood be
taken from it to
make
anything,
or can men
take a
peg from it on which
to
hang
any
vessel? |
| CAN WOOD
BE TAKEN FROM IT TO MAKE ANYTHING
(Jer24:8;
Mt5:13;
Mk 9:50;
Lu14:34,35)
Cooper surmises that "Ezekiel’s use of
this parable was an answer to those who thought that the vine, that is,
Israel, was sacred and indestructible...Ezekiel ignored the fruit-bearing
properties that were lacking in Israel and focused instead on the quality of
wood for which the vine was notoriously useless." (Vol. 17: Ezekiel. The
New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers)
OR CAN MEN TAKE A PEG FROM IT ON
WHICH TO HANG ANY VESSEL?
This is primarily a rhetorical question (asked primarily for effect) for the
answer is obvious to all. The wood of a vine branch is useless and can't
even be made into a simple peg on the wall to hold a dish!
What is the primary purpose of
a "vine"? To bear fruit. Other trees, even those that fail to bear
fruit, can be used for construction of other
things (e.g., pecan or walnut furniture, etc), but a fruitless vine is a useless vine
and has no value other than to be burned. Lest we as New Testament
believers become too critical of the "inhabitants of Jerusalem", we need to take heed lest we fall.
Paul reminded the Ephesian believers that "we are
(God's)
workmanship (Greek = poiema = "masterpiece), created in Christ Jesus
(and "in Christ Jesus" is the key to genuine fruit bearing as
discussed below) for good works, which God prepared
beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Eph 2:10)
The people of God have their value and
are called to be fruitful. Jesus speaking
to His apostles made their "privilege" and purpose clear
declaring "You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you,
that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain
(whereas fruit borne from our fleshly efforts will not survive God's testing
fires), that
whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give to you." (Jn15:16)
Jesus added that "every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it
may bear more fruit." (Jn15:2)
Is He "pruning" you right now? Be encouraged for He prunes
with the purpose to increase your productivity. Jesus reminded the apostles
(and NT saints) of the secret of bearing fruit declaring "I am the vine,
you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much
fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing." (Jn15:5)
And in (Jn15:8)
Jesus reminds us that "By this is My Father glorified, that you bear
much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples." Fruit
bearing proves that one is a genuine fruit tree.
Jesus declared that God's people are to influence the culture around them
for we "are the
salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how will it be made
salty again? It is good for nothing anymore, except to be thrown out and
trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a
hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the
peck-measure, but on the lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the
house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your
good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." (Mt 5:13-16)
In simple language, "glorify" means to give a proper opinion of
someone, in this case of God. Israel failed to fulfill her holy calling and
did not give proper opinion of Jehovah. The inhabitants of Israel were no
more than "vine tree" wood fit only for the fire of God's fury.
|
|
15:
4 "If
it has been
put into the
fire for
fuel, and the
fire has
consumed
both of its
ends and its
middle
part has
been
charred, is it then
useful for
anything?
|
| |
| IF IT
HAS BEEN PUT INTO THE FIRE FOR FUEL AND THE FIRE HAS CONSUMED BOTH OF
ITS ENDS, AND ITS MIDDLE PART HAS BEEN CHARRED
(Ps80:16;
Is27:11;
;
Heb6:8)
(Isa1:31;
Am 4:11;
Mal 4:1;
Mt3:12;
Heb12:29)
A dogmatic
interpretation of this passage is not possible. The plain sense of this
picture is that if the vine
wood, in its perfect state, cannot be used for anything, how much less when
it is partially scorched and consumed! One must be careful in attaching a
specific meaning to every detail in a parable (see "Guidelines on
Interpretation of A Parable" above) and the variety of "interpretations" of
this verse is a perfect "object lesson" regarding that caution. Some such as Cooper states
somewhat dogmatically that "This
was an obvious (Ed comment: actually it is by no means "obvious") reference (Ed note: not in my opinion) to Jerusalem,
which twice was invaded by Nebuchadnezzar in 605 b.c. and again in 597 b.c.
In that sense it had already been “charred” (v. 5). These words also
anticipated the final destruction that came in 586 b.c. when the city was
burned and looted (2
Ki 25:8–21). (Vol. 17: Ezekiel. The New American Commentary.
Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers)
In Psalm 80 ("A Parable of the Vine")
the psalmist records that "It (your vine referring to
Israel) is burned with fire, it is cut down; They perish at the rebuke of
Thy countenance." (Ps80:16)
Jesus uses similar figurative language
declaring that "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a
branch, and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and
they are burned." (Jn15:6)
The imagery here is that of destruction and it thus pictures the judgment
awaiting all those who were never saved. Jesus was not teaching that someone
who was saved could lose their salvation!
IS IT THEN USEFUL FOR ANYTHING?
What's the answer? Obviously
"no". The implication is that the "inhabitants of Jerusalem" are no longer
useful. |
|
Excerpts from
Spurgeon's sermon
The Fruitless Vine
Application of the truth of an unfruitful vine
to a professor with an
unfruitful life |
As the vine without
its fruit is useless and worthless; so, too, the professor, without fruit,
is useless and worthless; yea, he is the most useless thing in the wide
world. Now, let us dwell upon this point. A fruitless profession.
And while I am preaching on it, let the words go round to each one, and
let the minister, and let his deacons, and let his hearers all try their
hearts and search their reins, and see whether they have a fruitless
profession.
 1. First, a fruitless professor.
How do we know him? what is his character? Secondly, What is the
reason he is fruitless? Thirdly, What is the estimation God holds
him in? He is good for nothing at all. And, then, fourthly, What
will be his end? He is to be burned with fire.
First, Where are we to find fruitless
professors? Everywhere, dear friends, everywhere—down here, up there,
everywhere; in pulpits and in pews. False professors are to be found in
every church. Let us leave other denominations alone, then. They are to be
found in this church; they are to be found in this present assembly. to
whatever denomination you belong, there are some false and fruitless
professors in it. How know you that you may not belong to those who bring
forth no fruit? There are fruitless professors to be found in every
position of the church, and in every part of society. You may find the
false professor among the rich; he hath much wealth, and he is hailed with
gladness by the church. God hath given him much of this world's good; and
therefore, the church, forgetful that God hath chosen the poor, giveth him
honor, and what doth she get from him? She getteth but little to help her.
Her poor are still neglected, and her means not in the least recruited by
his riches. Or if she gain a portion of his riches, yet she getteth none
of his prayers; nor is she in the least supported by his holy living, for
he that hath riches often liveth in sin, and rolleth in uncleanness; and,
then, weareth his profession as a uniform, wherewith to cover his guilt.
Rich men have sometimes been false professors; and thy are to be found
among poor men too. Full many a poor man has entered into the church, and
been cordially received. He has been poor, and they have thought it a good
thing that poverty and grace should go together—that grace should cheer
his hovel, and make his poverty-stricken home a glad one. But then, this
poor man hath turned aside to follies, and hath degraded himself with
drunkenness, hath sworn, and by unworthy conduct dishonored his God; or,
if not, he hath been idle, and sat still, and been of little service to
the church; and so he hath been false and fruitless in his profession.
False professors are to be found in the
men that lead the vanguard of God's army; the men who preach eloquently,
whose opinion is law, who speak like prophets, and whose language seems to
be inspired. They have brought forth the fruit of popularity, ay, and the
fruit of philanthropy too, but their heart has not been right with God,
therefore, the fruit, good in itself, was not fruit unto holiness; the
moral benefit of their labors does not extend to everlasting life. They
have not brought forth the fruits of the Spirit, seeing that they were not
living branches of the living vine. Then there have been false professors
in obscurity; modest people, who have said nothing, and seldom been heard
of; they have glided into their pews on the Sunday morning, taken their
seats, gone out, and satisfied themselves that by their presence they had
fulfilled a religious duty. They have been so silent, quiet, and retired.
Lazy fellows, doing nothing. You may think that all the fruitless trees
grow in the hedge outside of the garden. No they don't. There are some
fruitless trees in the inside of it in the very center of it. There are
some fruitless trees in the inside of it in the very center of it. There
are some false professors to be found in obscurity as well as in
publicity; some among the poor as well as among the rich.
And there are false professors to be
found among men that doubt a great deal. They are always afraid they do
not love Jesus, and always saying, "Ah, if I did but know I were his!—
"'Tis a point I long to know,
Oft it causes anxious thought."
Yes, and it ought to cause them
anxious thought, too, if they are bringing forth no fruit and giving no
"diligence to make their calling and election sure." Fruitless professors
are to be found, on the other hand, among the confident men, who say,
without a blush, "I know whom I have believed; I know I am a Christian,
let who will doubt. I am sure and certain my sins can not destroy me, and
my righteousness can not save me. I may do what I like; I know I am one of
the Lord's." Ah! fruitless professor again; just as fruitless as the other
man, who had all doubts and no faith, and did nothing for his Master.
And then there is the fruitless
professor, who, when he is asked to pray at the prayer meeting, never does
so; and who neglects family prayer. We will not say any thing about
private devotion; no doubt he neglects that too: he is a fruitless one.
Ah! but there may be another, who stands up and prays such an eloquent
prayer for a quarter of an hour, perhaps, just as fruitless a professor as
the silent one; with plenty of words, but no realities; many leaves, but
no fruits; great gifts of utterance, but no gifts of consistency; able to
talk well, but not to walk well; to speak piously, but not to walk humbly
with his God, and serve him with gladness. I do not know your individual
characters; but I know enough of you to say that your position, however
honorable in the church, and your character, however fair before men, is
not enough to warrant any of you in concluding at once that you are not a
fruitless professor. For fruitless professors are of every character and
every rank, from the highest to the lowest, from the most talented to the
most illiterate, from the richest to the poorest, from the most retiring
to the most conspicuous. Fruitless professors there are in every part of
the church.
Now, shall I tell you who is a fruitless
professor? The man who neglects private prayer, and does not walk with his
God in public; that man whose carriage and conversation before God are
hypocritical; who cheats in trade and robs in business, yet wraps it up,
and comes out with a fair face, like the hypocrite with a widow's house
sticking in his throat, and says, "Lord, I thank thee I am not as other
men are!" There is a man for you, who brings forth no fruit to perfection.
Another one is he who lives right morally and excellently, and depends
upon his works, and hopes to be saved by his righteousness; who comes
before God, and asks for pardon, with a lie in his right hand, for he has
brought his own self-righteousness with him. Such a man is a fruitless
professor; he has brought forth no fruit. That man, again, is a fruitless
professor who talks big words about high doctrine, and likes sound truth,
but he does not like sound living; his pretensions are high, but not his
practice. He can bear to hear it said, "Once in Christ, in Christ for
ever," But as for himself, he never was in Christ at all, for he neither
loves nor serves his Master, but lives in sin that grace may abound. There
is another fruitless vine for you." (For the full exposition click
The Fruitless Vine) |
|
15:5 "Behold,
while it is
intact, it is not
made into
anything.
How
much
less,
when the
fire has
consumed it and it is
charred, can it
still be
made into
anything!
|
| Matthew Henry
comments on the charred wood of a vine "If a piece of solid timber be
kindled, somebody perhaps may snatch it as a brand out of the burning, and
say, “It is a pity to burn it, for it may be put to some better use;” but if
the branch of a vine be on fire, and, as usual, both the ends of it and the
middle be kindled together, nobody goes about to save it. When it was whole
it was meet for no work, much less when the fire has devoured it;
even the ashes of it are not worth saving." |
|
15:6 "Therefore,
thus
says the
Lord
GOD, 'As the
wood of the
vine among the
trees of the
forest,
which I have
given to the
fire for
fuel,
so have I
given up the
inhabitants of
Jerusalem;
|
| THEREFORE,
This marks the beginning of the
"explanation" of the "parable" of the "vine tree".
THUS SAYS THE LORD GOD, 'AS THE
WOOD OF THE VINE AMONG THE TREES OF THE FOREST, WHICH I HAVE GIVEN TO THE
FIRE FOR FUEL,
Keil and Delitzsch comment that "In
the application of the parable, the only thing to which prominence is given,
is the fact that God will deal with the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the same
manner as with the vine-wood, which cannot be used for any kind of work.
This implies that Israel resembles the wood of a forest-vine. As this
possesses no superiority to other wood, but, on the contrary, is utterly
useless, so Israel has no superiority to other nations, but is even worse
than they, and therefore is given up to the fire."
SO HAVE I GIVEN UP THE INHABITANTS
OF JERUSALEM (2;
17:3-10;
20:47,48;
Is5:1-6,24,25;
Jer4:7;
7:20;
21:7;
24:8-10;
Jer25:9-11,18;
44:21-27;
Zech1:6)
The comparison is between the wood
of the vine and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, which is destined for burning
in the coming Babylonian destruction.
Ezekiel's contemporary echoes this
judgment recording the Lord God's declaration "Behold, My anger and My
wrath will be poured out on this place, on man and on beast and on the trees
of the field and on the fruit of the ground; and it will burn and not be
quenched." (Jer
7:20) |
|
15:7 and
I
set My
face against them.
Though they have
come out of the
fire, yet the
fire will
consume them. Then
you will
know that I am the
LORD,
when I
set My
face against
them. 8 'Thus I will
make the
land
desolate,
because they have
acted
unfaithfully,' "
declares the
Lord
GOD |
| AND I SET
MY FACE AGAINST THEM (14:8;
Lv17:10;
20:3-6;
26:17;
Je21:10)
Click here for all 9 occurrences of this
phrase ("set My face against"). This is a terrifying picture of the Almighty
Omnipotent God leaving no question about Who is bringing the judgment and
also no question about whether that judgment will in fact transpire as
prophesied! The psalmist records
that "The face of the LORD is against evildoers, To cut off the
memory of them from the earth." (Ps34:16)
In Amos God says in no uncertain terms
that the people of Israel are in "big trouble" declaring that "though
they go into captivity before their enemies, from there I will command the
sword that it slay them, and I will set My eyes against them for evil
and not for good." (Am9:4)
THOUGH THEY HAVE COME OUT OF THE FIRE, YET THE FIRE WILL CONSUME THEM.
Many of the survivors of the siege of
Jerusalem died soon after its capture (Jer 39:6; 41:3; 44:27, 28).
THEN YOU WILL KNOW THAT I AM THE
LORD (6:7;
7:4;
11:10;
20:38,42,44;
Ps9:16) This is the repeated emphasis
of God's hand of judgment -- that they would know that He is the LORD.
THUS I WILL MAKE THE LAND DESOLATE,
(14:13-21;
Is6:11;
24:3-12;
Je25:10,11;
Zeph1:18) Although this prophecy was
partially fulfilled in 586 BC, "the land" (a term found frequently in the OT
as a reference to Israel) will experience a final and more devastating fire
in the time referred to by Jesus as the "great tribulation" (Mt24:15,21))
or the "time of Jacob's distress" (Jer30:7),
which describes the final three and one half year period that precedes the
triumphant return of the Messiah Who defeats the anti-Christ and establishes
His 1000 year kingdom in Jerusalem (cf
Rev19-20)
The "I will's" of God are
wonderful when they are promises for blessing but they are terrifying when
they are promises of His wrath.
This repeats God's earlier decree that
"throughout all their habitations I shall stretch out My hand against
them and make the land more desolate and waste than the wilderness toward
Diblah; thus they will know that I am the LORD."' (Ez6:14)
In Ezekiel 33 God says that "Then
they will know that I am the LORD, when I make the land a desolation and a
waste because of all their abominations which they have committed."' (Ezek
33:29)
In Jeremiah's prophecy, Jehovah
declares "Moreover, I will take from them the voice of joy and the voice
of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the
sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp. And this whole land shall
be a desolation and a horror, and these nations shall serve the king of
Babylon seventy years." (Jer25:10-11)
Cooper notes that "Without God no
individual or nation will ever realize their true potential or purpose. Like
an unproductive vine, they have no purpose beyond fruit-bearing." (Vol.
17: Ezekiel. The New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman
Publishers)
BECAUSE THEY HAVE ACTED
UNFAITHFULLY (more literally
this read "they have trespassed a trespass") The Jews were not
merely sinners as the other nations, for it is one thing to neglect what we know not, but quite another
thing to despise what we profess to worship, as the Jews did
towards God and the law.
The writer of Chronicles records that "our fathers have been
unfaithful
and have done evil in the sight of the LORD our God, and have forsaken
Him and turned their faces away from the dwelling place of the LORD
(His Holy Temple), and have
turned their backs (see "sun worshipers" with their backs to the Temple
in
Ezek8:16) ." (2Chr29:6)
In Jeremiah God says "My people have committed two evils: They have
forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves cisterns,
broken cisterns, that can hold no water." (Jer
2:13) One of the most tragic passages in the Old Testament
records that "all the officials of the priests and the people were
very unfaithful
following all the abominations of the
nations; and they defiled the house of the LORD (His Holy Temple)
which He had sanctified in Jerusalem. And the LORD, the God of their
fathers, sent word to them again and again by His messengers, because He had
compassion on His people and on His dwelling place; but they continually
mocked the messengers of God, despised His words and scoffed at His
prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, until there
was no remedy ." (2Chr36:14-16)
Matthew Henry summarizes this section
with an application writing "If a vine be fruitful, it is valuable. But
if not fruitful, it is worthless and useless, it is cast into the fire. Thus
man is capable of yielding a precious fruit, in living to God; this is the
sole end of his existence; and if he fails in this, he is of no use but to
be destroyed. What blindness then attaches to those who live in the total
neglect of God and of true religion! This similitude is applied to
Jerusalem. Let us beware of an unfruitful profession. Let us come to Christ,
and seek to abide in him, and to have his words abide in us." |
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