Introduction
This chapter is a transitional chapter. The previous chapter deals with the common responsibility of Jerusalem. The next chapter is about personal responsibility. This chapter is about Zedekiah, the king of Judah. He is the representative of the people, while also being personally responsible to God.
Zedekiah, the present leader in Jerusalem, is contrasted with the future Son of David Who will lead God’s people. The former is compared to a low vine (verses 2-21), the latter to a stately cedar (verses 22-24).
1 - 10 Parable of the Two Eagles
1 Now the word of the LORD came to me saying, 2 “Son of man, propound a riddle and speak a parable to the house of Israel, 3 saying, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “A great eagle with great wings, long pinions and a full plumage of many colors came to Lebanon and took away the top of the cedar. 4 He plucked off the topmost of its young twigs and brought it to a land of merchants; he set it in a city of traders. 5 He also took some of the seed of the land and planted it in fertile soil. He placed [it] beside abundant waters; he set it [like] a willow. 6 Then it sprouted and became a low, spreading vine with its branches turned toward him, but its roots remained under it. So it became a vine and yielded shoots and sent out branches. 7 “But there was another great eagle with great wings and much plumage; and behold, this vine bent its roots toward him and sent out its branches toward him from the beds where it was planted, that he might water it. 8 It was planted in good soil beside abundant waters, that it might yield branches and bear fruit [and] become a splendid vine.”‘ 9 Say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Will it thrive? Will he not pull up its roots and cut off its fruit, so that it withers—so that all its sprouting leaves wither? And neither by great strength nor by many people can it be raised from its roots [again]. 10 Behold, though it is planted, will it thrive? Will it not completely wither as soon as the east wind strikes it—wither on the beds where it grew?”‘“
The word of the LORD comes to Ezekiel (verse 1), where the LORD addresses him again as “son of man” (verse 2). Ezekiel is to propound a riddle and speak a parable to the house of Israel. A riddle is an obscure statement; it is something said in an indirect way that requires an explanation. A parable is the presentation of a spiritual truth by tangible images. The parable is a riddle explained by the LORD Himself (verses 11-21). Parables and riddles are used to attract attention and provoke thought in the hearers.
The great, beautiful eagle (verse 3) represents Nebuchadnezzar (verse 12), who is king of kings, as the eagle is king of birds. His great wings and long pinions indicate great power and dominion over a vast territory. The multicolored nature refers to the diversity of the peoples he has subjected to him. Lebanon, to which the eagle comes, represents Jerusalem because the palace and temple are made of cedar from Lebanon. David and Solomon used much cedar wood for their buildings; Solomon made cedars abundant in Jerusalem (1Kgs 10:27; 2Chr 1:15).
The “cedar” is a picture of the house of David. The “crown of a cedar” represents Jehoiachin, the grandson of Josiah, the last descendant of the royal line. He is “the topmost” (verse 4). Together with “its young twigs”, that is, with a few more of the considerable ones, Jehoiachin is taken to “a land of merchants” – that is, the land of the Chaldeans – and to “a city of traders” – that is, Babylon (Eze 16:29; 2Kgs 24:8-16).
Then the eagle takes “some of the seed of the land” and plants it in “in fertile soil”, that is, he appoints Zedekiah as king over fertile Judah (verse 5a; 2Kgs 24:17). Through the kindness of the king of Babylon, the kingdom is able to develop well for some time under Zedekiah (verses 5b-6). He does grow wide, but it remains “under it”, that is, subordinate.
Instead of submitting to the rule of Babylon, Zedekiah wants to shake off the yoke of Babylon (2Kgs 24:20b). For this purpose he turns to “another great eagle”, that is Egypt (verse 7; verse 15). From him he expects his help, through him he wants to become great and strong and not through the king of Babylon, through whom he has become “a splendid vine” after all (verse 8).
The LORD pronounces His judgment on it (verse 9). Zedekiah’s efforts to use his roots to draw his life force from the other great eagle will bring nothing. On the contrary, from him his roots will be pulled out, that is, he will lose his independence and his posterity. Also everything that is still beautiful, all his princes, will wither away with Zedekiah. It will not take much strength or a numerous people to strip him of all his glory. The east wind (verse 10), that is the king of Babylon, will judge him, while Egypt will be unable to give him any help (Jer 37:5-10). Jerusalem will be destroyed and Zedekiah dethroned.
11 - 21 Explanation of the Parable
11 Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 12 “Say now to the rebellious house, ‘Do you not know what these things [mean]?’ Say, ‘Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, took its king and princes and brought them to him in Babylon. 13 He took one of the royal family and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. He also took away the mighty of the land, 14 that the kingdom might be in subjection, not exalting itself, [but] keeping his covenant that it might continue. 15 But he rebelled against him by sending his envoys to Egypt that they might give him horses and many troops. Will he succeed? Will he who does such things escape? Can he indeed break the covenant and escape? 16 As I live,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘Surely in the country of the king who put him on the throne, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke, in Babylon he shall die. 17 Pharaoh with [his] mighty army and great company will not help him in the war, when they cast up ramps and build siege walls to cut off many lives. 18 Now he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, and behold, he pledged his allegiance, yet did all these things; he shall not escape.’” 19 Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, “As I live, surely My oath which he despised and My covenant which he broke, I will inflict on his head. 20 I will spread My net over him, and he will be caught in My snare. Then I will bring him to Babylon and enter into judgment with him there [regarding] the unfaithful act which he has committed against Me. 21 All the choice men in all his troops will fall by the sword, and the survivors will be scattered to every wind; and you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken.”
The word of the LORD comes again to Ezekiel (verse 11). Perhaps some time has passed after the telling of the parable. They have had time to think about it. Ezekiel is commanded to make known the solution of the riddle to “the rebellious house”, that is, his fellow exiles (verse 12). Without reference to the pictures used, the LORD says that the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and captured its king and princes and brought them to him in Babylon (verses 3-4). Then he took someone from the royal family, that is Zedekiah, and made him king (verse 13; verses 5-6). He made a covenant with him which he made him ratify with an oath (2Chr 36:13).
Nebuchadnezzar removes all who might have some influence to start a revolt. This leaves an insignificant, powerless kingdom (verse 14). It is made easy, as it were, for Zedekiah to keep the covenant he made with Nebuchadnezzar. By remaining faithful to the covenant, Judah can still continue to exist.
Yet Zedekiah rebels, for he refuses to bow under God’s discipline (verse 15). He seeks contact with Egypt to help him throw off the yoke of Babylon by sending him horses and many soldiers. The LORD responds, as it were with the utmost astonishment at such audacity, with three questions: “Will he succeed? Will he who does such things escape? Can he indeed break the covenant and escape?” The answer lies in the questions. He will not succeed in his purpose. He will not escape judgment because he does such things. He will not escape punishment, a punishment he deserves because of breaking his covenant that he made with the king of Babylon.
The LORD swears that Zedekiah will die in Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar’s dwelling place (verse 16). He mentions as the reason that Zedekiah has broken his oath that he made to Nebuchadnezzar to ratify the covenant made with him. The help Zedekiah has enlisted from Egypt will have no effect (verse 17). Nebuchadnezzar will carry out his siege of Jerusalem without any opposition from Egypt. Once again, the LORD says that Zedekiah and Jerusalem suffer this judgment because they have shamelessly broken the covenant with Nebuchadnezzar that was ratified by an oath (verse 18; 2Chr 36:13a). Zedekiah pledged his allegiance, but has not kept his oath. Therefore, he will not escape the just judgment of the LORD.
The LORD will bring Zedekiah’s unfaithful dealings down on his head (verse 19). He speaks of it as the breaking of His covenant. Zedekiah had made the covenant as a representative of the LORD. By breaking it he has cast reproach on the Name of the LORD. Therefore, the LORD will spread His net over him and take him captive to Babylon (verse 20). The LORD uses Nebuchadnezzar as His “net” to execute His judgment on Zedekiah. Once again, He points out that Zedekiah’s unfaithful act, his breach of word, was not committed primarily against Nebuchadnezzar but against Him, the LORD God.
By sending ambassadors to Egypt, he has despised the oath and broken the covenant. The LORD says of this “My oath” and “My covenant”. Such rebellion brings not only the displeasure of Babylon upon him, but also the punishment of the LORD. It indicates that agreements and commitments made by professors of God’s Name are as binding as if they were made with God in person. What applies here to nations, we must also apply to social and personal relationships. Breaking a treaty, a contract, a promise, or any other kind of covenant involves harming both God and the person.
Judgment will strike not only Zedekiah, but also all those who supported him in his unfaithfulness (verse 21). His troops may have fled, but they will not escape God’s judgment which He will execute by the sword of the enemies. The captured followers of Zedekiah will be removed from the land and scattered to all corners of the earth. Thus it will become clear that the LORD Himself has said it. What is said here has been fulfilled to the letter (2Kgs 25:3-7).
22 - 24 The Tender Twig of the LORD
22 Thus says the Lord GOD, “I will also take [a sprig] from the lofty top of the cedar and set [it] out; I will pluck from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one and I will plant [it] on a high and lofty mountain. 23 On the high mountain of Israel I will plant it, that it may bring forth boughs and bear fruit and become a stately cedar. And birds of every kind will nest under it; they will nest in the shade of its branches. 24 All the trees of the field will know that I am the LORD; I bring down the high tree, exalt the low tree, dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will perform [it].”
After removing the unfaithful twig from the house of David, the LORD goes to work on behalf of His promises. He Himself will take a twig (verse 22). That He will plant as a shoot on a high and exalted mountain, which is Zion. Zion is high and exalted in the sight of the LORD because He has chosen it for His dwelling place (Psa 48:2; 68:16; 87:1-2; Isa 2:2; 11:9). The young, tender shoot is the Messiah, Christ, from the house of David (cf. Isa 11:1; Jer 23:5; Zec 6:12). He will be the new King of His people.
This twig will be tender and small at first, but will grow into a royal cedar (verse 23). Thus the Messiah will come as “a tender shoot”, as a “root out of parched ground”, without “[stately] form or majesty” (Isa 53:2). But “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end” (Lk 1:32-33). He will give protection to all kinds of birds, that is, here, to all those who are connected to heaven, who bow to His authority.
All the other nations, “all the trees of the field”, will then know that He is the LORD (verse 24). They will know it in the first place because He has humbled the high tree – that is, proud, haughty Israel. In the second place, they will know it because He will exalt to great height the low tree – that is the humbled Israel, those who have confessed their guilt, the remnant, and above all the Messiah. All this will find its full fulfillment in the realm of peace. A foreshadowing of this is seen in the exaltation of Jehoiachin (2Kgs 25:27-30).