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Two Eagles and a Vine

Ezekiel 17:1-24



Two Eagles and a Vine

Text:

Ezekiel 17:1-24, The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man,

set forth an allegory and tell the house of Israel a parable. Say to

them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: A great eagle with

powerful wings, long feathers and full plumage of varied colors

came to Lebanon. Taking hold of the top of a cedar, he broke off its

topmost shoot and carried it away to a land of merchants, where he

planted it in a city of traders. “‘He took some of the seed of your

land and put it in fertile soil. He planted it like a willow by abundant

water, and it sprouted and became a low, spreading vine. Its

branches turned toward him, but its roots remained under it. So it

became a vine and produced branches and put out leafy

boughs. “‘But there was another great eagle with powerful wings

and full plumage. The vine now sent out its roots toward him from

the plot where it was planted and stretched out its branches to him

for water. It had been planted in good soil by abundant water so

that it would produce branches, bear fruit and become a splendid

vine.’ “Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Will it

thrive? Will it not be uprooted and stripped of its fruit so that it

withers? All its new growth will wither. It will not take a strong arm

or many people to pull it up by the roots. Even if it is transplanted,

will it thrive? Will it not wither completely when the east wind

strikes it—wither away in the plot where it grew?’” Then the word

of the LORD came to me: “Say to this rebellious house, ‘Do you not

know what these things mean?’ Say to them: ‘The king of Babylon

went to Jerusalem and carried off her king and her nobles, bringing

them back with him to Babylon. Then he took a member of the royal

family and made a treaty with him, putting him under oath. He also

carried away the leading men of the land, so that the kingdom

would be brought low, unable to rise again, surviving only by



keeping his treaty. But the king rebelled against him by sending his

envoys to Egypt to get horses and a large army. Will he succeed?

Will he who does such things escape? Will he break the treaty and

yet escape? “‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, he

shall die in Babylon, in the land of the king who put him on the

throne, whose oath he despised and whose treaty he broke. Pharaoh

with his mighty army and great horde will be of no help to him in

war, when ramps are built and siege works erected to destroy many

lives. He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. Because he

had given his hand in pledge and yet did all these things, he shall not

escape. “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: As surely

as I live, I will bring down on his head my oath that he despised and

my covenant that he broke. I will spread my net for him, and he will

be caught in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon and execute

judgment upon him there because he was unfaithful to me. All his

fleeing troops will fall by the sword, and the survivors will be

scattered to the winds. Then you will know that I the LORD have

spoken. “‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will take a

shoot from the very top of a cedar and plant it; I will break off a

tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty

mountain. On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it; it will

produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar.

Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade

of its branches. All the trees of the field will know that I the LORD

bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up

the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. “‘I the LORD have

spoken, and I will do it.’” (NIV 1984)

Introduction:

I. Jerusalem’s destruction was the result of the Babylonian army’s siege

and devastation of the city in 587-586 B.C., but the underlying cause

was the sins of its citizens. (See Fredenburg.)



II. Chapters 16-20 contain a series of oracles, chapters 16 and 20 serving

as “bookends” for the series, Fredenburg advised.

III. Coffman wrote, “The prophesy of this chapter was directed against

another false hope of the house of Israel, namely, the national conviction

that God’s promises to the house of David was an unconditional

guarantee that the prosperity of Israel would continue forever, no matter

what the moral and spiritual condition of the people was.”

A. This reminds us of people today who believe that they will be

saved regardless of how they live.

B. The Lord Jesus fulfills the covenant promises God made to

David.

1. Jesus now sits on David’s throne ruling an everlasting

worldwide kingdom.

a. Acts 2:29-35, “Brothers, I can tell you confidently that

the patriarch David died and was buried, and his

tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and

knew that God had promised him on oath that he

would place one of his descendants on his throne.

Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection

of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the

grave, nor did his body see decay. God has raised

this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.

Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received

from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has

poured out what you now see and hear. For David

did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, “‘The

Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I

make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’

(NIV 1984)



IV. Coffman dated the oracles of Ezekiel 17 to circa 590 B.C.

A. The Pulpit Commentary dates Ezekiel 17 to the time when

Zedekiah was seeking to strengthen himself against

Nebuchadnezzar by an Egyptian alliance.

Commentary:

Ezekiel 17:1, The word of the LORD came to me: (NIV 1984)

I. The word of the Lord came to me:…

A. The word of the Lord came to Ezekiel and Ezekiel did exactly

as directed.

B. The word of the Lord for us is contained in the New Testament

and we are to do exactly as it directs.

Ezekiel 17:2, “Son of man, (NIV 1984)

I. “Son of man, set forth an allegory and tell the house of Israel a

parable.

A. Ezekiel was divinely commanded to deliver a message to the

exiles couched in figurative language, in a riddle, allegory, parable.

1. Jesus taught often in parables which are sometimes defined

as earthly stories with heavenly meanings.

2. A parable is a short fictitious story that illustrates a moral

attitude or a religious principle. (Merriam Webster)

3. An allegory is the expression by means of symbolic,

fictional figures, actions or truths or generalizations about

human existence; a symbolic representation; an emblem.

(Merriam Webster)



4. A riddle is a mystifying, misleading, or puzzling question

posed as a problem to be solved or guessed, something or

someone difficult to understand; an enigma. (Merriam

Webster)

a. Clarke defined a riddle as a thing that must be

curiously investigated and sifted, to find out the

meaning.

b. The Pulpit Commentary stated riddle comes from the

same word as “dark speeches” and “hard questions” in

other verses.

i. Numbers 12:8, With him I speak face to

face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the

form of the LORD. Why then were you not

afraid to speak against my servant Moses?”

(NIV 1984)

ii. 1 Kings 10:1, When the queen of Sheba

heard about the fame of Solomon and his

relation to the name of the LORD, she came to

test him with hard questions. (NIV 1984)

iii. The interpretation of the present riddle is given

in Ezekiel 17:12-24.

5. Fredenburg suggested tale, fable and metaphor are also

possible renderings of allegory and parable.

6. A tale is a series of events or facts told or presented, an

imaginative narrative of an event, a story. (Merriam

Webster)



7. A fable is a legendary story of supernatural happenings; a

narration intended to enforce a useful truth. (Merriam

Webster)

8. A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase

literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place

of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them.

(Merriam Webster)

B. McGee wrote that, because the people would not listen to

Ezekiel otherwise, he had to resort to allegories and parables to

gain their attention.

1. Numbers 12:8, With him I speak face to face, clearly

and not in riddles; he sees the form of the LORD. Why

then were you not afraid to speak against my servant

Moses?” (NIV 1984)

2. 1 King 10:1, When the queen of Sheba heard about the

fame of Solomon and his relation to the name of the

LORD, she came to test him with hard questions. (NIV

1984)

Ezekiel 17:3, Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: A

great eagle with powerful wings, long feathers and full plumage of

varied colors came to Lebanon. Taking hold of the top of a cedar,

(NIV 1984)

I. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:…

A. Ezekiel and we are to preach exactly what the Sovereign Lord

says; nothing more, nothing less, nothing else!

II. A great eagle with powerful (great) wings, long feathers and full

plumage of varied colors came to Lebanon.



A. Smith wrote that the first parable “depicts the immediate past

and immediate future of the Davidic line.”

1. This “great eagle” refers to Babylon. (Smith and

Fredenburg)

2. The Pulpit Commentary states this great eagle probably

was the golden eagle, the largest species of the genus.

3. Coffman wrote that the “great eagle” refers to the king of

Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar.

4. McGee and Clarke stated the “great eagle” represents

Babylon and Nebuchadnezzar.

5. Coffman wrote that in keeping with the reading of the

Revised Standard Version, “a great eagle could better,

considering Nebuchadnezzar’s character, be rendered

“vultures”.

6. Hosea 8:1, 8 “Put the trumpet to your lips! An eagle is

over the house of the LORD because the people have

broken my covenant and rebelled against my law. (NIV

1984)

a. Jeremiah 48:40, This is what the LORD says:

“Look! An eagle is swooping down, spreading its

wings over Moab. (NIV 1984)

b. Jeremiah 49:22, Look! An eagle will soar and

swoop down, spreading its wings over Bozrah. In

that day the hearts of Edom’s warriors will be like

the heart of a woman in labor. (NIV 1984)

c. Daniel 7:4, “The first was like a lion, and it had

the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were

torn off and it was lifted from the ground so that it



stood on two feet like a man, and the heart of a man

was given to it. (NIV 1984)

B. “Lebanon” stands for Jerusalem, especially the palace-temple

complex. (Fredenburg and Smith)

C. The “powerful, great wings” refer to the extensive Babylonian

empire, the “long feathers” refer to rapid wing movement, “full

plumage / full of feathers” refers to Babylon’s multitudes of

subjects, “diverse / varied colors” refer to the people of many

nations which were subjects to Babylon, “came to Lebanon” means

Babylon came against Judah.

1. Daniel 3:4, Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “This is

what you are commanded to do, O peoples, nations and

men of every language: (NIV 1984)

2. Daniel 4:1, King Nebuchadnezzar, To the peoples,

nations and men of every language, who live in all the

world: May you prosper greatly! (NIV 1984)

III. Taking hold of the top of a cedar,…

A. Lebanon was famous for its majestic cedars used in building the

temple, shipbuilding, special furniture, etc.

B. Coffman observed, “How the clipping from the cedar became a

vine is not explained.”

C. Coffman wrote that “the cedar of Lebanon” referenced the land

of Palestine while McGee wrote that the tree (cedar) represented

the nation of Israel and specifically the royal house of David.

D. Clarke identified “the top of a cedar” as King Jehoiachin who

was taken captive to Babylon.



Ezekiel 17:4, he broke off its topmost shoot and carried it away to a

land of merchants, where he planted it in a city of traders. (NIV

1984)

I. He broke off its topmost shoot and carried it away to a land of

merchants, where he planted it in a city of traders.

A. Fredenburg noted that “a land of merchants” refers to Babylonia

in Ezekiel 16:29, but its referent here is not clear here.

1. Ezekiel 16:29, Then you increased your promiscuity to

include Babylonia, a land of merchants, but even with

this you were not satisfied. (NIV 1984)

2. Coffman states that “a land of merchants” and “a city of

traders” refer to Babylon.

B. The shoot or twig was taken to a city of traders where it was

planted.

C. The “topmost shoot” refers to Jerusalem’s king and her nobles

and the leading men of the land (Fredenburg), the princes of Judah.

(Clarke)

1. Coffman wrote that “the topmost of the young twigs”

refers to the young king Jehoiachin while McGee wrote the

topmost shoot refers to Zedekiah who was clipped off,

broken off and carried to Babylon.

D. Clarke wrote that ”a land of traders” refers to Babylon which,

situated on the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers and the Persian Gulf,

was able to trade with the richest and the most distant nations.

E. The carrying of the topmost shoot of the cedar refers to

Nebuchadnezzar’s deportation of Jehoiachin / Jeconiah and the

more eminent citizens of Jerusalem. (The Pulpit Commentary.)



Ezekiel 17:5, “‘He took some of the seed of your land and put it in

fertile soil. He planted it like a willow by abundant water, (NIV

1984)

I. “He took some of the seed of your land and put it in fertile soil.”

A. The eagle took some of the seed of the land in which he had

planted the topmost shoot of a majestic cedar of Lebanon and

planted these seed there.

1. Coffman wrote that “the seed of your land” is a reference

to Zedekiah,…brother of Jehoiachin, Clarke added.

2. The Pulpit Commentary states Zedekiah is the “seed of

your land.” Zedekiah was the brother of Jeconiah/Jehoiachin.

3. The “fertile soil” refers to Zedekiah’s being made king of

Jerusalem in place of his brother, Jehoiachin. (Clarke)

4. The Pulpit Commentary states the “fruitful field, fertile

soil” represents Judah.

a. Deuteronomy 8:7-9, For the LORD your God is

bringing you into a good land—a land with streams

and pools of water, with springs flowing in the

valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines

and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a

land where bread will not be scarce and you will

lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and

you can dig copper out of the hills. (NIV 1984)

b. Deuteronomy 11:10-12, The land you are entering

to take over is not like the land of Egypt, from which

you have come, where you planted your seed and

irrigated it by foot as in a vegetable garden. But the

land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession



of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks

rain from heaven. It is a land the LORD your God

cares for; the eyes of the LORD your God are

continually on it from the beginning of the year to its

end. (NIV 1984)

II. He planted it like a willow by abundant water,…

A. Nebuchadnezzar, having made a treaty with Zedekiah, would

have protected and provided for Jerusalem.

1. Clarke explained this means Nebuchadnezzar put Zedekiah

under the protection of Babylon, situated on the confluence

of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

B. “Fertile soil” and “abundant water,” Coffman wrote, reference

the beauty and fertility of Palestine.

1. However, Clarke understood this means Jerusalem was

dependent on Babylon, the city of waters, as a willow is

dependent on nearby water supplies.

C. The cedar of Lebanon previously mentioned does not here

become a willow tree.

1. The cedar shoot is here planted near abundant waters

where willows normally grow.

2. The cedars were prevalent in Lebanon and willows were a

familiar tree in Babylon.

a. Psalm 137:1-3, By the rivers of Babylon we sat

and wept when we remembered Zion. There on the

poplars we hung our harps, for there our captors

asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs

of joy; they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

(NIV 1984)



Ezekiel 17:6, and it sprouted and became a low, spreading vine. Its

branches turned toward him, but its roots remained under it. So it

became a vine and produced branches and put out leafy boughs.

(NIV 1984)

I. and it sprouted and became a low spreading vine.

A. Fredenburg identified this vine as a representation of Israel.

1. Ezekiel 15:1, The word of the LORD came to me: (NIV

1984)

2. Psalm 80:8-9, You brought a vine out of Egypt; you

drove out the nations and planted it. You cleared the

ground for it, and it took root and filled the land. (NIV

1984)

3. Isaiah 5:1-7, 5 I will sing for the one I love a song about

his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile

hillside. He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted

it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and

cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for a crop of

good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit. “Now you

dwellers in Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge between

me and my vineyard. What more could have been done

for my vineyard than I have done for it? When I looked

for good grapes, why did it yield only bad? Now I will tell

you what I am going to do to my vineyard: I will take

away its hedge, and it will be destroyed; I will break

down its wall, and it will be trampled. I will make it a

wasteland, neither pruned nor cultivated, and briers and

thorns will grow there. I will command the clouds not to

rain on it.” The vineyard of the LORD Almighty is the

house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the garden of

his delight. And he looked for justice, but saw



bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress.

(NIV 1984)

4. Amos 9:14, I will bring back my exiled people

Israel; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them.

They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will

make gardens and eat their fruit. (NIV 1984)

B. The “low spreading vine” having no height indicates the Jewish

state was subservient to Nebuchadnezzar. (Clarke)

II. Its branches turned toward him (the king of Babylon), but its roots

remained under it.

A. Jerusalem’s roots for its survival, prosperity were connected

with the keeping of the treaty between Zedekiah and

Nebuchadnezzar (See Fredenburg.) and, Coffman wrote, this

would not change.

a. “As long as Zedekiah remained true to his sworn

allegiance to the king of Babylon, all went well with the

kingdom; but his rebellion brought on the swift and total

destruction of Jerusalem.” (Coffman)

III. So it became a vine and produced branches and put out leafy boughs.

A.Under Babylonian control, Judah would have continued to exist,

not as a tall majestic cedar, but as a “low vine.” (See The Pulpit

Commentary.)

1. However, the prospect for continuance was destroyed by

Zedekiah’s rebellion against Babylon and his seeking to align

himself with Egypt, (See The Pulpit Commentary.)

Ezekiel 17:7, “‘But there was another great eagle with powerful

wings and full plumage. The vine now sent out its roots toward him



from the plot where it was planted and stretched out its branches to

him for water. (NIV 1984)

I. “But there was another great eagle (vulture) with powerful wings and

full plumage.

A. Smith wrote, “The second parable predicts the long range future

of the royal family.” This great eagle refers to Egypt (Fredenburg,

McGee and Smith) or, as Coffman wrote, to the king of Egypt.

B. This second eagle (Pharaoh-hophra, or Apries, king of Egypt) in

grandeur is not as great as the first eagle, Fredenburg observed.

1. Jeremiah 44:30, This is what the LORD says: ‘I am

going to hand Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt over to his

enemies who seek his life, just as I handed Zedekiah king

of Judah over to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the

enemy who was seeking his life.’” (NIV 1984)

2. This eagle actually did nothing in this parable except

appear. (See Fredenburg.)

C. Jerusalem broke its covenant with Nebuchadnezzar and

appealed to Egypt for help against Babylon. Egypt did not, could

not affect Jerusalem’s rescue. Jerusalem was helpless and was

destroyed by Babylon. (See Fredenburg.)

1. Babylon defeated Egypt and turned again against

Jerusalem.

2. In late 588 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem and

exiled King Jehoiachin to Babylon.

3. Nebuchadnezzar appointed Zedekiah, Jehoiachin’s uncle,

King of Judah.



a. Zedekiah was bound by treaty to be loyal to

Nebuchadnezzar.

b. Zedekiah violated this covenant which led to

Jerusalem’s destruction in 586 B.C.

4. Clarke associated the “powerful wings” with extensive

dominion and “many feathers” with numerous subjects.

II. The vine now sent out its roots toward him from the plot where it was

planted and stretched out its branches to him for water.

A. This turning of the vine from one eagle to another refers to

Jerusalem’s, Judah’s change of allegiance from God to Babylon

and Egypt. (See Hamilton.)

B. The vine was planted near an abundant water source.

1. It was surprising, therefore, to read that the vine turns

toward the second eagle for its needs.

2. The first eagle had shown great interest in the vine while

the second eagle had shown no such interest. (See

Fredenburg.)

a. The vine was ungrateful to the first eagle who had

befriended it.

b. Clarke understood “sent out its roots toward him” to

mean Zedekiah looked to Egypt for support in his

intended rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar.

Ezekiel 17:8, It had been planted in good soil by abundant water so

that it would produce branches, bear fruit and become a splendid

vine.’ (NIV 1984)



I. It had been planted in good soil by abundant water so that it would

bear branches, bear fruit and become a splendid vine.

A. The vine’s future was bright as provided by the first eagle.

1. The “good soil” was Babylon which provided for

Jerusalem as long as Zedekiah was obedient to

Nebuchadnezzar. (Clarke)

B. By turning to the second eagle for help, the vine threw all these

blessings away.

C. The riddle ends and attention turns to the prospects of the vine’s

survival. (See Fredenburg.)

Ezekiel 17:9, “Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says:

Will it thrive? Will it not be uprooted and stripped of its fruit so

that it withers? All its new growth will wither. It will not take a

strong arm or many people to pull it up by the roots. (NIV 1984)

I. “Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:…

A. Again, God directed Ezekiel as to exactly what he was to

preach, prophesy.

1. Ezekiel was not at liberty to pick and choose from what

God had said, but was to preach everything exactly in its

entirety.

2. Ezekiel was not to add any of his opinion and was not to

omit anything God had said.

B. This is a must for today’s preachers who are obligated to

proclaim exactly what God has said in the Bible!

II. Will it thrive? Will it not be uprooted and stripped of its fruit so that

it withers?



A. The vine will not thrive. It will be uprooted. It will be stripped

of its fruit. It will wither. (See Fredenburg.)

B. Judah and Jerusalem will not prosper, but will be destroyed and

its people exiled to Babylon. (See Clarke.)

1. Nebuchadnezzar would dethrone (uproot) Zedekiah, kill

his sons (stripped him of his fruit) and exile Zedekiah to

Babylon where he died. (Clarke)

2. The leaves of the vine would wither, all the nobles would

perish. (Clarke)

C. The Pulpit Commentary reminds us that Isaiah, Jeremiah and

Ezekiel, all being God’s spokesmen, were opposed to the alliance

of Judah-Jerusalem and Egypt.

1. Jeremiah 37:7, “This is what the LORD, the God of

Israel, says: Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to

inquire of me, ‘Pharaoh’s army, which has marched out

to support you, will go back to its own land, to Egypt.

(NIV 1984)

2. Isaiah 30:1-7, 30 “Woe to the obstinate children,”

declares the LORD, “to those who carry out plans that are

not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my

Spirit, heaping sin upon sin; who go down to

Egypt without consulting me; who look for help to

Pharaoh’s protection, to Egypt’s shade for refuge. But

Pharaoh’s protection will be to your shame, Egypt’s

shade will bring you disgrace. Though they have officials

in Zoan and their envoys have arrived in Hanes, everyone

will be put to shame because of a people useless to them,

who bring neither help nor advantage, but only shame

and disgrace.” An oracle concerning the animals of the

Negev: Through a land of hardship and distress, of lions



and lionesses, of adders and darting snakes, the envoys

carry their riches on donkeys’ backs, their treasures on

the humps of camels, to that unprofitable nation, to

Egypt, whose help is utterly useless. Therefore I call

her Rahab the Do-Nothing. (NIV 1984)

III. All its new growth will wither. It will not take a strong arm or many

people to pull it up by the roots.

A. The Lord via Ezekiel answers his own rhetorical questions.

B. Fredenburg mentioned that Amos used a similar “rhetorical

strategy … against Israel.”

1. Amos 1:2-15, He said: “The LORD roars from Zion and

thunders from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds

dry up, and the top of Carmel withers.” This is what the

LORD says: “For three sins of Damascus, even for four, I

will not turn back my wrath. Because she threshed

Gilead with sledges having iron teeth, I will send fire

upon the house of Hazael that will consume the fortresses

of Ben-Hadad. I will break down the gate of Damascus; I

will destroy the king who is in the Valley of Aven and the

one who holds the scepter in Beth Eden. The people of

Aram will go into exile to Kir,” says the LORD. This is

what the LORD says: “For three sins of Gaza, even for

four, I will not turn back my wrath. Because she took

captive whole communities and sold them to Edom, I will

send fire upon the walls of Gaza that will consume her

fortresses. I will destroy the king of Ashdod and the one

who holds the scepter in Ashkelon. I will turn my hand

against Ekron, till the last of the Philistines is dead,”

says the Sovereign LORD. This is what the LORD says:

“For three sins of Tyre, even for four, I will not turn back

my wrath. Because she sold whole communities of



captives to Edom, disregarding a treaty of brotherhood, I

will send fire upon the walls of Tyre that will consume her

fortresses.” This is what the LORD says: “For three sins of

Edom, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath.

Because he pursued his brother with a sword, stifling all

compassion, because his anger raged continually and his

fury flamed unchecked, I will send fire upon Teman that

will consume the fortresses of Bozrah.” This is what the

LORD says: “For three sins of Ammon, even for four, I

will not turn back my wrath. Because he ripped open the

pregnant women of Gilead in order to extend his

borders, I will set fire to the walls of Rabbah that will

consume her fortresses amid war cries on the day of

battle, amid violent winds on a stormy day. Her king will

go into exile, he and his officials together,” says the LORD.

(NIV 1984)

2. Amos 2:1-16, This is what the LORD says: “For three

sins of Moab, even for four, I will not turn back my

wrath. Because he burned, as if to lime, the bones of

Edom’s king, I will send fire upon Moab that will

consume the fortresses of Kerioth. Moab will go down in

great tumult amid war cries and the blast of the

trumpet. I will destroy her ruler and kill all her officials

with him,” says the LORD.

This is what the LORD says: “For three sins of

Judah, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath.

Because they have rejected the law of the LORD and have

not kept his decrees, because they have been led astray by

false gods, the gods their ancestors followed, I will send

fire upon Judah that will consume the fortresses of

Jerusalem.” This is what the LORD says: “For three sins

of Israel, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath.

They sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair



of sandals. They trample on the heads of the poor as upon

the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed.

Father and son use the same girl and so profane my holy

name. They lie down beside every altar on garments

taken in pledge. In the house of their god they drink wine

taken as fines. “I destroyed the Amorite before

them, though he was tall as the cedars and strong as the

oaks. I destroyed his fruit above and his roots below. “I

brought you up out of Egypt, and I led you forty years in

the desert to give you the land of the Amorites. I also

raised up prophets from among your sons and Nazirites

from among your young men. Is this not true, people of

Israel?” declares the LORD. “But you made the Nazirites

drink wine and commanded the prophets not to

prophesy. “Now then, I will crush you as a cart crushes

when loaded with grain. The swift will not escape, the

strong will not muster their strength, and the warrior will

not save his life. The archer will not stand his ground, the

fleet-footed soldier will not get away, and the horseman

will not save his life. Even the bravest warriors will flee

naked on that day,” declares the LORD. (NIV 1984)

C. Judah and Jerusalem were in a weakened condition, easily over

thrown.

1. Nebuchadnezzar would find destroying Jerusalem an easy

military task.

2. It would not take a “strong arm” or “many people” to

defeat Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 17:10, Even if it is transplanted, will it thrive? Will it not

wither completely when the east wind strikes it—wither away in the

plot where it grew?’” (NIV 1984)



I. Even if it is transplanted, will it thrive? Will it not wither completely

when the east wind strikes it – wither away in the plot (furrows, beds)

where it grew?’”

A. “The east wind was legendary for its destruction of crops,”

Fredenburg wrote.

1. Genesis 41:6, After them, seven other heads of grain

sprouted—thin and scorched by the east wind. (NIV

1984)

2. Jonah 4:8, When the sun rose, God provided a

scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head

so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It

would be better for me to die than to live.” (NIV 1984)

3. The east wind was a figure of God’s acts of judgment.

a. Exodus 10:13, So Moses stretched out his staff

over Egypt, and the LORD made an east wind blow

across the land all that day and all that night. By

morning the wind had brought the locusts; (NIV

1984)

b. Isaiah 27:8, By warfare and exile you contend

with her—with his fierce blast he drives her out, as

on a day the east wind blows. (NIV 1984)

c. Jeremiah 18:17, Like a wind from the east, I will

scatter them before their enemies; I will show them

my back and not my face in the day of their

disaster.” (NIV 1984)

B. The east wind here references the Babylonian armies led by

Nebuchadnezzar advancing across the desert toward Jerusalem.

(Coffman)



1. The east wind is the symbol of scorching and devastating

power. (The Pulpit Commentary)

2. Ezekiel 19:12, But it was uprooted in fury and thrown

to the ground. The east wind made it shrivel, it was

stripped of its fruit; its strong branches withered and fire

consumed them. (NIV 1984)

3. Hosea 13:15, even though he thrives among his

brothers. An east wind from the LORD will come, blowing

in from the desert; his spring will fail and his well dry up.

His storehouse will be plundered of all its treasures. (NIV

1984)

4. Jonah 4:8, When the sun rose, God provided a

scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head

so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It

would be better for me to die than to live.” (NIV 1984)

5. Job 27:21, The east wind carries him off, and he is

gone; it sweeps him out of his place. (NIV 1984)

C. Zedekiah was the last king of the Jews to sit on David’s throne

… until Jesus came!

Ezekiel 17:11, Then the word of the LORD came to me: (NIV 1984)

I. Then the word of the Lord came to me: …

A. This is repeated because the fact that Ezekiel spoke only as

directed by the Lord is vitally important!

Ezekiel 17:12, “Say to this rebellious house, ‘Do you not know what

these things mean?’ Say to them: ‘The king of Babylon went to

Jerusalem and carried off her king and her nobles, bringing them

back with him to Babylon. (NIV 1984)



I. “Say to this rebellious house, ‘Do you not know what these things

mean?’

A. Israel should have understood this parable, that they were the

vine set for destruction, but evidently they did not have ears

interested in hearing. (See Fredenburg.)

1. God through Ezekiel explained the oracles to the exiles in

Babylon.

B. The meaning of these oracles is now clear. The death of

Zedekiah and the total ruin and destruction of Jerusalem are in

view. (Coffman)

C. There were probably some among the exiles in Babylon living

at Tel-Abib who hoped for the success of the Egyptian alliance.

(See The Pulpit Commentary.)

II. Say to them: ‘The king of Babylon went to Jerusalem and carried off

her king and her nobles, bringing them back with him to Babylon.

A. This refers to Nebuchadnezzar’s carrying ten thousand (10,000)

citizens of Jerusalem into Babylonian captivity along with King

Jehorachin and his princes. (See Smith)

B. McGee observed that the pagan king Nebuchadnezzar kept his

part of the covenant, but Zedekiah and the other “people of God”

broke the covenant.

1. On occasion some “church members” are not as

dependable in keeping their word as are some unsaved people

of integrity.

2. When in college this scribe naively thought a person was

either honest or he wasn’t. He remembers being stunned to

hear one highly respected Christian business man referring to



his equally highly respected Christian business partner as

“reasonably honest.”

a. How honest are you?

Ezekiel 17:13, Then he took a member of the royal family and made

a treaty with him, putting him under oath. He also carried away the

leading men of the land, (NIV 1984)

I. Then he took a member of the royal family (Zedekiah) and made a

treaty with him, putting him under oath.

A. “The person mentioned here was, ‘An uncle of Jehoiachin,

named Mattaniah (gift of God), whom Nebuchadnezzar made King

of Judah under the name of Zedekiah, and from whom he took an

oath.’” (Leal via Coffman)

1. 2 Kings 24:17, He made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle,

king in his place and changed his name to Zedekiah. (NIV

1984)

2. 2 Chronicles 36:13, He also rebelled against King

Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him take an oath in

God’s name. He became stiff-necked and hardened his

heart and would not turn to the LORD, the God of Israel.

(NIV 1984)

II. He also carried away the leading (mighty) men of the land, …

A. The Pulpit Commentary states, “It was Nebuchadnezzar’s

policy to deprive the kingdom of all its elements of strength – to

leave it ‘bare’. Even masons, smiths, and carpenters were carried

off lest they be used for warlike preparations.”

1. 2 Kings 24:16, The king of Babylon also deported to

Babylon the entire force of seven thousand fighting men,



strong and fit for war, and a thousand craftsmen and

artisans. (NIV 1984)

Ezekiel 17:14, so that the kingdom would be brought low, unable to

rise again, surviving only by keeping his treaty. (NIV 1984)

I. so that the kingdom would be brought low, unable to rise again,

surviving only by keeping his treaty.

A. “The parable also predicted what was about to happen in 586

B.C.E. when Jerusalem was destroyed and the Davidic ruler

(Zedekiah) was deported to Babylon,” Smith wrote.

B. Jerusalem would be destroyed and left desolate.

Ezekiel 17:15, But the king rebelled against him by sending his

envoys to Egypt to get horses and a large army. Will he succeed?

Will he who does such things escape? Will he break the treaty and

yet escape? (NIV 1984)

I. But the king rebelled against him by sending his envoys to Egypt to

get horses and a large army.

A. This rebellion can be dated to 588 B. C. and the Egyptian

Pharaoh to whom Zedekiah sent envoys was Hophra. (Hamilton

and Coffman) or Apries King of Egypt (Clarke)

1. Jeremiah 44:30, This is what the LORD says: ‘I am

going to hand Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt over to his

enemies who seek his life, just as I handed Zedekiah king

of Judah over to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the

enemy who was seeking his life.’” (NIV 1984)

B. Clarke dated the sending of these envoys to Egypt between the

sixth month of Zedekiah’s sixth year and the fifth month of his

seventh year.



1. Ezekiel 8:1, In the sixth year, in the sixth month on the

fifth day, while I was sitting in my house and the elders of

Judah were sitting before me, the hand of the Sovereign

LORD came upon me there. (NIV 1984)

2. Ezekiel 20:1, In the seventh year, in the fifth month on

the tenth day, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire

of the LORD, and they sat down in front of me. (NIV

1984)

C. “Horses and chariots” were a major military strength of the

Egyptian army.

1. Exodus 14:7, He took six hundred of the best chariots,

along with all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers

over all of them. (NIV 1984)

2. 1 Kings 10:28-29, Solomon’s horses were imported

from Egypt and from Kue—the royal merchants

purchased them from Kue. They imported a chariot from

Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a

hundred and fifty. They also exported them to all the

kings of the Hittites and of the Arameans. (NIV 1984)

3. 2 Chronicles 12:3, With twelve hundred chariots and

sixty thousand horsemen and the innumerable troops of

Libyans, Sukkites and Cushites that came with him from

Egypt, (NIV 1984)

4. Isaiah 31:1, Woe to those who go down to Egypt for

help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of

their chariots and in the great strength of their

horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or

seek help from the LORD. (NIV 1984)



5. Isaiah 36:9, How then can you repulse one officer of the

least of my master’s officials, even though you are

depending on Egypt for chariots and horsemen? (NIV

1984)

II. Will he succeed (prosper)? Will he who does such things escape?

Will he break the treaty and yet escape?

A. The answer is a resounding, “No!”

Ezekiel 17:16, “‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, he

shall die in Babylon, in the land of the king who put him on the

throne, whose oath he despised and whose treaty he broke. (NIV

1984)

I. “ ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, he shall die in

Babylon, in the land of the king who put him on the throne,…

A. Jehovah held Zedekiah responsible for violating his covenant

with Nebuchadnezzar and pronounced judgment on him. (See

Hamilton.)

1. Zedekiah would be deported to Babylon where he would

die. He was taken to Babylon never to return. (Clarke)

a. Ezekiel 12:13, I will spread my net for him, and he

will be caught in my snare; I will bring him to

Babylonia, the land of the Chaldeans, but he will not

see it, and there he will die. (NIV 1984)

2. “Violation of a sacred oath was an offense against

Yahweh, “ Smith wrote.

3. God expects us to keep our word!

B. Both international and supernatural punishments awaited Israel.

(See Fredenburg.)



II. whose oath he despised and whose treaty he broke.

A. Fredenburg wrote, “… the issue in this riddle is loyalty.”

1. Queen Jerusalem had no loyalty for her husband, God.

2. The vine had no loyalty for the first eagle.

3. Zedekiah had no loyalty for Nebuchadnezzar or for God.

Ezekiel 17:17, Pharaoh with his mighty army and great horde will

be of no help to him in war, when ramps are built and siege works

erected to destroy many lives. (NIV 1984)

I. Pharaoh with his mighty army and great horde will be of no help to

him in war,…

A. Pharaoh was no help at all for Zedekiah in his efforts to

withstand Nebuchadnezzar.

1. Jeremiah 37:4-11, Now Jeremiah was free to come and

go among the people, for he had not yet been put in

prison. Pharaoh’s army had marched out of Egypt, and

when the Babylonians who were besieging Jerusalem

heard the report about them, they withdrew from

Jerusalem. Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah

the prophet: “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel,

says: Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of

me, ‘Pharaoh’s army, which has marched out to support

you, will go back to its own land, to Egypt. Then the

Babylonians will return and attack this city; they will

capture it and burn it down.’ “This is what the LORD

says: Do not deceive yourselves, thinking, ‘The

Babylonians will surely leave us.’ They will not! 10

Even if

you were to defeat the entire Babylonian army that is

attacking you and only wounded men were left in their



tents, they would come out and burn this city down.”

After the Babylonian army had withdrawn from

Jerusalem because of Pharaoh’s army, (NIV 1984)

II. when ramps are built and siege works erected to destroy many lives.

A. “The Egyptians would be powerless to prevent that second and

decisive siege.

1. Jeremiah 39:1, In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of

Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of

Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army

and laid siege to it. (NIV 1984)

2. 2 Kings 25:1, So in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign,

on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar

king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his

whole army. He encamped outside the city and built siege

works all around it. (NIV 1984)

Ezekiel 17:18, He despised the oath by breaking the covenant.

Because he had given his hand in pledge and yet did all these things,

he shall not escape. (NIV 1984)

I. He despised the oath by breaking the covenant.

A. Zedekiah violated his covenant with Nebuchadnezzar by

rebelling against Babylon and seeking to align Jerusalem with

Egypt.

B. Zedekiah (“righteousness of Jehovah”) violated his oath with

God because it was by the name of the Lord he had sworn.

1. God especially resented Zedekiah’s failure to keep his

oath.



C. For his sins God delivered Zedekiah to Babylon with the loss of

his sons, his vision and in Babylon his life.

1. Sin carries a terrible price tag, which is never discounted!

2. “Sometimes God allows a godless nation (in this case

Babylon) to harass and actually destroy a people who claim

to be God’s people (Judah and Jerusalem), but have actually

departed from Him.

II. Because he had given his hand in pledge and yet did all these things,

he shall not escape.

A. Zedekiah was totally unable to withstand the mighty power of

the Babylonian army.

Ezekiel 17:19, “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: As

surely as I live, I will bring down on his head my oath that he

despised and my covenant that he broke. (NIV 1984)

I. “ ‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: …

A. The Lord made it clear exactly what he wanted Ezekiel to

preach, prophesy.

1. Ezekiel knew he had better say exactly what God told him

to say.

II. As surely as I live, I will bring down on his head my oath that he

despised and my covenant that he broke.

A. As certainly as God lives, the Lord vowed to bring down on

Zedekiah’s head the penalties due for his despising God’s oath and

breaking God’s covenant.

1. Ezekiel 17:16, 19, “‘As surely as I live, declares the

Sovereign LORD, he shall die in Babylon, in the land of



the king who put him on the throne, whose oath he

despised and whose treaty he broke. 19

“‘Therefore this is

what the Sovereign LORD says: As surely as I live, I will

bring down on his head my oath that he despised and my

covenant that he broke. (NIV 1984)

2. Ezekiel 5:11, Therefore as surely as I live, declares the

Sovereign LORD, because you have defiled my sanctuary

with all your vile images and detestable practices, I

myself will withdraw my favor; I will not look on you

with pity or spare you. (NIV 1984)

3. Ezekiel 12:13, I will spread my net for him, and he will

be caught in my snare; I will bring him to Babylonia, the

land of the Chaldeans, but he will not see it, and there he

will die. (NIV 1984)

4. Zedekiah was in one big mess of trouble! He would be

caught by the Babylonians while trying to escape, see his

sons killed “before his eyes”, blinded, and deported in

shackles to Babylon where he died.

5. When swearing allegiance to Nebuchadnezzar, Zedekiah

invoked the name of Yahweh.

a. God looked with great displeasure on persons

breaking a sworn oath taken by his name.

1. 2 Chronicles 36:13, He also rebelled against King

Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him take an oath in

God’s name. He became stiff-necked and hardened his

heart and would not turn to the LORD, the God of Israel.

(NIV 1984)



Ezekiel 17:20, I will spread my net for him, and he will be caught in

my snare. I will bring him to Babylon and execute judgment upon

him there because he was unfaithful to me. (NIV 1984)

I. I will spread my net for him, and he will be caught in my snare.

A. Because of his sins, God would ensnare Zedekiah and deliver

him to Babylon.

II. I will bring him to Babylon and execute judgment upon him there

because he was unfaithful to me.

A. Zedekiah had broken his contract, treaty, covenant with

Nebuchadnezzar and God saw to it that Zedekiah would not escape

Nebuchadnezzar’s wrath.

1. The Egyptians on whom Zedekiah placed his hopes for

deliverance from Babylon could not help.

a. Jeremiah 37:4-15, Now Jeremiah was free to come

and go among the people, for he had not yet been

put in prison. Pharaoh’s army had marched out of

Egypt, and when the Babylonians who were

besieging Jerusalem heard the report about them,

they withdrew from Jerusalem. Then the word of

the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet: “This is

what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Tell the king

of Judah, who sent you to inquire of me, ‘Pharaoh’s

army, which has marched out to support you, will go

back to its own land, to Egypt. Then the

Babylonians will return and attack this city; they

will capture it and burn it down.’ “This is what the

LORD says: Do not deceive yourselves, thinking,

‘The Babylonians will surely leave us.’ They will

not! Even if you were to defeat the entire

Babylonian army that is attacking you and only



wounded men were left in their tents, they would

come out and burn this city down.” After the

Babylonian army had withdrawn from Jerusalem

because of Pharaoh’s army, Jeremiah started to

leave the city to go to the territory of Benjamin to

get his share of the property among the people there.

But when he reached the Benjamin Gate, the

captain of the guard, whose name was Irijah son of

Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah, arrested him and

said, “You are deserting to the Babylonians!”

“That’s not true!” Jeremiah said. “I am not

deserting to the Babylonians.” But Irijah would not

listen to him; instead, he arrested Jeremiah and

brought him to the officials. They were angry with

Jeremiah and had him beaten and imprisoned in the

house of Jonathan the secretary, which they had

made into a prison. (NIV 1984)

b. Jeremiah 51:59, This is the message Jeremiah

gave to the staff officer Seraiah son of Neriah, the

son of Mahseiah, when he went to Babylon with

Zedekiah king of Judah in the fourth year of his

reign. (NIV 1984)

Ezekiel 17:21, All his fleeing troops will fall by the sword, and the

survivors will be scattered to the winds. Then you will know that I

the LORD have spoken. (NIV 1984)

I. All his fleeing troops will fall by the sword, and the survivors will be

scattered to the winds.

A. Zedekiah’s army would be slaughtered and scattered in all

directions by the Babylonian military. (See Smith.)

II. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken.



A. Sinful Jerusalem was hard to convince, but finally, with their

kings (Zedekiah and Jehoiachin) in Babylon and the city lying in

ruins, they finally got the message, “I the Lord have spoken.”

a. What will it take to convince us?

Ezekiel 17:22, “‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will

take a shoot from the very top of a cedar and plant it; I will break

off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and

lofty mountain. (NIV 1984)

I. “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: …

A. The Lord speaks again; this time he speaks hopeful and

encouraging words.

B. The glorious picture of the future for Judah was never

historically realized.

1. These promises are fulfilled in Christ and his spiritual

kingdom.

a. Isaiah 2:2, In the last days the mountain of the

LORD’s temple will be established as chief among

the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and

all nations will stream to it. (NIV 1984)

b. Micah 4:1, In the last days the mountain of the

LORD’s temple will be established as chief among

the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and

peoples will stream to it. (NIV 1984)

c. Ezekiel 31:3-9, Consider Assyria, once a cedar in

Lebanon, with beautiful branches overshadowing

the forest; it towered on high, its top above the thick

foliage. The waters nourished it, deep springs made

it grow tall; their streams flowed all around its base



and sent their channels to all the trees of the field.

So it towered higher than all the trees of the field;

its boughs increased and its branches grew

long, spreading because of abundant waters. All the

birds of the air nested in its boughs,

all the beasts of the field gave birth under its

branches; all the great nations lived in its shade. It

was majestic in beauty, with its spreading boughs,

for its roots went down to abundant waters. The

cedars in the garden of God could not rival it,

nor could the pine trees equal its boughs, nor could

the plane trees compare with its branches—no tree

in the garden of God could match its beauty. I

made it beautiful with abundant branches, the envy

of all the trees of Eden in the garden of God. (NIV

1984)

d. Matthew 13:32, Though it is the smallest of all

your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of

garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds

of the air come and perch in its branches.” (NIV

1984)

e. Isaiah 11:1, A shoot will come up from the stump

of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

(NIV9184)

f. Isaiah 53:2, He grew up before him like a tender

shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no

beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his

appearance that we should desire him. (NIV 1984)

g. 1 Samuel 2:7, The LORD sends poverty and

wealth; he humbles and he exalts. (NIV 1984)



h. Luke 1:51-52, He has performed mighty deeds

with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud

in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down

rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the

humble. (NIV 1984)

i. Luke 23:31, For if men do these things when the

tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

(NIV 1984)

II. I myself will take a shoot (twig, branch) from the very top of a cedar

and plant it;…

A. The royal Davidic family would not cease to exist with the

deportation of Zedekiah. (See Smith.)

1. Smith advised that this shoot, twig which would grow into

a splendid cedar references Jesus the Messiah. (Clarke

agreed.)

B. God’s promise to have a descendant of David sit perpetually on

David’s throne in Jerusalem was contingent on their being faithful

to God.

1. God’s promise to bring the Messiah into the world through

David’s lineage who would forever sit on David’s throne was

unconditional.

a. 2 Samuel 7:15, But my love will never be taken

away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I

removed from before you. (NIV 1984)

b. Psalm 132:11, The LORD swore an oath to

David, a sure oath that he will not revoke: ”One of

your own descendants I will place on your throne—

(NIV 1984)



2. “The cedar is the Davidic line and the shoot is a Davidic

king.” (Fredenburg)

a. Isaiah 11:1, A shoot will come up from the stump

of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

(NIV 1984)

b. Jeremiah 23:5, “The days are coming,” declares

the LORD, “when I will raise up to David a righteous

Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is

just and right in the land. (NIV 1984)

c. Jeremiah 33:15, “‘In those days and at that time I

will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s

line; he will do what is just and right in the land.

(NIV 1984)

d. Zechariah 3:8, “‘Listen, O high priest Joshua and

your associates seated before you, who are men

symbolic of things to come: I am going to bring my

servant, the Branch. (NIV 1984)

e. Zechariah 6:12-13, Tell him this is what the LORD

Almighty says: ‘Here is the man whose name is the

Branch, and he will branch out from his place and

build the temple of the LORD. 13

It is he who will

build the temple of the LORD, and he will be clothed

with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And

he will be a priest on his throne. And there will be

harmony between the two.’ (NIV 1984)

3. Verses 22-24 constitute a prophecy of the Messiah and the

kingdom of the Messiah.

a. Christ the Messiah is known as the Branch.



II. I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a

high and lofty mountain (mountain heights of Israel).

A. Fredenburg observed that there was an ancient Near Eastern

myth of the cosmic tree which spoke of a grand universal kingdom.

Many ancient Near Eastern rulers aspired to be king of that

universal kingdom.

B. Ezekiel and Daniel spoke of a tree which grew under God’s

providential care.

1. The tall tree, Nebuchadnezzar, et.al. would be brought

down.

2. In the branches of the low tree, the dry tree, the

downtrodden of earth will rest.

a. This speaks to King Jesus and his worldwide, eternal,

universal, grand kingdom, the church of the living God.

3. Ezekiel 19:10-11, “‘Your mother was like a vine in your

vineyard planted by the water; it was fruitful and full of

branches because of abundant water. Its branches were

strong, fit for a ruler’s scepter. It towered high above the

thick foliage, conspicuous for its height and for its many

branches. (NIV 1984)

4. Ezekiel 31:1-9, In the eleventh year, in the third month

on the first day, the word of the LORD came to me: “Son

of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes:

“‘Who can be compared with you in majesty?

Consider Assyria, once a cedar in Lebanon, with

beautiful branches overshadowing the forest; it towered

on high, its top above the thick foliage. The waters

nourished it, deep springs made it grow tall; their streams

flowed all around its base and sent their channels to all



the trees of the field. So it towered higher than all the

trees of the field; its boughs increased and its branches

grew long, spreading because of abundant waters. All the

birds of the air nested in its boughs, all the beasts of the

field gave birth under its branches; all the great

nations lived in its shade. It was majestic in beauty, with

its spreading boughs, for its roots went down to abundant

waters. The cedars in the garden of God could not rival

it, nor could the pine trees equal its boughs, nor could the

plane trees compare with its branches—no tree in the

garden of God could match its beauty. I made it

beautiful with abundant branches, the envy of all the

trees of Eden in the garden of God. (NIV 1984)

5. Daniel 4:10-12, These are the visions I saw while lying

in my bed: I looked, and there before me stood a tree in

the middle of the land. Its height was enormous. 11

The

tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it

was visible to the ends of the earth. 12

Its leaves were

beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all.

Under it the beasts of the field found shelter, and the

birds of the air lived in its branches; from it every

creature was fed. (NIV 1984)

Ezekiel 17:23, On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it; it

will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar.

Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade

of its branches. (NIV 1984)

I. On the mountain heights of Jerusalem, Israel, I will plant it; it will

produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar.

A. Christ would make his appearance at the temple and found his

church at Jerusalem. (Clarke)



1. Clarke identified the branches as Christ’s apostles,

evangelists, et.al.

2. The “fruit” refers to converts to Christianity.

II. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade

of its branches.

A. In the place of the vine, old Israel, God will grow a splendid

cedar, the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, fulfilling the Lord’s

promise to David.

1. People of all races and nations find shelter in the

welcoming arms of the Lord Jesus. (See Clarke.)

2. Ezekiel 31:6, 12, All the birds of the air nested in its

boughs, all the beasts of the field gave birth under its

branches; all the great nations lived in its shade. 12

and

the most ruthless of foreign nations cut it down and left it.

Its boughs fell on the mountains and in all the valleys; its

branches lay broken in all the ravines of the land. All the

nations of the earth came out from under its shade and

left it. (NIV 1984)

3. Daniel 4:12, 21, Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit

abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the beasts

of the field found shelter, and the birds of the air lived in

its branches; from it every creature was fed. with

beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for

all, giving shelter to the beasts of the field, and having

nesting places in its branches for the birds of the air—

(NIV 1984)



4. Mark 4:32, Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the

largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that

the birds of the air can perch in its shade.” (NIV 1984)

B. God would indeed honor all his sacred promises to David, but

with entirely different personnel unassociated with apostate Israel.

(Coffman)

Ezekiel 17:24, All the trees of the field will know that I the LORD

bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up

the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. “‘I the LORD have

spoken, and I will do it.’” (NIV 1984)

I. All the trees of the field will know that I the Lord bring down the tall

tree and make the low tree grow tall.

A. The Lord God is sovereign over all the trees (nations) of earth.

(See Smith.)

B. Clarke identified “the tall tree” as Jehoiachin and “the low tree”

as Zedekiah.

C. Newcome via Clarke wrote that “the high and green tree” refers

to Nebuchadnezzar while “the low and the dry tree” refers to the

Jews.

II. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish.

A. “The worldwide acceptance of Christ in his Messianic rule is

indicated by this,” Coffman wrote.

1. Matthew 28:18-20, Then Jesus came to them and said,

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to

me. 19

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,

baptizing them in[a]

the name of the Father and of the Son

and of the Holy Spirit, 20

and teaching them to obey



everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with

you always, to the very end of the age.” (NIV 1984)

B. Clarke identified “the green tree” as Zedekiah’s children who

were killed before his eyes at Riblah and “the dry tree” that would

flourish as Christ of the descendants of David of “whose kingdom

and peace there would be no end; upon the throne of David, and

upon his kingdom, to order and establish it with judgment and with

justice, from henceforth, even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of

hosts will perform this,”

III. “’I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.’”

A. God who expects us to keep our word will certainly keep his!

Conclusion:

I. Ezekiel 17, as well as the book of Ezekiel otherwise, stresses the

absolute necessity of knowing, respecting and obeying every word of the

Sovereign Lord.

A. Verses 1,11, “The word of the Lord came to me:…”

B. Verses 3,9, 19, 22 :”This is what the Sovereign Lord says:…”

C. Verse 16, “as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord,…”

D. Verse 21, “Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken.”

E. Verse 24, “I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.”

II. Ezekiel had learned that he was to speak and live by every word of

the Sovereign Lord.

A. The way to heaven is revealed in the word spoken by the

Sovereign Lord!



B. There is no other way to glory except through Christ, the living

word.

1. John 1:1-4, In the beginning was the Word, and the

Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with

God in the beginning. Through him all things were made;

without him nothing was made that has been made. In

him was life, and that life was the light of men. (NIV

1984)

III. In Ezekiel 17:2 and elsewhere, Ezekiel is addressed as “son of man,”

a designation of Jesus our Lord as well.

A. Matthew 12:8, For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

(NIV 1984)

B. Ezekiel and Jesus by this term are clearly identified with the

people they served!



Questions

Ezekiel 17:1-24

(Questions based on NIV text)

1. Jerusalem’s destruction was the result of what? What was the

underlying cause of Jerusalem’s destruction? When was Jerusalem

destroyed? _________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

2. The prophesy of Ezekiel 17 was directed against what false hope of

Israel? Of what does this remind us? ____________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

3. How were the covenant promises to David fulfilled? What were these

covenant prophecies? ________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

4. Ezekiel 17 can be dated to what set of circumstances and to what

years? ____________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________



__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

5. What verses in Ezekiel 17 stress the absolute necessity of respecting

and obeying every word of the Sovereign Lord? ___________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

6. ___________ had ____________ that he was to ____________ and

___________ by ____________ ___________ of the ___________

____________.

7. What is the significance of the designation “son of man” as applied to

Ezekiel and Jesus?___________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

8. How does the word of the Sovereign Lord come to people in our

generation? ________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

9. Define “parable”. _________________________________________



__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

10. Define “allegory”. ________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

11. Define “riddle”. __________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

12. Define “tale”. ___________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

13. Define “fable”. __________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________



14. Define “metaphor”. _______________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

15. How do the above terms (Questions 9-14) rightly describe the

contents of Ezekiel 17? Why did Ezekiel use these literary techniques?

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

16. ___________ and ___________ are to ___________ __________

what the ___________ __________ says; ___________ ___________,

___________ ____________, ___________ ____________!

17. What is represented by: Great eagle? _________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

Powerful wings: ____________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

Long feathers ______________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________



__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

Full plumage? ______________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

Varied colors? ______________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

Lebanon? __________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

The top of a cedar? Topmost cedar? ____________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

The cedar of Lebanon? _______________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

The land of merchants? The city of traders? ______________________



__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

The sea of your land? ________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

Fertile soil? ________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

18. Why do “like a willow” and “abundant waters” remind the reader of,

describe Babylon? __________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

19. What does “the low spreading vine” represent and what does the

“low spreading” aspect indicate? _______________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________



20. Toward whom did the low spreading vine turn? What is the

significance of its roots remaining under it? _______________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

21. Under what conditions did the vine produce branches and put out

leafy boughs? ______________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

22. What did the second eagle represent? Compare the two eagles as to

power and grandeur? Who was this eagle? How did he help Jerusalem?

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

23. What happened to Jerusalem in 588 B.C.? What happened to

Jerusalem in 586 B.C. ? ______________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________



24. What was the “abundant water source” near which the vine was

planted? To whom did this vine sent out its roots? What happened as a

result of this? _______________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

25. Specify what the Sovereign Lord said each time this statement is

found in Ezekiel 17. ________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

26. What must today’s preachers proclaim? _______________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

27. What, according to verse 17, would not thrive, but would be

uprooted and stripped of its fruits. ______________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________



__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

28. Were all of God’s true prophets always in agreement? If so, why

were they always agreed? If not, why were God’s true prophets not

always in agreements? _______________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

29. The ____________ ____________ was ___________ for its

____________ of ____________. The ____________ ____________

here references the ___________ led by __________ ___________

across the ____________ _____________ ____________. The

___________- ___________ is the ___________ of ___________ and

____________ ____________.

30. _________________ was the ______________ ___________of the

______________ to _______________ on ___________’s __________

… ____________ ____________ ____________!

31. Israel should have known that they were the ___________ set for

__________. This refers to ______________’s caring

(______________) ______________ _____________ ____________ of

_____________ in ______________ _____________ along with

______________ ______________ and his _____________.

32. How strange do you find the fact that the pagan king

Nebuchadnezzar kept his part of their Agreement whereas Zedekiah did

not keep his part of their Agreement? ___________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________



__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

33. How do you account for the fact that on occasion some “church

members” are not as dependable in keeping their word as are some

unsaved people of integrity? __________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

34. On a scale from one (1) to ten (10) with one (1) representing total

dishonestly and ten (10) representing absolutely total honesty, how

honest are you? How did you arrive at your answer? _______________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

35. Who were Jehoiachin, Apries, Nebuchadnezzar, Mattaniah, Hophra,

and Zedekiah? ______________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________



36. Why did Nebuchadnezzar take the leaders and talented people from

Jerusalem to Babylon? _______________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

37. When did Zedekiah rebel against Nebuchadnezzar? Did God

approve of this rebellion? What were the results of this rebellion? ____

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

38. Why was God so opposed to Zedekiah’s breaking his treaty with

Nebuchadnezzar? ___________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

39. _______________ with his ______________ ____________ and

____________ _____________ will be of no _____________ to him

(______________) in _______________, when ______________ are

_____________ and ______________ _____________ __________ to

_____________ many _____________.

40. Why did God allow a godless nation (Babylon) to destroy Jerusalem

which claimed to be people of God? When has God done this kind of

thing in recent years? ________________________________________



__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

41. How serious is it to swear in the name of the Lord and then to break

your oath. _________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

42. Because of his ___________, ____________ would ____________

____________ and _____________him to ____________. God would

____________ ____________ upon him (____________) in

_____________ because he was ____________ to me

(______________).

43. What did it take for Jerusalem to know that it was the Lord who had

spoken? ___________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

44. ____________’s ____________ to have a ____________ of

____________ sit ____________ on ______________’s ____________

in ___________ was _______________ on their being ______________

to _____________.



45. ____________’s _____________ to bring the ______________ into

the ____________ through ___________’s _____________ who would

_____________ ____________on ____________’s _____________

was _____________.

46. Verses 22-24 _______________ a ______________of the

_____________ and the ____________ of the ____________.

47. In the ____________ of the ____________ tree, the

_______________ tree, the ______________ of _______________ will

________________. This speaks to ______________ ______________

and his _______________, ______________, _____________,

________________, _______________, the _____________ of the

_______________ ________________.

48. On the _____________ ____________ of _____________,

______________, I will _____________it; it will _____________

____________ and ______________ ____________ and become a

______________ _____________. ______________ of all

______________ and ______________ find ______________ in the

_____________ ______________ of the ______________

______________.

49. Give the literal and spiritual application of Ezekiel 17:24.

Remember prophecies often have primary and secondary applications.

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

50. “____________ the _____________ have _____________, and I

will __________- _____________.” God keeps his word! We must

keep our word!

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