EZEKIEL LESSON 18


     We will begin this lesson in Ezekiel 17:1 "And the word of the
LORD came unto me, saying,"

     We see a break from the last prophecy in this.

     Ezekiel 17:2 "Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable
unto the house of Israel;"

     "Riddle", in the verse above, means puzzle. We know that Jesus
spoke in parables, so that the unbelieving world would not understand.
Matthew 13:13 "Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they
seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they
understand."  This parable to the house of Israel is similar to the
parables Jesus told. He would relate a story to them that contained a
deep spiritual message. The world would not understand, because
parables must be understood by the spirit. God must reveal to us what
they are saying, or we will not know. They would hear with their ears,
but might not understand in their hearts.

     Ezekiel 17:3 "And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; A great eagle
with great wings, longwinged, full of feathers, which had divers
colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar:"

     The great eagle, in this parable, is, possibly, speaking of the
king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar. This highest branch of the cedar is,
possibly, speaking of the king of Judah. We know that Jehoiachin was
captured and taken back to Babylon. The "eagle" symbolizes God, but in
this particular instance, Nebuchadnezzar was the instrument God used
to bring judgement on His people. The many colours show that they were
not all under one flag. Many countries were fighting with Babylon.

     Ezekiel 17:4 He cropped off the top of his young twigs, and
carried it into a land of traffic; he set it in a city of merchants.

     The land of traffic was, perhaps, Babylon. The twigs cropped off
could have been the princes that he took with him. The city of
merchants is Babylon.

     Ezekiel 17:5 "He took also of the seed of the land, and planted
it in a fruitful field; he placed [it] by great waters, [and] set it
[as] a willow tree."

     Nebuchadnezzar made his uncle Zedekiah king of Judah. The cedar
was thought of as a majestic tree. This willow is an opposite. It is
sometimes spoken of as a weeping tree.

     Ezekiel 17:6 "And it grew, and became a spreading vine of low
stature, whose branches turned toward him, and the roots thereof were
under him: so it became a vine, and brought forth branches, and shot
forth sprigs."

     Actually, Zedekiah was taking orders from Nebuchadnezzar. The
"branches turning toward him", means they were supposed to be taking
orders from Nebuchadnezzar. The sprigs indicate Zedekiah's sons.

     Ezekiel 17:7 "There was also another great eagle with great wings
and many feathers: and, behold, this vine did bend her roots toward
him, and shot forth her branches toward him, that he might water it by
the furrows of her plantation."

     This "other great eagle", here, is speaking of the Pharaoh of
Egypt. We see, in this, that Zedekiah turned their loyalty toward
Egypt.  He forgot who had put him in power. He had betrayed
Nebuchadnezzar.  This just means that Zedekiah did not want to be
ruled by Nebuchadnezzar, and he sought help from Egypt.

     Ezekiel 17:8 "It was planted in a good soil by great waters, that
it might bring forth branches, and that it might bear fruit, that it
might be a goodly vine."

     Judah was a fruitful prosperous land. They could have brought
forth many branches. They could have produced greatly, had the
judgement of God not been upon them.

     Ezekiel 17:9 "Say thou, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Shall it
prosper?  shall he not pull up the roots thereof, and cut off the
fruit thereof, that it wither? it shall wither in all the leaves of
her spring, even without great power or many people to pluck it up by
the roots thereof."

     The downfall of Zedekiah and his sons would be soon. God is
opposed to his people making a treaty with the world {Egypt}. You
remember, this kingdom headed by Zedekiah had not been very strong. It
had first reached to Nebuchadnezzar, and then to Pharoah for help. It
will be no great task for Nebuchadnezzar to destroy them. Zedekiah
will be uprooted as king. He was so weak, it was an easy overthrow. In
fact, his sons are killed before him, and his eyes poked out, before
he is carried captive to Babylon.

     Ezekiel 17:10 "Yea, behold, [being] planted, shall it prosper?
shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? it shall
wither in the furrows where it grew."

     The east wind is a wind of great power. It is usually spoken of
as an ill wind. When this wind comes, the crops are destroyed.

     Ezekiel 17:11  "Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me,
saying,"

     There is a break in the parable here.

     Ezekiel 17:12 "Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what
these [things mean]? tell [them], Behold, the king of Babylon is come
to Jerusalem, and hath taken the king thereof, and the princes
thereof, and led them with him to Babylon;"
     Just as Jesus explained some of the parables he gave to His
disciples, God will explain the parable here, to the rebellious house
of Israel. We see Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon has captured
Jehoiachin, and the princes with him, and taken them to Babylon.

     Ezekiel 17:13 "And hath taken of the king's seed, and made a
covenant with him, and hath taken an oath of him: he hath also taken
the mighty of the land:"

     The kings seed is speaking of Zedekiah. Nebuchadnezzar put his
uncle Mattaniah in power instead of Jehoiachin {Jeconiah}. He put him
in power and changed his name to Zedekiah. The covenant was between
Zedekiah and Nebuchadnezzar. The king of Babylon had captured the
mighty in the land, and carried them captive to Babylon.

     Ezekiel 17:14 "That the kingdom might be base, that it might not
lift itself up, [but] that by keeping of his covenant it might stand."

     This is saying, the king of Babylon captured those strong, who
might have opposed Zedekiah, and took them to Babylon. This kingdom
would be subject to Babylon. It would not be an independent country.
It would be allowed to stand, as long as it was subject to Babylon.
Zedekiah had made an agreement with Nebuchadnezzar to be subject to
him.

     Ezekiel 17:15 "But he rebelled against him in sending his
ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much
people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such [things]? or
shall he break the covenant, and be delivered?"

     Zedekiah rebels against Nebuchadnezzar. He breaks the covenant
and seeks help from Egypt. Of course, he will not prosper in this. He
will not escape. He will lose his sons and his eyesight, because of
this betrayal.

     Ezekiel 17:16 "[As] I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely in the
place [where] the king [dwelleth] that made him king, whose oath he
despised, and whose covenant he brake, [even] with him in the midst of
Babylon he shall die."

     Zedekiah will be carried to Babylon blind, and will die in
Babylon.

     Ezekiel 17:17 "Neither shall Pharaoh with [his] mighty army and
great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and
building forts, to cut off many persons:"

     Pharaoh had a mighty army, but nothing to compare to
Nebuchadnezzar. Pharaoh will not fight Nebuchadnezzar at this time for
Zedekiah.

     Ezekiel 17:18 "Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the
covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these
[things], he shall not escape."
     God has no respect for those who shake hands on a matter, and
then break the covenant. He will not overlook this sin of Zedekiah.
Zedekiah was just power crazy, when he decided not to keep this
covenant. The worst part of all is that Nebuchadnezzar was acting as
an agent of God in all of this. Zedekiah, then, would be disobeying
God in this.

     Ezekiel 17:19 "Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; [As] I live,
surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath
broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head."

     We see in this, that God regards this covenant as His covenant.
He had sworn this before God, and it is very dangerous to break it.
God will greatly punish Zedekiah for this.

     Ezekiel 17:20 "And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be
taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead
with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me."

     This is just saying Zedekiah will be captured, and taken to
Babylon.

     Ezekiel 17:21 "And all his fugitives with all his bands shall
fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward all
winds: and ye shall know that I the LORD have spoken [it]."

     This is speaking of the large numbers, who will be killed by the
sword. Those scattered are those who are taken captives. There will be
no question left that this is a judgement of the LORD upon these
people.

     Ezekiel 17:22  "Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also take of the
highest branch of the high cedar, and will set [it]; I will crop off
from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant [it] upon
an high mountain and eminent:"

     This is a prophecy of the coming of Messiah. He is truly the
highest Branch. He is the true heir of David to the throne. The Branch
that God plants is of the tribe of Judah. The high mountain is the
holy hill of God. "Eminent" means elevate. He is exalted above all.
The tender twig mentioned is Jesus.

     Ezekiel 17:23 "In the mountain of the height of Israel will I
plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a
goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the
shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell."

     This is speaking of Jesus, King of kings and Lord of lords. Jesus
was born in a manger in obscurity, but grew to be King of the Jews at
His crucifixion, and King of all at His second coming. The "boughs"
and the fruit speak of His followers. We are safe in the shadow of His
Branch. He is our protector and very present help. Christianity began
with Jesus, then His apostles, and now has spread into the millions.
He is a very fruitful Tree.
     Ezekiel 17:24 "And all the trees of the field shall know that I
the LORD have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree,
have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish:
I the LORD have spoken and have done [it]."

     In this, the "high tree" is the physical house of Israel. The
"low tree" represents the Spiritual house of Israel, who were known as
Gentiles. The green tree was physical Israel in their prosperous
times. The dry tree, again, is the world which knew not God, until
Jesus brought salvation to them. It is God who brings down the lofty,
and elevates the lowly. This prophecy which began by pronouncing the
disaster in Judah, and the captivity, and death of its people, now
springs forth with hope for all mankind. Salvation in Jesus Christ is
offered to all mankind. In fact, it is offered to whosoever will.
Jesus is the Tree of Life. He is the Branch, and we are the vine. Our
power lies in the strength of Jesus.






































                         Ezekiel 18 Questions


1.  What does verse 2 say this chapter is?
2.  What does the word "riddle" mean?
3.  Quote Matthew chapter 13 verse 13.
4.  Who is this parable spoken to?
5.  Why would the world not understand?
6.  The "great eagle" in this parable is speaking of whom?
7.  Who is the highest branch of the cedar speaking of?
8.  Who does the "eagle" generally speak of?
9.  What do the "many colors" tell us?
10. Where was the "land of traffic"?
11. Who did Nebuchadnezzar set up as king over Judah?
12. What did it mean about the branches turning toward him?
13. Who did the "other great eagle" symbolize?
14. Who did Zedekiah betray?
15. God is opposed to His people making a treaty with the ______.
16. What happens to Zedekiah and his sons?
17. Where does the interpretation of the parable begin?
18. Who does He explain the parable to?
19. Who is the king's seed in verse 13?
20. What is another name for Jehoiachin?
21. Why were the mighty men carried to Babylon captive?
22. Where will Zedekiah die?
23. How does God feel about those who shake hands on an agreement and
    then do not keep it?
24. Whose covenant does God regard this covenant as?
25. Which verse begins a prophecy of Messiah?
26. What does "eminent" mean?
27. Who are the "boughs" in verse 23?
28. Quote Ezekiel chapter 17 verse 24.
29. Who is the "high tree"?
30. Who does the "low tree" represent?