Ezekiel 15
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?
3 Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work? or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon?
4 Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire devoureth both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned. Is it meet for any work?
5 Behold, when it was whole, it was meet for no work: how much less shall it be meet yet for any work, when the fire hath devoured it, and it is burned?
6 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; As the vine tree among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so will I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
7 And I will set my face against them; they shall go out from one fire, and another fire shall devour them; and ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I set my face against them.
8 And I will make the land desolate, because they have committed a trespass, saith the Lord GOD.
Common Questions About Ezekiel 15
What does the vine imagery in chapter 15 represent?
God compares Jerusalem to a grapevine, wood that is useless for anything except burning once it stops producing fruit; unlike other trees, a vine has no value apart from its fruitfulness, symbolizing Israel's failure to fulfill its purpose.
Why is this a fitting picture of judgment?
The imagery emphasizes that Israel's special status wasn't meant to be an end in itself, but was tied to a purpose of bearing fruit for God; failing that purpose left them without the very value that had defined them.
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Questions to Think About
- What 'fruit' is your life meant to produce, and how are you doing at cultivating it?
- How does this imagery challenge the idea that status or identity alone is enough, without accompanying faithfulness?
Ask the Bible Chat Bot below if you'd like to talk through any of these.
