6th January 2025

6th January 2025


Pray (ACts)


Read (Ezekiel 17 focus v1-10)


Message (Alan Burke) 


Today we focus what the NIV calls an allegory but it is a riddle as the ESV and the KJV state. If you’re wondering what the difference between an allegory is and a riddle it’s simple enough. An allegory is a work that can reveal a hidden meaning, usually of moral importance, whereas a riddle is a question or statement intentionally phrased so as to require ingenuity to ascertain its answer or meaning. Once more Ezekiel is to take the word of the Lord to the people, it is a riddle but it is also a parable and remember Jesus used parables that so those who desired spiritual truth would hear but those who didn’t wouldn’t hear or understand (Mk 4:12).  Chapter 17 is one that intentionally conceals and reveals. For us it is going to involve using the grey matter, and there is much of scripture that means we have to use the grey matter and that’s why most people just pick the easy stuff in scripture to read. In this initial section the Lord through Ezekiel tells his people a riddle, a parable. What we are given in v1-10 is three fables, three short stories, a fable is a story that uses animals as characters. 


We are told of a great eagle in v3-4. The description that we are given wants us to take note of the wonder of this majestic creature. He comes to Lebanon and takes hold of the top of a cedar. The eagle comes and takes hold of the top of the cedar, breaks of its topmost shoot and carries it away to a land of merchants, planted it in a city of traders. At this stage there is no explanation for this, it is what the eagle does. The great majestic eagle in v5-6 is the one who took some of the seed of their land and put it in fertile soil. Planted like a willow by abundant water. Ideal conditions for it to thrive. The seed becomes a spreading low vine, the branches turn towards the eagle and the roots remain in the ground taking what the nutrients and water it needed. At this stage everything seems well, it produces branches with leafy boughs. The plant has been given everything it needed for its well being. 


Then in v7-8 we are told of another great eagle. But this one is not like the last, not as majestic as the first, not quite as impressive. Again we are told of the vine but instead of the branches remaining turned towards the first eagle, the vine now stretches out it’s branches as with effort towards the second eagle even though that eagle has done nothing other than being there. The vine is turning from the first eagle to the second. In doing this it has rejected the first who had done so much for it and longs after the second even though where it had been planted with good soil, abundant water it would have born much fruit and become a splendid vine. The vine is purposely going after another, while it ignores the great eagle who planted it. 


We are meant to see the foolishness of what the vine has done, how the vine has gone after another. Ezekiel gives no explanation for this, there is nothing said, we are simply left to take note of the ingratitude of vine, the rejection of the one who had done so much for it. The riddle, the parable has been told, what is its meaning, we are left to ask ourselves what is the Sovereign Lord saying? We will get into this more as the week goes on but rather than leaving you without closure for today I’ll tell you what the meaning is. 


This is a picture of what God’s people had done. All of this had taken place and would take place because of the failure of God’s people to take their relationship with him seriously. They had turned to the false gods of the nations as well as the nations themselves, they were an idolatrous people and rather than serving the Lord their God they went after idols, they went after the nations looking for their security in other places, yet they had not learnt the folly of looking for their help in the wrong places.


For each and everyone of us we can live in a way that shows God is not enough for us, we are not satisfied with what God has done for us, we live as a people who are discontented, we look to other places rather than him to meet our needs and that is what the people of God had done. God was angry at them for failing to rely on him, and we must rely on him and the one who has come the shoot brought forth, his only begotten son, look to him above all. We must take God seriously in our lives.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q80. What is required in the tenth commandment?
A. The tenth commandment requireth full contentment with our own condition, with a right and charitable frame of spirit toward our neighbor, and all that is his. 
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