“Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  Matthew 20:25-28, NLT

Nothing escapes the notice of God who created all, is in all and over all.  Driven by a love for His created, God moves in ways we won’t understand at the time but will save us from ourselves in the process.  God’s done it before, He’ll do it again!

Ezekiel 17, The Message

The Great Tree Is Made Small and the Small Tree Great

^1-6 God’s Message came to me: “Son of man, make a riddle for the house of Israel. Tell them a story. Say, ‘God, the Master, says:

“‘A great eagle
    with a huge wingspan and long feathers,
In full plumage and bright colors,
    came to Lebanon
And took the top off a cedar,
    broke off the top branch,
Took it to a land of traders,
    and set it down in a city of shopkeepers.
Then he took a cutting from the land
    and planted it in good, well-watered soil,
    like a willow on a riverbank.
It sprouted into a flourishing vine,
    low to the ground.
Its branches grew toward the eagle
    and the roots became established—
A vine putting out shoots,
    developing branches.

^7-8 “‘There was another great eagle
    with a huge wingspan and thickly feathered.
This vine sent out its roots toward him
    from the place where it was planted.
Its branches reached out to him
    so he could water it
    from a long distance.
It had been planted
    in good, well-watered soil,
And it put out branches and bore fruit,
    and became a noble vine.

^9-10 “‘God, the Master, says,
    Will it thrive?
Won’t he just pull it up by the roots
    and leave the grapes to rot
And the branches to shrivel up,
    a withered, dead vine?
It won’t take much strength
    or many hands to pull it up.
Even if it’s transplanted,
    will it thrive?
When the hot east wind strikes it,
    won’t it shrivel up?
Won’t it dry up and blow away
    from the place where it was planted?’”

* * *

^11-12 God’s Message came to me: “Tell this house of rebels, ‘Do you get it? Do you know what this means?’

^12-14 “Tell them, ‘The king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and took its king and its leaders back to Babylon. He took one of the royal family and made a covenant with him, making him swear his loyalty. The king of Babylon took all the top leaders into exile to make sure that this kingdom stayed weak—didn’t get any big ideas of itself—and kept the covenant with him so that it would have a future.

¹⁵ “‘But he rebelled and sent emissaries to Egypt to recruit horses and a big army. Do you think that’s going to work? Are they going to get by with this? Does anyone break a covenant and get off scot-free?

^16-18 “‘As sure as I am the living God, this king who broke his pledge of loyalty and his covenant will die in that country, in Babylon. Pharaoh with his big army—all those soldiers!—won’t lift a finger to fight for him when Babylon sets siege to the city and kills everyone inside. Because he broke his word and broke the covenant, even though he gave his solemn promise, because he went ahead and did all these things anyway, he won’t escape.

^19-21 “‘Therefore, God, the Master, says, As sure as I am the living God, because the king despised my oath and broke my covenant, I’ll bring the consequences crashing down on his head. I’ll send out a search party and catch him. I’ll take him to Babylon and have him brought to trial because of his total disregard for me. All his elite soldiers, along with the rest of the army, will be killed in battle, and whoever is left will be scattered to the four winds. Then you’ll realize that I, God, have spoken.

^22-24 “‘God, the Master, says, I personally will take a shoot from the top of the towering cedar, a cutting from the crown of the tree, and plant it on a high and towering mountain, on the high mountain of Israel. It will grow, putting out branches and fruit—a majestic cedar. Birds of every sort and kind will live under it. They’ll build nests in the shade of its branches. All the trees of the field will recognize that I, God, made the great tree small and the small tree great, made the green tree turn dry and the dry tree sprout green branches. I, God, said it—and I did it.’”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

The Jewish people were fond of discussing the wise sayings of the ancients and were always seeking to discover deeper meanings. Ezekiel’s hope was that this allegory would open deaf ears.

For greater understanding, here’s background history:

“This allegory is about three kings (“branch” and “seedling”), because the cedar tree represents the royal dynasty of David. David’s dynasty was very important because through it God had promised to bring a Savior to His people and to the world.  (See the book of Samuel.)  A descendant of David had to sit on the throne so that the blessing of God’s covenant with David might rest on the land.” –Wiersbe Study Bible

The Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar swooped down on Judah in 597 B.C., he deposed King Jehoiachin and took him and his family and staff to Babylon. He also took the temple treasures and ten thousand officers, artisans, and soldiers.

After deposing Jehoiachin, Nebuchadnezzar made Jehoiachin’s uncle Mattaniah the new king and changed his name to Zedekiah. Remember Zedekiah?  He was the one who ask the prophet Jeremiah to pray for him.  Nebuchadnezzar “planted” him in Judah where he “grew” for eleven years. But instead of producing a tree, King Zedekiah produced a humble vine.  Though Jeremiah did pray for him, Zed didn’t obey God, died in Babylon.  Would this mean that the line of David would be broken, not to produce a Savior, the Messiah?  Uh, nope! 

God was, is and always will be in control.  The messianic line did not die out. After Babylon was conquered by the Medes and Persians, Cyrus allowed the Jews to return to their land. One of their leaders was Zerubbabel, a great-great-grandson of godly King Josiah and an ancestor of the Lord Jesus Christ!

The day was dark for the people of Israel; but when the day is the darkest, the Lord’s promises shine the brightest. God’s people today need to take hold to this prophetic Word, which is a light that shines in our dark world. Just as Jesus fulfilled prophecy and came the first time to die for the sins of the world, so He will come the second time and reign over His righteous kingdom. The tender “shoot” of David will be the mighty monarch, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! 

God did it then and he’ll do it again—and again until we see how great and loving He is.

“We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” 2 Peter 2:19 NIV

Jesus changes everything.  Believe and be saved forever.  He is coming back, you know.

Lord,

Thank you for teaching us through the prophets.  Though challenging, we see a greater picture of who you are—and that’s the point, isn’t it, Lord? Thank you for saving my soul and making me whole while working on and in me until I am all you created me to be.

In Jesus Name, Amen

And we’re singing…Do it Again—Elevation Worship

Walking around these walls
I thought by now they’d fall
But You have never failed me yet

Waiting for change to come
Knowing the battle’s won
For You have never failed me yet

Your promise still stands
Great is Your faithfulness, faithfulness
I’m still in Your hands
This is my confidence
You’ve never failed me yet

I know the night won’t last
Your word will come to pass
My heart will sing Your praise again

Jesus You’re still enough
Keep me within Your love, oh
My heart will sing Your praise again
(Oh, yes, it will)

Your promise still stands
Great is Your faithfulness, faithfulness
I’m still in Your hands
This is my confidence
You’ve never failed

Your promise still stands
Great is Your faithfulness, faithfulness
I’m still in Your hands
This is my confidence
You’ve never failed me yet
Never failed me yet
Oh, oh-oh

I’ve seen You move, You move the mountains
And I believe I’ll see You do it again
You made a way, where there was no way
And I believe I’ll see You do it again

I’ve seen You move, You move the mountains
And I believe I’ll see You do it again
You made a way, where there was no way
And I believe I’ll see You do it again

I’ve seen You move, You move the mountains
And I believe I’ll see You do it again
You made a way, where there was no way
And I believe I’ll see You do it again
I’ll see You do it again

Your promise still stands
Great is Your faithfulness, faithfulness
I’m still in Your hands
This is my confidence
You’ve never failed…