Introduction
Two allegories teaching Jerusalem’s ripeness for judgment. Ezekiel 15-16.
Jerusalem, the useless wood of a wild vine, Israel has no superiority over the nations to save it from destruction. Ezekiel 15:1-8.
Summary
Parable of the useless vine
Using three allegories, God foretells Judah’s imminent destruction. The first allegory shows Judah as a useless vine to be burned. The second is a vitriolic attack against Judah’s unfaithfulness, portraying Judah as an adulterous wife, worse than her two sisters, Israel and Edom, and less moral than a prostitute. The third allegory, using two eagles and a vine, calls specific attention to the personal ruin of King Zedekiah.
‘The word of the LORD came to me: ‘Son of man, how is the wood of a vine different from that of a branch from any of the trees in the forest? Is wood ever taken from it to make anything useful? Do they make pegs from it to hang things on? And after it is thrown on the fire as fuel and the fire burns both ends and chars the middle, is it then useful for anything? If it was not useful for anything when it was whole, how much less can it be made into something useful when the fire has burned it and it is charred?’ Ezekiel 15:1-5
The example of the useless vine
Note that the emphasis of the example is on the wood rather than the fruit. He is not asking what use is the vine, but of what use is the wood of the vine. Nothing is made from it. Not even a peg to hang a jug or picture on. It is useless. That is before it is burned. So how much more useless will it be after it has been burned. The fire consuming both ends, and the middle signifies that it is totally burned.
‘Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: As I have given the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest as fuel for the fire, so will I treat the people living in Jerusalem. I will set my face against them. Although they have come out of the fire, the fire will yet consume them. And when I set my face against them, you will know that I am the LORD. I will make the land desolate because they have been unfaithful, declares the Sovereign LORD.’ Ezekiel 15:6-8
This is now applied to Jerusalem. She is the wood of the vine. The inhabitants of Jerusalem will be put through the fire – judgement, destruction.
In verse 7 some have escaped from fire and yet they will be put through fire. This is probably referring to the 597 B.C. fire which they had escaped.
The present inhabitants of Jerusalem had come through that, but they are being told there is going to be a 586 B.C. fire which they will not escape from.