epcblog

Devotional thoughts (Monday through Thursday mornings) from the pastor of Exeter Presbyterian Church in Exeter, NH // Sunday Worship 10:30am // 73 Winter Street

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Ezekiel 19

We know that there is such a thing as sinful complaining. We think of the murmuring of the Israelites in the wilderness during the days of Moses. Many deaths came from the faithless attitude of those who should have trusted in God. Nonetheless, not all complaining is sinful. Every day we are called to cast our cares upon the Lord. In the Bible this often takes the form of what is called a “lament.” This is usually spoken directly to God. (There is such difference between complaining about God, and singing a lament to God. Ezekiel 19 is a lament, and it is about the princes of Israel, those descendants of David who should have been leading the nation in godliness.

The mother of these kings mentioned in the lament is the city of Jerusalem or perhaps the covenant community more broadly. She has young cubs that would one day be lions. The first of these mentioned is said to have devoured men as his prey. This refers to the treatment of his subjects with brutality and oppression. The king is to rule for the good of those in his charge, but this prince does not do this. As we see in so many places in the Bible, God uses the nations to execute His judgment against His own people. This first king is taken off to Egypt.

To be sent back to Egypt for punishment is never a desired thing. Our Lord went to Egypt after His birth for protection, but as with the Israelite nation at the time of the Exodus, God said, “Out of Egypt I called my Son.” Egypt is not our desired place of safety, but a place that we need to flee from. God calls us out of there to serve Him and to move us toward the Promised Land. He has called us out of the bondage of sin. We do not want to return to the place of evil from which we have been delivered.

A second king is mentioned who is also called a cub of this same mother. This king also abused and even murdered men. He is said to have seized the widows of the men that He has murdered. He caused so much trouble in the land that the people were appalled by his behavior. He was attacked, not by Egypt, but by the king of Babylon, and to Babylon he went. The reason given was that his voice would not be heard any more on the mountains of Israel. That does not sound like the reason that the king of Babylon would have given. It does sound like the reasoning of the Protector of the land and the people. God is the one who causes kings to rise and fall. This is true of all rulers. It is no less true of the ruler over God’s own nation.

It is amazing to think of God sending these “cubs,” these descendants of Josiah, out of the land. This is such a horrible fall from the days of David and Solomon. The Lord had given so many blessings to Israel and Judah, and had blessed Jerusalem, and the king who reigned there. Now two men in the line of David are taken far away. They oppressed people and led in the way of disobedience and immorality. God has taken action against His vine. In His righteous indignation He has plucked it up and then thrown it down to the ground. There is a wind from the east, from the direction of Babylon. That wind has destroyed the Lord’s plant according to His own decree. His vine is consumed by fire at the very stem.

There appears to be nothing useful left from that plant. The stem of the vine should have been a strong scepter for ruling. Now it is gone. The fire has moved up from the stem and devoured any fruit that there may have been. These wicked descendants of Josiah have destroyed the people that they should have served. It will be six hundred years before the Son of David will once again ride into Jerusalem on a beast of burden to declare that He is the expected King.

Six hundred years is a long time to have to wait for the Promise of God. Until that time there will be much suffering and trouble for those who are the Lord’s people. This is a cause for a godly complaint, a lamentation before the Lord, a lamentation to be spoken or sung for many years.

There would never again be an earthly ruler sitting on the throne of Israel as the great Davidic king, at least not in the way that people expected. Yet one day a child would be born in the city of David, and his birth would be the cause of angelic rejoicing. Angel messengers would announce the greatest peace on earth, a peace that would come through Christ the Lord.

How would He bring peace? How would He exercise His royal authority? Through His own death on the cross He would make peace between God and His people. He would lead His disciples forward in the struggle of suffering, calling all men everywhere to give up their fight against God and to submit to Him. There is no better place to be than in His eternal land. Once admitted to that place we will never be thrust out to some Egypt or Babylon. We will rejoice in the Lord forever because of the coming of this great King. We bow before Him now, and take up our spots as princes in the land, for we are sons of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. He will lead us forever in perfect godliness. Freed from sin, we are pleased to serve our great King and Redeemer now and always.


posted by Pastor Magee @ 7:00 AM

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