SCRIPTURE: EZEKIEL 17
TWO EAGLES AND A VINE (vs. 1-24)
A great eagle came to Lebanon, broke off a shoot and carved it away to a land of merchant, a city of traders. He took some seeds and put it in a fertile soil with abundant water. It grew and became vine with branches.
There was another great eagle with powerful wings and full plumage. The vine sent out its roots towards him from the plot where it was planted and stretched out its branches to him for water. Will this vine thrive? All its new growth will wither. Since it is transplanted, it will completely withered when the east wind strike.
MEANING OF THE TWO EAGLES:
The king of Babylon went to Jerusalem and carried off the king and his nobles and brought them back to Babylon. He made a treaty with a royal family. But the king rebelled against him by sending his envoys to Egypt asking for help with the intention to escape. By breaking the treaty, he and all his following troops fall by sword.
THOUGHTS:
God used allegories and parables to capture the attention of the people. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem (Lebanon) and took to Babylon the top branch of the cedar (King Jehoiachin). He left some of the seeds (King Zedekiah) which grew into a low vine. Zedekiah made a covenant to be loyal to Babylon but he broke it and turned to Egypt for alliance. As a result, the king of Babylon came back and destroyed the lowly vine of Judah.
Ezekiel’s prophecy of judgment ended in hope. God said he would plant a tender shoot, the Messiah, whose kingdom would grow and become a shelter for all who came to Him. This prophecy was fulfilled at the coming of Jesus Christ.