SCRIPTURE: Ezekiel 19
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Fire spread from one of its main branches and consumed its fruit. No strong branch is left on it fit for a ruler’s scepter.’ This is a lament and is to be used as a lament. [Ezekiel 19:14]
When is the last time that you had a good cry?
Was it triggered by a personal tragedy, or maybe by something in the news?
Maybe you were watching a movie that made you cry.
Or maybe your life is falling apart, or you are afraid…
Or maybe you haven’t cried in years, maybe you refuse to cry, or cannot cry.
If you understood the tragedy of this chapter, you would cry too.
You would join in this lament, and the tears would flow.
A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.” [Matthew 2:18]
Matthew quotes Jeremiah in relation to the birth of Jesus, when Herod slaughters the boys under two, trying to kill the messiah.
Ezekiel tells a parable of two kings (lions) from Israel, supposed ‘messiahs’ that would save Israel, but who are captured and exiled in Egypt and Babylon.
But Jesus cannot be killed, He cannot be stopped, for He is God’s appointed messiah.
The lament called for by Ezekiel has to do with the sad fall of Israel, for they trusted themselves instead of God, they rejected God and His will.
And the tragedy that follows is sad, so sad – all hell breaks loose.
No matter how ‘mighty’ they tried to be without God, they were captured, broken.
But Jesus cannot be stopped, for He is God’s appointed messiah.
A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. [Luke 23:27-28]
The daughters of Jerusalem are raising up a lament for Jesus, who in their mind is another defeated messiah (like the lions in Ezekiel 19).
But Jesus tells them that they should not weep for Him, for even though all hell will break loose against Him, He will not be defeated.
The real tragedy on the day of Jesus’ crucifixion was not what happened to Jesus, but that the people He came to help did not accept Him.
Weep for yourselves and for your children!
Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. [John 16:20]
Jesus suffers, and dies, but He is not defeated.
This is the lion of Judah that cannot be captured.
We may weep for a moment when it seems that Jesus is defeated, but our tears will soon turn to tears of joy, because the lion will be free, and so will we!
PRAYER:
Lord, when everything seems to be falling apart, when I am lamenting because of all the sadness and misery around me, remind me that because of You my grief will turn to joy. Today I am sing a lament, but one day I will sing for joy!!
Once again, parables are used in the OT. God’s people/nation are compared to a lioness who sent out her cubs. The one was cruel and a destroyer of people but was captured and lead to Egypt. She sent another cub, who also devastated the land but too was captured and brought to Babylon.
The last parable in the reading today is the vine which grew strong and was fruitful but was also destroyed – at least the branches and the fruit, but not the main stem which was planted in the thirsty desert.
Cry my people for you have left My ways and that will bring your ruin and destruction. It brings death, captivity, darkness, destruction, mourning, sadness, . . . . And yet, the vine ‘trunk’ is still there as is the lion. The is still hope because there is a risen Saviour, Jesus Christ. He is our life source and may we focus on Him and not on our selfish, devious ways. May we all be grafted into that true vine realizing as Thomas did – a voice of Easter proclaiming – My Lord and my God!
I serve a risen Savior, he’s in the world today;
I know that he is living whatever men may say;
I see his hand of mercy; I hear his voice of cheer,
And just the time I need him, he’s always near.
Chorus:
He lives, he lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me
Along life’s narrow way.
He lives, he lives, salvation to impart!
You ask my how I know he lives?
He lives within my heart.
Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian,
Lift up your voice and sing.
Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ the king!
The hope of all who seek him,
The help of all who find,
None other is so loving, so good and kind.