Ezekiel

Ezekiel 17:1-2

Ezekiel was to pose a riddle and speak a parable.  A riddle was a saying that had to be explained for it to make sense.  It took wisdom to see beneath the surface of the riddle and find it's meaning.  A parable was a story with a moral lesson.  Apparently Ezekiel had a reputation of speaking through parable and riddle. 

A "riddle" (?î?ah; NIV, "allegory") was commonly used in international politics between kings (cf. Harry Torczyner, "The Riddle in the Bible," HUCA 1 [1924]: 125–49). If one failed to answer the riddle of the other, he might be called on to submit to him as a vassal. In some cases he might even be put to death. In the use of this riddle, the two kings were God and Zedekiah. The Lord was giving the riddle; if Zedekiah failed to understand it, he and his people would either submit as vassals to the Lord or die. Most of Judah would die.^[1] (Expositors Bible Commentary)

⁵           A wise man will hear and increase learning,

And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,

⁶           To understand a proverb and an enigma,

The words of the wise and their riddles. (Proverbs 1:5-6)

Ezekiel 17:3-21

The understanding of the riddle is found in basic concepts and not in every detail used in the riddle.  The historical setting of the riddle is found in 2 Kings 24:6-20; the years are 597-598 BC.  Verses 3-10 give the riddle and 11 through 21 and the remained is an epilogue. 

The great eagle is Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.  He conquered Jerusalem and took Jehoiachin captive.  The kings uncle, Zedekiah, was made king by Nebuchadnezzar.  He is the seed planted in an attempt to grow a fruitful Judah.  He became a low spreading vine and turned his branches to Nebuchadnezzar.  There was some prosperity under Zedekiah and he was loyal to Nebuchadnezzar.  However, there was another eagle.  This eagle is the Pharaoh of Egypt.  Zedekiah began to trust in Egypt and rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar.  Zedekiah had no leverage against Babylon.  Any act of rebellion would bring their destruction.  There was nothing to stop them. 

Zedekiah would break the covenant by sending ambassadors to Egypt.  He thought if he could just get Egypt's support and mount up an army, he could stand against Nebuchadnezzar.  He failed repeatedly to listen to the prophets (Jeremiah 37:7).  Zedekiah would die in captivity.  Egypt would offer no help.  They briefly interrupted the siege as Egypt marched toward them.  The Babylonians went out to meet them.  It amounted to nothing but a minor delay. 

The oath referred to was an oath of loyalty to Nebuchadnezzar.  In resisting God's plan and breaking the oath, Zedekiah exposed many of God's people to the sword and destruction.  Zedekiah was captured, blinded at Riblah, after watching his sons die.  He was taken to Babylon to live out his prison sentence.

Ezekiel 17:22-24

God speaks of a time to come in a riddle using many of the same elements.  God would take a branch, a tender shoot and plant it on a specific mountain.  This is God's king, the messiah, planted on Mt Zion.  All the other trees would come to know the 'high tree' was brought down and the low tree exalted.  This is the humbling of the proud and messiah's identifying with the humble.

©2019 Doug Ford