Ezekiel 15. The Useless Vine (Jerusalem) is Doomed to Destruction. We have seen some of the reasons why the illusion of the inviolability of Jerusalem was so hard to slay (chs. 12f.). Here we meet with another. The people believed themselves to be the darlings of Yahweh. Had not the great Isaiah (ch. 5) compared them to a vine, which had enjoyed His special nurture and care? Good, says Ezekiel, but remember how useless the vine is; why you cannot even make a peg out of its wood. While, as for the fruit of this particular vine he passes over this in ominous silence it has either none to show, or the foul fruit (of injustice and oppression) so stingingly denounced by Isaiah (Isaiah 5:4; Isaiah 5:7). Besides, it has already been burned at both ends an allusion to the fall of Israel in 721 B.C. and the first deportation of Judah in 597 B.C.; and if useless when whole, how much more useless, if possible, when partially burnt! It is fit only for the fire and into the fire again it shall be flung an allusion to the impending fall and burning of Jerusalem in 586 B.C.
Ezekiel 15:1-8
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?
3 Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work? or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon?
4 Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire devoureth both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned. Is it meet for any work?
5 Behold, when it was whole, it was meeta for no work: how much less shall it be meet yet for any work, when the fire hath devoured it, and it is burned?
6 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; As the vine tree among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so will I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
7 And I will set my face against them; they shall go out from one fire, and another fire shall devour them; and ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I set my face against them.
8 And I will make the land desolate, because they have committedb a trespass, saith the Lord GOD.