Matthew Henry's Commentary

Ezekiel Chapter 19

parable lamenting the ruin of Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim. (1-9) Another describing the desolation of the people. (10-14)

Verses 1-9: Ezekiel is to compare the kingdom of Judah to a lioness. He must compare the kings of Judah to a lion's whelps; they were cruel and oppressive to their own subjects. The righteousness of God is to be acknowledged, when those who have terrified and enslaved others, are themselves terrified and enslaved. When professors of religion form connexions with ungodly persons, their children usually grow up following after the maxims and fashions of a wicked world. Advancement to authority discovers the ambition and selfishness of men's hearts; and those who spend their lives in mischief, generally end them by violence.

Verses 10-14: Jerusalem was a vine, flourishing and fruitful. This vine is now destroyed, though not plucked up by the roots. She has by wickedness made herself like tinder to the sparks of God's wrath, so that her own branches serve as fuel to burn her. Blessed be God, one Branch of the vine here alluded to, is not only become a strong rod for the sceptre of those that rule, but is Himself the true and living Vine. This shall be for a rejoicing to all the chosen people of God throughout all generations

 


David Burnette's Life Application


One Invitation

 

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today we continue the Book of Ezekiel with Chapter 19. In our text today we see a lamentation, or weeping, for Israel's leaders. In this illustration we see Ezekiel shows Israel history of rebellion with the emphasis on God's attempt to bring the nation back unto Himself. In making application we see the same story playing out today as Jesus has paid the price for your sin but many still rebel against the Lord. Make no mistake that you must be born again to enter the kingdom of Heaven but we know not how many invitations will be extended to us. How about you? Have you received this free pardon of sin that our Lord is extending to you? Let us learn from our text today and the simple message of the Gospel to realize that today is the day of salvation and we are not guaranteed another invitation.

 

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Ezekiel 19

Ezekiel 19

 1Moreover take thou up a lamentation for the princes of Israel,

 2And say, What is thy mother? A lioness: she lay down among lions, she nourished her whelps among young lions.

 3And she brought up one of her whelps: it became a young lion, and it learned to catch the prey; it devoured men.

 4The nations also heard of him; he was taken in their pit, and they brought him with chains unto the land of Egypt.

 5Now when she saw that she had waited, and her hope was lost, then she took another of her whelps, and made him a young lion.

 6And he went up and down among the lions, he became a young lion, and learned to catch the prey, and devoured men.

 7And he knew their desolate palaces, and he laid waste their cities; and the land was desolate, and the fulness thereof, by the noise of his roaring.

 8Then the nations set against him on every side from the provinces, and spread their net over him: he was taken in their pit.

 9And they put him in ward in chains, and brought him to the king of Babylon: they brought him into holds, that his voice should no more be heard upon the mountains of Israel.

 10Thy mother is like a vine in thy blood, planted by the waters: she was fruitful and full of branches by reason of many waters.

 11And she had strong rods for the sceptres of them that bare rule, and her stature was exalted among the thick branches, and she appeared in her height with the multitude of her branches.

 12But she was plucked up in fury, she was cast down to the ground, and the east wind dried up her fruit: her strong rods were broken and withered; the fire consumed them.

 13And now she is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty ground.

 14And fire is gone out of a rod of her branches, which hath devoured her fruit, so that she hath no strong rod to be a sceptre to rule. This is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation.