Episode Transcript
WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:29.620
And let's turn our attention to Ezekiel, chapter seventeen. So to prepare you
2
00:00:29.660 --> 00:00:34.380
a little bit to hear what we're
about to hear, what I'm about to
3
00:00:34.420 --> 00:00:40.969
read, I will start with what
is Ekiel says in verse two. Son
4
00:00:41.049 --> 00:00:45.090
Of man propound a riddle and speak
a parable to the house of Israel.
5
00:00:46.250 --> 00:00:50.880
So this tells us right away that
what we're about to hear is going to
6
00:00:50.920 --> 00:00:55.240
be obscured a little bit. Right. This is what riddles do. They
7
00:00:55.560 --> 00:01:00.560
obscure. They have the meaning.
It's contained in the riddle, the thing
8
00:01:00.600 --> 00:01:04.150
that is said, but it's hidden, right. It's it's unclear in a
9
00:01:04.269 --> 00:01:11.549
way. A parables a little bit
different a parable. Sometimes Jesus uses them
10
00:01:11.629 --> 00:01:18.549
to confound, but here the emphasis
is not so much on the the hiddenness
11
00:01:18.620 --> 00:01:23.819
of it perhaps, but on the
use of imagery and other natural things to
12
00:01:23.379 --> 00:01:27.739
teach something, to tell something.
All that to say, as we listen
13
00:01:27.900 --> 00:01:34.530
here, you're going to want to
really listen in a way that allows you
14
00:01:34.650 --> 00:01:40.890
to hear the whole thing before you
try to make sense of everything. It's
15
00:01:40.969 --> 00:01:45.090
this dance we always do when reading, both paying attention to the parts and
16
00:01:45.170 --> 00:01:47.879
the whole. You kind of have
to do it all at once, but
17
00:01:47.959 --> 00:01:52.439
I just want to encourage you to
to to listen and not get to bog
18
00:01:52.680 --> 00:01:57.200
down right away, or else you're
going to find yourself confused for a while.
19
00:01:57.959 --> 00:02:00.549
The Lord does explain the meaning of
these things and I will do my
20
00:02:00.670 --> 00:02:06.230
best to expound them and explain them
as well, but do what you can
21
00:02:06.390 --> 00:02:08.590
to hear and to remember what you
hear, and it'll be helpful as we
22
00:02:09.110 --> 00:02:15.189
as we go on. So let's
hear Ezek. You'll seventeen now. The
23
00:02:15.270 --> 00:02:17.900
word of the Lord came to me, son of man, propound a riddle
24
00:02:19.180 --> 00:02:23.819
and speak a parable to the house
of Israel. Say. Thus says the
25
00:02:23.979 --> 00:02:29.900
Lord God, a Great Eagle with
great wings and long Pinions, rich and
26
00:02:29.979 --> 00:02:34.849
plumage of many colors, came to
Lebanon and took the top of the Cedar.
27
00:02:35.569 --> 00:02:38.930
He broke off the topmost of its
young twigs and carried it to a
28
00:02:39.009 --> 00:02:45.280
land of trade and set it in
a city of merchants. Then he took
29
00:02:45.319 --> 00:02:50.280
the seed of the land and planted
it in fertile soil. He placed it
30
00:02:50.400 --> 00:02:54.039
beside abundant waters. He said it
like a willow twig, and it's sprouted
31
00:02:54.199 --> 00:03:00.030
and became a low spreading vine and
its branches turned toward him and its roots
32
00:03:00.110 --> 00:03:05.229
remained where it stood. So it
became a vine and produced branches and put
33
00:03:05.270 --> 00:03:09.469
out boughs. And there was another
Great Eagle, Eagle with great wings and
34
00:03:09.550 --> 00:03:15.099
much plumage. And behold, this
vine bent its roots toward him and shot
35
00:03:15.219 --> 00:03:20.219
forth its branches toward him from the
bed where it was planted that he might
36
00:03:20.379 --> 00:03:23.939
water it. It had been planted
on good soil by abundant waters, that
37
00:03:24.060 --> 00:03:30.930
it might produce branches and bear fruit
and become a noble line. Say,
38
00:03:30.330 --> 00:03:36.289
thus says the Lord God. Will
it thrive? Will he not pull up
39
00:03:36.289 --> 00:03:38.849
its roots and cut off its fruit
so that it withers, so that all
40
00:03:38.930 --> 00:03:44.759
its fresh sprouting leaves whither? It
will not take a strong arm or many
41
00:03:44.840 --> 00:03:47.479
people to pull it from its roots. Behold, it is planted. Will
42
00:03:47.520 --> 00:03:52.919
it thrive? Will it not utterly
Whit or whither when the east wind strikes
43
00:03:52.960 --> 00:03:55.990
it, whither away on the bed
where it is sprouted? Then the word
44
00:03:57.030 --> 00:04:00.949
of the Lord came to me.
Say Now to the rebellious house, do
45
00:04:00.030 --> 00:04:04.349
you not know what these things mean? Tell them. Behold, the king
46
00:04:04.469 --> 00:04:10.020
of Babylon came to Jerusalem and took
her king and her princes and brought them
47
00:04:10.139 --> 00:04:14.219
to him, to Babylon, and
he took one of the Royal Offspring and
48
00:04:14.300 --> 00:04:17.779
made a covenant with him, putting
him under oath the chief men of the
49
00:04:17.819 --> 00:04:23.699
land he had taken away, that
the kingdom might be humble and not lift
50
00:04:23.740 --> 00:04:29.050
itself up and keep his covenant,
that it might stand. But he rebelled
51
00:04:29.089 --> 00:04:32.569
against him by sending his ambassadors to
Egypt that they might give him horses and
52
00:04:32.689 --> 00:04:38.639
a large army. Will he thrive? Can One escape who does such things?
53
00:04:39.160 --> 00:04:43.839
Can he break the Covenant and yet
escape? As I live, declares
54
00:04:43.879 --> 00:04:46.879
the Lord God. Surely, in
the place where the king dwells, who
55
00:04:46.959 --> 00:04:50.199
made him king, whose oath he
despised and whose covenant with him he broke
56
00:04:50.959 --> 00:04:56.949
in Babylon, he shall die.
Pharaoh, with his mighty army and great
57
00:04:56.990 --> 00:05:00.470
company will not help him in war, when mounds are cast up and siege
58
00:05:00.509 --> 00:05:05.709
walls are built to cut off many
lives. He despised the oath in breaking
59
00:05:05.750 --> 00:05:09.860
the Covenant, and behold, he
gave his hand and did all these things.
60
00:05:10.500 --> 00:05:15.100
He shall not escape. Therefore,
thus says the Lord God. As
61
00:05:15.220 --> 00:05:19.139
I live, surely it is my
oath that he despised and my covenant that
62
00:05:19.259 --> 00:05:23.529
he broke, I will return it
upon his head. I will spread my
63
00:05:23.649 --> 00:05:27.089
net over him and he shall be
taken in my snare and I will bring
64
00:05:27.129 --> 00:05:30.449
him to Babylon and enter into judgment
with him there for the treachery he is
65
00:05:30.529 --> 00:05:34.920
committed against me, and all the
pick of his troops shall fall by the
66
00:05:35.040 --> 00:05:40.120
sword and the survivors shall be scattered
to every wind, and you shall know
67
00:05:40.360 --> 00:05:45.360
that I am the Lord. I
have spoken thus as the Lord God,
68
00:05:45.600 --> 00:05:49.069
I myself will take a sprig from
the lofty top of the Cedar and will
69
00:05:49.110 --> 00:05:54.949
set it out. I will break
off from the topmost of its young twigs,
70
00:05:55.029 --> 00:05:58.990
a tender one, and I myself
will plant it on a high and
71
00:05:59.189 --> 00:06:01.949
lofty mountain, on the mountain height
of Israel. Will I plant it that
72
00:06:02.029 --> 00:06:08.779
I it may bear branches and produce
fruit and become a noble Cedar, and
73
00:06:09.060 --> 00:06:13.540
under it will dwell every kind of
bird. In the shade of its branches,
74
00:06:13.579 --> 00:06:16.620
birds of every sort will nest,
and all the trees of the field
75
00:06:16.740 --> 00:06:21.730
shall know that I am the Lord. I bring the low I bring low
76
00:06:23.089 --> 00:06:28.050
the high tree, and I make
high the low tree, dry up the
77
00:06:28.170 --> 00:06:32.720
green tree and make the dry tree
flourish. I I'm the Lord, I
78
00:06:32.839 --> 00:06:42.680
have spoken and I will do it. Amen. So here we have a
79
00:06:42.759 --> 00:06:48.550
parable, a riddle story that teaches
a lesson, predicts a future and also
80
00:06:49.350 --> 00:06:55.949
gives us great hope. The surprising
ending, this great way in which God
81
00:06:56.069 --> 00:07:02.060
promises to take all this rebellion and
covenant breaking and disobedience and take from this
82
00:07:02.339 --> 00:07:09.420
tree and turn it into this magnificent
mountain, high tree over all the earth,
83
00:07:10.300 --> 00:07:14.779
is a promise and ultimately beloved.
It teaches us about Jesu is us.
84
00:07:14.860 --> 00:07:18.850
It teaches us about his kingdom.
Here we begin to understand more of
85
00:07:19.209 --> 00:07:25.529
the promises that God makes for us
in Christ and it should cause us to
86
00:07:25.889 --> 00:07:30.920
give praise to him and honor to
him, to fear him and to trust
87
00:07:30.040 --> 00:07:36.639
and hope in our king. To
explain the parable, let me remind you
88
00:07:36.839 --> 00:07:43.879
of the I can't think of a
different word than characters, but I'll say
89
00:07:43.920 --> 00:07:47.870
characters. From the moment we have
two eagles, right too, Eagles,
90
00:07:48.470 --> 00:07:55.470
a cedar and a vine. The
First Eagle that is spoken of beginning in
91
00:07:55.589 --> 00:08:01.939
Verse Three Represents Babylon. The First
Eagle represents Babylon and it is described as
92
00:08:01.980 --> 00:08:07.060
very great, great wings a long
pinions, rich in plumage of many colors.
93
00:08:07.660 --> 00:08:15.009
The Eagle is often a single a
symbol of kingship, of nobility,
94
00:08:15.209 --> 00:08:18.850
of power and strength. Even in
our own country on the Eagle is used
95
00:08:18.889 --> 00:08:24.050
in this way. And here the
Eagle represents Babylon, this great, powerful,
96
00:08:24.529 --> 00:08:28.839
beautiful, strong kingdom. And what
does it do? It comes and
97
00:08:28.959 --> 00:08:35.200
it takes the top off of a
Cedar, these Great Cedars that Lebanon was
98
00:08:35.320 --> 00:08:39.879
known. Perhaps you remember this phrase
from the Scriptures. The Great Cedars,
99
00:08:39.960 --> 00:08:43.549
of the great trees of Lebanon comes
and it takes the top off and it
100
00:08:43.710 --> 00:08:48.950
plants it in its own place.
And this represents Babylon coming and taking the
101
00:08:48.549 --> 00:08:56.539
top off of Jerusalem. I'm not
it's physical top, but it's a social
102
00:08:56.740 --> 00:09:03.940
top. The king whose name is
Joya Chen Ezekiel, and before them Daniel
103
00:09:05.059 --> 00:09:07.820
and his friends. We read in
First Kings, the end of our sorry
104
00:09:07.899 --> 00:09:13.370
second kings, that not only was
Jooyahchen Chake and taken, but also,
105
00:09:13.450 --> 00:09:20.129
as mother I'm high officials, palace
officials, craftsmen of every kind. Tenzero,
106
00:09:20.570 --> 00:09:26.000
the number tenzero is given of different
people, mighty men of Valor,
107
00:09:26.480 --> 00:09:31.080
the whole top of society, the
leaders, the officials, the wealth,
108
00:09:31.200 --> 00:09:37.600
the important people, all of it
just taken to Babylon, planted in this
109
00:09:37.320 --> 00:09:45.549
city of merchants, and they're they
were supposed to be. Now, jarge,
110
00:09:46.190 --> 00:09:50.269
I'm Jeremiah. We read in the
Scriptures, had advised Johoyachen, I'm
111
00:09:50.389 --> 00:09:56.299
to submit to this situation, to
submit to Babylon. He did not obey,
112
00:09:56.460 --> 00:10:03.740
and that's why he and these people
were taken away. Next we see
113
00:10:03.740 --> 00:10:11.450
the Eagle doing a second action.
He we read to inverse in verse.
114
00:10:11.649 --> 00:10:16.210
Let's see verse five. He takes
the seed of the landing, he plants
115
00:10:16.250 --> 00:10:20.559
it in fertile soil and he plants
this vine. So what happens in the
116
00:10:20.679 --> 00:10:24.799
history of God's people is after a
king, Johoyachen, for his disobedience and
117
00:10:24.960 --> 00:10:30.519
is breaking of covenant with Babylon.
Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, takes
118
00:10:30.559 --> 00:10:35.440
Johoyochen and the top off Israel.
It takes the to Babylon, but he
119
00:10:35.519 --> 00:10:41.190
doesn't destroy the city yet. He
places instead on Zee Kiah. Zedekiah is
120
00:10:41.230 --> 00:10:50.539
Johoyachen's uncle, related and he is
there to rule in Jerusalem, but under
121
00:10:50.860 --> 00:11:00.620
the King of Babylon. Now zedekiah
according to this parable and the history of
122
00:11:00.700 --> 00:11:05.490
all of these things, was given
every chance for success. He is this
123
00:11:05.649 --> 00:11:11.769
vine, placed by Nebuchadnezzar, by
abundant waters. Right this Great Eagle,
124
00:11:11.850 --> 00:11:16.889
this great power, plants this vine. And what happens? The vine bent
125
00:11:16.090 --> 00:11:20.480
its roots and toward the Eagle,
shoots forth it's branches toward him, the
126
00:11:20.639 --> 00:11:26.000
bed where it was planted and it
was watered, it had been planted in
127
00:11:26.120 --> 00:11:31.720
good soil, by abundant waters,
and that it might produce branches and bear
128
00:11:31.799 --> 00:11:37.710
fruit and become a noble vine.
God, even in his punishment over is
129
00:11:37.070 --> 00:11:41.590
in Israel, is providing a chance
for the people to live, the people
130
00:11:41.669 --> 00:11:46.830
to survive. So what Ad Zeekaiah
do? Did he turn away from the
131
00:11:46.870 --> 00:11:52.299
sins of his father's did he turn
away from trusting in false powers, trusting
132
00:11:52.379 --> 00:11:58.500
in idols murdering innocent people? Well, no, he didn't. Instead,
133
00:11:58.700 --> 00:12:05.610
what he does is he breaks covenant
with Babylon and goes to Egypt and says,
134
00:12:05.769 --> 00:12:09.929
Egypt, will you help me out
now? This is, of course,
135
00:12:09.889 --> 00:12:15.409
full of irony, because it's from
Egypt that the people were first rescued.
136
00:12:15.450 --> 00:12:20.279
It was from Egypt that God said
don't return there don't trust this nation.
137
00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:24.320
And yet Zedekiah not only does he
break covenant with the Babylonian King,
138
00:12:24.440 --> 00:12:31.629
Nebuchadnezzar, to whom he owed obedience, and he then goes to Egypt.
139
00:12:31.710 --> 00:12:37.309
And we see this described here as
this Second Eagle, another Great Eagle,
140
00:12:37.389 --> 00:12:41.029
we read in verse seven, with
Great Wings and much plumage. But we
141
00:12:41.190 --> 00:12:45.340
notice the description isn't quite as grand, it isn't quite as great as that
142
00:12:45.860 --> 00:12:50.700
First Eagle. It's like the First
Eagle, but not as Nice. Well,
143
00:12:50.860 --> 00:12:54.460
this is predictive of what is about
to happen. We have the great
144
00:12:54.460 --> 00:12:58.220
power of this First Eagle, this
one that plants the vine, the one
145
00:12:58.299 --> 00:13:01.450
that establishes it, and then the
vine goes. Hmm, what about that
146
00:13:01.610 --> 00:13:07.730
Eagle and what happens? Well,
as it looks at this other Eagle,
147
00:13:07.889 --> 00:13:13.399
as as Zeta Chiah and and Jerusalem
begin to look to Egypt, for help,
148
00:13:13.200 --> 00:13:18.120
what? How? What happens?
Well, the description is in verse
149
00:13:18.200 --> 00:13:22.919
nine. Will it thrive? Will
he, that is the first Great Eagle,
150
00:13:24.000 --> 00:13:26.960
not pull up its roots and cut
off its fruit so that it withers,
151
00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:31.350
so that it's fresh spouting leaves whither? It will not take a strong
152
00:13:31.389 --> 00:13:35.350
arm or many people to pull it
from its roots. Behold it is planted.
153
00:13:35.830 --> 00:13:39.629
Will it thrive? Will it not
utterly whither when the East Wind,
154
00:13:39.909 --> 00:13:45.059
another reference there to Babbel on,
strikes? It whither away on the bed
155
00:13:45.299 --> 00:13:50.220
where it's sprouted? As Egypt,
or, I'm sorry, as Jerusalem,
156
00:13:50.340 --> 00:13:52.980
sort of as a vine looks towards
this eagle, towards this great power,
157
00:13:54.460 --> 00:13:58.490
it's like she's pulling herself from the
waters where SPICI's planted. Her her roots
158
00:13:58.570 --> 00:14:05.690
get exposed, she becomes tender and
vulnerable and exposed. In all these things,
159
00:14:05.889 --> 00:14:11.039
the word of the Lord as it
comes to the people of Israel.
160
00:14:11.120 --> 00:14:15.200
It's warning them, saying, do
you not see what is about to happen?
161
00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:18.480
All of this, all of your
planning, all of your kniving,
162
00:14:18.480 --> 00:14:26.190
all of your covenant breaking, is
about to fall apart. We can begin
163
00:14:26.350 --> 00:14:31.149
to see the end before it comes. And odd promises. He says he
164
00:14:31.269 --> 00:14:35.830
will cause these things to happen.
No one will escape. Notice what he
165
00:14:35.909 --> 00:14:41.980
says in Verse Fifteen. But he
rebelled against him, that is, is
166
00:14:41.139 --> 00:14:48.100
that a chai rebelled against a nebuchadnezzar
by sending his ambassadors to Egypt that might
167
00:14:48.220 --> 00:14:50.659
they might give him horses in a
large army. Will he thrive? Can
168
00:14:50.779 --> 00:14:54.649
One escape who does such things?
Can he break the Covenant and yet escape?
169
00:14:56.889 --> 00:15:00.610
Remember, when people take on covenants
they make promise. These are what
170
00:15:00.649 --> 00:15:03.649
they are, their solemn promises.
They say, I will do this thing
171
00:15:03.730 --> 00:15:07.600
and if I don't do it,
may all these bad things happen to me.
172
00:15:07.600 --> 00:15:13.159
Can you make a promise like that
and escape? God says, surely,
173
00:15:13.200 --> 00:15:20.509
surely not. Well, as we
know from reading the history of these
174
00:15:20.629 --> 00:15:24.990
things, and second kings and another
places, we read that this is exactly
175
00:15:26.070 --> 00:15:31.269
what happened. EGYPT DID NOT RISE
UP A mighty power to rescue Jerusalem from
176
00:15:31.269 --> 00:15:41.019
Babylon. No, Babylon came in
and put down this rebellion. Nebuchadnezzar took
177
00:15:41.019 --> 00:15:50.769
Zet ACHAIA and brought him to Babylon. Is that he also murdered all of
178
00:15:50.889 --> 00:15:56.049
his sons in front of him and
then gouged out his eye. US.
179
00:15:56.250 --> 00:16:07.080
That's what Nebuchadnezzar did to Zeekiah for
breaking the covenant. A question we have
180
00:16:07.159 --> 00:16:14.000
to ask here is why does God
care about the Israelite Kings, these kings
181
00:16:14.120 --> 00:16:19.629
and Jerusalem, these sons of David, breaking covenant with Nebuchadnezzar. Right,
182
00:16:19.710 --> 00:16:25.470
why does God carry a care about
a covenant breaking with this Great King of
183
00:16:25.629 --> 00:16:30.389
Babylon? Babylon is not God's holy
city, it's not his holy empire.
184
00:16:32.590 --> 00:16:38.019
Why is he so eager to see
them keep the oath to Babylon? Well,
185
00:16:38.059 --> 00:16:42.340
it's not because of his great love
for Babylon, although eventually we will
186
00:16:42.340 --> 00:16:49.450
see that Babylon will benefit from these
things, but it's his love for Jerusalem,
187
00:16:49.610 --> 00:16:53.970
for his promises to David. And
what we find is here we come
188
00:16:55.129 --> 00:17:00.679
to that that yet deeper meaning here
in this parable, a deeper meaning which
189
00:17:00.759 --> 00:17:06.799
points us not just to their covenant
breaking with Nebuchadnezzar, but you know what
190
00:17:06.880 --> 00:17:11.079
I'm going to say, they're covenant
breaking with God. That's ultimately what this
191
00:17:11.119 --> 00:17:15.750
is about, and he shows this
to them. He says, not only
192
00:17:15.789 --> 00:17:18.470
are you breaking this covenant with them, but it's you're breaking it with me.
193
00:17:19.589 --> 00:17:23.430
You have disobeyed these things. You
have you have disobeyed my rules,
194
00:17:23.549 --> 00:17:27.710
my laws. You have gone after
false gods, as we looked at in
195
00:17:27.750 --> 00:17:32.500
the last chapter. You've spilt him
in this and blood, all of these
196
00:17:32.619 --> 00:17:37.779
terrible things. And so now,
as the Babyloni as the Babylonians do this
197
00:17:37.940 --> 00:17:41.220
work of judgment on your city,
as they build up mounds, as they
198
00:17:41.299 --> 00:17:45.009
build up seige works, as they
come and they take first the top off
199
00:17:45.089 --> 00:17:51.609
the people and then the whole thing, a card away, the things of
200
00:17:51.690 --> 00:17:56.369
the temple, the furniture, the
gold pillars and all these things of the
201
00:17:56.450 --> 00:18:02.119
Lord, and take everything to Babylon. Know that it is my doing,
202
00:18:02.400 --> 00:18:07.160
says the Lord. This is not
just reaping the benefits of your own bad
203
00:18:07.400 --> 00:18:15.750
politics, but it's more than that. This is reaping the consequences of your
204
00:18:15.789 --> 00:18:22.029
own bad politics. This is the
Lord at work, the Lord Judging and
205
00:18:22.309 --> 00:18:30.420
prosecuting his covenant with them. They
are covenant breakers from top to bottom,
206
00:18:32.019 --> 00:18:37.500
bottom to top, and Jahwe wants
them to realize this. He wants them
207
00:18:37.660 --> 00:18:42.410
and us to understand that he is
behind it all. Just as they broke
208
00:18:42.529 --> 00:18:48.369
covenant with Nebuchadnezzar and would be judged, just as this king on first Jehoiachen
209
00:18:48.569 --> 00:18:52.089
and then Zeta Kai a broke covenant
with Babylon and would be judged. So,
210
00:18:52.250 --> 00:19:00.920
to excuse me, they would be
judged by God. Well, what
211
00:19:00.000 --> 00:19:04.559
do we learn from these things?
Well, one thing is that we learn
212
00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:11.710
is that these sins of these kings
and of Jerusalem. We're significant. We've
213
00:19:11.750 --> 00:19:17.029
seen this impressed on our hearts and
many ways it's are not minor things.
214
00:19:17.150 --> 00:19:22.750
These were great sins done over and
over and over. We ought never to
215
00:19:22.910 --> 00:19:26.099
look at the judgment that Jerusalem face
and say, was that a little bit
216
00:19:26.180 --> 00:19:32.900
too much? If Anything, God
was merciful and spared them even within the
217
00:19:32.940 --> 00:19:38.490
midst of so much great destruction.
Another thing I think we need to pay
218
00:19:38.529 --> 00:19:42.730
attention to and realize when we see
the judgment of God in these kinds of
219
00:19:42.809 --> 00:19:49.650
situations and we recognize the sins which
led to this kind of judgment, is
220
00:19:49.730 --> 00:19:56.240
to take note of the sins and
consider our own. One of the things
221
00:19:56.319 --> 00:20:00.359
that the Lord is teaching us in
these stories and in this history and all
222
00:20:00.440 --> 00:20:07.119
these things is the consequence of sin. How often do we take sin kind
223
00:20:07.119 --> 00:20:10.869
of lightly? We think of it
as no big deal. These passages impressed
224
00:20:10.869 --> 00:20:14.910
on us that it is a big
deal. It is important. We can't
225
00:20:14.950 --> 00:20:19.349
play around, we can't mess around
with sin. When we look at God's
226
00:20:19.349 --> 00:20:26.059
judgment, we see sin and it
should humble us. And this includes even
227
00:20:26.099 --> 00:20:30.180
the Cross of Christ, especially the
Cross of Christ, where the judgments and
228
00:20:30.220 --> 00:20:37.170
the wrath of God was poured down
upon the sun. Why? Jesus didn't
229
00:20:37.170 --> 00:20:41.970
do anything wrong. Jesus never sinned. Jesus wasn't some sort of covenant breaking
230
00:20:42.049 --> 00:20:47.410
King, snatching the people of Israel
and carting them off to Egypt or trying
231
00:20:47.450 --> 00:20:53.799
to make alliances with other nations or
anything like that. Jesus didn't die as
232
00:20:53.839 --> 00:21:00.960
a murderer or as a thief for
as a false king. Jesus was perfectly
233
00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:10.710
righteous. Jesus died to take judgment
for sin for us. Jesus took on
234
00:21:10.829 --> 00:21:14.750
judgment for us because of our sins
and the things that we have done.
235
00:21:15.829 --> 00:21:18.660
When we look at the cross,
when we look at God's judgment there,
236
00:21:18.259 --> 00:21:22.380
we have to shut her a little
bit and see the power of the law,
237
00:21:22.619 --> 00:21:30.259
the consequences of sin. But the
cross also reveals to us the hope
238
00:21:30.259 --> 00:21:36.890
of the Gospel in a way that
the judgment here of Israel does not.
239
00:21:37.930 --> 00:21:42.650
The judgment on Jesus, the judgments
and the cross, we see that it
240
00:21:42.809 --> 00:21:47.279
wasn't just Jesus paying a Jesus wasn't
paying for his own sins, as I
241
00:21:47.359 --> 00:21:51.640
said, but he was paying for
ours, and this is good news for
242
00:21:51.720 --> 00:21:55.720
us, that Jesus was a sacrifice
of sins, means that we have hope
243
00:21:56.400 --> 00:22:00.000
of living another day, and not
just another day, but an eternal day
244
00:22:00.710 --> 00:22:06.750
and eternal life. We have a
hope in Christ, in the judgments of
245
00:22:06.829 --> 00:22:11.950
God on him, that we can
be forgiven of our covenant breaking, that
246
00:22:12.150 --> 00:22:17.500
we can be forgiven of our sins. Where the wrath of Babylon comes down
247
00:22:17.500 --> 00:22:21.859
on the people, where the wrath
of God comes down on Jerusalem, the
248
00:22:21.980 --> 00:22:26.940
wrath of God came down on Jesus
once and for all, so that all
249
00:22:27.099 --> 00:22:32.009
who would be under him would know
that justice, as he said and is
250
00:22:32.130 --> 00:22:34.730
Ecyel Lat in the last chapter,
in his Ecil Sixteen, Justice would be
251
00:22:34.769 --> 00:22:42.089
satisfied, it would be over and
we would have peace with God. When
252
00:22:42.130 --> 00:22:47.599
we look to Jesus as the true
King of his people, as the Covenant
253
00:22:47.640 --> 00:22:53.279
Keeper, we can have real hope
for the future, and that hope for
254
00:22:53.359 --> 00:22:56.480
the future, knowing that our sins
are forgiven, knowing that we can now
255
00:22:56.640 --> 00:23:02.470
live in him, is predicted for
us right here in is echyl seventeen.
256
00:23:03.549 --> 00:23:07.470
This is why I said at the
beginning all these things eventually they point us
257
00:23:07.509 --> 00:23:10.950
to Christ and they remind us of
what we have in him and what do
258
00:23:11.069 --> 00:23:17.660
we have in him? Well,
we have the completion of our judgment and
259
00:23:17.859 --> 00:23:22.619
we have this. I'll read from
verse twenty two. He says, I
260
00:23:22.900 --> 00:23:27.650
myself will take a sprig from the
lofty top of the Cedar and will set
261
00:23:27.690 --> 00:23:34.009
it out. So this Cedar,
this top that had been carted off to
262
00:23:34.130 --> 00:23:41.000
Babylon, this this remnant of people
that had been preserved from this judgment,
263
00:23:41.839 --> 00:23:49.160
God would take something humble, a
a little sprig from the lofty top of
264
00:23:49.200 --> 00:23:52.559
the seater, will set it out. He says, I will break off
265
00:23:52.640 --> 00:23:55.950
from the topmost of its young twigs, a tender one, and I myself
266
00:23:55.990 --> 00:24:00.150
will plant it on a high and
lofty mountain. So God takes this,
267
00:24:02.029 --> 00:24:04.069
this sprig of a tree, of
this little thing, and he transplants it
268
00:24:04.630 --> 00:24:10.420
on a very high mountain. And
in theological terms, this is the highest
269
00:24:10.460 --> 00:24:15.819
mountain, the most important one,
the most grander one, the mountain height
270
00:24:15.900 --> 00:24:21.460
of Israel. We could say safely
that this is Mount Zion, the city
271
00:24:21.579 --> 00:24:26.490
of God, and he places this
this tree, this royal, noble one,
272
00:24:26.609 --> 00:24:30.329
this one of Israel, the son
of David, this little sprig,
273
00:24:30.009 --> 00:24:33.890
and he places it on top of
a mountain. He lifts it up from
274
00:24:33.930 --> 00:24:42.079
a very low place. And what
happens next under it? Under this one
275
00:24:42.279 --> 00:24:48.559
tree will dwell every kind of bird
in the shade of its branches, every
276
00:24:49.039 --> 00:24:55.150
branches, birds of every sort will
nest, and all the trees of the
277
00:24:55.190 --> 00:25:02.390
field, all those trees down below
other kings and empires and people, they
278
00:25:02.470 --> 00:25:08.819
will know that I am the Lord. So this imagery of the Eagle and
279
00:25:08.900 --> 00:25:15.019
the tree and the vine, all
these things Um our our and our images
280
00:25:15.059 --> 00:25:21.420
of judgment. But God says that
he himself, not in Ebuchados or not
281
00:25:21.529 --> 00:25:26.609
Babylon, but he himself, will, out of this judgment, create something
282
00:25:26.730 --> 00:25:30.809
new and something that was better than
even before. This is not a mighty
283
00:25:30.970 --> 00:25:37.920
tree, it's not a lowly vine
like Zeedechiah was. This is a high
284
00:25:37.160 --> 00:25:45.039
tree on the highest mountain, a
great tree in which will provide shade and
285
00:25:45.319 --> 00:25:49.430
rest, and all the trees of
the field will know that he is the
286
00:25:49.589 --> 00:25:56.630
Lord, in Jesus Christ, in
the Work of God, in all of
287
00:25:56.789 --> 00:26:04.980
these things we receive this surprising grace, an unexpected end in which, despite
288
00:26:06.180 --> 00:26:11.220
all of the things that Israel is
done to deserve God's wrath, despite all
289
00:26:11.299 --> 00:26:15.539
the things that you and I have
done to deserve his wrath and be under
290
00:26:15.579 --> 00:26:19.930
the punishment, righteous judgment for our
sins. God promises that in Christ he
291
00:26:21.089 --> 00:26:27.049
is going to create something new,
something wonderful, which provides provision and rest
292
00:26:27.970 --> 00:26:33.920
for all. When we think of
Jesus, this, of course, supplies
293
00:26:33.119 --> 00:26:38.160
so well of him who is born
v Lowly stature, the son of David,
294
00:26:38.279 --> 00:26:45.240
and yet and yet, and born
in Bethlehem, but yet so low,
295
00:26:45.799 --> 00:26:52.069
often despised, often rejected, often
unimportant, often I'm not believed in.
296
00:26:52.029 --> 00:27:02.099
But ultimately he is the king of
the world. So let's not break
297
00:27:02.180 --> 00:27:10.059
covenant with God, but instead put
our faith in him, who has established
298
00:27:10.099 --> 00:27:15.140
a new covenant and who is promised
that he will not judge us according to
299
00:27:15.420 --> 00:27:22.450
our own righteousness or our sins,
but according to Christ's righteousness and his perfect
300
00:27:22.450 --> 00:27:26.329
life. When we put our faith
in him, we can know that we
301
00:27:26.369 --> 00:27:30.559
are secure and no longer under judgment.
