Usefullness

Introduction

Sin does a number of things. Most importantly it places us further from God. Sin also provides a lot of room for unfaithfulness. Without faith and a continuing ability to remain in sin truly makes us useless unto God. Captivity was a consequence for Jerusalem because they overlooked justice, turned to foreign Gods, and stopped being the light that God has instructed them to be.

It’s interesting to note that even if we become useless to God, it’s still useful to the world. It becomes this example of doom that we will face if we are not careful with how we live our lives. Captivity, discouragement, injustice is never an excuse for us to dim our light and become unfaithful from a place of fear especially when our captivity is the consequence of our sin. The issue that persist is this persistent unfaithfulness that Jerusalem had displayed.

Our deliverance comes from God, nonetheless we play an important role in our deliverance by how we live our lives. Ezekiel 14:21-23 “For thus says the Lord God: “How much more it shall be when I send My four severe judgments on Jerusalem—the sword and famine and wild beasts and pestilence—to cut off man and beast from it? Yet behold, there shall be left in it a remnant who will be brought out, both sons and daughters; surely they will come out to you, and you will see their ways and their doings. Then you will be comforted concerning the disaster that I have brought upon Jerusalem, all that I have brought upon it. And they will comfort you, when you see their ways and their doings; and you shall know that I have done nothing without cause that I have done in it,” says the Lord God.”

Understand that judgement was inevitable. Ezekiel is a messenger during this time and not an intercessor because the doom was going to happen one way or another. Understand that Job, Noah, and Daniel were able to intercede because of their righteousness. Salvation in this text because an individual task because of the wickedness of the land. There is no difference today, I can encourage you, and can correct you, nonetheless my soul salvation is something that must be worked out between myself and God.

Philippians 2:12 “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;”

Famine, hungry beasts, war, and pestilence not the less the comforting of the remnant will being a sense of understanding to know that God does nothing without cause.

Questions of Importance

Ezekiel asks three questions at the beginning of this pericope.

Son of man, how does a grapevine compare to a tree?

Is a vine’s wood as useful as the wood of a tree?

Can its wood be used for making things, like pegs to hang up pots and pans?

The problem with the people of Jerusalem was not the fact that they are compared to that of a grapevine it’s the fact that they are oblivious to their uselessness considering their sin has made them as grapevines amongst growing trees in the forest.

Sin will make you think you are more useful that you really are.

Understand that Vines are typically good for two things, burning or bearing. Houses are built from the wood of a vine, it’s not sturdy enough to be cut and shaped. If we are not bearing fruit for the kingdom we are useless.

We are known by the fruit that we bear. The people of Jerusalem were bearing fruit of iniquity, injustice, and idolatry. God expects us to bear fruit that is beneficial, fruit that is uplifting and encouraging.

Romans 6:21-22 “What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.”

Death is the consequence of being unfruitful, the goal is to produce fruit. God gives us one directive in effort to produce something beneficial to Him.

What does vine-wood have to do with forest-wood? Forest wood yields useful timber, there are items made from that wood that are useful in our homes. Nonetheless, our usefulness is not about material things but to bear fruit that yields things that attribute to faith.

The sole purpose of the vine is to bear fruit, when it does not bear fruit it is not fulfilling it’s purpose. It’s not about being worldly, it’s about having a sole purpose that God cannot even depend on you for.

Jeremiah 2:21 “Yet I had planted you a noble vine, a seed of highest quality. How then have you turned before Me Into the degenerate plant of an alien vine?”

It’s interesting how God aligns the people of Jerusalem with a vine, it attributes all Glory to Him.

From a societal standpoint, Egypt and Babylon were far more superior than the people of Jerusalem. They had the land, the military warfare, the currency. This is what makes God so wonderful that he can use people and things that society would deem as foolish and exemplify his power with such. Why not trust a God that could empower a shepherd boy to defeat a giant with 5 smooth stones. Why not trust a God that could raise His only begotten son from the dead, why not trust in a God that could part the Red Sea to save his people from Egyptian captivity.

1 Corinthians 1:27 “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;”

There Are Consequences for No Production

Ezekiel informs them that they are producing nothing beneficial in Israel. They have become notoriously useless, no strength, not capable of providing any type of help. This is what sin does it removes and detaches us from our purposes. When we are not walking in purpose, when we are not walking in faith we are useless!

In effort to produce good fruit we have to remain in God! We have to abide in the Lord and live faithfully!

John15:5 ““I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

God is not playing about purpose, Ezekiel 15:7 “and I will set My face against them. They will go out from one fire, but another fire shall devour them. Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I set My face against them.”

If one fire does not devour you, then the next one will. We have to be mindful of the seriousness that God has at it pertains to obedience and purpose. Let us not think too highly of ourselves that we are indestructible. The naive optimism was the object of Ezekiel’s condemnation. They believed that God would never deal with them so harshly!

Let us not believe that just because we call ourselves Christians that God will not deal with us harshly.

We have to be mindful of the lessons God teaches us due to the punishment we receive, and the punishment we witness others receive. Understand that we have no excuse! God is going to teach the lesson one way or another.

Jesus is the epitome of production and if in life we are to imitate Him, we have no choice but to be useful in his kingdom! Furthermore let us remember that it is a privilege and blessing to be a part of God’s family.

Romans 11:19-20 “You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear.” “Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear.”

Understand that our placement our salvation is based solely on the mercy and grace God. Have we truly given thought to what Jesus had to go through to bring liberation to his people? The children of Israel had opportunity after opportunity to get things right with God. Just like we have opportunity after opportunity, every day we wake up is another opportunity to say God I no longer want to get this wrong! God I want to walk in purpose! Even if the consequences are coming, if I have breath in my lungs, I can get things right with the Lord.