God Has the Last Word

Introduction

Ezekiel 19 was written approximately 5 years before the fall of Jerusalem. This allegory or poem written symbolizes what Israel is going through morally and politically. Even as we matriculate to the new testament that had been one of the greatest struggles amongst Jews. The attraction to political power made understanding the true essence of God sending Jesus hard to conceptualize. They longed for the kingship but disregarded the humility attached to it.

Nonetheless it had been prophesied a number of times: Zechariah 9:9 ““Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.” Considering such the disobedience and inconsistency of Israel brought forth consequences that they could no longer ignore.

“How was thy mother a lioness among lions…but nations shouted against him; in their pit he was captured and they brought him in hooks to Egypt’s land”

They mother is personification of Judah, and the cubs or princes and kings that had been raised up in the land disobeyed the word of God and now consequences were eminent. Zedekiah was blinded and taken to Babylon, as well as many other “cubs” who failed because they resisted the word of God and oppressed the people of God greatly. It’s no secret that during our life we will be subject to weak leaders, but that is not a reason to fret because God has the last word. Jeremiah 33:15 “‘In those days and at that time I will cause to grow up to David A Branch of righteousness; He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.”

The similarity of prophecy amongst Ezekiel and Jeremiah is strikingly similar, nonetheless it is also a testament to the fact that our sin goes unpunished and the power of God will always be the last thing standing. We owe it to God to be obedient, our existence began in a blessed place, when we find ourselves in the famines of life we have to look at ourselves first. The issue with Israel was not just sin but the lack of accountability and willingness to bow down to the enemy when things got a little tough.

Ezekiel 19:10-11 “‘Your mother was like a vine in your bloodline, Planted by the waters, Fruitful and full of branches Because of many waters. She had strong branches for scepters of rulers. She towered in stature above the thick branches, And was seen in her height amid the dense foliage.”

God put Israel in a position of power, the position was squandered by their inability to be obedient. Even since the beginning of time our lives hang in the balance of trusting God enough to do what He asks even when we feel like it doesn’t make sense.

Remember How Blessed You Are

The lamenting was not due to the fact that famine and death has spread across the land. This is where we miss the lesson. Often times we are saddened by the consequence when in all actuality we should be saddened by the squandered opportunity.

Have you ever watched a post game analysis of a coach when his or her team loses by a couple of points, the reporters and interviewers are typically focused on the last shot or last turnover, typically the coach’s focus is elsewhere. The missed free throws, the turnover when they were up two possessions, the foolish foul that put the team in the penalty. Ezekiel is trying to promote the people of God to understand that these current consequences weren’t the issue to be sad about. Being uprooted and fasted to Babylonian captivity wasn’t the focus, the focus should have been what got us in the trouble in the first place.

When it comes to the sin that is prevalent in our lives, we have to start digging at the root issue and refrain from becoming so enamored with the fruit that sin is producing. We attempt to stop doing the act but haven’t spent time dealing with what is causing us to be drawn away to participate in said action.

What was causing them to bow down to other nations?

What was causing them to align with other gods?

What was causing them to oppress their own people?

What was causing them to refuse to listen to God and Ezekiel?

Instead they were looking at the consequence of their actions as the issue.

Initially they were blessed! They were planted in a blessed place, and fruitful because of many waters! Don’t allow your blessings to promote you to think to highly of yourself. God still has the last say so!

Our fruitfulness is completely attributed to God, since the beginning of time we owe all glory and praise to God for all of our blessings.

Genesis 17:6 “I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you.”

Take a closer look at this text, Israel is the subject, just like we are the subject as it pertains to our ability to be obedient!

Why is God angry, he’s angry because we’ve been supplied for, we have been consecrated and separated for a good work in a blessed place so when we squander the blessing by finding relief in sin and fleshly behavior God has no choice but to provide a consequence so great that we miss what we were once blessed with.

Lamenting

This song is written as a Lament, a song that produced weeping, complaints, mourning, bereavement, sorrow, repentance. There were a series of laments after the fall of Jerusalem. Similar to a funeral, as sad as it is for someone to die prematurely at that funeral it is too late to try to get things right! Why does God have the last say so? He has the last say so because he controls life and death!

God took control away completely! Because of sin instead of being planted by the waters we are now planted in a dry and thirsty land, instead of being blessed with the waters of growth and thriving we are devoured and no longer have a strong branch for ruling!

This is the end this is the funeral for Israel, there is nothing more to celebrate because of our actions! Nonetheless thank God for having the last word! Although the rebellion of Israel has caused God to bring about some very strong consequences thank God that He never went back on His promise that He provided us in Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.””

Isaiah 11:1 “There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.”

Hebrews 1:1-2 “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;”

Luke 1:30-33 “Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.””

Thank God that even in my rebellion, God has the last say so! He has the power to redeem us after rebellion if we are willing to repent! Get to the root of the issue and trust in God to replant us in a blessed place for a blessed purpose! Rebellion may have separated us from the Throne of God, rebellion may have removed the scepter for ruling. Nonetheless thank God for mercy, that through his mercy and grace we have the ability to get back to His throne and get our life right! Thank God that the rebellion of those before me did not keep God from extending His grace to me, thank God that the mistakes of those before me did not keep God from sending Jesus to be the sacrifice for mankind. Thank God that the problems of the past did not interrupt the blessings of the future because God has the last WORD!