Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: As I have given the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest as fuel for the fire, so will I treat the people living in Jerusalem. – Ezekiel 15:6

Today's Scripture Reading (May 10, 2020): Ezekiel 15

Jesus was spending his last night with his disciples. His betrayal, trial, and crucifixion lay just around the corner. Yet, the teacher still had much that he wanted to leave with his disciples, those who had gathered around him during his ministry. He told them, "I am the vine, and my Dad is the gardener. His job is to cut off every branch that does not bear fruit. But those branches that do bear fruit, he carefully shapes so that they will bear even more fruit. But a branch does not bear fruit alone. It bears fruit because it is connected to the vine, which is connected intimately with the earth that gave it life."

He continued, "I am the vine, and you, the ones who have followed me and listened to me, you are the branches. Remain in me, and you will bear fruit. But if you do not remain in me, then you will wither and die. And a dead branch is worthless; its only use is to be picked up and thrown into the fire to be burned."

The words of Jesus are an echo of Ezekiel's words to the exiles in Babylon. Israel was given life to bear fruit, but throughout its history, the nation had steadfastly refused. Isaiah, more than a century earlier, had compared Israel to a vineyard that was lovingly cared for, but which would only produce bad fruit. And God declared his judgment on the nation through the words of Isaiah.

The vineyard of the Lord Almighty
    is the nation of Israel,
and the people of Judah
    are the vines he delighted in.
And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed;
    for righteousness, but heard cries of distress (Isaiah 5:7).

Ezekiel declares that God has finally decided what to do with his vineyard. It is suitable for nothing except to be thrown into the fire to be burned. It had disconnected itself from the source of life, and, because of that, it could not bear fruit. The branch had produced bad fruit, and then it had withered and died. All that was left was for the branch to be thrown into the fire.

But while Ezekiel spoke the words, his listener's likely did not realize how literal were the prophet's words. The times for metaphors, like the one that Isaiah had employed, were over. Jerusalem was literally going to burn because Babylon was on their way with the match.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 16