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"She has no strong branch"

Text: Ezekiel 19:14

A DEEP LAMENT

Israel was a far cry from the days when David ruled Israel. His descendants became weaker and weaker. The last of the rulers was a wicked king called Zedekiah. Under him, Israel was plucked out in divine fury!

“But she was plucked up in fury,
She was cast down to the ground,
And the east wind dried her fruit.
Her strong branches were broken and withered;
The fire consumed them.
And now she is planted in the wilderness,
In a dry and thirsty land.
Fire has come out from a rod of her branches
And devoured her fruit,
So that she has no strong branch—a sceptre for ruling.”
Ezekiel 19:12-14

1. The fall of Israel.

a) The nation was plucked out.

b) It was cast down to the ground from its lofty height.

c) It was a dried-up vine, shrivelled and barren.

d) The strong branches were broken and withered.

e) Fire consumed the vine.

f) This was a sad lament of the fall of Judah as a nation.

g) Nebuchadnezzar razed Jerusalem to the ground.

2. Planted in Babylon.

a) Geographically, Babylon was a productive land.

b) But spiritually, Babylon was compared to a wilderness.

i) It was a dry and thirsty land.

ii) Idolatry was pursued by all.

iii) The spiritual forecast of Israel was dim.

3. Consequences of the war with Babylon.

a) Fire had broken out.

b) The branches were burned.

c) The fruit of the vine was devoured.

d) The royal family was no more.

e) No strong branch was found.

f) There was no strong sceptre found to rule Israel.