4The nations heard about him, and he was trapped in their pit. They led him with hooks to the land of Egypt.
5"‘When she saw her hope unfulfilled, her expectation gone, she took another of her cubs and made him a strong lion.
- P100
10"‘Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard planted by the water; it was fruitful and full of branches because of abundant water. - P101
12But it was uprooted in fury and thrown to the ground. The east wind made it shrivel, it was stripped of its fruit; its strong branches withered and fire consumed them.
13Now it is planted in the desert, in a dry and thirsty land.
14Fire spread from one of its main branches and consumed its fruit. No strong branch is left on it fit for a ruler’s scepter.’ "This is a lament and is to be used as a lament."
- P101
God commands Ezekiel to take up a lament for the princes of Israel. He com-pares them to lion cubs taken into captivity and to a fruitful vine uprootedin fury and thrown to the ground. The vine is now planted in the wildernessand fire consumes its fruit. No branch is left on it that is strong enough to bea ruler‘s scepter. - P101
This lament mourns two leaders. The allegorical poem first describes a lion cub symbolizing King Jehoahaz, who is taken away to Egypt. The second cub, King Jehoiachin, is similarly taken by Babylon, another foreign power. The lament over the capture of the two leaders reflects the fallen state of God’s people. In our own churches and nations, let us be attentive to the spiritual state of our leaders. - P102
We can lament over the ones who have failed in their roles, but we can also support and pray for our leaders, including those who continue to work diligently for God’s kingdom. We can encourage them in their relationship with Jesus, who provides the perfect model of humble and servant-hearted leadership - P102
God‘s people once flourished like a vine planted in fertile ground. Theywere powerful and mighty, blessed with strength and fruitfulness. The peo-ple enjoyed God‘s favor until they began to disobey Him. Then, they be-came like a vine that is uprooted and shriveled, devoid of any fruit. Insteadof being in lush and fertile land, they are uprooted to a dry and thirsty des-ert, no longer reflecting the strength of the Lord. We can see the situationwith Judah as a warning. - P102
We should work out our salvation with fear andtrembling, knowing that sin and disobedience have negative repercussionson our families, churches, and communities. Let us remain fruitful andstrong, listening to God and following His Word. - P102
Heavenly Father, You call me to turn from sinful ways and remain focused on You. Selfishness leads to emptiness and death, but Your way leads to eternal life. Guide me in my path and keep my heart and spirit strong and fruitful in You. In Jesus’ name, amen. - P103
When we assess each season of our life, we should be careful not to assumetoo much based on the passing situations of that season. In challengingtimes, we can overcome temptations as we remember that this momentis fleeting and not representative of the eternal life that God has given us.
- P103
We pass through seasons of grief and enjoy seasons of happiness, knowingthatstrong, not because of what is happening in that temporaryseason, but because we are rooted in the eternal strength of Christ.
remainwe - P103
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