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Ezekiel Chapter Seventeen

1. The parable/riddle of the two eagles & the vine is given (Ezek. 17:1-10).
   1. Babylon is the first eagle, and Egypt is the second eagle.
   2. Zedekiah is the vine.
   3. The riddle is asked: will it thrive?
2. The parable/riddle is explained (Ezek. 17:11-21).
   1. Zedekiah was Babylon’s puppet.
   2. Zedekiah turned to Egypt for help.
   3. The riddle is restated: will he succeed?
3. The parable/riddle is expanded (Ezek. 17:22-24).  Jesus Christ is the tender shoot that will be planted and prosper (Isa. 53:2).

Ezekiel Chapter Eighteen

1. In Chapter 18, the Lord has to put an end to another false proverb (cf. Ezek. 12:22-23).
2. The false proverb assured the exiles that they were suffering for the failures of past generations—but they themselves were o.k. (Ezek. 18:2; Jer. 31:29).
3. Three hypothetical circumstances are described.
   1. Hypothetical #1: three generations (Ezek. 18:5-18).
   2. Hypothetical #2: a wicked man who repents (Ezek. 18:21-23).
   3. Hypothetical #3: a righteous man who turns apostate (Ezek. 18:24).
4. The chapter closes with the certainty of God’s judgment.
   1. He judges according to His standards, not man’s (Ezek. 18:25-29; Isa. 55:8-9).
   2. He takes no pleasure in the destruction of the wicked, but seeks for our repentance (Ezek. 18:30-32).

Ezekiel Chapter Nineteen

1. In Chapter 19, the Lord composes a lament for the princes of Israel (Ezek. 19:1).
2. The lament is drafted in poetic language.
3. The lioness “mother” represents Judah (Gen. 49:9).  The two cubs are two of Judah’s kings.
   1. Cub #1 is Jehoahaz, who was carried away to Egypt (2nd Kgs. 23:31-34).
   2. Cub #2 is Jehoiachin, who was carried away to Babylon (2nd Kgs. 24:8-16).
4. The second part of the lament returns to vine imagery (Ezek. 19:10-14; cf. Ezek. 15,17).
   1. The vine should be fruitful (vv.10,11).
   2. The vine was plucked up in fury and cast down (v.12).
   3. The vine is now a transplanted, pitiful thing to observe (vv.13,14).