January 18, 2013 – Ezekiel 17

We see that God had given Israel a choice.  When Babylon had conquered them, they were left the ability to still have their kingdom, to continue on, God allowed for them to stay.  But instead of trusting in God, they sought out help from a nation they thought was powerful enough to help them.  This is where you get imagery of Israel being an adulterous nation, although that imagery is not used in this chapter.  Here the image is that of a seedling and the growth into a huge tree or vine.  God uprooted Israel from what it was, using Babylon, but replanted it so that it could grow again.  But it turned away and therefore will be destroyed and not grow strong. 

Have you ever been placed in a situation that you thought was not going to turn out positively?  Did you turn to God or did you seek your own way out?  Did you stop to think that God had put you there for a reason?  Our trust in God must extend and flow into all aspects of our life or we are not truly God’s.  Anything that we try to keep from Him will fall into ruin and not succeed.  We need to open up all that we are and trust God will provide, regardless of how we feel or how things appear to be.