Proper 6: First Reading, Ezekiel 17:22-24                                             

Ezekiel 17:22-24

The prophet Ezekiel is a literary artist of the first rank. Now, understandably he had help from the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. But one of the elements of Biblical Inspiration as a doctrine, is that God did not override the personalities or abilities of His human instruments as the writers of Holy Scripture. But think of just a couple of the wonderful pictures Ezekiel paints: the vision of a wheel within a wheel or the valley of dry bones. In our Old Testament reading this week we get another. Brightly plumed eagles, vines, and cedars. Ezekiel’s pen the brush and the papyrus the canvas. The result, as arresting as any DaVinci or Carravagio.

Here Ezekiel tells the reader in the whole of chapter 17 that God’s purposes will not be thwarted no matter how strange they seem to us. And it matters not a whit that we think we know better or would even attempt to try to do better. God will have his way. Funny, in the strange way, that I just finished reading an article by a Detroit, Michigan pastor who had recently been confronted with the same lesson after a lengthy illness and still lots to do. I wonder if the Lord is trying to get my attention.

In Ezekiel the Holy Spirit tells the “tale” by means of word pictures including great eagles breaking the tops of trees and replanting those tops in soil for a particular harvest. A harvest planned by the LORD. God uses conquering armies, ambassadors, prophets, and kings to live out the plans He has made. We can choose to go along or not. Sometimes there are tough lessons to learn in our rebellion against those plans. Sometimes God is merciful and withholds punishment. But He is still watching and moving among us to teach us to trust.

His planting, those done directly by His hand will indeed flourish. Three verses today bear out that truth (but read the entire chapter). And His success is always tied to what He has spoken: “I am the LORD, I have spoken, and I will do it” (Ezek. 17:22-24). It’s good to listen. Perhaps He is knocking on your door.