What is the meaning of Ezekiel 15:6? Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says • The verse opens with God Himself speaking; the authority is unquestionable (cf. Isaiah 1:18–20). • When the covenant LORD speaks, His words carry both promise and warning (Deuteronomy 28:1-2, 15). • By starting with “Therefore,” God links His verdict to Judah’s persistent unfaithfulness just described in Ezekiel 15:1-5. Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest • A grapevine is valuable for fruit, not lumber; once fruitless, it is inferior to sturdy forest trees (Isaiah 5:1-4). • Israel was meant to bear covenant fruit for God’s glory (Hosea 10:1), yet had become barren (Matthew 21:19). • Jesus later employs the same imagery, urging disciples to abide and bear fruit (John 15:1-5). Which I have given to the fire for fuel • Fruitless vine wood is only fit for burning; its destiny is destruction (John 15:6). • Fire pictures divine judgment (Lamentations 4:11; Hebrews 12:29). • God’s past dealings—such as the Babylonian incursions already begun (2 Kings 24:2)—show He keeps this warning literal. So I will give up the people of Jerusalem • Just as useless vine wood is cast into flames, so Jerusalem—once God’s treasured city—will face the fire of Babylon (Jeremiah 21:10). • “Give up” signals deliberate handing over, not mere abandonment; God remains sovereign even in judgment (Romans 1:24). • This handing over aims to purge and ultimately restore a remnant (Ezekiel 6:8-10; Romans 11:5). summary Ezekiel 15:6 teaches that a covenant people who refuse to bear the fruit of righteousness become as worthless as fruitless vine wood. God, always true to His Word, warns that such uselessness leads inevitably to judgment—illustrated by Jerusalem’s surrender to Babylon’s flames. Yet even in discipline, His purpose is redemptive, pressing His people toward genuine fruitfulness and faithful fellowship with Him. |
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