Ezekiel 34:29 And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land… I. PREMISE A FEW THINGS CONCERNING THIS BLESSED PLANT. 1. What is here ascribed to Christ, is not to be understood absolutely of Him as God, but officially — as He is Mediator and Redeemer. 2. This Plant is but small and little in the eyes of a blind world. 3. However contemptible this Plant of renown is in the eyes of a blind world, yet He is the tallest plant in all God's Lebanon. 4. This blessed Plant of renown was cut down in His death, and sprung up gloriously in His resurrection. 5. All the little plants in the garden are ingrafted in this Plant of renown. II. HE IS A RENOWNED PLANT. He is renowned in heaven, and He is renowned on earth, and will be so (Psalm 72:17). 1. He is renowned for His antiquity. 2. He is renowned for His beauty. The glory of a God is in Him Is there any glory in His eternal Father? Why, that glory shines in our Immanuel in the very brightness of it (Hebrews 1:3). 3. He is renowned for His verdure, for His perpetual greenness. Other plants are fading. 4. He is renowned for His virtue. We read in Revelation 22, "That the leaves of the tree of life were for the healing of the nations," — that tree of life is the very same with this Plant of renown; the leaves of this Plant are for the healing of the nations; and we that are ministers are come this day to scatter the leaves of this tree of life, of this Plant of renown; try if you can get a leaf of it applied and set home upon your souls; depend upon it, there is virtue in every word of His. 5. He is renowned for His fertility: He is not a barren Plant; He would not be renowned if He were barren; He brings forth all manner of fruit every month; yea, I may add, every day, every moment. There is the fruit of His incarnation; there is the fruit of His death; there is the fruit of His resurrection; there is the fruit of His ascension; there is the fruit of His intercession, and sitting at the right hand of God; there is the fruit of His prophetic office; there is the fruit of His priestly office; there is the fruit of His kingly office; there is the fruit of His appearing within the vail; there is the fruit of what He did without the vail, and without the camp. Oh, what fruit is here! 6. He is renowned for His scent, and pleasant savour (Song of Solomon 1:2). The believer finds a scent about Him, he draws a savour from Him. What is the design of us ministers but to cast abroad His scent; and it is by this we win souls. 7. He is renowned for His shadow (Song of Solomon 2:3). Oh, sit down under His shadow, and you will find shelter there against all deadly; whatever blasts come, you will find safety there; would you be shadowed from the king of terrors, death is a terror to many. Oh, if you would be shadowed against the awful terrors of death and God's vengeance, get in under this shadow, and you are safe. 8. This Plant is renowned for His stature; He is a high Plant, He is a tall Plant. You see the heavens above you, but they are but creeping things in comparison of Him; but this glorious Plant, "He is the high and lofty one that inhabits eternity," you can never see His height. 9. This Plant is renowned for His extent, not only for His stature, but He is a broad Plant. He was planted in the first promise in Paradise, He spread through the Old Testament Church, He came the length of filling the land of Judaea, but at length this Plant has spread among us, and oh, that I could spread Him among you! III. THE RAISING OR UPBRINGING OF THIS PLANT. 1. He was raised up in the counsel of God's peace from eternity. 2. He was raised up in the first promise to Adam and Eve. 3. His actual manifestation in the flesh, when, in the fulness of time, He appeared. 4. This Plant was raised up, even in His death. 5. This Plant was raised up in His resurrection from the dead. For in His resurrection from the dead He was "declared to be the Son of God with power, by the Spirit of holiness." 6. This Plant of renown was raised up higher in His ascension into heaven, when He was set "down on the right hand of the Majesty on high," after He had, by Himself, purged our sins. 7. He is raised up likewise in the revelation of the everlasting Gospel. 8. This Plant of renown is raised up in the day of the Church's reformation. 9. This Plant of renown will be raised up at His second coming. 10. This Plant of renown will be raised up in the songs of the redeemed through endless eternity. IV. FOR WHOM IS IT THAT THIS PLANT IS RAISED UP? He is raised up for mankind sinners, not for angel-kind sinners, and every mankind sinner that hears tell of Him should lay claim to Him (Isaiah 9:6). As the firmament is for you, if you will open your eyes, so the Sun of Righteousness is for you, if you will open your hearts to Him: for the Lord's sake do not refuse Him, or else it will not be telling you; you will rue it to eternity. V. WHY IS HE RAISED UP? 1. He is raised up as a Redeemer to set the captives of the mighty at liberty. 2. He is raised up as a Mediator of the new covenant, to make peace between an offended God, and offending rebellious man, He "makes reconciliation for iniquity" (Daniel 9:24). 3. He is raised up as a Surety, to pay the debt of a company of broken divers, and to bind Himself under a bond to satisfy justice for their crimes, and that He should reduce them to obedience to their offended Lord. Hence He is called (Hebrews 7:25). 4. He is raised up as a renowned Healer, a non-such Physician. He has opened up a medicinal well (Zechariah 13:1) that washes from sin and uncleanness, and, whatever be your malady, we invite you to come to this well, and wash and be clean. 5. He is raised up as a Witness to tell the truth, or as a Prophet to reveal it. 6. He is raised up as Leader unto the people, to show us the path of life, and to lead us into it, and, by His leading, He causes the wayfaring man to walk without erring, — "I will bring the blind by a way they know not," etc. 7. He is raised up as a Commander unto the people, as the Captain of salvation, to fight our battles for us, and to head the armies of God's Israel in their way to glory. And, by His skill and conduct, He makes them all conquerors, yea, more than conquerors, etc. VI. APPLICATION. Is it so that Christ is a Plant of renown, raised up by Jehovah? Then — 1. See hence the iniquity and wickedness of these men who study to derogate from the glory of this renowned Plant. 2. See hence how to know a true and faithful minister of Christ. He will have a smell of the Plant of renown about him, whether he be in the pulpit or out of it. 3. See hence whence it is that believers flock to Gospel ordinances, where they can get them dispensed by those that bear Christ's commission to dispense them. It is the smell of the Plant of renown that draws them thither. 4. See hence why God the Father is called a Husbandman. He is so called with reference unto His raising up this Plant of renown (John 15:1). 5. See hence the regard that God hath for His Church upon earth, as His own garden. Why, He plants this Tree of Life in her, by which she became a new paradise: 6. See hence the excellency of Christ, in His Person, nature, offices, and appearances. 7. See what makes a land or a church pleasant, a Hephzibah or a Beulah unto the Lord. If the Plant of renown and His interest be thriving in a land or Church, it makes her "beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth," etc. 8. See when it is that a Church loses her beauty and glory, and makes defection. It is when Christ loses His Savour among her ministers and professors. 9. See hence how a person may know whether matters be right or wrong, whether he be thriving and prospering in grace, or if he be decaying and going backward. Is the Plant of renown rising or going back with you? If He be rising, then — (1) He will be raised up in your esteem (Psalm 73:25; Philippians 3:8, 9). (2) In your affection and love, "Whom having not seen, we love," etc. (3) In your meditation; every thought will be a captive to His obedience. (4) In your talk and walk, they will have a savour of the Plant of renown, and the chat and common talk of the world will be tasteless, like the white of an egg, to you. (5) In your religious worship, both public and private; when you go to prayer, when you go to hear the word, or when you go to a communion table, nothing will please but Christ Himself. (6) In your wishes and endeavours for the advancement of His kingdom and glory, in as far as your power can go. 10. If Christ be the Plant of renown, raised up by His eternal Father, may it not be for matter of lamentation that the Plant of renown is in so little request among us at this day, and that there is such a plucking away of the glory of this blessed Plant? 11. Is it so that Christ is a Plant of renown raised up by Jehovah? Then let all that bear the name of Chris, especially you who have been entertained at His table, and tasted of His special love and goodness, study to answer God's design, in raising up for us this Plant of renown. (1) Sit down, and rest your weary souls, under the shadow of this renowned Plant, after the example of the spouse (Song of Solomon 2). (2) Come and behold the glory and beauty of the Plant of renown: "O look unto Him, and be saved, all ye ends of the earth."(3) Come and feed upon the fruit of this Plant of renown: "For His flesh is meat indeed, and His blood is drink indeed."(4) Whenever you find yourselves wounded by temptation, or corruption, or the world, come to the Plant of renown. (E. Erskine.) Parallel Verses KJV: And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more. |
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