Ezekiel 15

Israel is often likened to a vine, the message usually being that she ought to have produced good fruit, but did not. Here the analogy is different with the emphasis being on the quality of the wood.

Wood from a vine is useless for any practical purpose, unlike many other trees whose wood is very useful and is the prime purpose of the tree. The only value of a vine is the fruit it produces. Israel was for ever trying to be like other nations, but she was not intended to be like other nations. Indeed in terms that might be used to measure other nations she was pretty useless. Israel was different, she was meant to be the nation of God, and would only find her true vocation when she did live as the people of God.

The same applies to us as Christians. We were not saved so that we could be just like everyone else. We were saved so that we could bear special fruit. We need to look to Christ to discover our special purpose, only then will we find our true value and worth.

The wood of the vine is only good for burning, and Jerusalem was about to be well and truly burnt. This would happen because of her unfaithfulness. In the next chapter God will describe in very vivid terms the unfaithfulness of Israel.