The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 1 — Section 308

Uriah tho Hittite, The penitent prodigal chargee himself with having sinned against heaven ae well as before hie father (Luke xv. 18). God enters into all earthly arrange- ments. The oath is a direct call upon God to do this; but without any such solemn appeal God cannot but tBke note of all we say and do, and as the Guardian of truth and justice ho will consider any earthly unfaithfulness as wrong against himself. II. THOSE WHO ARE PLEDGED TO THE SERVICE OF Goo ARE ESPECIALLY UNFAITHFUL TO HIM WHEN THEY ARE tJNFAITHFUL TO THEIR FELLOW-MEN. Zedekiah was the king of a covenant nation, and his throne was bound by God's solemn covenant with David. He was, therefore, in an especial sense a servant of God. If the servant behaves ill in the world his Master must take note of the fact. It is a wrong against the Master, who is dishonoured by his shameful conduct. When a professedly Christian man shows a lack of integrity before the world, his sin is intensified by contrast with his high profession. It is bad for the common person to be faithless, but when a knight of honoured title shows the same failure of character, he brings disgrace upon his order. If one who stands before men as a Christian proves himself to be dishonourable in business, he injures the holy Name of his Master, and he breaks faith with the God whom he has promised to serve. III. UNFAITHFULNESS TO A 0OVENANT WITH Goo IS A HEINOUS SIN, The Jews were peculiarly privileged; therefore their sin was especially guilty. They were bound to fidelity by exceptional pledges; their disloyalty was, therefore, the more culpable. Christians now stand in the ancient position of the Jews. 1. Christians are peculiarly privileged. They not only receive the general mercies of God which all men may share. '£hey are partakers of his choicest covenant blessings. Jesus Christ, who has pledged the new covenant in his blood, has brought with it the highest blessings. For Christians to fall into sin is doubly guilty. 2. Christians are especially pledged. If we take the Christian name we incur the Christian obligatioos. The vows of God are then upon us. We are pledged to loyalty to Christ. It is no common sin to break vows of Christian service. The prophet called this sin in Israel adultery. It carries the shame and guilt of that outrage on honour. Vers. 22, 23.-Christ, the new Cedar. After words of darkness and ruin, there appears the wonderful Messianic prophecy of restoration and future blessings. Sometimes this prophecy is expressed in general terms ; but here the personal Messiah is distinctly pre- dicted under the image of a shoot taken from the fallen cedar. I. THE PLANTING OF THE NEW CEDAR. 1. It is a cutting from the old cedar. That proud and once venerable tree has been cruelly torn by the fierce eagle. One of its topmost twigs has been carried away, for Jehoiachin has been taken to Babylon. But another shoot from the same tree is destined to a glorious future. Christ is of the stock of David. He is called God's Servant," the Branch" (Zech. iii. 8). The people hailed Jesus as the" Son of David" (Matt. x.x. 30). Christ comes as a King, and he comes to fulfil God's ancient promises to David. He unites the present to the past, and accomplishes in himself what the throne of David had failed to attain. 2. It appears as a slender twig. It was said of the Christ, " He shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground" (Isa. liii. 2). Jesus entered the world in the lowly estate of the infant Child of a poor woman, and his earthly life was one of humiliation and slight visible achievements. 3. It is planted on a mountain. (1) ..1e Zion. Christ appears on the holy hill of Zion. He was welcomed with hosannahs as he went up to Jerusalem. His truth first shone out of Judaism, and for the benefit of the people of Zion. (2) In exaltation. Christ was exalted by God, although he presented a humble appearance to men. (3) In a conspicuous place. Christ appeared openly before men. His gospel is for the world. II. THE GROWTH OF THE NEW CEDAR. 1. It is to grow in size. It shall bring forth boughs. The cutting becomes a cedar tree. The mustard seed grows into a great tree. Christ not only grew in stature, wisdom, and grace as a Child (Luke ii. 14). He grew in power afterwards, being made perfect by the things that he suffered (Heb. v. 8, 9), nnd beina exalted to the right hand of God on account of his great self-sacrifice at the cross. Chr~t continues to grow in the extension of his kingdom, in the progress of the Church, which is his body. 2. It is to be fruitful. " And bear fruit." This cedar is to shBre the merits of the vine, Great as the monarch of Lebanon is, it is to bo  808 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL, [on. xvn.1-24:.