Ezekiel chapter 15

vs 1

I think we're used to this now.

vs 2

Before I jump to answer that question, I think God is building up to something. Let's stop and listen.

vs 3

I don't know the answer. I'm going to guess no. Why would you cut down a fruitful vine and make stuff out of the wood? I mean, perhaps for an artistic point or something. But I would assume you'd just use tree wood for that normally.

vs 4

You can pick up the charcoal and draw a picture? I don't know, I've never been good with the idea of useful. I think again the point is that no, it isn't really useful.

vs 5

Okay, so I think this verse at least lets us answer the rhetorical questions asked so far. Do people use the wood? No. Do they use it once it's been burned? Definitely not. When it's burned, it becomes even more useless. Now that we have the basics, let's see what the metaphor is.

vs 6

So the people of Jerusalem (who have been the targets for this whole prophecy so far, really - well, the subject anyway. The audience is probably still those currently in exile) are to become basically useful only for fire wood. That probably says something about them as people, and their usefulness to God.

vs 7

The fire of punishment has been burning a long time now. Those already in exile know that. Now they just sit and wait to see the fire consume the last bit of garbage wood left - the people of Jerusalem.

vs 8

An attack on the land is tantamount to an attack on the people, and on their relationship with God. The land stops being fruitful not because of seasonal weather patterns or bad farming practices alone - it happens because they have broken their deal with God. God would bless them for doing good, and curse them for doing bad. They've done bad for so long now, and probably haven't realised that just because your lettuce doesn't die when you sin once, doesn't mean that your entire crops won't die when you sin ten times. Or that you'll end up in exile after a few hundred years of sinning. God has big tallybooks. God hasn't been quiet about it either, like a woman who when they're angry just goes quiet and then expects you to know what's wrong. He has sent prophet after prophet to his people with the warning. They just are stubborn and don't listen - like men.