{"id":73887,"date":"2020-04-28T16:01:50","date_gmt":"2020-04-28T13:01:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=73887"},"modified":"2020-04-28T16:01:50","modified_gmt":"2020-04-28T13:01:50","slug":"the-top-of-a-cedar-on-a-lofty-mountain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/the-top-of-a-cedar-on-a-lofty-mountain\/","title":{"rendered":"The Top Of A Cedar On A Lofty Mountain"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[281],"tags":[],"acf":{"old_id":"73887","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":73524,"related_cahpter":"469","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content":{"description":"This will bear fruit, not the lowly vine: treachery will be requited\r\n\r\n","content":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ezekiel once again poses a riddle and parable to his audience \u2013 phrasing his question with beautiful poetry, but revealing the answer in plain prose.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There was a mighty eagle (representing Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon) that removed the top of a Lebanon cedar (representing King Jehoiachin of Judah), and took it away to a &#8220;city of merchants&#8221; (exile). However, the eagle took a seed representing exile. The eagle then takes a seedling (Zedekiah), which sprouts and becomes a vine. It spreads its branches toward the eagle with its roots going down, symbolizing its humility and loyalty to Babylon. However, another eagle (representing Egypt) appears. The new vine is attracted to its brilliant plumage and great wings, and transfers its allegiance, by turning its roots and branches upwards toward him so it would water him, just as Zedekiah rebelled by sending envoys to Egypt for help.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is a fatal error: in a series of rhetorical questions Ezekiel makes it clear that Egypt cannot and will not be able to protect Jerusalem against the betrayed and angry Babylonians. God promises that no one will escape their wrath, and that the treachery of Zedekiah will be requited.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ultimately, Ezekiel leaves a glimmer of hope at the end. Starting with verse 22, God says that he will take a shoot from the top of a cedar, plant it on a lofty mountain, ensure that the shoot bears fruit, so much so that birds of every kind will flock to it and nest in it. The other trees will learn that God brings down the high trees and raises the lowly ones \u2013 not only will Israel be redeemed, but God as well:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All the trees of the field shall know that I am the Lord.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I bring low the high tree, I make high the low tree;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I the Lord have spoken; I will accomplish it.\u00a0 (Ezekiel 17:24)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The commentators focus on the punishment of the unfaithful vine (Zedekiah). What crime did he actually commit to deserve destruction? The text emphasizes the gravity of the breaking of the oath that Zedekiah made to Babylonia not to rebel: &#8220;Can one violate a covenant and escape?&#8230; Therefore, so said the Lord God: As I live, surely My oath that he disparaged and My covenant that he broke, I will bring it upon his head&#8221; (v. 15-19)).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rabbinic tradition goes a step further. Zedekiah&#8217;s original name was Mataniah. When Nebuchadnezzar appointed him king, he made him swear not to rebel using God&#8217;s name. On a deeper level, we can suggest that Judah treated Babylonia in the exact manner as it treated God \u2013 unfaithfully, and unable to keep to its covenant.<\/span><\/p>\n","image":{"ID":70560,"id":70560,"title":"jer22-cedar","filename":"jer22-cedar.jpg","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer22-cedar.jpg","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/are-you-more-a-king-because-you-compete-in-cedar\/jer22-cedar\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"jer22-cedar","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":70559,"date":"2020-02-23 07:36:16","modified":"2020-05-18 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