Ezekiel 15

In this chapter, God is giving Ezekiel further justification for the impending destruction of Judah and Jerusalem. Judah had already been burned (invaded) by the Babylonians (verse 5)—once in 605 B.C. and once again in 597 B.C. But the Jews had come out of the fire (verse 7). However, they would be attacked again (in 586 B.C.); thus God says,“ The fire will yet consume them” (see 2 Kings 25:8–9).

The exiles in Babylonia, to whom Ezekiel told this parable, had escaped the fire but they had been “pruned”—disciplined. The purpose of God’s pruning is to make a branch even more fruitful (see John 15:12). But if the branch remains unfruitful—if the life of the vine does not flow into the branch—it will be cut off and cast into the fire (John 15:5–6). Let the exiles in Babylonia—and believers today—be warned!