Page 84 - NOTES ON EZEKIEL

78 NOTES ON EZEKIEL.
sisters in that day, she who would not take up the
name of one at least on her lips in the day of her pride
and sin. But grace, God’s grace, changes all for man,
and changes man for all its consequences up to glory.

CHAPTER XVII.

W e have here another of our prophet’s most graphic
illustrations of the actual position of things among
the people of God, of the ruin impending because of
the impiety of the king (and this too in the oath of
Jehovah with the Gentile chief), and final!)' of the
kingdom of Messiah which, the lowest in its first pre­
sentation, is exalted of God in due time over all the
earth. Thus, though we may trace no slight connection
between the latter part and such predictions as those of
Laiah xi.; liii.; Daniel ii. 34, 35, 44, 45; Micah. v.;
the prophecy has its own very distinct characteristics,
as each of these prophecies also.
“ And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,
Son of man, put forth a riddle and speak a parable
unto the house of Israel; and say, Thus hath said the
Lord Jehovah, The great eagle, great of wings, long of
pinion, which was rich in many colours, came unto
Lebanon and took the highest branch of the cedar; he
cropped the topmost of its young twigs, and brought it to
the land of traffic; he set it in a city of merchants. And
he took of the seed of the land, and put it in a field of
seed; he placed it by great waters, he set it as a willow.
And it sprouted, and became a spreading vine of low
stature, the tendrils of which should turn towards him,