John Calvin Commentary Ezekiel 19:14

"And fire is gone out of the rods of its branches, it hath devoured its fruit, so that there is in it no strong rod to be a sceptre to rule. This is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation." — Ezekiel 19:14 (ASV)

Here the Prophet reaches the end of their afflictions, when Zedekiah was dragged into captivity, and so the people’s independence was abolished. God had formerly planted that vine, or at least some of its branches, in a desert spot.

This occurred as first four tribes, and afterwards seven, were led away, and last of all, the greater part of the tribe of Judah; but the little that remained with King Zedekiah perished.

He says, therefore, that the fire went forth from the vine branches: In this way, he shows that the last slaughter proceeded only from the people themselves. So that they would not voice their usual complaints, the Prophet counters them by saying that they were consumed by an internal fire; that is, their slaughter could not be ascribed to their Chaldean conquerors, but to themselves.

This was because King Zedekiah, by his own perfidy, had provoked the king of Babylon against himself. He could have remained peacefully in his kingdom, but he could not refrain from throwing off the yoke. For this reason, he took up arms against the king of Babylon, because he was a breaker of treaties.

And thus the Prophet says, correctly, that a fire went forth from one rod, or twig of its branches, and therefore the fruit of the whole vine was consumed; that is, the remnant was lost by the fault of that perfidious king.

He now adds, there was no scepter for ruling among its rods. Therefore, it appears that the exposition I have advanced is most fitting and entirely correct. He said first that the rods were for a scepter of the rulers; but he here says there was no scepter for them among these rods. We will discuss what follows tomorrow.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, since you have once graciously chosen to graft us into the body of your Son, that we may be such vine-branches as you have undertaken to cultivate: that by the power of your Spirit we may be so watered as never to lack spiritual vitality, and may we so bear fruit to the glory of your name, that we may finally arrive at the source of our faith when we enjoy the heavenly glory to which you have adopted us in him, your only-begotten Son.

[Exposition continues from previous day's lecture]

Yesterday, we did not have enough time to explain the words at the end of this nineteenth chapter: this is a lamentation, and it shall be a lamentation. Some think this refers to the Jews, that is, to all the Israelites, because they would all be a cause for lament, as God would not stop inflicting His judgments on them until He had utterly consumed them.

But I would rather refer it to the prophecy, and this is the more correct meaning. This lamentation: in this way, the Prophet designates this sad and mournful prophecy because it describes the final slaughter of the people.

Secondly, he adds, it shall be for a lamentation, because it provides material for wailing, as remarkable miseries are usually more widely recounted. If something ordinary occurs, people soon forget it; but if any slaughter happens that is worthy of notice and remembrance, it is spread everywhere. Indeed, it supplies future generations with material for their poems.

Therefore, the Prophet indicates not only that this prophecy was mournful, but also that God’s wrath, demonstrated through such a rare and memorable example, would become a common topic of conversation. I will now turn to the twentieth chapter.