The book of Ezekiel is one of the major prophets in the Old Testament. It was authored by Ezekiel who was set as a watchman to the house of Israel.
Ezek 3:17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me:
The fifteenth chapter of Ezekiel is about the inhabitants of Jerusalem compared to a useless vine branch for their persisted unfaithfulness.
Useless Vine Branch
Ezek 15:1-8 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: “Son of man, how is the wood of the vine better than any other wood, the vine branch which is among the trees of the forest? Is wood taken from it to make any object? Or can men make a peg from it to hang any vessel on? Instead, it is thrown into the fire for fuel; the fire devours both ends of it, and its middle is burned. Is it useful for any work? Indeed, when it was whole, no object could be made from it. How much less will it be useful for any work when the fire has devoured it, and it is burned? Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so I will give up the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will set My face against them. They will go out from one fire, but another fire shall devour them. Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I set My face against them. Thus I will make the land desolate, because they have persisted in unfaithfulness,’ says the Lord GOD.”
How is the wood of the vine branch better than any other wood? God describes the vine branches are useless and they are fit to be thrown in fire. Similar to how the vine branches are given as fuel for fire, God says He will give up the inhabitants of Jerusalem. The vine branches are useless because of their persisted unfaithfulness.
The True Vine
John 15:1-6 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
While the Israelite people persisted in their unfaithfulness, Jesus Christ showed us the way and how to avoid being a useless vine branch. Christ is the true vine and we are the branches. He teaches us to abide in Him. Abiding in Him is not enough but we must bear fruits. If we don’t bear fruits yet still abide in Him as a branch, we will be taken away by the Father and thrown in the fire.
Conclusion
Heb 10:28-29 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?
If God is delivering the inhabitants of Jerusalem as fuel for fire because of their persisted unfaithfulness in their marriage covenant with God, how much worse punishment is for those who insulted the Spirit of grace turning into licentiousness?
