Eze 17:22-24 | KingComments | STEP | After removing the unfaithful twig from the house of David, the LORD goes to work on behalf of His promises. He Himself will take a twig ( ). That He will plant as a shoot on a high and exalted mountain, which is Zion. Zion is high and exalted in the sight of the LORD because He has chosen it for His dwelling place ( ; ). The young, tender shoot is the Messiah, Christ, from the house of David (cf. ; ; ). He will be the new King of His people. This twig will be tender and small at first, but will grow into a royal cedar ( ). Thus the Messiah will come as “a tender shoot”, as a “root out of parched ground”, without “[stately] form or majesty” ( ). But “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end” ( ). He will give protection to all kinds of birds, that is, here, to all those who are connected to heaven, who bow to His authority. All the other nations, “all the trees of the field”, will then know that He is the LORD ( ). They will know it in the first place because He has humbled the high tree – that is, proud, haughty Israel. In the second place, they will know it because He will exalt to great height the low tree – that is the humbled Israel, those who have confessed their guilt, the remnant, and above all the Messiah. All this will find its full fulfillment in the realm of peace. A foreshadowing of this is seen in the exaltation of Jehoiachin ( ).

‏ Ezekiel 17:22-24

The Tender Twig of the LORD

After removing the unfaithful twig from the house of David, the LORD goes to work on behalf of His promises. He Himself will take a twig (Eze 17:22). That He will plant as a shoot on a high and exalted mountain, which is Zion. Zion is high and exalted in the sight of the LORD because He has chosen it for His dwelling place (Psa 48:2 ; Psa 68:16 ; Psa 87:1-2; Isa 2:2 ; Isa 11:9). The young, tender shoot is the Messiah, Christ, from the house of David (cf. Isa 11:1; Jer 23:5; Zec 6:12). He will be the new King of His people.

This twig will be tender and small at first, but will grow into a royal cedar (Eze 17:23). Thus the Messiah will come as “a tender shoot”, as a “root out of parched ground”, without “[stately] form or majesty” (Isa 53:2). But “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end” (Lk 1:32-33). He will give protection to all kinds of birds, that is, here, to all those who are connected to heaven, who bow to His authority.

All the other nations, “all the trees of the field”, will then know that He is the LORD (Eze 17:24). They will know it in the first place because He has humbled the high tree – that is, proud, haughty Israel. In the second place, they will know it because He will exalt to great height the low tree – that is the humbled Israel, those who have confessed their guilt, the remnant, and above all the Messiah. All this will find its full fulfillment in the realm of peace. A foreshadowing of this is seen in the exaltation of Jehoiachin (2Kgs 25:27-30).