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Ezekiel 19:1-4 The story of two lion cubs - Day 259

Good afternoon friends,

Ever since we started the prophetic books, we have been confronted with some unusual imagery.  We have another example today.  One of the nice things about time lines is you can get a overview of what happened when.  But we loose some of the descriptive imagery.  

Blessings,

Jeff

To me, this is an unusual lament.  Since Ezekiel is a prophet, I tend to think everything he has to say is about future events. But these events took place earlier in his lifetime.  Commentaries say Jehoahaz (the first lion cub) reigned for only three months before he was taken to Egypt as a captive of Pharaoh Neco in 609 B.C. Ezekiel 19:4

Jehoiakim had rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, and the wrath of the Babylonian king was directed against his son Jehoiachin (the second lion cub)  Ezekiel describes his deportation to Babylon in 597 B.C. Ezekiel 19:9

Ezekiel, a prophet and priest, was exiled to Babylon in 597 B.C. His ministry extended over at least twenty-three years.

So this is a lamentation over the last kings of Judah after they had been exiled from the land.  But it is the fact that neither is mentioned by name that intrigues me.  Why describe them as lion cubs and their mother as a lioness?

Calvin points out that use of lion analogy is generally good (lion of Judah who rules and reigns).  But it can also be bad as in this case.  Judah was like all the other nations (idolatrous, immoral, etc) instead of set apart and holy.  In other words, instead of saying Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim were bad kings, Ezekiel paints this graphic image of lion cubs being captured by other nations.


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