The Third Sunday after Pentecost—June 17, 2012

Ezekiel 17:22-24

“I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it.”

This chapter of Ezekiel is like an extended parable.  The first and middle parts of the chapter concern the “eagle”—a parabolic reference to Nebuchadnezzar—who broke off the “top of the cedar”—a reference to his deposing the rightful king of Judah in Jerusalem.  Jehoiachin, the Davidic king, was exiled in Babylon while a puppet king Zedekiah was set on the throne.

     The verses of our reading today concern the Lord God’s establishing superiority over that “eagle.”  Not merely content with “breaking off,” the Lord God will “plant” it on the heights.  It will be fruitful and noble, a welcome rest for “birds of all sorts.”  Then with language that anticipates Philippians 2—“every knee shall bow… and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord…,” the Lord says, “All the trees of the field shall know that I am the Lord…”  How?  How will this knowledge of the Lord be manifested?  By these reversals:  high to low and low to high, green to dry and dry to flourishing, the authority of God’s Word is established.  The Lord speaks and it comes to be.

     The Lord has spoken regarding you.  Through the lips of your preacher, Christ says:  “I baptize you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”  Christ never lies but is THE truth itself.  Therefore, being baptized into his death and resurrection (Romans 6), you have new life in Christ.  Jesus Christ—the Word of God Incarnate—establishes you in the mighty reversal of death to life.

Table Talk

From the Institute of Lutheran Theology

www.ilt.org

written by:

The Reverend Timothy J. Swenson
Dean of Chapel and Student Life
Institute of Lutheran Theology
910 4th St.
Brookings, SD 57006
701-421-1108 cell

tswenson@ilt.org