A Lament for the Princes of Israel

Here are my thoughts on Ezekiel 19.

Summary: In this passage, God laments these rulers of Judah:

• Jehoahaz
• Jehoiachin
• Zedekiah.

While they were great, they could not escape His judgment.

Thoughts: Here, God laments the downfall of several kings of Judah. Taylor offers some thoughts on this point:

That is not to say that Ezekiel would have described them all as thoroughly corrupt, though he had little good to say for Zedekiah…His zeal for the Davidic covenant, however, did not allow him to see three of its inheritors disappear into exile without profound sorrow and emotion. This was no taunt-song. The judgment of the Lord could be very grievous, and Ezekiel felt it keenly.

I admit that this passage did not resonate with me, as I had consigned these rulers to the dustbin of history. That being said, I would assume that this passage would have resonated with Ezekiel’s contemporaries, as they generally revered their kings (e.g. viewing them as anointed by Him). On a related note, I wonder: does He lament the downfall of any person, regardless of their worldview? One could argue that since we are all made to worship Him, the downfall of any person would grieve Him (e.g. they would have failed to fulfill that purpose).

Taylor offers some insights in his commentary on verse 14:

The verse refers to Zedekiah’s rebellion which brought in its wake the punitive Babylonian measures which virtually ended Israel’s national identity, at least for many years, and certainly brought the Davidic line to an end. Thus the cause of its own destruction was found within itself, and it is worth noting that most institutions involving human beings end in much the same way.

Maybe the disease of more was on Taylor’s mind. History provides countless examples of people not being content with success; instead, they thirst for more, and then they are defeated. One could argue, “well, what if they had been content with their success? Doesn’t complacency also hasten one’s downfall?” This is a challenging question; on the one hand, we cannot guarantee that the status quo will be maintained. On the other hand, we cannot guarantee that growth will be maintained. One potential compromise could involve attempting to excel in a niche, though even carving out a niche and defending it can be challenging…