The lions are defeated. How is such a thing possible?

The LORD gives a song that is to be a lament. A funeral dirge. A song of mourning. Because Israel has fallen.

There was a mother who was a lioness and reared cubs.

The first one grew up and when he learned to tear prey, he began to prey on people (Ezek 19:1-3). This was regarding King Jehoahaz and enough was enough. He was carted off to Egypt:

2 Kings 30:³¹ Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah. ³² He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, just as his predecessors had done. ³³ Pharaoh Necho put him in chains at Riblah in the land of Hamath so that he might not reign in Jerusalem, and he imposed on Judah a levy of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.

She took another cub and he brew and became a lion. He too devoured people. He was carried off to Babylon. This was King Jehoichin. He rebelled against Babylon and they came and carted him off. To silence him. Because he was so evil. The pagan nation had to rescue the nation of the people of God from evil.

Now Israel is personified as a prosperous vine. She was beautiful, powerful and lush, but was plucked up and planted in the desert (Babylon). A fire has devoured her and she has no strong branch left, no scepter for ruling. No people to be kings. This happened during the reign of Zedekiah.

Then the LORD says that this song is a lament to be sung and used as a lament to mourn the fall of Israel.

Here in this lament we see again God using a visual tool, a reminder to the people of why God brought upon them judgment. It was because of their great evil that was even among its leaders. They were so bad that the other nations had to deal with them. Not just God.

With this song they would remember.

It’s important for these songs and visual images to happen. Because history is so easily rewritten. And it’s true that even songs can even be rewritten, but for the most part they tend to stick. Especially more intense ones like laments.

People may have asked, accused or been angered towards God. Why this captivity? But the songs told the story. The songs told the truth.

It was because of their sin.

The LORD spent a lot of time making his case against Israel before bringing judgment. He even implored them to repent and live but they would not. Now there was justice from God. And they were to never forget why it happened lest they blame God.