Two birds. One flies in with its fluffy flume and snatches the top branch of Israel, then takes it and some seed and plants it in its home territory. The vine grows low and wide.
Then another bird appears with its fluffy flume. The vine stretches itself towards the second bird hoping for help, water, protection and life. Second birdie says nope.
Just so that Israel doesn’t pretend they don’t understand, the Lord spells it out for them. The first bird is Babylon and will come snatch the king and top officials and place them in Babylon to grow. But Israel in desperation will stretch out to Egypt for help, the second bird. Egypt says no.
Israel had made an oath with Babylon and King Nebuchadnezzar, an oath of loyalty. And God had even said to the people through Jeremiah to seek the welfare of the city of Babylon as the first 10,000 captives were deported there.
But King Zedekiah who had put into office by Nebuchadnezzar in Israel broke that oath and tried to make a secret alliance with Egypt. It didn’t work. Egypt used and abused them and didn’t come to their rescue.
God held Zedekiah responsible for the breaking of that oath. He said he would bring judgment on Zedekiah and that he did. Zedekiah saw his sons slaughtered by Babylonians before his eyes were plucked out. Then he was carried off to Babylon where he would die.
Zedekiah had not trusted the LORD’s word. He himself had participated in evil. And in this season of judgment, it did not end well.
So why the tale of the two birds? Why not just a simple indictment against Zedekiah? It’s because story and imagery is memorable. If you want people to remember something, you tell that to them in story. God wanted Israel to remember so they would understand why He brought judgment and perhaps warn them from going down wicked paths again. And more importantly, that no one is free from the consequences of their sin before God. Even kings.
And I think that’s a good word for us today. There are kings and leaders in high places doing evil things, things that will bring great harm to the people of this world in the next few years. They can get by with what they are doing for a time, but in the end they will one day have to face God. In this life or the life to come.
In the meantime we need to humble ourselves before God, that we do not do the same. It’s easy to fall into thinking what we are doing is good for others, but if it is motivated by greed, self-protection and more, we really aren’t serving the people. This can happen on both a macro and a micro level of influence. Lord, help us all.
