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The Parable of the Wood of the Grapevine:
The parable implies that the exiles had asked about God’s consistency. They understood that they were his chosen people, his choice vine. How could he destroy them? They had been through the fire of two invasions and deportations by the Babylonians, but each time they had endured and sprouted up again. Israel past status as God’s special vine made them more responsible and accountable, not less. “Grace places high demands on its recipients, and unless one matches one’s claims with adherence to his will, one may well wake up one day to the reality that far from being his or her protector and patron, God has actually become the adversary. "Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “Son of man, how is the wood of the vine better than any other wood, the vine branch which is among the trees of the forest? Is wood taken from it to make any object? Or can men make a peg from it to hang any vessel on? Instead, it is thrown into the fire for fuel; the fire devours both ends of it, and its middle is burned. Is it useful for any work? Indeed, when it was whole, no object could be made from it. How much less will it be useful for any work when the fire has devoured it, and it is burned?" Ezekiel 15:1-5 (NKJV).
The wood of the vine better than any other wood: God asked Ezekiel to compare the wood of the grapevine to the wood of the trees of the forest. If a grapevine has grapes on it, then there is obvious use for the vine. Yet if there is no fruit, then the value of the wood itself should be considered. A vine would never be cultivated for the sake of its wood; it is really worthless but as it bears fruit. God influenced them to bring forth fruit for His glory. However, they have ceased to be fruitful, they are good for nothing (worthless), but, like a withered branch of the vine, to be burnt. The wood of the grapevine is useless to make a table, a tool, or even a peg. The wood from the trees of the forest can be used for many things, but not the wood that comes from the grape vine. ""Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so I will give up the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will set My face against them. They will go out from one fire, but another fire shall devour them. Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I set My face against them. Thus I will make the land desolate, because they have persisted in unfaithfulness,’ says the Lord Go"" Ezekiel 15:6-8 (NKJV).
Because the vine is crooked, it cannot be used for building. Because it burns so rapidly, it is of little value for fuel. Because it is soft, it cannot be employed where anything needs to hang on it. Savorless salt is good for nothing : fruitless vines are utterly useless : professors who bear no fruit are worse than useless, they cumber the ground. Let us abide in Christ, that He may bear fruit through us. Ezekiel’s contribution to the ‘vineyard story’ is to point out the worthlessness of the vine if it doesn’t bear fruit. If a tree becomes useless, you can at least cut it down and make something useful out of the wood; but what can you make out of the wood of a vine? The vine represented the future blessings of the Messiah. "Binding his donkey to the vine, And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine, He washed his garments in wine, And his clothes in the blood of grapes" Genesis 49:11 (NKJV).
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