These two chapters in Ezekiel rehearse parts of Israel’s tragic history in different ways. This episode discusses both chapters, but devotes more attention to several controversial and difficult passages in chapter 20. Ezekiel 19 is a lamentation that uses animal and plant imagery to describe the demise of Israel’s last few kings. Chapter 20 reviews Israel’s history of apostasy and Yahweh’s gracious refusal to abandon them altogether.
The episode is now live.
In this episode, Dr. Michael Heiser explores two theologically dense and emotionally charged chapters in the book of Ezekiel. Chapter 19 is often misunderstood as a parable, but Heiser clarifies that it is actually a funeral lament over the last kings of Judah, metaphorically portrayed as lion cubs raised by a lioness and a once-strong vine now withered by fire. These symbols represent the political and spiritual failure of the Davidic line leading up to the Babylonian exile.
Chapter 20 shifts to a sweeping historical indictment of Israel’s repeated covenant violations. When elders come to inquire of God, He refuses to be consulted and instead recounts Israel’s history of rebellion—from Egypt, through the wilderness, into the land. Despite receiving divine laws and Sabbaths as signs of the covenant, the people persistently turned to idolatry and even child sacrifice. Still, God restrained His wrath for the sake of His name.
Listeners will gain insight into:
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The meaning behind the lioness and vine metaphors in Ezekiel 19.
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How Ezekiel 20 serves as a theological history of covenant disloyalty.
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Why God distances Himself from the current generation of elders.
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How divine justice is balanced with covenant faithfulness and future restoration.
Dr. Heiser emphasizes how these chapters confront both leadership failure and communal apostasy, while simultaneously revealing God’s long-suffering mercy and future intentions to restore His people.
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This was a great episode! I love verses like Ezekiel 20:5 surface level readers to go deeper. 1) I loved your material on the golden calf and the bull of Jacob vs. mighty one of Jacob in Hebrew! That was good stuff with lots of explanatory power. 2) can you help me understand how Ezekiel 20:5 would be a reference to the golden calf incident at Sinai? Ezekiel 20:6 clearly says on that day God swore to bring them **OUT** of the land of Egypt… making Exodus 6:7 the more likely candidate, no?