Weeping for Those Who Lead Us

Weeping for Those Who Lead Us

Ezekiel 19:1-14

Main Idea: When our leaders refuse to walk in God’s ways, we should weep for their failure and seek deliverance in another King.

In a letter to his protégé, Paul urges Timothy that as a first priority, “petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone” and, in particular, “for kings and all those who are in authority” (1 Tim 2:1-2). The reason prayer should be offered for the leaders is “so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity” (1 Tim 2:2). Because of these instructions I regularly pray for our political leaders when our faith family gathers in worship, when our elders meet, and during my personal conversations with the Lord. In my prayers I ask God to give our leaders an awareness of the stewardship He has entrusted to them, to silence all voices of influence in their lives but His own, and to provide all that our leaders need to guide and serve us well. So let me ask you, is prayer a priority in your life? If so, is praying for the leaders of your nation, state, and city a matter of first importance?

What Paul does not tell Timothy, however, is when he should weep for those same leaders. We know Paul wept over the lost (Phil 3:18) and over his teaching (Acts 20:31), but we do not have any incident recorded of Paul shedding tears for those in authority over him. The same cannot be said for Ezekiel. In fact, God commanded the prophet to lament for the princes of Israel (19:1). The question is, Why did God want Ezekiel to cry for these leaders, and when should we cry for ours?

A lament is a form of song used to help individuals or groups of people “to express struggles, suffering, or disappointment to the Lord” (Fee and Stuart, How to Read the Bible, 194). Laments were often used at funerals in praise of the one who died and to express grief over their death. What happens in Ezekiel 19, however, is not just a pure funeral dirge. In one sense Ezekiel is told to lament (v. 1) and that what he sings should be used as a lament (v. 14), but the content of the song itself lacks the usual trappings of this genre. For instance, the song does not contain a call for its hearers to join in the lamenting. Block contends, “Contrary to the original hearers’ and many modern readers’ expectation, like ch. 17, this is a riddle, not a funeral song; it deals enigmatically with a living reality—the fate of the Davidic dynasty”(Ezekiel 1–24, 595). Unlike Ezekiel 17, God does not provide a specific interpretation for Ezekiel’s song but leaves the content of Ezekiel 19 to stand on its own.

While the customary phrases of a lament may not be present, the Lord informs His prophet that what he sings is to be used as a lament (v. 14). In contrast to Tom Sawyer, most of us do not get to attend our funeral while we are alive. The Davidic rulers of Judah may not be present for their funeral either, but based on this song, they can know it is coming. The essence of the song is to convey the failure of Judah’s leaders and the certainty of their doom. In this lament there will be no praising of the good done by the departed, only a shameful heralding of failed leadership. These princes (Ezekiel’s preferred word for rulers) are being lamented not because they have been so great but because they have been so evil. If Zedekiah is indeed one of the rulers described in Ezekiel 19, then we can know he will not heed the Lord’s admonition in Ezekiel 18 to turn and live. Following Ezekiel 18, we can also know the men mentioned in this lament are being held responsible for their actions and not those of other leaders. For those in exile with Ezekiel, the lament indicates any hope of being delivered by a king from home should be abandoned. If God’s people are to be delivered, it will not be from those who have ruled them. Were it not for Ezekiel 17:22-24, they might even wonder if the scepter has been removed permanently from the house of David. A time for weeping has arisen indeed.

We Should Weep for Our Leaders When They Intentionally Reject God’s Ways

Ezekiel 19:2-4

In Genesis 49:9-11 Jacob blesses the tribe of Judah in this way:

Judah is a young lion—my son, you return from the kill. He crouches; he lies down like a lion or a lioness—who dares to rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah or the staff from between his feet until He whose right it is comes and the obedience of the peoples belongs to Him. He ties his donkey to a vine, and the colt of his donkey to the choice vine. He washes his clothes in wine and his robes in the blood of grapes.

Ezekiel’s use of the “lion” and the “vine” clue us in that Ezekiel 19 is about Judah’s rulers, but what he describes is far different from what Jacob ever considered.

Though he is not mentioned specifically, the details provided in 19:2-4 refer to Jehoahaz. His father was Josiah, who was one of Judah’s greatest kings. Unfortunately, Jehoahaz chose to emulate his grandfather and great-grandfather and do what was evil in Yahweh’s sight (2 Kgs 23:32). His reign in Jerusalem lasted three months before the one who killed his father, Pharaoh Neco, imprisoned him in Egypt where he would eventually die (2 Kgs 23:34). The summary of Jehoahaz’s reign from Ezekiel’s perspective was one of devouring people (19:3). Though his leadership of God’s people was brief, it was clearly more of a burden than a blessing.

How could Josiah’s son rule in such a way? Unlike the kings before him, Josiah “turned to the Lord with all his mind and with all his heart and with all his strength according to all the law of Moses” (2 Kgs 23:25). Josiah cleaned out the temple of pagan artifacts, tore down the altars and high places used to worship false gods, and put to death those who led God’s people astray (2 Kgs 23:4-20). Unfortunately for Israel, no one like Josiah “arose after him” (2 Kgs 23:25).

Jehoahaz had what many lack: a godly father in his home. He also had God’s Word, which had been recovered in the temple (2 Kgs 23:24). His decision to lead God’s people away from Him is even more despicable because he not only rejected the Lord’s ways but also his father’s example. His decisions were not fueled by ignorance but by insolence. He intentionally rejected what he knew to be right. As a result, God’s people suffered as they always do when ungodly leaders rule. People who are continually led to go against God’s ways should not expect blessings to be poured out from heaven. Much of Ezekiel 17–22 is God’s revealing of His discipline of Israel’s disobedient leaders.

What should we do when those who are ungodly lead us? We should weep, pray, and even fast for them. We should ask God to reveal their sin to them and empower their repentance. In all things that are not sinful, we should do our best to comply with their leadership. But once they try to lead us away from God, we should pray to be as bold as the Hebrew young men who told Nebuchadnezzar, “Even if He does not rescue us, we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up” (Dan 3:18). The lament in Ezekiel 19 and the warnings in the surrounding chapters reveal that God holds Israel’s leaders most responsible for the nation’s sin, but in reality the people always had a choice. They just chose to follow their earthly king rather than their heavenly One.

We Should Weep for Our Leaders

When They Are Full of Pride

Ezekiel 19:5-9

Applied to the current lament, the phrase “same song second verse” could not be truer. In 19:5-9 a different lion is chosen, but his actions and consequences are similar to those of the first. The ruler identified with this lion is debatable. The possibilities include Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah (2 Kgs 23:34–24:20). Of those three candidates Jehoiakim is the only one who was not exiled from Jerusalem. If the lioness image is pressed, then Jehoahaz and Zedekiah shared the same mother whose name was Hamutal (2 Kgs 23:31; 24:18). If the lioness image refers to Judah itself, then Jehoiachin could be considered one of her cubs. Regardless, the second lion devoured people, devastated their strongholds, and destroyed their cities (Ezek 19:6-7). What is unclear is whether these acts were carried out on his enemies or enacted on his own people because of his evil leadership.

The consequences of the second lion’s behavior will be the same discipline as for the first lion but in a different destination. Instead of being carried to Egypt, the second lion will be yoked or put in a cage and led away to Babylon (v. 9). The roar of this lion will never be heard in Israel again, which simply means his time as the leader of God’s people is done.

What drove the second lion to his actions? Pride. Ezekiel says the second lion prowled or strutted among the lions (v. 6). Jehoiachin and Zedekiah were 18 and 21, respectively, when each became king. As leaders, both men did what was evil in the Lord’s sight (2 Kgs 24:9,19). Nothing drives these actions more than pride. To not regard what God says is holy is not only foolish but the height of arrogance. Both of these kings made decisions as if they were not accountable to Another for the stewardship of their reign. Unfortunately, their pride not only led to their own downfall but also to the destruction of many others (Ezek 19:7).

What should we do if someone leads us who is full of pride? We should pray for God to humble them, perhaps not in the same manner as Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 4:28-33) but certainly with the same result: “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and glorify the King of heaven, because all His works are true and His ways are just. He is able to humble those who walk in pride” (Dan 4:37). We should pray for them to be led to give God glory rather than seek their own (Acts 12:23). We should pray for the fear of the Lord and true knowledge to be produced in their lives (Prov 1:7). We should pray for them to understand that all authority has been given to Christ (Matt 28:18). Ezekiel 19 is a strong testimony that “pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall” (Prov 16:18). Above all, if our leaders are going to take pride in something, let us pray it is “in the name of Yahweh our God” (Ps 20:7).

As ministers we need to pay careful attention to everything in Ezekiel 19 but the issue of pride in particular. There is no place for arrogance in the pastorate. If your congregation is growing, it is due to the Master Builder’s doing His work more than your being especially skilled or wise (Matt 16:18). Every fruit of Christ produced in the congregation you lead is due to the Spirit of Christ using the Word of Christ. When our time of leadership is complete, I hope we can all point to our humble service (Acts 20:19) and our singular boast in the “cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Gal 6:14).

We Should Weep for Our Leaders

When They Refuse to Listen to God

Ezekiel 19:10-14

The image in the lament shifts from a lioness to a vine. The vine grows strong due to its proximity to plentiful waters and produces many strong branches that are fit for the scepters of rulers (vv. 10-11). Pride consumes the branches, so the vine is uprooted and replanted in a dry and thirsty land (vv. 11-13). Fire from the main branch has consumed the fruit of this vine with the result that there is no longer a branch strong enough for a scepter (v. 14).

The vine in these verses is Judah, and the branches for ruling represent the Davidic line. God placed Judah in a prime location for prosperity and growth. From David to Zedekiah, 22 kings came from Judah. But as we saw in Ezekiel 15, vines that fail to produce fruit have little other use (15:1-8). The evil leadership of Judah’s kings has stored up God’s wrath, and now He will uproot the vine “in fury” (19:12).

The sentence of doom falls heaviest in verse 14. Stuart notes, “Verses 2-9 spoke of the end of the reigns of two kings; verses 10-14 speak of the end of the reigns of all the kings. If this is the case, it is almost certain that the ‘fire’ of verse 14 is Zedekiah himself” (Stuart, Ezekiel, 162–63). Zedekiah could have submitted to the Lord’s plan (27:12-15), but he refused to listen. His legacy in the lineage of David will be as the guy who brought the family down in a blaze of glory. I use the phrase “will be” because at the time of Ezekiel 19, the events of verses 10-14 were still in the future. Ezekiel is told to sing the funeral song, though, because Zedekiah’s doom is certain. He will refuse the Lord’s calls to repent and to submit to Nebuchadnezzar’s leadership, and as a result he will bring many people to ruin.

What can we do if our leaders refuse to listen to God? We can first of all pray that God will silence all false counsel in his or her ears. Zedekiah’s counselors were advising him in direct contrast to the Lord’s revelation (2 Kgs 27:14). Zedekiah decided to accept their worldview over God’s. For our leaders we should pray they will give most attention to the Ancient of Days rather than men whose lives are but a vapor. If our leaders are refusing to heed the Lord’s wisdom, then we should pray and ask God to do for our leader what they cannot do for themselves. We should ask God to turn their hearts toward His instruction and incline their wills toward His (Prov 21:1). Zedekiah was not the only Davidic king who refused to listen to God, but he would be the last one for his generation. We should pray for our leaders who refuse to listen to God to repent before the opportunity to do so is removed.

Conclusion

Unlike Ezekiel 17, Ezekiel 19 ends without any promise of a planting of a sprig or any mention of a forthcoming shepherd-prince (34:23). If this were the only chapter in Ezekiel addressing the Davidic line, then we would be inclined to think the reign of this family is finished. I believe the Lord wants the heaviness of the situation to weigh on those who are listening to Ezekiel. The majority of their leaders have been evil, and now the time of their reign is over.

Ezekiel’s audience most likely has questions. Is David’s line done forever? Will we have a deliverer? First, God does not have to repeat His promises for them to hold true. What God said in Ezekiel 17 has not changed based on His declarations in Ezekiel 19. He does not need to be reminded to plant a sprig of hope (17:22). The cedar shoot originated in His heart and not theirs. I believe God does not add anything to this lament because His focus is just that—lamenting. He wants His people to weep for the wretched leadership they have endured. Hope has been provided in other places in Ezekiel and that hope is certain. In Ezekiel 19 the time has come for grief. Our appreciation for deliverance is in proportion to our understanding from what we have been delivered. Knowing that Christ is our substitute does not mean we should think less of the gravity of sin’s cost. Perhaps if we paused and considered the wretchedness of sin more, we would not so easily run to it.

Second, God’s people should not be looking for deliverance to come from an earthly ruler but from their heavenly One. God alone rescues His people. The announcing of the burned branches means deliverance from man is impossible but not deliverance from God. He brings beauty from ashes every day. Ultimately, God will deliver His people and give them the greatest King possible from David’s line (34:23).

Lastly, we must ask, What kind of leaders are we in our homes and our jobs? Are we leaders who know God’s Word but are rejecting it? Are we leaders who are full of pride and attribute our accomplishments to our own greatness? Are we leaders who think we can devise a better plan than God? How would our children describe our leadership? What phrases would our coworkers use to describe the way we lead in our jobs? We should not read Ezekiel 19 and merely grieve for Israel’s lack of godly leaders, but we should also seek God’s empowerment so that what was true of them will never be said of us. Wragg exhorts,

It is the godly character of a leader that determines the level of beneficial and long-term influence in spiritual matters. If others are to be effectively launched in a God-ward direction a leader must ignite the fuel of his own intimate walk with Jesus Christ. (Wragg, Spiritual Leadership, 21)

Reflect and Discuss

1. Are you more prone to speak negatively about ungodly leaders or to pray for them?
2. What is your intentional plan of intercession for the leaders of our nation, state, and city? How often does your faith family corporately intercede for our leaders?
3. How familiar are you with laments in Scripture? What are ways laments can be used in both our personal and our corporate prayers?
4. Why do we refuse to learn from God’s discipline of others? Why do we see so many examples of God’s punishment for disobedience in the Bible and think He will hold us less accountable than them?
5. As political or business leaders, why is pride a constant temptation? What measures have you taken to minimize this sin in your life and to maximize your boasting in Christ?
6. As spiritual ministers, how can we minimize succumbing to the temptation of pride and maximize boasting in Christ alone?
7. If you have someone in your congregation who follows the ways of the Lord, but his or her children have rejected the same path, how would you counsel your church member?
8. If someone you know has a boss who repeatedly wants them to engage in an occupational practice that is both unethical and sinful, how would you counsel them?
9. As a leader, what are you doing to help equip godly leaders in the homes closest to you?
10. What words would our spouses and children use to describe our leadership? Would those outside our home speak differently about how we lead? Which is more important?