Selected Sermons of Jonathan Edwards-GOD’S AWFUL JUDGMENT - 1

GOD’S AWFUL JUDGMENT IN THE BREAKING AND WITHERING OF THE STRONG RODS OF A COMMUNITY

Ezek. xix. 12.—Her strong rods were broken and withered.

In order to a right understanding and improve these words, these four things must be observed and understood concerning them. 

1. Who she is that is here represented as having had strong rods, viz., the Jewish community, [who] here, as often elsewhere, is called the people’s mother. She is here compared to a vine planted in a very fruitful soil, verse 10. The Jewish church and state are often elsewhere compared to a vine; as Psalm lxxx. 8, &c., Isai. v. 2, Jer. ii. 21, Ezek. xv., and chapter xvii. 6. 

2. What is meant by her strong rods, viz., her wise, able, and well-qualified magistrates or rulers. That the rulers or magistrates are intended is manifest by verse 11: “And she had strong rods for the scepters of them that bare rule.” And by rods that were strong, must be meant such rulers as were well qualified for magistracies, such as had great abilities and other qualifications fitting them for the business of rule. They were wont to choose a rod or staff of the strongest and hardest sort of wood that could be found, for the mace or scepter of a prince; such a one only being counted fit for such a use: and this generally was overlaid with gold. It is very remarkable that such a strong rod should grow out of a weak vine; but so it had been in Israel, through God’s extraordinary blessing, in times past. Though the nation is spoken of here, and frequently elsewhere, as weak and helpless in itself and entirely dependent as a vine, that is the weakest of all trees, that can’t support itself by its own strength, and never stands but as it leans on or hangs by something else that is stronger than itself; yet God had caused many of her sons to be strong rods, fit for scepters; he had raised up in Israel many able and excellent princes and magistrates in days past, that had done worthily in their day. 

3. It should be understood and observed what is meant by these strong rods being broken and withered, viz., these able and excellent rulers being removed by death. Man’s dying is often compared in Scripture to the withering of the growth of the earth. 

4. It should be observed after what manner the breaking and withering of these strong rods are here spoken of, viz., as a great and awful calamity that God had brought upon that people. ’Tis spoke of as one of the chief effects of God’s fury and dreadful displeasure against them. “But she was plucked up in fury, she was cast down to the ground, and the east wind dried up her fruit; her strong rods were broken and withered, the fire hath consumed them.” The great benefits she enjoyed while her strong rods remained are represented in the preceding verse: “And she had strong rods for the scepters of them that bare rule, and her stature was exalted among the thick branches, and she appeared in her height with the multitude of her branches.” And the terrible calamities that attended the breaking and withering of her strong rods, are represented in the two verses next following the text: “And now she is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty ground. And fire is gone out of a rod of her branches, which hath devoured her fruit.” And in the conclusion, the next words very emphatically declared the worthiness of such a dispensation to be greatly lamented: “So that she hath no strong rod to be a scepter to rule. This is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation.” 

That which I, therefore, observe from the words of the text to be the subject of discourse at this time, is this: 

When God by death removes from a people those in place of public authority and rule that have been as strong rods, ’tis an awful judgment of God on that people, and worthy of great lamentation.