Thursday, 16 Sivan Good morning, *Ezekiel Chapter 19:* God commands Ezekiel to lament for the presidents of Israel, Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim, sons of Josiah the righteous (after them reigned Jehoiachin and Zedekiah, but they were not remembered in the lament because they were still alive and there was hope for their future). The kings were likened to lion cubs, and their mother (the Knesset of Israel) to a magnificent lioness lying among lions (strong nations). In the great void created after Josiah's sudden death, she took one of her cubs (Jehoahaz), and he began to learn to be a Kafir (a young lion), and he had already managed to roam among the lions and learned to devour prey (in the 3 months of his reign he began offensive operations, especially against Egypt, which killed his father, whose army was far from his land). When the nations heard about the deeds of the Kafir, they hid a trap for him and trapped him, and so he was brought in iron chains to Egypt. From his vision The lioness took a cub from her den to be a kuffar (Jehoiakim). He too quickly learned to walk among the lions as a kuffar and to prey on his prey, but he also severely harmed his people, especially the helpless, he terrorized his surroundings and caused destruction to his land. Finally, the nations gathered against him, hid a trap for him and spread a net, and thus they captured him and brought him to the king of Babylon in the fortresses, so that his voice would no longer be heard on the mountains of Israel (Jehoiakim was taken captive after 11 years of reign and was taken to Babylon. Apparently he was already killed on the way to Babylon, and therefore his son Jehoiachin was taken captive in his place). The prophet again compares the mother, the Knesset of Israel, to a fruitful vine that is supposed to make God and man happy, which is planted by many waters, and produces fruit and branches (spiritual and material success). At its peak, it sent forth strong scepters, ruling over great branches, which were seen from afar in the world because of their height (in the days of David and Solomon). But now it was thrown down in anger to the land, and the east wind dried up its fruit (spiritual corruption), and from this the rod of Gaza also disintegrated and withered, until it was consumed by fire. Now it is planted in the wilderness, lacking water and hope. The fire that came out of the very rods of its branches (the evil of its kings) consumed its fruit (the spiritual), and from this the rod of strength also perished. It is a lamentation, and it has become a lamentation. Good news
