BEARING FRUIT
God asked Ezekiel what the purpose of the wood of the vine was; was its wood used to make any object? Was it useful for any work? No. No object could be made from it. It was used as fuel for the fire.
Therefore, God will give up the inhabitants of Jerusalem and set His face against them. Fire will devour Jerusalem and leave the land desolate because they have continued in unfaithfulness to Him. Then they shall know that He is the Lord.
COMMENTARY
In this chapter, the vine was the nation Israel. The purpose of a vine was to bear fruit. But if the vine was not bearing fruit, it would be cut off. God said the wood of the vine was useless to make anything, but rather was used as fuel. Since the people of Israel were not bearing fruit, God would burn Jerusalem.
In John 15, Jesus said that Israel was no longer a vine, but that He is the true vine. Today, Christians/believers in Christ are part of the vine. (See John 15.) According to McGee, if a believer does not bear fruit, he does not lose his salvation, but he is removed from the place of fruit bearing. (I'm not sure I understand what this means because McGee does not expound further. I believed that if a so-called Christian did not bear fruit, it was evidence that he was not truly a Christian in the first place.)
If we have heard the Word of God, then we have a responsibility to bear fruit.
