1

Burning a Useless Vine The LORD’s message came to me:

2

“Son of man, of all the woody branches among the trees of the forest, what happens to the wood of the vine?

3

Can wood be taken from it to make anything useful? Or can anyone make a peg from it to hang things on?

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No! It is thrown in the fire for fuel; when the fire has burned up both ends of it and it is charred in the middle, will it be useful for anything?

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Indeed! If it was not made into anything useful when it was whole, how much less can it be made into anything when the fire has burned it up and it is charred?

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“Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Like the wood of the vine is among the trees of the forest which I have provided as fuel for the fire– so I will provide the residents of Jerusalem as fuel.

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I will set my face against them– although they have escaped from the fire, the fire will still consume them! Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I set my face against them.

8

I will make the land desolate because they have acted unfaithfully, declares the Sovereign LORD.”