Burning a Useless Vine

1The word of the Lord 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? 3Can wood be taken from it to make anything useful? Or can anyone make a peg from it to hang things on? 4No! 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? 5Indeed! 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?

6“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. 7I 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. 8I will make the land desolate because they have acted unfaithfully, declares the sovereign Lord.”