The idolatry of Jerusalem is seen in chapter 16.
The allegory here is that of the faithless wife. She
had turned away from God and committed adultery with
other gods. This is a very graphic and vivid portrayal
of Israel’s idolatry. Israel is pictured here as a
bride who had a beloved husband who made her a queen
and lavished many precious gifts upon her. She then
made herself a prostitute to every man that passed by,
shaming even Sodom and Samaria.
Chapter 17 is a parable of the two eagles. The
“great eagle” (verse 3) was the king of Babylon,
Nebuchadnezzar. The “top of the cedar” (verse 3) was
the house of David; the “young twig” (verse 4) was
Jehoiachin; the “land of traffick” was Babylonia; the
“seed of the land” was Zedekiah. “Another great eagle”
(verse 7) was Psammethichus II (594 b.c. to 588 b.c.),
who enrolled Zedekiah and other western powers in a
coalition against Babylon. “The east wind” (verse 10)
was Nebuchadnezzar, before whom Zedekiah was doomed to
fall.
In the allegory of the cedar, as given to us in
verses 22-24, Israel’s hope for the future once again
comes into view. The Lord will take a “sprig” (Messiah)
from “the lofty top of the cedar” (David’s house), and
“one of its young tender twigs” (the Messiah), and
“plant it upon a high and lofty mountain.” “The high
tree” brought low and “the green tree” dried up (verse
24) symbolize Gentile world power. “The low tree”
exalted and “the dry tree” revived portray the
restoration of the kingdom to Israel when the Son of
David returns. Gentile world power will be broken and
Israel will be restored to governmental and spiritual
glory under Messiah.