By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher
Text: Ezekiel
29:1-21
Romans 5:3-4
And not only that, but we
also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces [a]perseverance; 4 and perseverance, [b]character; and character, hope.
(NKJV)
As Christians, we profess
faith and trust in God. However, the testing of where we place our trust lies
in who we trust when some trial or struggle comes about. In Romans
5:3-4, the Bible reminds us that tribulations bring glory as they produce perseverance,
character, and hope in us. This is true if we place our trust in God during the
trial but if we instead place our trust in some worldly program, person,
government, or organization to save us, we will be disappointed. Let us not
make the mistake of Judah who trusted Egypt to save them from the Babylonians
who would also invade Egypt and instead, trust in God.
Ezekiel receives another
word from the Lord that is directed to Pharaoh and all of Egypt (Ezekiel
29:1-2). The word begins with the Lord declaring that He is against Pharaoh
and all of Egypt, calling Pharaoh a great monster lying in his rivers, claiming
them as his own even though they were created by the Lord (Ezekiel
29:3). Ezekiel uses the image of hooks in Pharaoh’s jaws, stating that he
intends to pull him from his rivers with all the fish, the people of Egypt,
sticking to him (Ezekiel
29:4). The Lord then will leave them in the wilderness where they will not
be picked up but become food for the beasts and birds (Ezekiel
29:5). Thus shall all the inhabitants of Egypt know the Lord is God because
they broke Israel who had placed their trust in Egypt (Ezekiel
29:6-7).
Therefore, the Lord will
bring a sword against Egypt, making the land desolate and a wasteland because
Pharaoh claimed the river was his when it was the Lord who made it (Ezekiel
29:8-9). The Lord is indeed against Egypt and will make their land desolate
and uninhabited for forty years (Ezekiel
29:10-11). Egypt will be desolate in the midst of countries that are also
desolate and scatter the Egyptians among nations throughout the countries (Ezekiel
29:12).
Yet, after forty years,
the Lord will gather the Egyptians from the nations in which they are scattered
(Ezekiel
29:13). However, Egypt will be a lowly kingdom that never again attains its
status of greatness among the nations (Ezekiel
29:14-15). Because of this, Israel will never again place their trust in
Egypt and also know the Lord is God (Ezekiel
29:16).
The Babylonians are the
ones who will attack and plunder Egypt because they invaded Tyre but did not
receive plunder with which to pay their army and plundered Egypt to pay their
army (Ezekiel
29:17-19). The Lord has given the Babylonians the land of Egypt for their
labors because they were working for the Lord (Ezekiel
29:20). In the day of the Babylonian invasion and plunder of Egypt, the
horn of Israel will spring forth and God will open the mouth of Ezekiel to
speak so that Israel will know that the Lord is God (Ezekiel
29:21).
Some in Israel believed
they could find refuge and safety in Egypt with Egypt’s army helping them
defeat the Babylonians. However, we have the benefit of hindsight with the
Bible recording the defeat of the armies of Egypt by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar
the king of Babylon (Ezekiel
30:24-25; Jeremiah 46:2). Not only did Israel and Judah sin by committing
idolatry and the worship of other gods, but they also did not trust God to save
them and instead turned to Egypt for protection. This is why God needed to put
Israel and Judah in the timeout of exile so they could reflect on and repent of
their sins and turn back to God and live (Ezekiel
18:19-32).
In the Bible, Egypt
symbolizes the world and this text points out the futility of Judah believing
Egypt was their source of security and safety. However, many in the world,
including many in the Church, are like Judah and believe they can find safety
and security in the world. In fact, some believe compromise with the world,
including remaining silent or even condoning the ungodly abominations of the
world is a path to safety and security through avoiding conflict. Jesus did not
compromise to avoid conflict and confronted people with the truth with some
accepting it and some rejecting it.
Jesus experienced a
falling away when he taught that He was the living bread and that one must eat
the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood for eternal life (John
6:48-59). Perhaps believing Jesus was condoning cannibalism many left but
they missed the point. Jesus was not condoning cannibalism but referencing what
would occur on the cross when His body was broken, and His blood shed to
forgive sin (Luke
22:19-20). This was a hard message for many to understand because it
required faith at the time Jesus said it knowing He would never condone cannibalism.
We can only hope that some of those who walked away came back after Jesus rose
from the grave.
Without faith it is
impossible to please God (Hebrews
11:6). Therefore, when we encounter some truth from the Bible that is
difficult for our fleshly minds to understand, we must accept it in faith,
trusting God that it is true. Understanding will come when God brings to light
the hidden things (1
Corinthians 4:5). We should also seek Godly counsel for understanding (Proverbs
1:5)
If you are reading this
and have not prayed for the forgiveness of your sins making Jesus the Lord of
your life, or have drifted away from your relationship with Christ, I invite
you to pray with me now,
Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans
3:23)
and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans
6:23). I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse
me as you promise in your Word (1
John 1:9). I believe
you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now
declare you Lord of my life.
May God challenge,
convict, and bless everyone reading this post.
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