Ezekiel 30:1 The word of Yahveh happened to me. This is what it said: Ezekiel 30:2 “Son of Adam, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Lord Yahveh says: “Wail, tragedy for that day!” Ezekiel 30:3 You see, a day is near; a day belonging to Yahveh is near. It will be a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations. Ezekiel 30:4 A sword will come against Egypt, and there will be anguish in Cush when the murdered ones fall in Egypt, and its wealth is taken away, and its foundations are demolished. Ezekiel 30:5 Cush, Put, and Lud, and all the various foreign troops, plus Libya and the men of the covenant land will fall by the sword along with them.
a day is near
The language of God’s judgment upon the pagan nations is language fit to describe the final judgment: destruction in Gehenna. Just as Egypt was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion, along with all the supporting armies with it, so one day the wicked will be destroyed.
God’s word for them is his word for us. The day is near.
Ezekiel 29:17 In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, the word of Yahveh happened to me: Ezekiel 29:18 “Son of Adam, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon made his army work hard against Tyre. Every head was made bald and every shoulder chafed, but he and his army received no compensation from Tyre for the labor he expended against it. Ezekiel 29:19 Therefore, this is what the Lord Yahveh says: I am going to give the land of Egypt to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and he will carry off its wealth, seizing its plunder and taking its plunder. This will be his army’s compensation. Ezekiel 29:20 I have given him the land of Egypt as the pay he worked for since they did it for me.” This is the declaration of the Lord Yahveh. Ezekiel 29:21 “In that day I will cause a horn to sprout for the house of Israel, and I will enable you to speak out among them. Then they will know that I am Yahveh.”
the LORD’s minions
Greenhill remarks on verse 20 that the army “looked at their king, who commanded and carried them forth to that work, not unto Jehovah, the Lord of heaven and earth, who set both him and them on work to execute his judgments threatened against Tyre, and in that they did fulfill them, they are said to work for God. Materially they did serve his purpose and providence in the destruction of Tyre, but formally and intentionally they did serve their own wills and lusts. God had a righteous end, and attained it by them; they had an evil end, and obtained it in an ill way.”1
Nebuchadnezzar’s army was serving as the LORD’s minions. They were guilty of all the wrong things they did. But they also were instruments in God’s judgment of Tyre and Egypt.
1 Greenhill, William, and James Sherman. An exposition of the prophet Ezekiel, with useful observations thereupon. London: S. Holdsworth, 1839. p. 638.
Ezekiel 29:13 ” ‘You see, this is what the Lord Yahveh says: At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the peoples where they were dispersed. Ezekiel 29:14 I will restore the fortunes of Egypt and bring them back to the land of Pathros, the land of their origin. There they will be a lowly kingdom. Ezekiel 29:15 Egypt will be the lowliest of kingdoms and will never again exalt itself over the nations. I will make them so small they cannot rule over the nations. Ezekiel 29:16 It will never again be an object of trust for the house of Israel, drawing attention to their violation of turning to the Egyptians. Then they will know that I am the Lord Yahveh.'”
trust me
“Trust me,” Egypt said, and Israel did so. But God did not want that. God wants his people to trust him — their creator and redeemer.
Because you said, “The Nile is my own; I made it,” Ezekiel 29:10 therefore, notice I am against you and your Nile. I will turn the land of Egypt into ruins, a sinister desolation from Migdol to Syene, as far as the border of Cush. Ezekiel 29:11 No human foot will pass through it, and no animal foot will pass through it. It will be uninhabited for forty years. Ezekiel 29:12 I will make the land of Egypt a sinister desolation among desolate lands, and its cities will be a sinister desolation among ruined cities for forty years. I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them throughout the lands.
The Nile is not your own
On this prophecy, Kelly writes: “Egypt should be not only smitten but most of all in what was its chief boast, its river. That granary of the world, and garden of the earth, should become a wilderness for forty years, and the Egyptians be scattered exiles: so great chastening should Nebuchadnezzar inflict.”1
What is the one thing that you take the most pride in — the thing you feel most responsible for? Is it your work, your family, your studies? Beware, lest you fall into Egypt’s trap. The Nile is not your own. All of the things that give you confidence — are all gifts from God. Give him the glory, great things HE has done.
1 Kelly, William. Notes on Ezekiel. London: G. Morrish, 1876. p. 140.
Ezekiel 29:6 ” ‘Then all the residents of Egypt will know that I am Yahveh, because they have been a staff made of reed to the house of Israel. Ezekiel 29:7 When Israel grasped you by the hand, you splintered, tearing all their shoulders; when they leaned on you, you shattered and made all their hips unsteady. Ezekiel 29:8 ” ‘Therefore, this is what the Lord Yahveh says: notice I am going to bring a sword against you and cut off both man and animal from you. Ezekiel 29:9 The land of Egypt will be a sinister desolation and a ruin. Then they will know that I am Yahveh.
a staff made of reed
Gaebelein reflects on this passage: “Egypt gave no help to Israel and only wounded them grievously as a staff which breaks under the weight of him who leaneth upon it, breaks and pierces the hand. Whenever God’s people turn to Egypt (the type of the world ) for help and form ungodly alliances they do so to their own hurt and shame.” 1
1 Gaebelein, Arno Clemens. The Prophet Ezekiel. New York: Publication office “Our hope”, 1918. p. 191.
Ezekiel 29:1 In the tenth year, in the tenth month on the twelfth day of the month, the word of Yahveh happened to me. This is what it said: Ezekiel 29:2 “Son of Adam, face Pharaoh king of Egypt and prophesy against him and against all of Egypt. Ezekiel 29:3 Speak to him and say, ‘This is what the Lord Yahveh says: Notice, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great monster lying in the middle of his Nile, who says, “My Nile is my own; I made it for myself.” Ezekiel 29:4 I will put hooks in your jaws and make the fish of your streams cling to your scales. I will haul you up from the middle of your Nile, and all the fish of your streams will cling to your scales. Ezekiel 29:5 I will leave you in the desert, you and all the fish of your streams. You will fall on the open ground and will not be taken away or gathered for burial. I have given you to the wild creatures of the land and the birds of the sky as food.
clingers-on
Redpath states: “Why the fish of the river are described as sticking to the scales of the dragon is not clear unless it means that all the king’s retinue and hangers-on of the court were to share in the king’s fall. As a matter of fact, the end of Hophra’s reign was caused by the occurrence of a revolt of mercenaries in the far South of Egypt which might well be called the wilderness and the open field’ … The prophet also implies that he would not have the rites of royal burial accorded to him”1
The mighty fall and bring their clingers-on down with them. God is against those who try to take his place. If we try to cling on to the ones we think have clout, it will prove to be a mistake.
1 Redpath, Henry A. The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel: With Introd. and Notes. London: Methuen, 1907. p. 157.
Ezekiel 28:25 ” ‘This is what the Lord Yahveh says: When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples where they are scattered, I will demonstrate my devotion through them in the sight of the nations, and they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Jacob. Ezekiel 28:26 They will live there securely, build houses, and plant vineyards. They will live securely when I execute judgments against all their neighbors who treat them triflingly. Then they will know that I am Yahveh their God.'”
Tyre will be destroyed because it was one of the prickly briers and painful thorns that troubled Israel (verse 24). God will judge the thorns with destruction. He will — of course — judge Israel as well. He will judge them by scattering them among the nations. The difference is that after that judgment, he will regather the house of Israel and they will return to the land.
The choices here are destruction or repentance and revival. Those are the same choices we have today.
Ezekiel 28:20 The word of Yahveh happened to me: Ezekiel 28:21 “Son of Adam, face Sidon and prophesy against it. Ezekiel 28:22 You are to say, ‘This is what the Lord Yahveh says: Notice! I am against you, Sidon, and I will display my impressive appearance within you. They will know that I am Yahveh when I execute judgments against her and demonstrate my devotion through her. Ezekiel 28:23 I will send an epidemic against her and bloodshed in her streets; the murdered ones will fall within her, while the sword is against her on every side. Then they will know that I am Yahveh. Ezekiel 28:24 ” ‘The house of Israel will no longer be hurt by prickly briers or painful thorns from all their neighbors who treat them triflingly. Then they will know that I am the Lord Yahveh.
Henderson* says that all that is left of the glorious Sidon is a small town, Saida, a little to the west. “It has a fine old ruined tower projecting far into the sea, with a bridge of many arches that was built to reach it” (143).
A combination of epidemic and war left this great city in ruins. Such is the fate of any great city — or person — who does not bow the knee to the LORD.
*Henderson, E. The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel. London: Hamilton, Adams, 1855.
Ezekiel 28:11 The word of Yahveh happened to me. This is what it said: Ezekiel 28:12 “Son of Adam, sing a dirge for the king of Tyre and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord Yahveh says: You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. Ezekiel 28:13 You were in Eden, the garden of God. Every kind of precious stone covered you: carnelian, topaz, diamond, beryl, onyx, jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise, and emerald. Your mountings and settings were crafted in gold; they were prepared on the day you were created. Ezekiel 28:14 You were an anointed guardian cherub, for I had appointed you. You were on the devoted mountain of God; you walked among the fiery stones. Ezekiel 28:15 From the day you were created you were blameless in your ways until guilt was found in you. Ezekiel 28:16 Through the abundance of your trade, you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I expelled you in disgrace from the mountain of God, and banished you, guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. Ezekiel 28:17 Your heart became proud because of your beauty; For the sake of your splendor, you corrupted your wisdom. So I threw you down to the ground; I made you a spectacle before kings. Ezekiel 28:18 You polluted your devoted places by the magnitude of your iniquities in your dishonest trade. So I made fire come from within you, and it consumed you. I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of everyone watching you. Ezekiel 28:19 All those who know you among the peoples are appalled at you. You have become an object of horror and will never exist again.'”
You were in Eden
The fall of the king of Tyre is described with language patterned after the fall of Lucifer, the anointed guardian cherub on the devoted mountain of God. The end of the king of Tyre is the same as the end appointed for that fallen angelic being. Just as the king was destroyed when Nebuchadnezzar’s armies destroyed Tyre, so our great enemy will be destroyed “and will never exist again.”
LORD, give us the wisdom to resist the devil so that we will not share his fate.
Ezekiel 28:1 The word of Yahveh happened to me. This is what it said: Ezekiel 28:2 “Son of Adam, say to the ruler of Tyre, ‘This is what the Lord Yahveh says: Your heart is proud, and you have said, “I am a god; I sit in the seat of gods in the heart of the sea.” Yet you are a man and not a god, though you have set your heart like that of a god. Ezekiel 28:3 Notice, you are wiser than Daniel; no secret is hidden from you! Ezekiel 28:4 By your wisdom and understanding you have made wealth for yourself. You have made gold and silver for your treasuries. Ezekiel 28:5 By your great skill in trading you have increased your wealth, but your heart has become proud because of your wealth. Ezekiel 28:6 ” ‘Therefore, notice this is what the Lord Yahveh says: Because you set your heart like a heart of a god, Ezekiel 28:7 notice I am about to bring strangers against you, ruthless men from the nations. They will draw their swords against your magnificent wisdom and will pierce your splendor. Ezekiel 28:8 They will bring you down to the Pit, and you will die a violent death in the heart of the sea. Ezekiel 28:9 Will you still say, “I am a god,” in the presence of those who slay you? Yet you will be only a man, not a god, in the hands of those who kill you. Ezekiel 28:10 You will die the death of the uncircumcised at the hands of strangers. You see, I have spoken. This is the declaration of the Lord Yahveh.'”
swords against wisdom and wealth
The king of Tyre was proud of his wisdom. Daniel was wise and godly, but the king of Tyre thought that his wisdom was greater. Solomon had been extremely wealthy, but the king of Tyre assumed that his wealth was greater.
Almighty God knew that the king of Tyre was deceiving himself. To set the record straight, God would send the sword. He would send soldiers who had neither wealth nor wisdom. But the sword could kill indiscriminately. It could kill a wise man as quickly as a fool. It could stop the heart of a wealthy man from beating as quickly as that of a poor man.
LORD, forgive us for overestimating our importance and assuming our invincibility. Give us the wisdom to depend on you. Give us the wealth of a right relationship with you.
Devotions 