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Ezekiel 29-32
Egypt Exiled;
Pharaoh Executed

Psalm 98:1-9 Many Thanks

1.“Sing to Yahweh a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand, and his holy arm, have worked salvation for him.2.Yahweh has made known his salvation. He has openly shown his righteousness in the sight of the nations.3.He has remembered his hesed/loyal covenantal love and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
4.Make a joyful noise to Yahweh, all the earth! Burst out and sing for joy, yes, sing praises!5.Sing praises to Yahweh with the harp, with the harp and the voice of melody.6.With trumpets and sound of the ram’s horn, make a joyful noise before the King, Yahweh.7.Let the sea roar with its fullness; the world, and those who dwell therein.8.Let the rivers clap their hands. Let the mountains sing for joy together.9.Let them sing before Yahweh, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity/uprightness.“

Observations

98:1-3.

In another Messianic psalm, the author reflects on God's deliverance of His people and exhorts them to burst out in song. Our daily dependence upon God, and His works on our behalf, should result in multiple expressions of joy (not mumbled thanks for initial justification).


98:4-9.

Reflecting on God's past acts of salvation leads the psalmist to look forward to the Messiah's future acts for which all creation will praise Him, especially when He comes to judge the world.


Application

The more we risk in trusting God, the greater our joy in praising Him for helping us.

Prayer

God, thanks for Your manifold and marvelous faithfulness to Your people. May I experience Your salvation daily, and sing for joy all my days. Amen.

Proverbs 23:6-9 Toxic Activities

6.Do not eat the food of a stingy person, do not crave his delicacies;7.for he is like someone calculating the cost in his mind. "Eat and drink," he says to you, but his heart is not with you;8.you will vomit up the little bit you have eaten, and will have wasted your pleasant words."9.Don’t speak in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.”

Observations

23:6.

Craving anything temporal isn't the wisest course of action. Friends make any food delicous.


23:7.

The first part of this verse is frequently quoted a little out of context to make an important point: What we think about and value determines who we are and what we do.


23:9. Warning fools is frequently a futile task. Pr 1:7 states that they despise wisdom and instruction; so if you have to, give them a watchman warning (Ezekiel 33) and then clear out to avoid the fallout.

Application

You will become and do what you desire. Want wisely.

Prayer

God, may I desire wisdom, faithfulness and truth more than dainty morsels of calories. Amen.

Ezekiel 29-32 Egypt Exiled; Pharaoh Executed

This section of four chapters contains seven prophecies against Pharaoh and Egypt, saying that God will use Babylon to destroy them for their pride. Idolatry, wickedness, and failure to help Israel are secondary reasons. There is a little message of hope to Israel at the end of chapter 29, but other than that it's doom and gloom to Egypt and her allies. Unless poetic imagery of destruction is your thing, you could safely skip these chapters without missing anything and endangering your spiritual life.

Ezekiel 29 Pharaoh Falls; Egypt Judged for 40 Years

1.In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month, the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,2."Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him and against all Egypt.3.Speak and say, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: "Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great monster that lies in the midst of his rivers, that has said, ‘My river is my own, and I have made it for myself.’4.I will put hooks in your jaws, and I will make the fish of your rivers stick to your scales; and I will bring you up out of the midst of your rivers, with all the fish of your rivers which stick to your scales.5.I’ll cast you forth into the wilderness, you and all the fish of your rivers. You’ll fall on the open field. You won’t be brought together, nor gathered. I have given you for food to the animals of the earth and to the birds of the sky.6.All the inhabitants of Egypt will know that I am Yahweh, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel.7.When they took hold of you by your hand, you broke, and tore all their shoulders; and when they leaned on you, you broke, and paralyzed all of their thighs."8.Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: "Behold, I will bring a sword on you, and will cut off man and animal from you.9.The land of Egypt shall be a desolation and a waste; and they shall know that I am Yahweh.12.I will make the land of Egypt a desolation in the midst of the countries that are desolate; and her cities among the cities that are laid waste shall be a desolation forty years; and I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries."13.For thus says the Lord Yahweh: "At the end of forty years will I gather the Egyptians from the peoples where they were scattered;14.and I will bring back the captivity of Egypt, and will cause them to return into the land of Pathros, into the land of their birth; and they shall be there a base kingdom.15.It shall be the base of the kingdoms; neither shall it any more lift itself up above the nations: and I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations.16.It shall be no more the confidence of the house of Israel, bringing iniquity to memory, when they turn to look after them: and they shall know that I am the Lord Yahweh."’"17.It came to pass in the seven and twentieth year, in the first month, in the first day of the month, the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,18.Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon caused his army to serve a great service against Tyre: every head was made bald, and every shoulder was worn; yet had he no wages, nor his army, from Tyre, for the service that he had served against it.19.Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and he shall carry off her multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey; and it shall be the wages for his army.20.I have given him the land of Egypt as his recompense for which he served, because they worked for me, says the Lord Yahweh.21.In that day will I cause a horn to bud forth to the house of Israel, and I will give you the opening of the mouth in their midst; and they shall know that I am Yahweh.

Observations

29:1-16. God pronounces a forty year judgment against Pharaoh and Egypt, for pride, and being unsupportive of Israel. Then He will regather and resettle them so they would know that Yahweh is God.


29:17-20.

God will deliver Egypt into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar as payment for his destruction of Tyre. Apparently the thirteen year siege left little spoil, so God will recompense him with the spoil of Egypt.


29:21.

The chapter ends with a note of hope for Israel. God will cause “a horn to bud” for the house of Israel. In Psalm 132:7 this phrase refers to the Davidic kingship, and thus some think it refers to the Messiah. But it could also refer to the beginning of the regaining of power through another leader, such as Daniel or Zerrubabel. If “in that day” refers to when Nebuchadnezzar destroys Egypt, then the Messiah identification is less likely. “Opening of the mouth” probably doesn't refer to Ezekiel's muteness (24:27), for that had ended years previously. It could refer to praise for God's action of being favorable to Israel, or additional prophecy. In any event, the promise is a token of God's favor toward Israel.


Application

God justly pays back those who do His will.

Prayer

Lord, thanks that Your justice extends to all You do, and I can expect You to repay me for my service of You. Amen.

Ezekiel 30 Judgment on Egypt's Allies

1.The word of Yahweh came again to me, saying,2.Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Wail, Alas for the day!3.For the day is near, even the day of Yahweh is near; it shall be a day of clouds, a time of the nations.4.A sword shall come on Egypt, and anguish shall be in Ethiopia, when the slain shall fall in Egypt; and they shall take away her multitude, and her foundations shall be broken down.5.Ethiopia, and Put, and Lud, and all the mixed people, and Cub, and the children of the land that is allied with them, shall fall with them by the sword.6.Thus says Yahweh: They also who uphold Egypt shall fall; and the pride of her power shall come down: from the tower of Seveneh shall they fall in it by the sword, says the Lord Yahweh.7.They shall be desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate; and her cities shall be in the midst of the cities that are wasted.8.They shall know that I am Yahweh, when I have set a fire in Egypt, and all her helpers are destroyed.9.In that day shall messengers go forth from before me in ships to make the careless Ethiopians afraid; and there shall be anguish on them, as in the day of Egypt; for, behold, it comes.10.Thus says the Lord Yahweh: I will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease, by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.13.I will also destroy the idols, and I will cause the images to cease from Memphis; and there shall be no more a prince from the land of Egypt: and I will put a fear in the land of Egypt.18.At Tehaphnehes also the day shall withdraw itself, when I shall break there the yokes of Egypt, and the pride of her power shall cease in her: as for her, a cloud shall cover her, and her daughters shall go into captivity.19.Thus will I execute judgments on Egypt; and they shall know that I am Yahweh.20.It happened in the eleventh year, in the first month, in the seventh day of the month, that the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,21.Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt...22....and I will cause the sword to fall out of his hand.23.I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries.24.I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and put my sword in his hand: but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he shall groan before him with the groanings of a deadly wounded man.25.I will hold up the arms of the king of Babylon; and the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down; and they shall know that I am Yahweh, when I shall put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall stretch it out on the land of Egypt.26.I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse them through the countries; and they shall know that I am Yahweh.

Observation

30:1-26.

More devastation is announced for Egypt and this time her allies are included. Idolatry is added to the list of sins for which punishment falls. God will not only break the arms of Pharaoh, but strengthen the arms of Babylon. The end result is that people would know that Yahweh is God.


Application

Trusting in anything other than God is folly, because He will destroy all who fail to acknowledge and serve Him.

Prayer

God, earthly powers can be fearsome, but I fear You above all, and know that You are the God who judges the proud and unfaithful. Amen.

Ezekiel 31 Pharaoh Brought Down to the Pit

1.It happened in the eleventh year, in the third month, in the first day of the month, that the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,2.Son of man, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude: whom are you like in your greatness?3.Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with beautiful branches, and with a forest-like shade, and of high stature; and its top was among the thick boughs.4.The waters nourished it, the deep made it to grow: its rivers ran all around its plantation; and it sent out its channels to all the trees of the field.5.Therefore its stature was exalted above all the trees of the field; and its boughs were multiplied, and its branches became long by reason of many waters, when it shot them forth.6.All the birds of the sky made their nests in its boughs; and under its branches all the animals of the field brought forth their young; and all great nations lived under its shadow.7.Thus was it beautiful in its greatness, in the length of its branches; for its root was by many waters.8.The cedars in the garden of God could not hide it; the fir trees were not like its boughs, and the plane trees were not as its branches; nor was any tree in the garden of God like it in its beauty.9.I made it beautiful by the multitude of its branches, so that all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, envied it.10.Therefore thus said the Lord Yahweh: Because you are exalted in stature, and he has set his top among the thick boughs, and his heart is lifted up in his height;11.I will even deliver him into the hand of the mighty one of the nations; he shall surely deal with him; I have driven him out for his wickedness.12.Strangers, the terrible of the nations, have cut him off, and have left him: on the mountains and in all the valleys his branches are fallen, and his boughs are broken by all the watercourses of the land; and all the peoples of the earth are gone down from his shadow, and have left him.13.On his ruin all the birds of the sky shall dwell, and all the animals of the field shall be on his branches;14.to the end that none of all the trees by the waters exalt themselves in their stature, neither set their top among the thick boughs, nor that their mighty ones stand up on their height, even all who drink water: for they are all delivered to death, to the lower parts of the earth, in the midst of the children of men, with those who go down to the pit.15.Thus says the Lord Yahweh: In the day when he went down to Sheol I caused a mourning: I covered the deep for him, and I restrained its rivers; and the great waters were stayed; and I caused Lebanon to mourn for him, and all the trees of the field fainted for him.16.I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down to Sheol with those who descend into the pit; and all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, were comforted in the lower parts of the earth.17.They also went down into Sheol with him to those who are slain by the sword; yes, those who were his arm, that lived under his shadow in the midst of the nations.18.To whom are you thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? yet you will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the lower parts of the earth: you shall lie in the midst of the uncircumcised, with those who are slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, says the Lord Yahweh.

Observation

31:1-18.

In a rather elaborate parable, God compares the king of Assyria to the greatest cedar of Lebanon, which God brought down because of his pride and wickedness. Although he was the envy of the trees of the garden of Eden, strangers cut him down, and he lies in Sheol (the grave) in the lower parts of the earth, among the uncircumcised. A similar fate awaits Pharaoh who was comparable to him.


Ezekiel 32 Pharaoh and Friends Fall

1.It happened in the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, in the first day of the month, that the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,2.Son of man, take up a lamentation over Pharaoh king of Egypt, and tell him, you were likened to a young lion of the nations: yet you are as a monster in the seas; and you broke out with your rivers, and troubled the waters with your feet, and fouled their rivers.3.Thus says the Lord Yahweh: I will spread out my net on you with a company of many peoples; and they shall bring you up in my net.4.I will leave you on the land, I will cast you forth on the open field, and will cause all the birds of the sky to settle on you, and I will satisfy the animals of the whole earth with you.5.I will lay your flesh on the mountains, and fill the valleys with your height.6.I will also water with your blood the land in which you swim, even to the mountains; and the watercourses shall be full of you.7.When I shall extinguish you, I will cover the heavens, and make its stars dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give its light.8.All the bright lights of the sky will I make dark over you, and set darkness on your land, says the Lord Yahweh.9.I will also trouble the hearts of many peoples, when I shall bring your destruction among the nations, into the countries which you have not known.10.Yes, I will make many peoples amazed at you, and their kings shall be horribly afraid for you, when I shall brandish my sword before them; and they shall tremble at every moment, every man for his own life, in the day of your fall.11.For thus says the Lord Yahweh: The sword of the king of Babylon shall come on you.12.By the swords of the mighty will I cause your multitude to fall; the terrible of the nations are they all: and they shall bring to nothing the pride of Egypt, and all its multitude shall be destroyed.13.I will destroy also all its animals from beside many waters; neither shall the foot of man trouble them any more, nor the hoofs of animals trouble them.14.Then will I make their waters clear, and cause their rivers to run like oil, says the Lord Yahweh.15.When I shall make the land of Egypt desolate and waste, a land destitute of that of which it was full, when I shall strike all those who dwell therein, then shall they know that I am Yahweh.16.This is the lamentation with which they shall lament; the daughters of the nations shall lament therewith; over Egypt, and over all her multitude, shall they lament there with, says the Lord Yahweh.17.It happened also in the twelfth year, in the fifteenth day of the month, that the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,18.Son of man, wail for the multitude of Egypt, and cast them down, even her, and the daughters of the famous nations, to the lower parts of the earth, with those who go down into the pit.19.Whom do you pass in beauty? Go down, and be laid with the uncircumcised.20.They shall fall in the midst of those who are slain by the sword: she is delivered to the sword; draw her away and all her multitudes.21.The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of Sheol with those who help him: they are gone down, they lie still, even the uncircumcised, slain by the sword.22.Asshur is there and all her company; her graves are all around her; all of them slain, fallen by the sword;23.whose graves are set in the uttermost parts of the pit, and her company is around her grave; all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who caused terror in the land of the living.24.There is Elam26.There is Meshech, Tubal...their iniquities are on their bones; for they were the terror of the mighty in the land of the living.29.There is Edom, her kings and all her princes, who in their might are laid with those who are slain by the sword: they shall lie with the uncircumcised, and with those who go down to the pit.30.There are the princes of the north,31.Pharaoh shall see them, and shall be comforted over all his multitude, even Pharaoh and all his army, slain by the sword, says the Lord Yahweh.32.For I have put his terror in the land of the living; and he shall be laid in the midst of the uncircumcised, with those who are slain by the sword, even Pharaoh and all his multitude, says the Lord Yahweh.

Observation

32:1-32.

More of the same, with an extension to additional nations whom God will judge. The differences between the various nations are nullified in death, where it looks like there is a conscious existence.


Application

It's nothing for God to humble the mightiest on earth, and He will.

Prayer

God, may my heart not be lifted up in pride, or oppression, knowing that You know and judge all things. Amen.

Digging Deeper

God in a nutshell: God is seen as the judge of all the earth, particularly singling out the powerful, prideful and those who oppress His people. He brings them down to the grave at the hand of His servants, whom He recompenses. He frequently strikes at the strength of those whom He judges.

Us in a nutshell: We need not fear those who are mighty, because God is mightier, and will judge them. We need not fear God's judgment if we are doing what pleases Him.

Where to go for more

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Bible Version: Daily Truthbase Version © 2012 WF Cobb Truthbase.net. Used with permission.
Commentary: Daily Truthbase Commentary © 2012 WF Cobb Truthbase.net. Used with permission.