The Gospel According to Ezekiel, Chapters 30-31

The Scandal of Trusting in a Child Over Nations

In the context of the Christmas season, one thing that comes to mind as we examine these passages is the ridiculousness, the insanity, of the message going out to the Israelites in exile. The comparison is between not trusting in nations and instead trusting in an infant. When you see the magnificence of nations like Egypt and Assyria in Ezekiel's day—with their powerful armies and magnificent weapons—God's response is: Don't trust in these nations, but trust in a child that I will send you several years later.

It's ridiculous on the surface, especially since we know this child grows up and dies, seemingly defeated on a cross. That's the scandalousness of the gospel according to Ezekiel. Unless it is indeed the servant of David that Ezekiel prophesies about, this Christ, this king who will ultimately rule a nation that makes these others look pathetic.

Symbolic Language and Dealing with Pride

We've looked at Egypt's pride and Israel's trust in Egypt. There's a lot of symbolism and spiritual language here, not necessarily a literal physical fulfillment, but a spiritual one in Egypt and especially in Israel's life. This prophecy is spoken in exile for the benefit of God's people, including today.

God gives his people effective prophetic tools to deal with pride. Last week we saw what pride looks like in Egypt—boasting as the creator of the Nile, Pharaoh as an incarnate god. Pride causes God to judge and make Israel a desolation among desolate nations. Some nations listed in chapter 32 are already destroyed, others future, and talk of Sheol as a spiritual place of punishment. This is symbolic language, as there's no literal way for Egypt to dwell among them physically.

Chapter 31 compares Egypt to Assyria, showing what pride is and now how to deal with it. God uses these examples to teach us how to benefit spiritually from these prophecies.

Judgment on Egypt and Its Allies

Ezekiel 30:1-4
The word of the Lord came to me saying, "Son of man, prophesy and say, 'Thus says the Lord God, "Wail, 'Alas for the day!' For the day is near, even the day of the Lord is near; it will be a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations. A sword will come upon Egypt, and anguish will be in Ethiopia when the slain fall in Egypt, they take away her wealth, and her foundations are torn down."

Ethiopia, Put, Lud, all Arabia, Libya, and the people of the land that is in league will fall by the sword, says the Lord. Those who support Egypt will fall, and the pride of her power will come down. They will be desolate in the midst of desolated lands, and her cities will be in the midst of desolated cities. They will know that I am the Lord when I set a fire in Egypt and all her helpers are broken.

On that day messengers will go forth from me in ships to frighten secure Ethiopia, and anguish will be on them as on the day of Egypt, for behold it comes.

There's a translational difference in verse 5 between Hebrew and Greek, but it refers to a league or agreement between nations, not God's covenant people. Some cities mentioned already had exiled Jews, like Jeremiah.

God stops Israel from turning to Egypt for support. Pride is the anti-God attitude—discontent with all things God, resulting in self-exaltation. The proud are against God, and God opposes the proud.

God judges Egypt's pride to prevent Israel's trust in it and to demonstrate his sovereignty. "They will know that I am the Lord" means acknowledging his attributes as judge, his right to command, his lordship.

Israel's Recurring Turn to Egypt

Israel's history shows repeated turns back to Egypt—from slavery and bondage to Egyptian gods, redeemed into the wilderness toward the promised land. Yet they looked back, complaining in the wilderness: better in Egypt than here with God. Even the golden calf was called "the God who brought you out of Egypt."

The wilderness should have been bliss—freed to dwell with Yahweh, led by pillar of fire and cloud, after God laid low Egypt's gods, Pharaoh, and army. Pharaohs later abandoned polytheism for monotheism (sun worship). Yet they complained for water and food, saying it would be better to die in Egypt.

The response should have been: "We're ready to see what God does next." In exile, submitting to Babylon as Jeremiah prophesied should have been embracing the position to see what God would do. Pride says God is not sufficient; I'll find something else.

Ezekiel 30:10-13
Thus says the Lord God, "I will also make the hordes of Egypt cease by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. He and his people with him, the most ruthless of the nations, will be brought in to destroy the land, and they will draw their swords against Egypt and fill the land with the slain. Moreover, I will make the Nile canals dry and sell the land into the hands of evil men. I will make the land desolate and all that is in it by the hand of strangers. I the Lord have spoken it. Thus says the Lord God, 'I will also destroy the idols...'"

God destroys idols, as he did Egypt's gods with plagues in their jurisdictions. He will destroy images from Memphis; no longer a prince in Egypt. He puts fear in the land, executes judgments on Pathros, Zoan, Sin (Egyptian city), Thebes, and more. The pride of her power will cease.

Combating Pride by Knowing God

The way to deal with pride is to recognize who God is compared to what pride produces. Compare what pride does versus what God does—pit sin against God. Christians with unchecked sin know less about God. There's a direct correlation between how you live and the theology you understand.

Knowledge of an immense God humbles; wrong knowledge puffs up. God sits enthroned in the heavens, earth his footstool. True knowledge of infinite God leaves no room for pride. Diligently let theology lead to doxology for right living.

God reveals himself in Ezekiel to assist us. He breaks Egypt's power; they will know he is the Lord. Spiritual maturity requires knowing God to teach others.

Ezekiel 30:20-26
...Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt... Behold, I am against Pharaoh... I will break his arms, both the strong and the broken, and will make the sword fall from his hand. I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations... I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword in his hand... Then they will know that I am the Lord when I put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon...

This has literal fulfillment: Zedekiah rebels against Babylon at Egypt's urging, against Jeremiah's counsel to submit humbly. Egypt aids, gets decimated; Babylon conquers Jerusalem, then Egypt. God breaks Pharaoh's "sword arm" (army), strengthens Babylon's, breaks the other arm (perhaps economy). Egypt allies with Babylon after.

God dismantles what Israel trusted, showing his faithfulness. Trust belongs to God. Jeremiah told Zedekiah: humble yourself as vassal; God exalts in due time. Submission to Babylon was submission to God's judgment via his servant Nebuchadnezzar.

Where you are is where God shines through. Wait in anticipation for what he does next—like the wilderness. Embrace humility, trust God even when unwise by worldly counsel. In Christmas context, trust the humble king born lowly, obedient to death, creating God's people.

Egypt Compared to Assyria's Fall

Ezekiel 31:2-9, 11-18 (excerpts)
Son of Man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes: "Who are you like in your greatness? Behold, Assyria was a cedar in Lebanon... Its height was loftier than all the trees of the field... No tree in God's garden could compare... All the trees of Eden... were jealous of it."

Because it is high in stature and has set its top among the clouds, and its heart is haughty in its loftiness, therefore I will give it into the hand of a despot... Alien tyrants... have cut it down... All the peoples of the earth have gone down from its shade... To which among the trees of Eden are you thus equal in glory and greatness? You too will be brought down with the trees of Eden... You will lie in the midst of the uncircumcised with those slain by the sword. Thus says the Lord God."

June 587 BC. Symbolic language compares Egypt to Assyria in the Garden of God—the known world God rules. Assyria was dominant, conquering and allying brutally, striking fear with speared heads outside Nineveh. God describes its greatness not to praise, but to show Egypt is nothing like it. Assyria was laid low 25 years earlier.

How could mighty Assyria fall for the same pride, yet Egypt expect escape? Sources of sin seem great but can't measure to God's might.

As we grow in knowledge of God, he seems bigger—the deeper we go, the deeper he is. Like Ezekiel's river, or a parabola infinitely approaching. Sin like pride grows shallower. Pride is empty; only infinite God satisfies endlessly with joy, security, soul-quenching water.

If all we conclude: God is worthy, sufficient; you won't be disappointed trusting him.