Bible Studies
Judgment Upon Egypt (Ezek. 29:1-7)
Series: God Speaks to Our People In ExileIntroduction:
1. This statement begins a series of 7 oracles against the nation of Egypt (29:1-32:32). 2. In this section of the book of Ezekiel God is addressing the enemies of the nation of Israel. 3. In our previous study we considered 6 nations nearby to Jerusalem. Egypt is the 7th to be addressed, the most distant, but one critical in the history of Israel.Discussion:
I. These prophecies are in the section of Ezekiel that is designed to give hope to the nation.A. Chapters 1-24 was a message of condemnation, predicting the coming downfall of the city of Jerusalem.
1. She would be attacked, besieged by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.
2. Ezekiel could speak no message of hope.
B. In chapter 25 his mouth is opened (24:27).
1. His message is now a message of condemnation and judgment upon the enemies of Israel.
2. It is a message of hope to them because they will experience relief from their enemies.
C. The statement in 28:25-26 is more directly hopeful.
1. While it is only a brief mention it says that God will gather His people from the places where they have been scattered.
2. They will again live in the land that He gave to Jacob.
3. They will live securely, build houses and plant vineyards.
4. God will execute judgments upon all their enemies.
5. The end result is that all will know that the Lord is their God.
II. Egypt had a long history (more than an 1000 years) with the people of God.A. Abram had gone there with his wife Sarai when there was a famine in Canaan (Gen. 12:10ff).
B. Many years later Abraham’s great grandson, Joseph, was sent to Egypt in order to preserve their descendants from another famine in Canaan (Gen. 37).
1. It was after this that all the descendants of Jacob went to Egypt and were there preserved.
2. But later a Pharaoh arose that did not know Joseph and the Egyptians made slaves of the Hebrews.
C. It was out of this historical setting that God sent Moses to Pharaoh with the message, “Let My people go.”
D. Egypt had continued to be a prosperous and powerful nation.
E. You may recall that King Solomon married the daughter of Pharaoh.
1. Thus, at least some times during the period of the kings, Egypt and Israel were allies.
2. During the reign of king Hezekiah the king of Assyria had threatened Jerusalem (1 Kings 18:1ff). Judah would like to have relied on Egypt for help, but God said that that, would be like leaning on a crushed reed that would pierce into the hand when one leaned on it (Isa. 36:6).
3. Recently in their history Pharaoh Neco had killed king Josiah at Meggido and put Jehoahaz on the throne in Jerusalem as a vassel. When Jehoahaz rebelled, Pharaoh put Jehoiakim on the throne in Jerusalem and taxed them heavily.
4. But the king of Babylon was more powerful and put Jehoiakim under his control (2 Kings 24).
5. Jehoiachin became king in Jerusalem and the Babylonians were so powerful that they took control of the land area that Egypt previously had control of in the region of Canaan. The Egyptians remained in Egypt after that.
III. God’s judgment against Egypt would come as a result of Pharaoh’s pride and would last for 40 years.A. 29:3 identifies Pharaoh as a monster who said, “My Nile is mine, and I myself have made it.” Note 29:9-10.
B. This statement reminds us that the previous nations were condemned because they rejoiced and gloated over the destruction of Jerusalem. Pride was a problem for them too. The king of Tyre had said, “I am a god, I sit in the seat of gods” (Ezek. 28:2).
C. God humbles those who exalt themselves. Such was the case for Egypt (29:13-16).
D. God would use Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon as His instrument of judgment (29:17-20).
IV. The 7th oracle against Egypt finds Ezekiel and then Pharaoh looking into Sheol, the realm of the dead (32:17ff).A. What Ezekiel sees (17-30).
1. The hordes of Egypt.
2. Mighty ones slain by the sword.
3. Assyria is there (22ff).
4. Elam is there (24ff).
5. Mesheck, Tubal (26ff).
6. Edom (29).
7. The chiefs of the north including the Sidonians (30).
B. Then Pharaoh will see all his hordes slain by the sword (31ff).
V. What do we learn from this? Like the oracles against the six nations previous to Egypt the message is plain.A. No nation stands outside the scope of God’s sovereignty.
1. That includes the nations of our day.
2. The USA, Russia, China, Japan.
3. God rules in the affairs of nations (Acts 17:26-28a).
4. Each person lives in a very short period of history. It is hard for us to see the “big picture” of God’s operations with the limited perspective of our lifetime. But His revelation grants us a greater perspective.
5. He operates in matters of individual lives as well. Consider the conversion of the Ethopian or Saul as examples of this.
6. Are you giving appropriate consideration to His actions in your life? Or are you ignoring His presence?
B. When the Lord intervenes in human affairs, he does so for his glory.
1. “Then they will know that I am the Lord” (Ezek. 29:9).
2. Phil. 2:10-11 says that there is a day coming when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Are you prepared for that day?
C. God keeps His covenant.
1. Ezekiel’s people may have been in Babylonian exile, but God had not forgotten his promises to their fathers.
2. He would not only execute judgment on their enemies He would bring them back to the land that He had promised them.
3. That return should call our attention to the promised rest that their return to the land was merely a shadow of. They were looking for a greater land than that physical land of Canaan (cf. Heb. 4:8; 11:10; 12:22ff).
Conclusion:
1. God delivers His people. 2. Just like He promised. 3. Will you place your trust in His promises?
