prophet Ezekiel – Page 6

Ezekiel 30:20-26 – It’s Broken

Read Ezekiel 30:20-26

What’s broken? The LORD broke Pharoah’s arms and told Ezekiel about it. This fourth prophecy about Egypt has a date placing it about four months before the fall of Jerusalem. Could this signify Egypt’s unsuccessful attempt to help the people in Jerusalem fight against Babylon? From other Bible texts (2 Kings 24), we know Judah had rebelled against Babylon and made an alliance with Egypt. Ezekiel’s prophecy confirms the LORD wanted no intervention to thwart his plans.

What do you think Ezekiel was thinking as he was receiving this message? God was going to do something big against Egypt and it was going to happen sooner rather than later. The broken arm is thought to be the LORD shutting down Pharoah when he tried to intervene with the Babylonians in Judah, even if it was a “half-hearted” attempt in the first place. But two arms? Continue reading “Ezekiel 30:20-26 – It’s Broken”

Ezekiel 30:1-19 – Who is Your Ally?

Read Ezekiel 30:1-19

We don’t get a time stamp on this reading, and any attempts at dating it are only speculative. What we do see are four oracle pronouncements by the Sovereign God. God is on the move, and his divine intervention will be in battle. The result he promised was a total collapse of Egypt and their allies. “All of Egypt’s allies will fall, and the pride of her power will end.” What a message!

Can you imagine? From exile in Babylon, God was using Ezekiel to announce the fall of a powerful civilization. We still marvel today at those pyramids! Many generations prior to Ezekiel’s words, God had boldly brought an Egyptian ruler to his knees. You may recall how God used Moses to rescue God’s people from slavery and oppression in Egypt. Continue reading “Ezekiel 30:1-19 – Who is Your Ally?”

Ezekiel 29:17-21 – Years Later . . .

Read Ezekiel 29:17-21

What a big jump! Now we’re in the 27^th year of the exile. Our last reading about Egypt was recorded seventeen years prior to this one which finally speaks of how God’s power will be revealed against the mighty Egypt. You’ll have to adjust your mind just a bit as Ezekiel “fast forwards” into the future. This one message is injected into the order of Ezekiel’s prophecies for a reason. I think it’s to tie everything together for us.

After our last reading, we had no way of knowing when or how God would bring about his judgment. Interesting that Egypt’s downfall would benefit Israel’s oppressor, the one God had given authority to destroy Jerusalem. How would the people who escaped that downfall by being held in exile feel when Egypt fell to the very same powerful king as a reward. Continue reading “Ezekiel 29:17-21 – Years Later . . .”

Ezekiel 29:1-16 – Egypt Beware!

Read Ezekiel 29:1-16

You may have noticed the time stamp of this reading comes before Ezekiel’s previous message to Tyre. And while after the prophecy about Jerusalem’s fall in the 9^th year of captivity, the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians was not yet complete. This timeline sheds some light on the mindset of the audience hearing these words from Ezekiel in real time.

The siege on Jerusalem would be underway, however there would still be hope among the exiles and those remaining in Judah that rescue would still happen. Historically, the Israelites looked to Egyptian power and protection rather than trusting in God’s plan. This prophecy would send the message that Egypt was not the proper choice. Egypt, too, was a target of the LORD’s judgment and would not be coming to set them free from the Babylonian conquest. Continue reading “Ezekiel 29:1-16 – Egypt Beware!”

Ezekiel 28:25-26 – Happily Ever After

Read Ezekiel 28:25-26

Amidst all of God’s plans to discipline Israel’s neighbors, Ezekiel inserts these two verses of promise. While the verses don’t seem to fit in with the other messages, the hope they bring is like a breath of fresh air. Ezekiel had to be feeling especially heavy with all these judgment messages he’d been hearing from God.

Hallelujah! There was a light at the end of the tunnel. The judgment of Judah has already come. The reality Ezekiel and his people were living in was captivity in exile. Others had run for the hills ahead of Jerusalem’s fall. What a wonderful message to know God is going to make all things right in the world. Continue reading “Ezekiel 28:25-26 – Happily Ever After”