Ezekiel 29-31 Egypt

Ezekiel 29 Pharaoh

God speaks against Pharaoh.

• Pharaoh is compared to a great monster in the Nile.
  • הַתַּנִּים הַגָּדוֹל ha-tannim ha-gadol “the great tannim”
  • Not sure why plural when other words don’t match plural
• He claims ownership of the river and power.

God declares:

• Pharaoh will be pulled out of the Nile.
• Egypt will know the LORD is God.

Israel trusted Egypt for help. Egypt proved unreliable.

Metaphor: Egypt is like a broken staff that injures anyone who leans on it.

Egypt will become a wasteland.

• The land will be scattered for 40 years.
• Afterwards Egypt will exist again but as a minor kingdom.

Nebuchadnezzar II will receive Egypt as payment for his campaigns.

• Babylon becomes God’s instrument of judgment.

The section ends with hope that Israel’s strength will rise again. ²¹ “On that day I will cause a horn to spring up for the house of Israel, and I will open your lips among them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”

Ezekiel 30

A day of judgment is coming.

• Many nations allied with Egypt will fall.

Included are regions like:

• Cush
• Put
• Lud
• Arabia
• Libya

Egypt’s pride will collapse.

• Cities will be destroyed.
• The Nile region will suffer devastation.

Major cities named:

• Memphis
• Thebes
• Pelusium

Idols will be destroyed and rulers removed.

Pharaoh’s arm is broken (symbol of defeat) but Babylon’s king will be strengthened.

Ezekiel 31 The Cedar Tree

Egypt is compared to a massive cedar just like Assyria before it.

• It towers above other trees.
• Birds and animals shelter under it.

The tree became proud.

• God handed it over to powerful nations.
• The tree is cut down.

The fallen tree descends to the realm of the dead.

• Other fallen nations join it.

Application

So many things can make us prideful. When we gain power in this world, or become rich, we might think we are on top of the world. Egypt believed all of its strength and resources (like the nile) made it powerful. However we know no kingdom is above God’s authority. Pride (individual and national) can lead to death and destruction.  Never trust in earthly pride.