Egypt and Her Allies Will Fail
July 12, 2020
Commentary
Because Egypt was an international power, her fate affected the entire world. Thus God’s activity concerning her constitutes a great intervention in history. Ezekiel calls it a “day of the Lord."Unlike Ezekiel’s other prophecies against Egypt, he did not date this one, which stressed Babylon’s judgment on Egypt and her allies (vv. 1-5). It has four sections, each beginning with This is what the “Lord” (or Sovereign Lord) says (vv. 2, 6, 10, 13).Both Israel and Judah experienced a “day” of God’s judgment when they were punished for their sins (Ezek. 7:1-14, esp. vv. 7, 10, 12). Now God’s “day” of judgment would extend to Egypt, who would be defeated by Babylon (30:10-12). Ezekiel continued to discuss the defeat of Egypt’s mercenary allies within Egypt’s borders (vv. 6-9).
The news of Egypt’s destruction would spread rapidly, causing panic among her allies. Messengers would travel in ships up the Nile River to Cush to announce Egypt’s defeat. The news would cause panic in Cush because they, having sided with Egypt against Babylon, would now be vulnerable to attack. The third section of this prophecy again zeroed in on the means of destruction against the hordes of Egypt (vv. 10-12). Egypt’s destruction would come by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar (29:17-21). God selected Babylon, the most ruthless of nations, to accomplish His judgment (vv. 10-11). Babylon treated her captives cruelly. After King Zedekiah of Judah rebelled, Nebuchadnezzar forced him to watch soldiers kill all his sons. Then Zedekiah’s eyes were put out so the last thing he ever saw was his sons’ deaths (2 Kings 25:7). Ezekiel said that Babylon, after defeating Judah, would turn her cruel war machine against Egypt, killing the Egyptians with swords (v. 4).
In this fourth section of the prophecy Ezekiel enumerated the many places in Egypt that would be destroyed (vv. 13-19). Major cities would be destroyed, and people in the villages would be taken into captivity. Ezekiel’s fourth prophesy against Egypt was after the Babylonians defeated Egypt.
Application
God allows nations to rise to power in order to accomplish His purpose. I must remember that God is sovereign and in charge of everything, even those who have rule over us.
Ezekiel 30:1– 26 (NET)
1 The Lord’s message came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “‘Wail, “Alas, the day is here!”
3 For the day is near, the day of the Lord is near; it will be a day of storm clouds, it will be a time of judgment for the nations.
4 A sword will come against Egypt and panic will overtake Ethiopia when the slain fall in Egypt and they carry away her wealth and dismantle her foundations.
5 Ethiopia, Put, Lud, all the foreigners, Libya, and the people of the covenant land will die by the sword along with them.
6 “‘This is what the Lord says: Egypt’s supporters will fall; her confident pride will crumble. From Migdol to Syene they will die by the sword within her, declares the Sovereign Lord.
7 They will be desolate among desolate lands, and their cities will be among ruined cities.
8 They will know that I am the Lord when I ignite a fire in Egypt and all her allies are defeated.
9 “‘On that day messengers will go out from me in ships to frighten overconfident Ethiopia; panic will overtake them on the day of Egypt’s doom; for beware—it is coming!
10 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will put an end to the hordes of Egypt, by the hand of King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon.
11 He and his people with him, the most terrifying of the nations, will be brought there to destroy the land. They will draw their swords against Egypt, and fill the land with corpses.
12 I will dry up the waterways and hand the land over to evil men. I will make the land and everything in it desolate by the hand of foreigners. I, the Lord, have spoken!
13 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will destroy the idols, and put an end to the gods of Memphis. There will no longer be a prince from the land of Egypt; so I will make the land of Egypt fearful.
14 I will desolate Pathros, I will ignite a fire in Zoan, and I will execute judgments on Thebes.
15 I will pour out my anger upon Pelusium, the stronghold of Egypt; I will cut off the hordes of Thebes.
16 I will ignite a fire in Egypt; Syene will writhe in agony, Thebes will be broken down, and Memphis will face enemies every day.
17 The young men of On and of Pi Beseth will die by the sword; and the cities will go into captivity.
18 In Tahpanhes the day will be dark when I break the yoke of Egypt there. Her confident pride will cease within her; a cloud will cover her, and her daughters will go into captivity.
19 I will execute judgments on Egypt. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”
20 In the eleventh year, in the first month, on the seventh day of the month, the Lord’s message came to me: 21 “Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Look, it has not been bandaged for healing or set with a dressing so that it might become strong enough to grasp a sword. 22 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and I will break his arms, the strong arm and the broken one, and I will make the sword drop from his hand. 23 I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them among foreign countries. 24 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and I will place my sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan like the fatally wounded before the king of Babylon. 25 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall limp. Then they will know that I am the Lord when I place my sword in the hand of the king of Babylon and he extends it against the land of Egypt. 26 I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them among foreign countries. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
Illustration: God’s Day of Judgment
“There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than 10,000 tongues. They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, of deep contrition and of unspeakable love.” (Lou Nicholes – Missionary/Author).