Ezekiel 29:1–12

The next series is four chapters directed against Egypt, as the last three were against Tyre with its prince and king. The evil condemned is no longer commercial pride. It is self-confident nature, and this especially in political wisdom. We shall see how God brings to nothing a power marked in this way, a power that set itself up in proud independence of Him.

Ezekiel 24 leads to Ezekiel 25-32. These chapters take up the nations around the land or inside it, which the Lord Jehovah deals with. But they no longer run in date order like the first half of the book... The arrangement is due to no disturbing cause, but to God's design above man's thought (or want of thought) and care.

The king of Egypt addressed in this prophecy was Pharaoh-Hophra, known in Greek as Apries. He was the grandson of Pharaoh-Necho, who defeated King Josiah at Megiddo (2 Chron. 35:20-27). When Jerusalem was under siege, King Zedekiah of Judah expected help and relief from Pharaoh-Hophra. Hophra's army advanced through Phoenicia. It forced the Chaldeans to lift the siege of Jerusalem (Jer. 37:5-7). But the relief was only temporary, for the Egyptian army had to retire.

The throne of the supreme and sovereign Lord God appears in Chaldea — in the place where the prophet then was — among the nations. It no longer appears at Jerusalem in connection with the land... So the voice of God speaks to Ezekiel as to a "son of man." That title suited the testimony of a God who spoke from outside His people. He was no longer among them. Instead He judged them from the throne of His sovereignty. It is Christ's own title, seen as rejected and outside of Israel. Yet He never stops thinking of the blessing of the people in grace.

Ezekiel 29-32 contain the judgment of Egypt. Egypt sought, in the self-will of man, to take the place which God had in fact given to Nebuchadnezzar. All must submit... What characterized Egypt was the pride of nature, which would follow its own will, and owned no God (chap. 29:9). Such a principle shall no longer be the confidence of God's people (v. 16). Egypt should have her place, but should no longer rule. The judgment of Egypt should be the occasion of Israel's blessing.

The causes of the judgment are mainly two. First, pride and self-sufficiency itself. Second, Egypt has been a breaking staff to Israel. It was a staff of reed. It offered much but never kept its promises, and it brought only ruin to all who trusted it. Going down to Egypt for help was the constant snare of the people of God. Yet God had brought them out of that land, and in their own deliverance they had seen His judgment on it. Yet they could turn back to it again and again. Sadly, it is an inconsistency which not one of us who knows himself can be a stranger to.

The scroll spread out before him, which he then ate, was written on both sides with lamentations and mourning and woe. The prophet was to tell the rebellious people all Jehovah's words, with a forehead as hard as diamond, harder than flint. Notice that only he and Daniel have the title "Son of man." The one exception is the Master Himself, the lowliest of servants, whose place it was to take every title of shame, suffering, and rejection.

The next series consists of four chapters directed against Egypt. The last three were directed against Tyre with its prince and king. The evil condemned here is no longer commercial pride, but confident nature, and above all in political wisdom. We shall see how God brings to nothing a power marked in this way, which set itself up in haughty independence of Him.

Egypt sought, in the self-will of man, to take the place which God had in fact given to Nebuchadnezzar. All must submit. The mighty empire of Asshur had already fallen. Whatever Pharaoh's claims and ambition might be, he was no better… What marked Egypt out was the pride of nature. It followed its own will and owned no God.

Canaan is a dependent land. It drinks the rain of heaven directly, unlike Egypt. Egypt must be dependent too, but not so obviously. Its river was its boast, and the sources of supply lay too far off for anyone to spot them: a vivid picture of the world in its self-sufficiency and independence of God. They are still sending scientific expeditions to explore the sources of their never-failing river. For all their searching, they have still not found out God.

We have, first, the causes of the judgment; there are mainly two. First, the pride and self-sufficiency already spoken of. Second, Egypt has been a breaking staff to Israel. It was a staff of reed, which offered much but never kept its promises, and it brought only ruin to all who trusted it. Going down to Egypt for help was the constant snare of the people of God, though God had delivered them from that land… Happy are those who are taught by any means to say at last, as the apostle says for Christians: "we… glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh."

It is important to notice one point in this series of prophecies, which begins with the judgment of Jerusalem, the centre of the former system of nations. God carries them out to make them all know Jehovah. Only in Israel's case there is, besides this, the understanding and the special proof of prophecy… So these prophecies show us Jehovah's power in general. They make Him known to all by the judgments He carried out. The conquests of Nebuchadnezzar already realised part of this, but it will be fully accomplished later on in favour of Israel.

The next series is four chapters directed against Egypt. The last three were against Tyre with its prince and king. The evil condemned is no longer pride in trade, but self-confident nature, and this especially in political wisdom. We shall see how God brings to nothing the power marked by this, which set itself up in proud independence of Him.

Here Pharaoh is like the crocodile of his rivers, the "long stretched," which is what the word "monster" literally means. You might think this creature took shape from his river, as the king of Egypt does. He is unclean at best, and ungainly — however huge he may be, and however well the scales that enclose him defend him against anything hostile. He clearly lies in no high position. He can see little beyond the banks that shut him in on either side. Yet he can find something to boast about in all this.

What matters in practice is that the river is there, always there. It overflows at a regular time that suits man's purposes. It leaves him little to think about — only how best to guide this supply here and there, which has become his own. Indeed he values himself on this, that he can direct this abundant water with great wisdom to meet his own needs. So Pharaoh can say, as we see him doing here: "My Nile is my own; I made it for myself." In practice the reverse is true: it is the river that has made him.

What a sight for the angels who excel in strength — to see a creature pinned to the earth that carries him, as the crocodile is pinned to his river bank, and yet boasting that he stands in the place of God and is his own god! And this was not Pharaoh's boast alone, as we have already seen. He was a god to himself, and a god to his people too, as is well known.

Canaan is a dependent land. Unlike Egypt, it is not watered by human effort; it drinks straight from the rain of heaven. Egypt must be dependent too, but not so plainly. Its river was its boast, and the sources of supply lay too far away to be noticed easily. Here is a vivid picture of the world in its self-sufficiency and independence of God. They are still sending scientific expeditions to explore the sources of their unfailing river, and their searching has not yet found God.

Egypt represents to us the world in its natural state. It enjoys the good things God provides, yet it is estranged from Him. They do not acknowledge Him as the source of their prosperity. They claim the supply He gives as their own. "My Nile is my own; I made it for myself."

Why is the dragon used as a symbol of Satan? Pharaoh, king of Egypt, in his cruelty to God's people and in proud and haughty independence of God, is called "the great dragon" (Ezek. 29:3-4)... The Egyptians regarded the crocodile, or dragon, according to their hieroglyphics, as the source and author of all evil.

What marked Egypt was the pride of nature, which would follow its own will and acknowledged no God (chap. 29:9). Such a principle shall no longer be the confidence of God's people (v. 16). Egypt should have her place, but should no longer rule. The judgment of Egypt should be the occasion of Israel's blessing.

The next series is four chapters against Egypt, just as the last three were against Tyre with its prince and king. The evil condemned is no longer commercial pride, but confident nature, and this shows above all in political wisdom. We shall see how God brings to nothing a power that carries this mark and sets itself up in haughty independence of Him.

Pharaoh is compared here to the crocodile of his rivers. He is the "long stretched" one, which is what the word "monster" means here. You might think the creature took its shape from his river, as the king of Egypt does. He is an unclean creature at best. And he is clumsy, however huge he may be, and however much the scales that shut him in may defend him against anything hostile. He lies there in no really high position, as is plain, and he can see little beyond the banks that enclose him on either side.

Gog acts in his own will. Yet God is still drawing him to the place of slaughter, just as hooks in the jaws lead an animal to slaughter.

This is how God would deal with the self-confidence of Egypt. Its king is compared to the sea monster that crouches in the middle of the Nile's branches. When its hour came, humbling destruction would fall not on it only, but on all the fish that clung to it for protection. The blow was to be fatal, and birds and beasts of prey would feast on it.

He was a god to himself, and he was a god to his people too, as is well known. Their fate is pictured as one with their king's, as the fish of the rivers stick to his scales.

Egypt has been a breaking staff to Israel. It was a staff of reed. It offered much, but it never kept its promises, and it brought only ruin to all who trusted it. Going down to Egypt for help was the constant snare of the people of God. God had delivered them from that land, and in their own rescue they had seen His judgment on it. Yet they could turn back to it again and again. Sadly, it is an inconsistency that not one of us who knows himself can be a stranger to! … The lesson is as plain as it is basic. It is the lesson, "Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he?"

Why is the dragon used as a symbol of Satan? Pharaoh, king of Egypt, was cruel to God's people and stood in proud and haughty independence of God, and he is called "the great dragon" (Ezek. 29:3-4). Scripture speaks of Nebuchadnezzar in a similar way, for his violence and cruelty (Jer. 51:34). The Book of Psalms and the first three of the greater prophets refer many times to the crocodile, the sovereign of the seas, who is identified with the dragon. Gather up those references, and insatiable cruelty seems the main feature.

What marked Egypt out was the pride of nature, which would follow its own will and owned no God. Such a principle will no longer be the confidence of God's people. Egypt will have her place, but will no longer rule.

Pharaoh is likened here to the crocodile of his rivers, the "long stretched," which is what the word "monster" here literally means... He is an unclean creature at best, and an ungainly one, however huge he may be, and however much the scales that shut him in may defend him against all that is hostile to him. He lies there in no really exalted position, with little ability to see beyond the banks that enclose him on either side. Yet he can find something to boast about in all this... A god to himself, he was a god to his people too, as is well known. Their fate is pictured as tied to their king's, like the fish of the rivers sticking to his scales. For all that, he is to be brought out of his river, in a way that will humble him utterly. No overthrow can be more complete. So, in a different sense from Samson's riddle, "Out of the eater came something to eat" — he becomes the prey of those he had preyed on until now.

So God would deal with the self-confidence of Egypt, whose king is like the sea monster that crouches among the Nile's branches. When its hour came, humbling destruction would fall not on it only, but on all the fish that clung to it for protection. The blow was to be fatal, and birds and beasts of prey would feed on it.

She guards their bodies from all defilement and watches over them... At the very least their burial must be honourable. She does not want to leave them as food for the birds of the heavens by day or for the beasts of the field by night, as though they were criminals and outcasts.

Egypt has been a breaking staff to Israel — a staff of reed, which offered much but never kept its promises, bringing only ruin to all who trusted it. Going down to Egypt for help was the constant snare of the people of God. Yet God had brought them out of that land, and in their own rescue they had seen His judgment fall on it... So, for Israel's sake, God must break this staff they leaned on Himself. In the end He shows mercy: Egypt is not left to judgment for ever, as Edom or Babylon are. But from now on it must be a "base," that is, a low kingdom... The lesson is as plain as it is basic. It is the lesson, "Stop regarding man, whose breath is in his nostrils, for of what account is he?"

Egypt sought, in the self-will of man, to take the place which God had in fact given to Nebuchadnezzar. All must submit. The mighty empire of Assyria had already fallen. Pharaoh, whatever his pretensions and his ambition might be, was no better… What marked Egypt was the pride of nature, which would follow its own will, and owned no God. Such a principle shall no longer be the confidence of God's people.

The chosen people had gone to Egypt for help before now: what had been the outcome? Israel's alliance with a nation that openly trusted in itself, not in the Lord, was useless — except that it wounded Israel badly when Egypt broke.

The Assyrian officer used the prophet's warning about the disaster of trusting Egypt when he spoke to Hezekiah: "Behold, you are trusting now in Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him" (2 Kings 18:21). And so it was. Egypt gave no help to Israel. It only wounded them badly, like a staff that breaks under the weight of the man leaning on it and pierces his hand. God's people sometimes turn to Egypt (a picture of the world) for help and form ungodly alliances. Whenever they do, it brings them hurt and shame.

There is a great deal of truth in the world's talk. So far Rabshakeh was quite right. The king of Egypt was only a reed. The Assyrian could see how empty it was to trust Egypt. But he could not see the wisdom of trusting in Jehovah.

Egypt has been a breaking staff to Israel; a staff of reed, which offered much but never kept its promises, bringing only ruin to all who trusted it. Going down to Egypt for help was the constant snare of the people of God, though God had delivered them from that land… So God Himself must break, for Israel's sake, this staff that they leaned upon. He does show mercy in the end. Egypt is not left to final judgment, as Edom and Babylon are. But from now on it must be a "base," that is, a low kingdom. It will no longer invite the confidence it has invited until now. The lesson is as plain as it is basic. It is the lesson, "Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he?"

We come now to the second cause of the judgment. We see how God takes up the cause of His people, foolish and perverse as they may have been… This Pharaoh invited a confidence in himself that he could not justify. When Israel leaned on him, he gave way under them and tore all their shoulder and crippled all their loins. God must put him in the place where he belongs.

Pharaoh said he did not know the Lord, but Pharaoh had to know Him. If Pharaoh would disown Him in goodness, he must know Him in righteousness. God would now make His judgments plain: "the LORD has made Himself known; He has executed judgment." As His holy prophet says to Him, "When your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness." God would be known in grace; but if Egypt refuses that lesson, she must know Him in the raised hand of power.

Israel turned to the wisdom of the world in their troubles, both in the past and again in the future. Between those two points there is a serious lesson for us in the pressure of any trial that touches the testimony of God. The pull is enormous to meet a worldly trial in a worldly way… Be sure, if we do not feel the danger, it is because we are ourselves under the world's influence.

First come the causes of the judgment. There are mainly two. The first is that pride and self-sufficiency we have already spoken of. The second is that Egypt has been a breaking staff to Israel. It was a staff of reed. It offered much but never kept its promises, and it brought only ruin to everyone who trusted it.

His predictions of disaster for Israel by trusting in Egypt had been used by the Assyrian officer in addressing Hezekiah: "Behold, you are trusting now in Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him" (2 Kings 18:21). And so it was. Egypt gave no help to Israel and only wounded them badly. It was like a staff that snaps under the weight of the man leaning on it and pierces his hand. Egypt stands for the world. Whenever God's people turn to it for help and form ungodly alliances, they do so to their own hurt and shame.

The chosen people had gone to Egypt for help before now: what was the result? The alliance of Israel with a nation who openly trusted in themselves, not in the Lord, was useless — except to wound Israel badly when Egypt was broken.

We come now to the second cause of the judgment. Here we see God take up the cause of His people, foolish and perverse as they may have been.

In the end He shows mercy. Egypt is not left to final judgment, as Edom or Babylon are. Yet from now on it must be a "base" kingdom — that is, a low one. It will no longer invite the confidence it has invited until now, and those around it will trust it no more. The lesson is as plain as it is basic.

It is upon Christ we are to lean, not on an arm of flesh. If we lean upon our fellow believers, upon any human arm, no matter how strong it may seem, the time of testing will come. We must learn to stand leaning upon the Lord alone. We may counsel with one another, pray for one another, set an example to one another, but let us not depend on man. It will surely prove a broken reed that will pierce the hand.

The tendency is immense to meet a worldly trial in a worldly way. We are apt to think that spiritual means cannot meet the world's attacks on us. So comes the danger of turning to earthly means to escape.

Ezekiel 29 to the end of Ezekiel 32 are against Egypt, which is typical of the pride of nature, or the world of nature.

Pharaoh is compared here to the crocodile of his rivers. The word translated "monster" literally means "the long stretched out one." He is a creature you might think was shaped by his river, just as the king of Egypt was — an unclean creature at best, and a clumsy one, however huge he may be, and however much the scales that shut him in defend him against anything that comes against him. He lies there in no high position, and he can see little beyond the banks that enclose him on either side. Yet he can find something to boast about in all this: "My river is my own," he says, "and I have made it for myself." The ditches, the canals, the embankments and sluices really are his own work, and this he calls making the river — just as we think so much of the little we do.

Second, that Egypt has been a staff that breaks under Israel — a staff of reed, which offered much, but never kept its promises, and brought only ruin to everyone who trusted it. Going down to Egypt for help was the constant snare of the people of God, even though He had delivered them from that land, and they had seen His judgment on it in their own deliverance. Yet again and again they could turn back to it... So for Israel's sake God must Himself break this staff that they leaned on... The lesson is as plain as it is basic. It is the lesson, "Stop trusting in man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for what is he worth?"

Egypt would be struck, and most of all in what was its chief boast — its river. That granary of the world and garden of the earth would become a wilderness for forty years, and the Egyptians would be scattered as exiles. So great was the chastening Nebuchadnezzar would inflict.

"I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment. I am the Lord." (Ex. 12:12.) They knew then what would happen. Neither man nor beast would be spared. God was visiting Egypt in anger and deep displeasure, and even the animals would feel the consequences of man's sin.

When you read these prophecies, it is important to notice that Nebuchadnezzar is seen as the servant of God. He carries out God's judgment both on Jerusalem and on the nations round about, and so frees the land of Israel from them.

In one way or another He will and must make Himself known, for that is His glory. But He would rather be known in goodness than in judgment, if men will listen... To Egypt, for instance, the Lord made Himself known in Joseph, the witness of His goodness; for by Joseph He filled Egypt's storehouses with all kinds of wealth. But Egypt forgot Joseph.

The practical thing is that the river is there, always there. It overflows at a certain regular time, most convenient for man's purposes. It gives him little to think about — only how best to guide the supply here and there so that it becomes his own. Indeed he values himself on this, that he can direct this abundant water with great wisdom to meet his own needs. So Pharaoh can say, as we see him doing here: "The Nile is mine, and I made it." Practically it is the reverse of this; it is the river that has made him.

This Pharaoh invited Israel's confidence in himself, and he could not justify it. When Israel leaned on him, he gave way under them and tore all their shoulder and lamed all their loins. So he must be put in the place where he belongs, and God Himself must break the staff that broke and so hurt His people. Egypt's famous fertility must therefore be turned into deserts and desolation, from one end of the land to the other. Migdol was on the eastern border of lower Egypt. Syene was on the border of upper Egypt, where it met Cush, or Ethiopia.

Town in the south of Egypt, bordering on Ethiopia. Ezek. 29:10; Ezek. 30:6. The expression "from the tower of Syene" is better translated "from Migdol to Syene," even to the border of Ethiopia, as in the margin.

Egypt should be not only struck, but most of all in what was its chief boast, its river. That granary of the world, that garden of the earth, should become a wilderness for forty years. The Egyptians would be scattered exiles. So great was the chastening Nebuchadnezzar would inflict.

God uses Nebuchadnezzar's hand to inflict this upon Egypt. What follows almost at once makes that plain. Critics have doubted whether Nebuchadnezzar himself was ever in Egypt. But Egyptian and Babylonian records together now prove that he was there twice, and they even state that he ravaged the land as far as Syene. It was completely in his hand.

Egypt had such a period of forty years' devastation, though we may not know its exact history. Prophecy is not learned by historical events; history is revealed in prophecy. We believe prophecies not because history has measured up to them, but because they are the inerrant Word of God.

Egypt worshipped her river. The river came to her so constantly that she was practically independent of heaven; yet heaven was the source of her supply. She did not see the blue hills that shed down the blessing they received. And they worshipped only the river. It is our state by nature, away from God.

"For thus says the Lord GOD: At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the peoples among whom they were scattered… and they shall be there a lowly kingdom." How wonderful, and how exactly fulfilled! Yet no cleverness of man could have forecast it in any of its parts. It was the reversal of its own experience, and no other nation had a similar destiny or sentence.

God would strike Egypt, and above all in what was its chief boast, its river. This granary of the world and garden of the earth would become a wilderness for forty years, and the Egyptians would be scattered as exiles. So great was the chastening Nebuchadnezzar would inflict.

So this Pharaoh invited Israel to trust him, and he could not make that trust good. When Israel leaned on him, he gave way under them, tore their whole shoulder and left them lame. God must put him in the place where he belongs, and God Himself must break the staff that broke and hurt His people. Egypt's fertility was famous, so God must turn the land into deserts and desolation from one end to the other.

Every careful reader of Scripture will have noticed how often the word "forty" appears there, in relation to days or years. All numbers in God's Word have a meaning, and I think there is little doubt about what the number forty teaches. It seems to me that it usually goes with the probation or testing of man. Or else, under the government of God, it goes with the penalty and judgment of his sin.

But how clear the mouth and the hand of God! It was a measured sentence. The woe would come, and the worst of it would end according to His word, just as surely.

Critics claim that these predictions were never literally fulfilled. They say Nebuchadnezzar did not invade Egypt while Hophra was king... Egypt had such a period of forty years' devastation, though the exact history of it may not be known to us. Prophecy is not learned from historical events, but history is revealed in prophecy. We believe prophecies, not because history has measured up to them, but we believe them because they are the inerrant Word of God.

The forty years from the time of this prophecy would reach to about the fall of the Babylonian empire... What follows almost at once makes it plain that God uses Nebuchadnezzar's hand to strike Egypt. Critics have doubted whether Nebuchadnezzar himself was ever in Egypt. Yet we now have proof from Egyptian and Babylonian records together that he was there twice. It is even stated that he ravaged the land as far as Syene.

Egypt had to be dependent too, but not so directly. Its river was its boast, and the sources of its supply were too far off to be easily recognised. Egypt is a vivid picture of the world in its self-sufficiency and independence of God.

There are two main causes. First, the pride and self-sufficiency we have already spoken of. Second, Egypt has been a breaking staff to Israel. It was a staff of reed, which offered much but never kept its promises, and it brought only ruin to all who trusted it. Going down to Egypt for help was the constant snare of the people of God, even though God had delivered them from that land... The lesson is as plain as it is basic. It is the lesson, "Cease from man, whose breath is in his nostrils, for of what account is he?"

Egypt would be struck, and struck most of all in what was its chief boast, its river. That grain store of the world, that garden of the earth, would become a wilderness for forty years. Its people would be scattered exiles. So great a chastening would Nebuchadnezzar inflict.

Egypt was famous for its fertility. That fertility must therefore be turned into deserts and desolation from one end of the land to the other. Migdol stood on the east border of lower Egypt. Syene stood on the border of upper Egypt, where it met Cush, or Ethiopia. For a time the desolation would be extreme. More than that, the people would be scattered from the land, and the cities laid waste forty years.

Ezekiel was at Babylon. In his prophecy he foretells the humbling of Egypt and of their king, "the great dragon that lies in the midst of his rivers." Egypt would be made desolate for forty years, from Migdol to Syene, and on to the border of Ethiopia — from the north to the south. Abdallatif, an Arab writer, says that Nebuchadnezzar attacked Egypt and ruined the whole country because it sheltered the Jews who fled from him. He says it stayed desolate for forty years.

Egypt had such a period of forty years' devastation, though the exact history of it may not be known to us. Prophecy is not learned by historical events, but history is revealed in prophecy. We believe prophecies not because history has measured up to them, but because they are the inerrant Word of God.

But how clear the mouth and the hand of God! It was a measured sentence. The trouble would come for certain, and its worst would end just as certainly, according to His word.

At the end of the forty years, God announces a certain measure of restoration. Egypt would come back, but as a low kingdom: never ruling the nations again, and never again the confidence of Israel. This has been Egypt's condition since, as is well known. Under the Ptolemies, the later kings of Egypt, it might seem to be something more than this. Even then it was the foreigner who had possession of the country, and Egypt has been in foreign hands ever since. The more the power that reigned over them lifted itself up, the more was the burden on the people under it.