Bible Reading Plan

Category: Ezekiel

  • Ezekiel 38

    Ezekiel 38

    Read Ezekiel 38

    The Lord’s Great Victory Over the Nations

    38 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshek and Tubal; prophesy against him 3 and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshek and Tubal. 4 I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army—your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords. 5 Persia, Cush and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets, 6 also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far north with all its troops—the many nations with you.

    7 “‘Get ready; be prepared, you and all the hordes gathered about you, and take command of them. 8 After many days you will be called to arms. In future years you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. They had been brought out from the nations, and now all of them live in safety. 9 You and all your troops and the many nations with you will go up, advancing like a storm; you will be like a cloud covering the land.

    10 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On that day thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil scheme. 11 You will say, “I will invade a land of unwalled villages; I will attack a peaceful and unsuspecting people—all of them living without walls and without gates and bars. 12 I will plunder and loot and turn my hand against the resettled ruins and the people gathered from the nations, rich in livestock and goods, living at the center of the land.” 13 Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish and all her villages will say to you, “Have you come to plunder? Have you gathered your hordes to loot, to carry off silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods and to seize much plunder?”’

    14 “Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: In that day, when my people Israel are living in safety,will you not take notice of it? 15 You will come from your place in the far north, you and many nations with you, all of them riding on horses, a great horde, a mighty army. 16 You will advance against my people Israel like a cloud that covers the land. In days to come, Gog, I will bring you against my land, so that the nations may know me when I am proved holy through you before their eyes.

    17 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: You are the one I spoke of in former days by my servants the prophets of Israel. At that time they prophesied for years that I would bring you against them. 18 This is what will happen in that day: When Gog attacks the land of Israel, my hot anger will be aroused, declares the Sovereign Lord. 19 In my zeal and fiery wrath I declare that at that time there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. 20 The fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the beasts of the field, every creature that moves along the ground, and all the people on the face of the earth will tremble at my presence. The mountains will be overturned, the cliffs will crumble and every wall will fall to the ground. 21 I will summon a swordagainst Gog on all my mountains, declares the Sovereign Lord. Every man’s sword will be against his brother. 22 I will execute judgment on him with plague and bloodshed; I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him.23 And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’

    Go Deeper

    Now that we are further into our study of Ezekiel and God’s special call on his life, it’s helpful to think back at his humble beginnings. Recall that he was a priest turned prophet by an unforgettable encounter with God that proved to be a foreshadowing of events to come. He would be hand-picked by God to be on special mission as a watchman over Israel, proclaiming both God’s salvation and judgment, calling for repentance from idolatry, rebellion and indifference. He would declare the faithfulness of God and a future hope to exiles in Babylon. Keep in mind that the people had many chances to repent, but chose willful disobedience resulting in God’s judgment. Even so, they are not forgotten by God, who once again displays his mercy and kindness to his chosen people. We read today of another message from God delivered to Ezekiel. 

    In Ezekiel 38, we are introduced to Gog, who represented military forces who opposed God, and in turn, God was against this evil band of warriors. Composed of many nations, this collective army led ruthless endeavors against innocent people. V8 and V9 describe the plan Gog would carry out. “After many days you will be called to arms. In future years you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. They had been brought out from the nations, and now all of them live in safety.  You and all your troops and the many nations with you will go up, advancing like a storm; you will be like a cloud covering the land.” 

    To put it bluntly, Gog was synonymous with cruelty. It’s difficult to read and comprehend that Gog was being used for divine purposes to display God’s holiness, and so all nations would know without a doubt that he is Lord. However, the moment the attack is released, God intervenes in defense of his people as he unleashes natural disasters on the invaders, causing them to turn on each other in confusion and panic. No enemy can stand against his power. Further proof that when we don’t understand God’s plan we can always trust his heart. His ways are far higher and above our limited understanding.

    What we can be sure of is this: if things are not good God is not done. He can be completely trusted to right every wrong and has the final say over events in history. Because of Jesus, the church will prevail. Matthew 16:18 reminds us that “Upon this rock (Jesus) I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Whatever sorrow or suffering experienced has an expiration date and can’t compare with what is coming for those who love Christ and his kingdom. In the meantime, we are compelled to surrender our will to his way and expectantly hope in his ultimate deliverance.

    Questions

    1. Who do you know that is experiencing suffering? How could you encourage them with the truth and hope found in scripture? 
    2. Where has idolatry, rebellion or indifference crept into your life? How are you like the exiles in Babylon?
    3. Understanding that biblical faith is always linked to action, what habits are you implementing to strengthen your faith and relationship with Christ as living not for this world but as a citizen of heaven?

    By the Way

    As we read through the Old Testament and wonder how it connects to the present day, be encouraged by Romans 15:4 which reminds us that “Such things were written in the scriptures long ago to teach us. And the scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.”

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  • Ezekiel 37

    Ezekiel 37

    Read Ezekiel 37

    The Valley of Dry Bones

    37 The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

    I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”

    4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

    7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

    9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.

    11 Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lordsays: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’”

    One Nation Under One King

    15 The word of the Lord came to me: 16 “Son of man, take a stick of wood and write on it, ‘Belonging to Judah and the Israelites associated with him.’ Then take another stick of wood, and write on it, ‘Belonging to Joseph (that is, to Ephraim) and all the Israelites associated with him.’ 17 Join them together into one stick so that they will become one in your hand.

    18 “When your people ask you, ‘Won’t you tell us what you mean by this?’19 say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am going to take the stick of Joseph—which is in Ephraim’s hand—and of the Israelite tribes associated with him, and join it to Judah’s stick. I will make them into a single stick of wood, and they will become one in my hand.’ 20 Hold before their eyes the sticks you have written on 21 and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land. 22 I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. There will be one king over all of them and they will never again be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms. 23 They will no longer defilethemselves with their idols and vile images or with any of their offenses, for I will save them from all their sinful backsliding, and I will cleanse them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.

    24 “‘My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees.25 They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your ancestors lived. They and their children and their children’s children will live there forever, and David my servant will be their prince forever. 26 I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and increase their numbers, and I will put my sanctuary among them forever. 27 My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. 28 Then the nations will know that I the Lord make Israel holy, when my sanctuary is among them forever.’”

    Go Deeper

    Ezekiel 37 is one of the most significant and notable passages in this entire book. Ezekiel, in a vision, is brought out into a valley full of dry bones. The lifeless skeletal remains were a picture of the dead, dry, desolate state of Israel in that moment. In a time where all felt bleak and hopeless, God reminds Ezekiel who can bring death to life. As a wind blows in and all of a sudden this wasteland of dry bones comes to life once again. As Ezekiel speaks to them as God instructed him to do, the bodies stand up and come to life (v. 10). Reading this, we’re reminded of Genesis 2 when God breathes life into Adam. He alone has the power to do so. 

    Whitney Woollard of The Bible Project says the following about the significance of this passage:

    “The point is that in this New Covenant God’s Spirit is going to give humans new hearts so that they can be the kind of people (a new ‘creation’) who love and obey him. This Spirit imagery is one of Ezekiel’s unique contributions to the Hebrew Scriptures. We know from his older contemporary, Jeremiah, that in the New Covenant God was going to write the Torah on their hearts, but now we know from Ezekiel that he’s going to do it by his Spirit.”

    This is a message of hope for people that needed to hear it. Later on in this passage, Ezekiel binds two sticks together into one: one symbolizing Judah, the other symbolizing the Israelites (v. 15-17). All of God’s people would be reunited under a future king and shepherd (v. 24), a reference to the future Messiah who would come from the line of David (Isaiah 9:6-7). Hope and restoration were coming and now they had something to look forward to! 

    As followers of Jesus, we are reminded that breathing new life into dead bones isn’t an abstract concept, but a truth that we believe. Every single one of us was dead as a result of our sin, but made alive again because of the death and resurrection of Jesus as a payment for our sins (Ephesians 2:1-5). Today, let’s consistently meditate on the truth that bringing life out of death is what our God does.

    Questions

    1. What stuck out to you the most during your first reading of this chapter? Why?  
    2. Why is the reference to the Spirit so unique in this passage? What other Old Testament passages can you think of where God’s Spirit is referenced?
    3. Where in your own life have you seen God breathe new life into you? How can you share that story with someone today?

    Listen Here

    Listen to the song “Come Alive (Dry Bones)” by Lauren Daigle, which is based on this passage. 

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  • Ezekiel 36

    Ezekiel 36

    Read Ezekiel 36

    Hope for the Mountains of Israel

    36 “Son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say, ‘Mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord. 2 This is what the Sovereign Lord says:The enemy said of you, “Aha! The ancient heights have become our possession.”’ 3 Therefore prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because they ravaged and crushed you from every side so that you became the possession of the rest of the nations and the object of people’s malicious talk and slander, 4 therefore, mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Sovereign Lord: This is what the Sovereign Lord says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys, to the desolate ruins and the deserted towns that have been plundered and ridiculed by the rest of the nations around you— 5 this is what the Sovereign Lord says: In my burningzeal I have spoken against the rest of the nations, and against all Edom, for with glee and with malice in their hearts they made my land their own possession so that they might plunder its pastureland.’ 6 Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel and say to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I speak in my jealous wrath because you have suffered the scorn of the nations.7 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I swear with uplifted handthat the nations around you will also suffer scorn.

    8 “‘But you, mountains of Israel, will produce branches and fruit for my people Israel, for they will soon come home. 9 I am concerned for you and will look on you with favor; you will be plowed and sown, 10 and I will cause many people to live on you—yes, all of Israel. The towns will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. 11 I will increase the number of people and animals living on you, and they will be fruitful and become numerous. I will settle people on you as in the past and will make you prosper more than before. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 12 I will cause people, my people Israel, to live on you. They will possess you, and you will be their inheritance; you will never again deprive them of their children.

    13 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because some say to you, “You devour people and deprive your nation of its children,” 14 therefore you will no longer devour people or make your nation childless, declares the Sovereign Lord. 15 No longer will I make you hear the taunts of the nations, and no longer will you suffer the scorn of the peoples or cause your nation to fall, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”

    Israel’s Restoration Assured

    16 Again the word of the Lord came to me: 17 “Son of man, when the people of Israel were living in their own land, they defiled it by their conduct and their actions. Their conduct was like a woman’s monthly uncleanness in my sight. 18 So I poured out my wrath on them because they had shed blood in the land and because they had defiled it with their idols. 19 I dispersed them among the nations, and they were scattered through the countries; I judged them according to their conduct and their actions. 20 And wherever they went among the nations they profaned my holy name, for it was said of them, ‘These are the Lord’s people, and yet they had to leave his land.’ 21 I had concern for my holy name, which the people of Israel profaned among the nations where they had gone.

    22 “Therefore say to the Israelites, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. 23 I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I am proved holy through you before their eyes.

    24 “‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. 28 Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. 29 I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you. 30 I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine. 31 Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices. 32 I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign Lord. Be ashamed and disgraced for your conduct, people of Israel!

    33 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will resettle your towns, and the ruins will be rebuilt. 34 The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through it. 35 They will say, “This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden; the cities that were lying in ruins, desolate and destroyed, are now fortified and inhabited.” 36 Then the nations around you that remain will know that I the Lord have rebuilt what was destroyed and have replanted what was desolate. I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.’

    37 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Once again I will yield to Israel’s plea and do this for them: I will make their people as numerous as sheep,38 as numerous as the flocks for offerings at Jerusalem during her appointed festivals. So will the ruined cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”

    Go Deeper

    Ezekiel 36 contains prophecies of restoration and hope for both the land of Israel and the people of Israel, but here we will focus on the specific promises to Israel in 36:25-28. Notice the following highlights: a cleansing; a heart-replacement; God will put his Spirit in them and move them to follow God’s laws; they will live in the land God gave their ancestors, and they will be his people and God will be their God. Even though these promises are to the Isrealites during the time of the old covenant under the law, they have everything to do with us under the new covenant of Jesus’ blood. 

    Under the Old Covenant between God and Israel, the Israeltes were required to perform daily sacrifices to atone for sin, but now Jesus has come to fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17) and establish the new covenant by shedding his blood (Luke 22:20). Now under the New Covenant between God and all of mankind–not just Israel (Acts 10, Ephesians 2:13-14). There would be a cleansing, a heart change, God’s Spirit would live in us, and access to this restored relationship would be granted through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). Another way to say this is that those who believe in Jesus will be reborn, regenerated deep on the inside.  This promise is for us.

    If we fast forward to John 3:3, Jesus tells Nicodemus that “no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” Nicodemus doesn’t get it, and so Jesus explains, “no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.” This sounds a lot like the New Covenant promises in Ezekiel 36. There is a cleansing from sin and God’s Spirit is put in us. How does this rebirth happen? It’s not by physical ritual with water or keeping up with righteous acts (Titus 3:3-7, Philippians 3:9), but instead Jesus emphasizes again and again that we must “believe” (John 3:12; 3:15; 3:16; 3:18). 

    So the key to rebirth isn’t something we create ourselves by self-help books or even sheer discipline. There’s a dependence, a desperation, and need we have for God to do the decisive work in us who believe in Jesus. We can’t cleanse ourselves with our own rituals, perfectly sincere prayers, or lengthy, repetitive confessions, nor can we do our own heart replacement. Our stone-hard, unreceptive, insensitive hearts in their unreplaced state didn’t even want to obey God. We were dead, and dead people can’t do anything for themselves (Ephesians 2:1-9). We depend on God to save us and work in us, and all our efforts to be made new must be in line with that truth.

    If we have put our faith in Jesus, though we still battle sin, we battle with a new hatred for sin and a new love for God. We develop new desires for God rather than the world, and we begin to release our grip on worldly things. We start to find freedom so we are no longer under the mastery of anything but Jesus, no longer ruled by our past, our sin struggles, or sins against us.  And on days when when we are weary in the battle against darkness, and we question whether victory is really ours, that’s when we cling tightly to these truths: We are cleansed from all our sin even when we feel condemned, we have new heart even when we feel like damaged goods, the Holy Spirit is right here in us even when we feel helpless or alone, and our relationship with God is secure in Christ apart from our feelings or performance. We fight against the darkness of sin, and though we may experience varying degrees of healing on this earth, we know that total restoration in every way is coming on that Day, and in the meantime God is right here to help us and walk with us daily (Revelation 21:4, Philippians 1:6, 1 John 3:2; Romans 8:30, Colossians 3:4, 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).

    Questions

    1. All the promises of rebirth flow from that first step of believing in Jesus. Is your heart longing for these promises to be reality in your life? Is your heart crying out for cleansing, for newness, and for the loving and powerful presence of God? If so, you can choose to take a new step of belief in Jesus today.
    2. Is there an area of your life that you’re holding back from fully surrendering to God? What is it? Confess that to your Life Group this week. 
    3. Consider any areas of your life where you long for more of God’s redemptive work in your heart. In the following passages, write down and savor God’s promises for you as you go to war against the darkness from a place of victory secured by Christ. 
      • Romans 8
      • 2 Corinthians 4 

    Listen Here

    Listen to the song “You’ve Already Won” by Shane and Shane to remind yourself of the truth that God is in control.

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  • Ezekiel 35

    Ezekiel 35

    Read Ezekiel 35

    A Prophecy Against Edom

    35 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir; prophesy against it 3 and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Mount Seir, and I will stretch out my hand against you and make you a desolate waste. 4 I will turn your towns into ruins and you will be desolate. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

    5 “‘Because you harbored an ancient hostility and delivered the Israelites over to the sword at the time of their calamity, the time their punishment reached its climax, 6 therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will give you over to bloodshed and it will pursue you. Since you did not hate bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you. 7 I will make Mount Seir a desolate waste and cut off from it all who come and go. 8 I will fill your mountains with the slain; those killed by the sword will fall on your hills and in your valleys and in all your ravines. 9 I will make you desolate forever; your towns will not be inhabited. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

    10 “‘Because you have said, “These two nations and countries will be ours and we will take possession of them,” even though I the Lord was there,11 therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will treat you in accordance with the anger and jealousy you showed in your hatred of them and I will make myself known among them when I judge you. 12 Then you will know that I the Lord have heard all the contemptible things you have said against the mountains of Israel. You said, “They have been laid waste and have been given over to us to devour.” 13 You boasted against me and spoke against me without restraint, and I heard it. 14 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: While the whole earth rejoices, I will make you desolate.15 Because you rejoiced when the inheritance of Israel became desolate, that is how I will treat you. You will be desolate, Mount Seir, you and all of Edom. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”

    Go Deeper

    In the previous chapter, we read of the coming good shepherd who would look after Israel. In some ways, that passage served as a breath of fresh air for us and pointed towards Jesus. Today’s reading begins another prophecy against another group of people who were facing God’s judgment. God had heard their mocking and their boasting against Him, and they were about to face a reckoning because of their contempt towards God. 

    In seasons of abundance and peace, it can be easy to forget that we serve a God who fiercely protects His people. Nations that bring war and violence against Israel are met with a righteous justice, and those who seek to occupy the land in Israel’s weakness will ultimately be conquered. In a day and age when we turn on the news and see Hamas waging war and terror against the people of Israel, the words of Ezekiel are particularly prescient. God will not permit the wicked to prosper at the expense of His people—at least not for long. God’s timing is impossible for us to know, but His values and promises are always proven true. Those who seek to destroy His people are always the ones who will be destroyed.   

    In today’s passage, Ezekiel is told to prophesy against Mount Seir, which was at the center of the Edomite empire. Edom and Israel had a long history of conflict, and God was now promising an all-consuming ruin. Their cities would be desolate. Their mountains and valleys would be filled with the slain. God says, “I will treat you in accordance with the anger and jealousy you showed in your hatred.” While it would be easy for us to read the current war between Israel and Hamas into this passage, what is more appropriate is to be comforted by the overriding truth of God’s character, nature, and victory. He protects us. He watches over us. And no matter what today’s headlines bring, He will be victorious.  

    Questions

    1. Why does God ultimately want to destroy Edom? (v. 4) 
    2. What was their infraction against Israel? 
    3. How have the Edomites mocked God? 

    Try This

    Spend aside extra time throughout the day to pray and meditate on the truth that God has already won in the battle against evil.  

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  • Ezekiel 34

    Ezekiel 34

    Read Ezekiel 34

    The Lord Will Be Israel’s Shepherd

    34 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? 3 You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. 4 You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. 5 So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals. 6 My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.

    7 “‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 8 As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, because my flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered and has become food for all the wild animals, and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock, 9 therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:10 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.

    11 “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. 12 As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. 13 I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land. 14 I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord. 16 I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak,but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.

    17 “‘As for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will judge between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats. 18 Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? 19 Must my flock feed on what you have trampled and drink what you have muddied with your feet?

    20 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says to them: See, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. 21 Because you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak sheep with your horns until you have driven them away, 22 I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered. I will judge between one sheep and another. 23 I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. 24 I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the Lord have spoken.

    25 “‘I will make a covenant of peace with them and rid the land of savage beasts so that they may live in the wilderness and sleep in the forests in safety. 26 I will make them and the places surrounding my hill a blessing. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing. 27 The trees will yield their fruit and the ground will yield its crops; the people will be secure in their land. They will know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from the hands of those who enslaved them.28 They will no longer be plundered by the nations, nor will wild animals devour them. They will live in safety, and no one will make them afraid. 29 I will provide for them a land renowned for its crops, and they will no longer be victims of famine in the land or bear the scorn of the nations. 30 Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them and that they, the Israelites, are my people, declares the Sovereign Lord. 31 You are my sheep,the sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”

    Go Deeper

    This chapter begins with an indictment against the shepherds of Israel. Metaphorically, “shepherd” is referring to Israel’s spiritual and political leaders. The Lord was against these shepherds and was demanding His flock from them (v. 10). These leaders were selfish and sought to care for themselves rather than the flock that was entrusted to them. The Lord calls out these shepherds saying, “Shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep?” (v. 2). They were neglecting their responsibility to the people of Israel. 

    He continues saying, “You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals” (v. 4-5). As a result of Israel’s lack of leadership, people were confused, lost, and easy targets. This echoes what Jesus observed in Matthew 9:36. It says, “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” 

    In contrast to the unfaithful shepherds of Israel, we see the Lord declare that He is the good shepherd who will intervene to rescue His flock. He promises to search for His sheep, to gather them, to care for them, and to deliver them from where they had been scattered. God promised to step in and place one Shepherd from the line of David over the people. (v. 23). This prophecy was fulfilled through Jesus Christ, the son of David. Jesus states in John 10:11, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” 

    It is helpful to read this passage, in the context of where Israel was at. They were in exile in a foreign land and might have been asking the question: Is God who He says He is and is He still good? We might not be in exile today like the Israelites were, however, we might be asking the same question: Is God who He says He is and is He still good? This was a reminder to the Israelites in exile and to us today that our Shepherd is good, faithful, and worthy of following. He makes us lie down in green pastures and leads us beside still waters. He restores our soul and leads us in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake (Psalm 23:2-3). He pursues us with His goodness and love every single day. We lack no good thing when we follow the good shepherd.

    Questions

    1. What are the characteristics of a good Shepherd? What were the shepherds of Israel doing instead?
    2. What does it look like to be led by The Good Shepherd?
    3. In your life, who are the people that God has entrusted you to take care of either physically or spiritually? What does it look like for you to care for those people well?

    Keep Digging

    Check out this article from GotQuestions.org about God’s fulfillment of the one shepherd over Israel (Ezekiel 34:23)!

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  • Ezekiel 33

    Ezekiel 33

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    Renewal of Ezekiel’s Call as Watchman

    33 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman, 3 and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet to warn the people, 4 then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not heed the warningand the sword comes and takes their life, their blood will be on their own head. 5 Since they heard the sound of the trumpet but did not heed the warning, their blood will be on their own head. If they had heeded the warning, they would have saved themselves. 6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes someone’s life, that person’s life will be taken because of their sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood.’

    7 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. 8 When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. 9 But if you do warn the wicked person to turn from their ways and they do not do so, they will die for their sin, though you yourself will be saved.

    10 “Son of man, say to the Israelites, ‘This is what you are saying: “Our offenses and sins weigh us down, and we are wasting away because ofthem. How then can we live?”’ 11 Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?’

    12 “Therefore, son of man, say to your people, ‘If someone who is righteous disobeys, that person’s former righteousness will count for nothing. And if someone who is wicked repents, that person’s former wickedness will not bring condemnation. The righteous person who sins will not be allowed to live even though they were formerly righteous.’ 13 If I tell a righteous person that they will surely live, but then they trust in their righteousness and do evil, none of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered; they will die for the evil they have done. 14 And if I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ but they then turn away from their sin and do what is justand right— 15 if they give back what they took in pledge for a loan, return what they have stolen, follow the decrees that give life, and do no evil—that person will surely live; they will not die. 16 None of the sins that person has committed will be remembered against them. They have done what is just and right; they will surely live.

    17 “Yet your people say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ But it is their way that is not just. 18 If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and does evil, they will die for it. 19 And if a wicked person turns away from their wickedness and does what is just and right, they will live by doing so. 20 Yet you Israelites say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ But I will judge each of you according to your own ways.”

    Jerusalem’s Fall Explained

    21 In the twelfth year of our exile, in the tenth month on the fifth day, a man who had escaped from Jerusalem came to me and said, “The city has fallen!” 22 Now the evening before the man arrived, the hand of the Lord was on me, and he opened my mouth before the man came to me in the morning. So my mouth was opened and I was no longer silent.

    23 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 24 “Son of man, the people living in those ruins in the land of Israel are saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he possessed the land. But we are many; surely the land has been given to us as our possession.’ 25 Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Since you eat meat with the blood still in it and look to your idols and shed blood, should you then possess the land? 26 You rely on your sword, you do detestable things, and each of you defiles his neighbor’s wife. Should you then possess the land?’

    27 “Say this to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: As surely as I live, those who are left in the ruins will fall by the sword, those out in the country I will give to the wild animals to be devoured, and those in strongholds and caves will die of a plague. 28 I will make the land a desolate waste, and her proud strength will come to an end, and the mountains of Israel will become desolate so that no one will cross them. 29 Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I have made the land a desolate waste because of all the detestable things they have done.’

    30 “As for you, son of man, your people are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, ‘Come and hear the message that has come from the Lord.’ 31 My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice. Their mouths speak of love, but their hearts are greedyfor unjust gain. 32 Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice.

    33 “When all this comes true—and it surely will—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.

    Go Deeper

    Ezekiel 33 is one of the weightiest commands in all of Scripture. God assigns Ezekiel as a watchman for the house of Israel. A watchman was a well-known military title for those who would stand at the city wall, watch for danger, and warn the people. This passage is sobering and eye-opening; to whom much is given, much is expected (Luke 12:48). 

    The watchman would be responsible for warning everyone of God’s coming judgment and presenting an opportunity to repent and be rescued from God’s coming wrath. However, if the watchman failed to warn the people there were clear consequences. The people would die as a result of their sins and the watchman’s punishment was death. The calling was specific to Ezekiel and yet the principle still applies today in two prominent ways. Primarily, every person who has trusted in Jesus for their salvation has a responsibility to share the Gospel (Matthew 28:18-20). Furthermore, the shepherds of God’s sheep, the elders who will give account for the flock also share this responsibility (Hebrews 13:17). This assignment reveals two key insights: the heart of God and the responsibility of man. 

    God’s heart that all would repent and live. We see this in Ezekiel 33:11. The apostle Peter states a similar sentiment in 2 Peter 3:9 saying, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” Like a watchman, Ezekiel’s assignment was to warn the people of a coming judgment they had brought on themselves. Along with that, he was to tell the people to repent, turn back to God, and receive mercy. This is God’s kindness to warn us. 

    Man’s responsibility is to tell everyone of the coming wrath of God. God, from the beginning, has used a variety of people to accomplish His grand rescue mission. What did all these men and women have in common? They were available and yielded to God’s assignment over their own. In God’s kingdom, the greatest ability is availability. For believers, the call is to share the good news of Jesus with everyone. As Paul said in Romans 10:14-15, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”. Will we neglect the weighty assignment God has given all His followers or will we be those who lose our life for the sake of the Gospel?

    Questions

    1. Do you make a practice of warning others of God’s coming judgment for all who fail to repent?
    2. Who warned you and how can you show gratitude toward them this morning? 
    3. Who is the one person you know you need to share the Gospel with immediately?

    A Quote

    “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.” – Jim Elliot, a Christian missionary who lost his life sharing the Gospel with an unreached tribe in the rainforest of Ecuador.

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  • Ezekiel 32

    Ezekiel 32

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    A Lament Over Pharaoh

    32 In the twelfth year, in the twelfth month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, take up a lament concerning Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him:

    “‘You are like a lion among the nations;
        you are like a monster in the seas
    thrashing about in your streams,
        churning the water with your feet
        and muddying the streams.

    3 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

    “‘With a great throng of people
        I will cast my net over you,
        and they will haul you up in my net.
    4 I will throw you on the land
        and hurl you on the open field.
    I will let all the birds of the sky settle on you
        and all the animals of the wild gorge themselves on you.
    5 I will spread your flesh on the mountains
        and fill the valleys with your remains.
    6 I will drench the land with your flowing blood
        all the way to the mountains,
        and the ravines will be filled with your flesh.
    7 When I snuff you out, I will cover the heavens
        and darken their stars;
    I will cover the sun with a cloud,
        and the moon will not give its light.
    8 All the shining lights in the heavens
        I will darken over you;
        I will bring darkness over your land,
    declares the Sovereign Lord.
    9 I will trouble the hearts of many peoples
        when I bring about your destruction among the nations,
        among lands you have not known.
    10 I will cause many peoples to be appalled at you,
        and their kings will shudder with horror because of you
        when I brandish my sword before them.
    On the day of your downfall
        each of them will tremble
        every moment for his life.

    11 “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

    “‘The sword of the king of Babylon
        will come against you.
    12 I will cause your hordes to fall
        by the swords of mighty men—
        the most ruthless of all nations.
    They will shatter the pride of Egypt,
        and all her hordes will be overthrown.
    13 I will destroy all her cattle
        from beside abundant waters
    no longer to be stirred by the foot of man
        or muddied by the hooves of cattle.
    14 Then I will let her waters settle
        and make her streams flow like oil,
    declares the Sovereign Lord.
    15 When I make Egypt desolate
        and strip the land of everything in it,
    when I strike down all who live there,
        then they will know that I am the Lord.’

    16 “This is the lament they will chant for her. The daughters of the nations will chant it; for Egypt and all her hordes they will chant it, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

    Egypt’s Descent Into the Realm of the Dead

    17 In the twelfth year, on the fifteenth day of the month, the word of the Lordcame to me: 18 “Son of man, wail for the hordes of Egypt and consign to the earth below both her and the daughters of mighty nations, along with those who go down to the pit. 19 Say to them, ‘Are you more favored than others? Go down and be laid among the uncircumcised.’ 20 They will fall among those killed by the sword. The sword is drawn; let her be dragged off with all her hordes. 21 From within the realm of the dead the mighty leaders will say of Egypt and her allies, ‘They have come down and they lie with the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword.’

    22 “Assyria is there with her whole army; she is surrounded by the graves of all her slain, all who have fallen by the sword. 23 Their graves are in the depths of the pit and her army lies around her grave. All who had spread terror in the land of the living are slain, fallen by the sword.

    24 “Elam is there, with all her hordes around her grave. All of them are slain, fallen by the sword. All who had spread terror in the land of the living went down uncircumcised to the earth below. They bear their shame with those who go down to the pit. 25 A bed is made for her among the slain, with all her hordes around her grave. All of them are uncircumcised, killed by the sword. Because their terror had spread in the land of the living, they bear their shame with those who go down to the pit; they are laid among the slain.

    26 “Meshek and Tubal are there, with all their hordes around their graves. All of them are uncircumcised, killed by the sword because they spread their terror in the land of the living. 27 But they do not lie with the fallen warriors of old, who went down to the realm of the dead with their weapons of war—their swords placed under their heads and their shields resting on their bones—though these warriors also had terrorized the land of the living.

    28 “You too, Pharaoh, will be broken and will lie among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword.

    29 “Edom is there, her kings and all her princes; despite their power, they are laid with those killed by the sword. They lie with the uncircumcised, with those who go down to the pit.

    30 “All the princes of the north and all the Sidonians are there; they went down with the slain in disgrace despite the terror caused by their power. They lie uncircumcised with those killed by the sword and bear their shame with those who go down to the pit.

    31 “Pharaoh—he and all his army—will see them and he will be consoled for all his hordes that were killed by the sword, declares the Sovereign Lord.32 Although I had him spread terror in the land of the living, Pharaoh and all his hordes will be laid among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

    Go Deeper

    In Ezekiel 32, we read the sixth and seventh oracles concerning Egypt. What began in Ezekiel 29 is coming to a conclusion in this chapter. These final two oracles, which took place about two weeks apart, are both considered to be laments. Throughout much of Ezekiel, the pattern stays the same: there is an announcement of judgment and destruction coming, followed by a lament. Pastor David Platt describes these lamentations as “a deep, passionate expression of grief or sorrow”, which is exactly what we read here. 

    As we read these words, we see how charged the language is. It’s very clear that judgment is coming for Pharaoh. This first oracle is personal, directed at Pharaoh. A consistent theme throughout scripture is that leadership is important and leading others astray has dire consequences. Reading this passage, it is clear that Pharaoh consistently failed the Egyptian people by standing in direct opposition to God. 

    The second oracle is directed at Egypt as a whole. It’s a tough section to read, as the Egyptians are told that they are headed to sheol, or “the realm of the dead.” Because of their wickedness, they have ended up separated from God–and they’re not the only ones. In sheol, they are surrounded by many others: the Assyrians, Pharaoh and his armies…they’re all there among the dead. Some Old Testament scholars describe this passage as the most vivid description of sheol that we’re given in all of the Old Testament. 

    Reading this passage is heavy. Obviously, so much of the book of Ezekiel points to impending judgment. Egypt is not the first nation whose downfall is discussed, but it might be the most descriptive. As we read this passage, let it remind us of two things. First, let it serve as a reminder to us that every day there are people around us who are far from God and if they died today, they would end up separated from Him. Second, it can remind us that we have been given a Great Commission (Matthew 28) to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth and to make disciples in the name of Jesus. Ezekiel 32 can serve as an extra motivator today to make the most of every opportunity presented to us today.

    Questions

    1. What does this passage teach you about God? What does it teach you about humanity?
    2. Of all of the oracles against Egypt we have read over the past few days, which one stuck out to you the most? Why?
    3. How often do you think about the people you know that could spend eternity separated from God? Take some time today to pray for those people and ask God to give you courage and opportunities to share the Good News with them.

    Keep Digging

    To learn more about sheol, check out this helpful article from GotQuestions.org! 

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  • Ezekiel 31

    Ezekiel 31

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    Pharaoh as a Felled Cedar of Lebanon

    31 In the eleventh year, in the third month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes:

    “‘Who can be compared with you in majesty?
    3 Consider Assyria, once a cedar in Lebanon,
        with beautiful branches overshadowing the forest;
    it towered on high,
        its top above the thick foliage.
    4 The waters nourished it,
        deep springs made it grow tall;
    their streams flowed
        all around its base
    and sent their channels
        to all the trees of the field.
    5 So it towered higher
        than all the trees of the field;
    its boughs increased
        and its branches grew long,
        spreading because of abundant waters.
    6 All the birds of the sky
        nested in its boughs,
    all the animals of the wild
        gave birth under its branches;
    all the great nations
        lived in its shade.
    7 It was majestic in beauty,
        with its spreading boughs,
    for its roots went down
        to abundant waters.
    8 The cedars in the garden of God
        could not rival it,
    nor could the junipers
        equal its boughs,
    nor could the plane trees
        compare with its branches—
    no tree in the garden of God
        could match its beauty.
    9 I made it beautiful
        with abundant branches,
    the envy of all the trees of Eden
        in the garden of God.

    10 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because the great cedar towered over the thick foliage, and because it was proud of its height, 11 I gave it into the hands of the ruler of the nations, for him to deal with according to its wickedness. I cast it aside, 12 and the most ruthless of foreign nations cut it down and left it. Its boughs fell on the mountains and in all the valleys; its branches lay broken in all the ravines of the land. All the nations of the earth came out from under its shade and left it. 13 All the birds settled on the fallen tree, and all the wild animals lived among its branches.14 Therefore no other trees by the waters are ever to tower proudly on high, lifting their tops above the thick foliage. No other trees so well-watered are ever to reach such a height; they are all destined for death, for the earth below, among mortals who go down to the realm of the dead.

    15 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day it was brought down to the realm of the dead I covered the deep springs with mourning for it; I held back its streams, and its abundant waters were restrained. Because of it I clothed Lebanon with gloom, and all the trees of the field withered away. 16 I made the nations tremble at the sound of its fall when I brought it down to the realm of the dead to be with those who go down to the pit. Then all the trees of Eden, the choicest and best of Lebanon, the well-watered trees, were consoled in the earth below. 17 They too, like the great cedar, had gone down to the realm of the dead, to those killed by the sword, along with the armed men who lived in its shade among the nations.

    18 “‘Which of the trees of Eden can be compared with you in splendor and majesty? Yet you, too, will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the earth below; you will lie among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword.

    “‘This is Pharaoh and all his hordes, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”

    Go Deeper

    Ezekiel 31 is a continuation of a prophecy against Egypt that began a couple of chapters prior. What takes place in this chapter is interesting: Ezekiel uses the image of a great cedar tree as a metaphor for Assyria, all while trying to warn Egypt of what is coming their way. Why Assyria? And why a tree? Assyria had, at one point, been the most powerful nation on earth. For centuries their territory grew and they asserted their dominance over all the nations around them until Nebuchadnezzar conquered Nineveh (the capital) and eventually took control of the entire nation. 

    Assyria, like a giant cedar tree, had grown and grown. Its proximity to the Tigris and Euphrates had helped it prosper and flourish. Their influence was great. Other nations found “shelter” underneath it and had become reliant on it. Egypt was similar. For centuries Egypt had prospered, in part because of their proximity to the Nile River and others had come to be dependent on it as well. Because Assyria had become too prideful, God allowed it to be chopped down by a foreign army (v. 11-12).  

    Tara-Leigh Cobble of The Bible Recap says, “Ezekiel tells this story about Assyria for two reasons: to illustrate that no nation is indestructible and to let Egypt know they’ll see the same end.” Humans have always looked for ways to be immortal and to find ways to insulate and protect ourselves from any harm or destruction. But Egypt, try as they might, cannot escape God’s judgment. Any of us who grow like a cedar tree, only to turn around and become prideful are due the same judgment without a heart of repentance. 

    Reading this passage through the lens of the Gospel, we are reminded of all the ways that the story of Jesus’s life on earth is the exact opposite of pride. From a lowly birth in a manger in Bethlehem to humiliation on the cross, Jesus embodied true humility. The call on our lives is to pick up our own cross and follow Jesus today with all that we have.

    Questions

    1. What stuck out to you on your first read through this chapter? Why?
    2. What are the parallels you see between Egypt and Assyria? Any differences?
    3. Think through your day today and all that you need to do and accomplish. How can you embrace humility today? 

    Did You Know?

    There are numerous pharaohs (kings of Egypt) referenced all throughout the Old Testament, but only a handful are mentioned by name. The one being addressed in this section of Ezekiel was Hophra, who reigned from about 589 BC until he was killed in a military revolt in 570 BC.

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  • Ezekiel 30

    Ezekiel 30

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    A Lament Over Egypt

    30 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

    “‘Wail and say,
        “Alas for that day!”
    3 For the day is near,
        the day of the Lord is near—
    a day of clouds,
        a time of doom for the nations.
    4 A sword will come against Egypt,
        and anguish will come upon Cush.
    When the slain fall in Egypt,
        her wealth will be carried away
        and her foundations torn down.

    5 Cush and Libya, Lydia and all Arabia, Kub and the people of the covenant land will fall by the sword along with Egypt.

    6 “‘This is what the Lord says:

    “‘The allies of Egypt will fall
        and her proud strength will fail.
    From Migdol to Aswan
        they will fall by the sword within her,
    declares the Sovereign Lord.
    7 “‘They will be desolate
        among desolate lands,
    and their cities will lie
        among ruined cities.
    8 Then they will know that I am the Lord,
        when I set fire to Egypt
        and all her helpers are crushed.

    9 “‘On that day messengers will go out from me in ships to frighten Cush out of her complacency. Anguish will take hold of them on the day of Egypt’s doom, for it is sure to come.

    10 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

    “‘I will put an end to the hordes of Egypt
        by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.
    11 He and his army—the most ruthless of nations—
        will be brought in to destroy the land.
    They will draw their swords against Egypt
        and fill the land with the slain.
    12 I will dry up the waters of the Nile
        and sell the land to an evil nation;
    by the hand of foreigners
        I will lay waste the land and everything in it.

    I the Lord have spoken.

    13 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

    “‘I will destroy the idols
        and put an end to the images in Memphis.
    No longer will there be a prince in Egypt,
        and I will spread fear throughout the land.
    14 I will lay waste Upper Egypt,
        set fire to Zoan
        and inflict punishment on Thebes.
    15 I will pour out my wrath on Pelusium,
        the stronghold of Egypt,
        and wipe out the hordes of Thebes.
    16 I will set fire to Egypt;
        Pelusium will writhe in agony.
    Thebes will be taken by storm;
        Memphis will be in constant distress.
    17 The young men of Heliopolis and Bubastis
        will fall by the sword,
        and the cities themselves will go into captivity.
    18 Dark will be the day at Tahpanhes
        when I break the yoke of Egypt;
        there her proud strength will come to an end.
    She will be covered with clouds,
        and her villages will go into captivity.
    19 So I will inflict punishment on Egypt,
        and they will know that I am the Lord.’”

    Pharaoh’s Arms Are Broken

    20 In the eleventh year, in the first month on the seventh day, the word of the Lord came to me: 21 “Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt. It has not been bound up to be healed or put in a splint so that it may become strong enough to hold a sword. 22 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt. I will break both his arms, the good arm as well as the broken one, and make the sword fall from his hand. 23 I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries. 24 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan before him like a mortally wounded man. 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 put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon and he brandishes it against Egypt. 26 I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”

    Go Deeper

    Ezekiel 30 continues the prophetic and detailed description of the fall of Egypt to the Babylonian empire led by Nebuchadnezzar around 600 B.C. The judgment of God is mentioned over and over through these 26 verses. Through God’s word to his prophet Ezekiel, He describes the destruction of this mighty nation telling us the how and why from God’s perspective.

    All of Egypt and its surrounding provinces fell for three reasons. First, Egypt’s pride in its wealth, world position, and fertile soils turned its heart into a nation of arrogance and oppression towards all foreigners including the nation of Israel and its people. Second, Egypt was a nation full of idolatry. Its name and those of its provinces was based on the creator god named Ptah which they worshiped as creator of the world through his speech. Ptah also then gave life to all other gods through his heart and voice. It was a polytheistic nation although, in many parts of the Bible, Egypt appeared to be a place of refuge for the nation of Israel. 

    As history showed, it became a place of bondage and darkness for both Israel and Judah.  Thirdly, the pride of Pharaoh, as a self-proclaimed god, led to the Lord speaking in verse 24, “I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and put My sword in his hand; and I will break the arms of Pharaoh, so that he will groan before him with the groaning of a wounded man.” In simpler words, Pharaoh was removed from power and never returned. 

    The message in this for us today is simple. We all must be wise enough as Christians to see that the perceived powers of this world will ultimately fail us as it failed the Egyptians.  Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” The Egyptians’ pride of life, wealth, provision, production, people, appearance and more, led to God proclaiming His sovereign judgment using the Babylonians as his tool of fire, destruction, and desolation of all the things they valued. The God we serve is an awesome, all-powerful God that deserves our praise and worship from the deepest part of our hearts. One can see that living by the world’s standards of wealth, power, and position, can lead us into dark worlds far away from what God wants for each of us. 

    The pride of the flesh is real, and we must guard against this consuming our hearts, our lives, and our worship. God sent His son Jesus Christ, to reveal His perfect love toward us. All of our hopes and dreams can be realized in Christ, and Ephesians 3:20 tells us, “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” As we walk with Him, our lives will be filled with His spirit that will then pour itself out to everyone around us. The Lord can joyously proclaim His words from this chapter over us saying, “and they will know that I am the Lord.”

    Questions

    1. What was one reason for Egypt’s destruction? Do you struggle with something similar in your own life?

    2. How important is wealth, power, and position to God? What are God’s thoughts on any one of these?

    3. How can you strengthen your heart for worship by putting God first in your life? Discuss this with your Life Group and others that will help you in this process.

    A Quote

    George Williams, a 19th century Bible teacher, writes, “The natural heart quickly tires of thoughts of judgement, but these repetitions in Ezekiel reveal God’s heart and man’s heart. The one loving, the other evil. Love searches to save and rebellion refuses to listen.”

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  • Ezekiel 29

    Ezekiel 29

    Read Ezekiel 29

    A Prophecy Against Egypt 

    Judgment on Pharaoh

    29 In the tenth year, in the tenth month on the twelfth day, the word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt and prophesy against him and against all Egypt. 3 Speak to him and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

    “‘I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt,
        you great monster lying among your streams.
    You say, “The Nile belongs to me;
        I made it for myself.”
    4 But I will put hooks in your jaws
        and make the fish of your streams stick to your scales.
    I will pull you out from among your streams,
        with all the fish sticking to your scales.
    5 I will leave you in the desert,
        you and all the fish of your streams.
    You will fall on the open field
        and not be gathered or picked up.
    I will give you as food
        to the beasts of the earth and the birds of the sky.

    6 Then all who live in Egypt will know that I am the Lord.

    “‘You have been a staff of reed for the people of Israel. 7 When they grasped you with their hands, you splintered and you tore open their shoulders; when they leaned on you, you broke and their backs were wrenched.

    8 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will bring a sword against you and kill both man and beast. 9 Egypt will become a desolate wasteland. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

    “‘Because you said, “The Nile is mine; I made it,” 10 therefore I am against you and against your streams, and I will make the land of Egypt a ruin and a desolate waste from Migdol to Aswan, as far as the border of Cush. 11 The foot of neither man nor beast will pass through it; no one will live there for forty years. 12 I will make the land of Egypt desolate among devastated lands, and her cities will lie desolate forty years among ruined cities. And I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries.

    13 “‘Yet this is what the Sovereign Lord says: At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the nations where they were scattered. 14 I will bring them back from captivity and return them to Upper Egypt, the land of their ancestry. There they will be a lowly kingdom. 15 It will be the lowliest of kingdoms and will never again exalt itself above the other nations. I will make it so weak that it will never again rule over the nations. 16 Egypt will no longer be a source of confidence for the people of Israel but will be a reminder of their sin in turning to her for help. Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.’”

    Nebuchadnezzar’s Reward

    17 In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me: 18 “Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon drove his army in a hard campaign against Tyre; every head was rubbed bareand every shoulder made raw. Yet he and his army got no reward from the campaign he led against Tyre. 19 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lordsays: I am going to give Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will carry off its wealth. He will loot and plunder the land as pay for his army.20 I have given him Egypt as a reward for his efforts because he and his army did it for me, declares the Sovereign Lord.

    21 “On that day I will make a horn grow for the Israelites, and I will open your mouth among them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”

    Go Deeper

    Ezekiel 29 marks the beginning of another one of Ezekiel’s long-running prophecies–this time concerning Egypt. Much like the King of Tyre, Egypt’s pharaoh (named Hophra) and its people had grown prideful. Israel and Egypt had a complicated relationship. Even though the Israelites had been held as slaves by the Egyptians for 400 years, the Israelites had a tendency to look to Egypt in times of trouble when they needed someone to bail them out. This habit dated all the way back to Abraham in Genesis 12. Why was this problematic? Because every time Israel was in a bind and looked to Egypt for rescue, that was one more time that they weren’t looking to God. David Guzik, author of the Enduring Word commentary, says this: 

    “One reason God would bring Egypt low and diminish them was so that Israel would no longer put their misplaced trust in Egypt. The lowly, diminished state of Egypt would remind them of their iniquity when they turned to follow them (v. 16).”

    Pharaoh is compared to “a great monster in the streams” (v. 3). Some translations of scripture translate that word to “crocodile.” God also calls out the pride He saw in Pharaoh and the Egyptians. They claimed credit for the Nile River and all the benefits that came with it, as if they were responsible for placing it there. They failed to acknowledge God as the creator and sustainer of the universe and judgment was headed their way.

    Reading this story is reminiscent of other Old Testament stories (like the Tower of Babel or the Golden Calf) where the temptation to be God-like creeps in. Our pride swells and we start claiming credit for things that are either the work of God or we start trying to play the role of God ourselves. Instead, let’s remember to clothe ourselves in humility daily (1 Peter 5:5) and submit ourselves to the work of the Father.

    Questions

    1. What stuck out to you during your first read through of this chapter? Why?
    2. This is part of another one of Ezekiel’s multi-chapter oracles. What is similar about this one to the others? What is different?
    3. Are there any areas of your life where you’re trying to “play God”? Where do you need to submit your own wants/desires in order to do what God is asking of you?

    Keep Digging

    Whenever geographical locations are mentioned in scripture, it can be helpful to visualize them on a map. Check out this helpful tool from OpenBible.info! 

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