Ezekiel 28-30

Introduction

Have you had an opportunity to read what’s on the screen or on the slide?

Yep. The Lord desires that we all may live. He desired Israel to live. But what happened to Israel? The date and the well, the days before the prophets, during the days of the prophets, during the days of Ezekiel, what was what had happened to Israel, to Judah, to Jerusalem, and to Samaria. They’d forgotten about God. They had fallen away. They’d come back for other gods, idols, and essentially everything that one could possibly think of when you go and read the scripture as a whole. And then we have the Lord’s promise.

Yes, at Mount Sinai or right close to Mount Sinai, about the time of the Ten Commandments, because the Ten Commandments are in Exodus chapter 20. If you will, we saw this uh in a previous lesson. If you will indeed obey my voice and keep my commandment, you shall be a kingdom of holy priests and a holy nation. And then about 40 years later, we have these words from Deuteronomy. To the obedient you will be blessed, to the disobedient you will be cursed. But the Lord has been very patient. We go through a period here of seven to eight hundred years, where the Lord has been patient with Israel and extremely patient during the years of uh Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. And he is patient with us today.

The last verse, of course, is from the New Testament, 2 Peter. And pay attention to that highlighted in black. One day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. That may have some application to the lesson this evening and even Sunday’s lesson, last Sunday’s lesson. The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for anyone to perish, but for all to come to repentance.

Where is Israel now? Where is Samaria? Has the Lord about run out of patience with? Okay, what about Tyre? Out of patience with Tyre. And what about Egypt? Our study this evening. Okay.

And let’s begin.

1. Egypt Given to Nebuchadnezzar for His Labor

And this slide you’ve seen before. Now the 27th year, that is 570. The 27th year would be around 570 BC. So here we’ve gone forward, some 16 or 17 years from where we were in the uh in the previous verses. Now in the 27th year in the first month, on the first of the month, the word of the Lord came to me saying, Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, made his army labor hard against Tyre. Verse 20. I have given him the land of Egypt for his labor which he performed, because they acted for me, declares the Lord God. Now, all those dates up there from history, not a single one of them from the scripture. Not a single one of those dates is intended as a faith-building mechanism, because they’re not from Scripture, but they can help us understand what’s going on in this particular time.

Look in the left-hand margin, 586 is when Jerusalem fell. 587 to 574 is when Nebuchadnezzar besieged Tyre. 568, Nebuchadnezzar invaded Egypt. And that is two years later, approximately, than chapter 29, verse 17. Approximately two years later.

Egypt fell to the Persians. Look over at the right hand column, the star up towards the top, 530 to 522. Egypt actually fell to the Persians. Nebuchadnezzar battled against Egypt and pretty much brought it to his knees.

He never captured it. He never took it as the Assyrian Empire built their empire. He never took Egypt. But Calbasis II did in 52. And Pharaoh Sumtic II is the last of the Pharaohs, the last of the Pharaohs. So that is when the Egyptian Pharaoh dynasty actually fell, was in 522. But you look down at the bottom to 332, Egypt fell to Alexander. Alexander took all of Egypt, as well as pretty much all of the known world at that time. Except that west of Greece, there is no indication that he took Italy in Spain.

Chapter 30.

2. The Day of the Lord Is Judgment

What is the day of the Lord that he’s talking about here? Is it the end of times? What is it? It’s judgment. The judgment that he is about to take, or maybe even the judgment that he’s already taken on some of the other nations, but it’s judgment against nations that he’s talking about here.

Verse 4. A sword will come upon Egypt, and anguish will be in Ethiopia. When the slain fall in Egypt, they will take away the wealth, and her foundations are torn down. Now the sword that’s going to come against Egypt first is Nebuchadnezzar Babylon.

Here is Egypt. We saw that on Sunday. And verse 5 Ethiopia, Hut, Lud, and all Arabia, Libya, and the people of the land that is in the league will follow with them by the sword. So what we have here is those who are presently in league or aligned with, allied with Egypt are going to fall. That is uh that’s what we’re being told here. They’re going to fall with the sword. And in verse 6, we see that this falling is going to be from Migdal to Syene. Now, Migdal is up at the top, and Megdal means watchtower. And uh metaphorically, to watch that which is coming from the north or from the sea. And down to Syene here is what that prophecy is, or what he’s saying to us at this point.

They will fall with her by the sword, declares the Lord God. Verse 7. They will be desolate in the land of desolated lands, and her cities will be in the midst of the devastated cities. Verse 8, and they will know that I am the Lord when I set fire in Egypt, and all her helpers are broken. On that day, messengers will go forth from me in ships to frighten secure Ethiopia. See Ethiopia down south. This is the area where these chapters about Egypt is saying Egypt is going to wind up in the land of Pathos, Ethiopian, what Pathos means is a place in Upper Egypt. Verse 10. Thus says the Lord God, I will make the hordes of Egypt cease by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.

Verse 12. Moreover, I will make the canals dry and sell the land into the hands of evil men.

Just diverted. Diverted, you think? Well, uh, I uh I accept what you said, and if anybody uh I’d I’d like to hear from somebody on what or anyone on what I’m about to say. The Nile. Think back to Genesis. Genesis chapter 1, Genesis chapter 1, verse 1 and verse 2. When the Lord, when God created the heavens and the earth, the waters, the Spirit of God moved over the waters. These waters are like in Jeremiah, as Jeremiah had explained it. They may be the living waters, which are the Spirit of God. He took away the spirit from the land, is the point that I’m making. Does anyone accept that? Reject it. Accept it. Okay. Verse 13. Thus says the Lord God, I will also destroy the idols and make the images safe cease from Memphis.

Memphis has several different names. If you look down at the bottom left, these are the different names I and some of them may be in your scripture. Memphis on Noven. It is also the general site of modern day Cairo.

Is the way I read that.

Zoan is right up near the coast, and Pathos is down south. From one end to the other, he’s going to make Egypt desolate.

And I will also cut off the horde of Thebes, which is, Thebes is in between. I will set fire in verse 16. I will set fire in Egypt. Sin will writhe in anguish. Thebes will be breached. And Memphis will have distresses daily. The young men of An and Pibaseth will follow by the sword, and the women will go into captivity. Taphanese. Taphanese up toward the.

We don’t hear anything more of Jeremiah after he goes there. Of or about Jeremiah. Verse 19. Oh, let’s back up a bit. Verse 18, Taphanese, the day will be dark when I break there the yoke, bars of Egypt, and the pride of her power will cease in her. A cloud will cover her. Now this is probably symbolic of darkness away from the light of the Lord. The cloud is. Thus I will execute judgments on Egypt, and they will know that I am the Lord.

3. I Have Broken the Arm of Pharaoh

Victory for Babylon. In the 11th year in the first month on the seventh day. When is that? 11th year. April. That’s going to be 586.

Three months before Jerusalem falls. Three months before Jerusalem falls. Thereabouts. Verse 21. Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Okay, he says, broken the arm. What is he talking about here? Broken the arm of Pharaoh. Broken the strength. Actually, the point that he’s getting to will uh it will come more apparent as we go through the lesson this evening. But what he’s talking about is the arm, the strength that you mentioned. But what is the strength, or what was the strength? Army. Assyria. Assyria is what he’s getting to here, I do believe. Assyria.

Or he’s talking about, I think, the defeat of the Assyrian Empire and Egypt by Babylon at Carchimesh. 605. 605 BC. Verse 22. Therefore, thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am against Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and will break his arms. Now, we’re going from I have broken the arm of Pharaoh to I will break his arms. Now he has broken the strength, broken the strength, the Assyrian strength, broken the support that Assyria had and brought Assyria down. And now he’s talking about breaking his arms, and that is going to be the rest of his strength or his ability to do ability to do and or do mischief and or do evil. Verse 23, I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them among the lands.

Verse 26.

He took captives back to Babylon or the Babylonian area, as well as when Cambyses II, the Persian captured there, he did the same thing. He took captives back to the Babylonian area, according to history. Verse 31. In the eleventh year in the third month, 11th year in the third month, that is one year before Jerusalem falls. I’m sorry, one month, not one year, one month. One month.

4. Assyria Was a Cedar in Lebanon

Behold, Assyria was a cedar in Lebanon. And Jonathan, this is going into the area that I was talking about. It is the comparison with we have Assyria here, a previous power who was allied with Egypt that fell. And Egypt’s going to be just like them. And we’ll pick up with Egypt again in verse 10. But chapter 31, verse 1 through 9 is about Assyria. And in verse 3, there, she was a cedar in Lebanon. She had control of Lebanon and Lebanon. See the Arontes River right here? Lebanon is generally that area on the seaside of the Arontis River and still is today. This tall cedar is going to have beautiful branches and forests for shape. Its tops going to be among the clouds. Verse 4. With its rivers continually extended all around its planting place.

The waters will make it grow and the deep make it high. Verse 5. Therefore its height was loftier than all the trees of the field. Now we’re talking about Assyria here. Assyria is this tree with uh will have all these branches where all the birds nest, so forth and so on. Therefore, its height was loftier than all the trees of the field, and its boughs became many and its branches long, because of many waters as it spread them out. All the birds of heaven nested in its boughs and under its branches. All the beasts of the field gave birth, and all the great nations lived under its shade.

And they really became a world power from, let’s say, somewhere around 900 BC, really until uh until not until Nineveh fell, Nineveh fell in 612. Asher was the birthplace of the Syrian Empire according to history. Asher fell in 614, 614 BC. Nineveh fell in 612 BC, and what was left of them went to Haran, where Abraham’s second calling was at. And that this is where the capital of Assyria was at in its final days, and you can see how close to Karkamesh it is there where they actually fell at. Them and Egypt both fell. Verse 8. Here we’re still talking about Assyria. The cedars in God’s garden could not match you.

I know what the scripture says. But Assyria, Assyria was once the rod of God’s anger. Y’all remember that from scripture? Just like Babylon was a rod of God’s anger. Assyria was once an instrument of the Lord, acting on the Lord’s behalf, doing the Lord’s will. Whether they knew it or not, we do not know. Whether they knew that they were acting on that will, we do not know, but they were doing his will. And verse 9. I made it, Syria. I made it beautiful with the multitude of its branches and all the trees of Eden. You were just as beautiful as my garden. You were my garden. You were my anointed at that time, which were in the garden of God. And all the trees of Eden which were in the garden of God were jealous of it.

5. Just Plain Old Arrogant Pride

Now in verse 10, going forward in this chapter, the rest of chapter 31 has to do with Egypt. Verse 10. Therefore, thus says the Lord, because it is high in stature, and has set its top among the clouds, and its heart is haughty in its loftiness. What we’re talking about here is pride, just plain old arrogant pride. Verse 11. Therefore I will give it in, I will give it into the hand of a despot of the nations. The despot of the nations at this point is Nebuchadnezzar or Babylon. Verse 13. On its ruin, all the birds of the heavens will dwell, and all the beasts of the field will be on its fallen branches, so that all the trees by the waters may be exalted in their stature, nor set their top among the clouds.

And here again we have the arrogus, the arrogants. Verse 15. Thus says the Lord God, on the day when it went down to Sheol, I caused lamentations.

And I made Lebanon mourn for it. Lebanon again here is pertaining to, I believe, Tyre now. Now we’re going back to a previous lesson, chapter 27. Lebanon probably means tire, but I’m not sure of that. And all the trees of the field wilted away on account of it. I made the nations quake at the sound of the fall when I made it go down to Sheol and those who go down to the pit. And all the well-watered trees of Eden, the choices of the best of Lebanon, were comforted in the earth beneath. What is he talking about here, Sheol, as it pertains to Egypt? And maybe as we go through this, it’s not only going to be Egypt, it’s going to be Assyria and others. The end of it?

Pardon me? The end of it. Sheol, I think here, the uh the Sheol here would be, I believe, not hell, not Guiana. But realm of the dead. It’s going to be the realm of the dead, but it’s the realm of the spiritually dead. The realm of the spiritually dead is what I think it is.

Michael, do you have any comments on that? Verse 17. They also went down with it to Sheol to those who were slain by the sword, and those who were its strength lived under its shade among the nations. Verse 18, to which among the trees of Eden. Are you thus equal and glory in glory and greatness? These among the spiritual dead, are you equal to Eden now? Do you still think yourself equal to Eden? Yet you will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the earth beneath. You will lie in the midst of the uncircumcised. And the uncircumcised here, at least to me, means those outside the household of God. With those who were slain by the sword, so is Pharaoh and all his hordes, declares the Lord God.

Now, chapter 32. Any questions so far? Comments? John? Yes. Mine, uh, the uh King James for verse 17, it says they went down into hell with hell. Went down into hell. Brother Harkwriter makes a note of that in his workbook. And uh he says something to the effect that uh some translations will say that is hell, but it is his opinion and mine uh from the studies that I’ve done that he’s not talking about them going to hell. He’s talking about, and hell and spiritually dead, there may not be any difference when you get right down to it, except that when we read the scripture about judgment, everyone is going to be judged, right? That both the sheep and the goats are going to be judged?

And what are the sheep? The righteous and uh the goats of the unrighteous when we look at Matthew chapter 25, the judgment there. Any comments or disagreement on that point? I thought the word was from a valley outside of Jerusalem where they they threw all their trash and burned it and stuff, and it was continually. That’s Gehenna, is it not? Yeah. That uh that is Gehenna, which is it Gehenna translates hell is and uh that’s that’s the point of uh this discussion that we’re having here. And it translates hell, and the thought is that um Egypt’s gonna become this trash heap and ruin. Well, uh they are that, and uh uh if if in your heart, and if you’re in your reading in your study, you believe that it’s hell or gehenna, stay with it.

But in my heart, I say it’s the spiritually dead, and I cannot make a huge distinction between them. Uh other than other than those in hell are supposed to already be judged and sent there. The ones in the grave among the spiritually dead, they have not yet been sent because they have not yet been judged, as I understand the scripture. Comments on that. Well that have I confused you. Those judges would be sent to the lake of fire. Uh-huh. Which is that’s another word for Gehenna. Uh-huh. Okay, that’s debatable. Okay.

Uh, where were we?

6. A Lamentation Over Pharaoh, King of Egypt

Going into chapter 33. Okay. And the 12th. In the 12th year, in the 12th month, on the first of the month, 12th year, 12th month. Uh this is about, oh, it’s over a year after Jerusalem falls. Son of man take a lamentation over Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and say to him, Now Pharaoh at this time would be Hophra. Hoph ruled until 569. You compared yourself to a young lion of the nations, yet you are like the monster of the seas. Let’s move forward to verse 7 now. Chapter 32, verse 7. And when I extinguish you, I will cover the house of the heavens and darken their stars. I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not give its light. All the shining lights in the heavens, I will darken over you and will set darkness on your land, declares the Lord God.

Again, here, this is like the cloud we, or at least I think so, the cloud we read about earlier. This is the Lord taking away the light of Egypt, the light from Egypt, his light from Egypt, simply because of their inequity.

See, Egypt had a God for essentially everything. They were as bad as Greece was.

Was God and uh to them Pharaoh was God, and uh to the people Pharaoh was God to Pharaoh Pharaoh was God. Verse 10. I will make many peoples appalled at you, and their kings will be horribly afraid of you when I brandish my sword. I brandish my sword. What is the Lord’s sword?

Uh there, I think there’s a dual meaning here. Starting with this verse, or starting with this verse, sword is mentioned 16 times in the rest of the chapter. And I believe that 15 times, or 15 of those 17 times, he may very well be talking about the word of God. The sword is the word of God. And of course, the New Testament explains the sword as the word of God. We find that in Ephesians 5, and I believe it’s verse 17. But it may be sword only. It could be that. But I brandish my sword, the Lord’s sword. Now, uh previously when he was uh when he talked about the nations or uh Assyria or Babylon, it is his rod, his staff. But uh let’s uh let’s continue on, or time’s going to catch us.

Verse 11 for thus says the Lord God, the sword of the king of Babylon will come upon you. Now, verse 11 and 12 seem to be different in in time and space to me. The sword of the king of Babylon will come upon you. Now, that has not happened yet, the way the scripture reads. And then the next verse 12, by the swords of the mighty ones. The mighty ones include Babylon, Persia, and Greece. Babylon, Persia, and Greece. Any comment on that or questions?

It hasn’t happened at the time of the writing here because Ezekiel’s words is the king of Babylon will come upon you. It’s the words that are used. Will come. Oh, at the time of the wrote it. Yes. Okay. Okay. Verse 17. In the twelfth year. This is five. The twelfth year. It’s 585, and it’s two weeks after our last date, which was 32.1, I believe. Verse 18, Son of Man wail for the hordes of Egypt and bring it down, her and her daughters and the powerful nations to the nether world. The nether world is uh it’s also going to be Yehanna or the world of the spiritual, spiritual, or the realm of the spiritually dead, one of the other, the nether world and those who go down to the pit.

The pit’s the same thing. Whom do you surpass in beauty? Go down and make your bed with the uncircumcised. Verse 20, they shall fall in the midst of those who are slain by the sword. She is given over to the sword. Now let’s go down to verse 22. Assyria is there. Assyria is in Gehennah, Hell, or with the spiritually dead. Assyria is there. And all of the green there. And you can see the little pink spot there. That’s Judah that Assyria never didn’t take. All Assyria is there. And all of them are slain, following by the sword. And then we have Elam. Elam is there and all her hordes. We have Egypt down at the bottom, who from previous lesson, this is the area of the sons of Ham.

Elam is over there to the right, the sons of Shem. Elam is there, and all her hordes are around her grave. All of them slain, following by the sword who went down with the uncircumcised. Verse 25, her graves are around it. They are all uncircumcised, slain by the sword. Verse 26 from we had these in chapter 27. Meshach and Tubal. And of course, those names first appear in the scripture in Genesis chapter 10. Meshach and Tubal. And we will see Meshach again, and I believe it is chapter 38 and 39 when we talk about Gog and Magog. Magog is a son of Meshach. But whether or not when we get at that point, we’re talking about Gog and Magog actually being real, or are they symbolic?

Are they metaphoric? We’ll talk about that later. Verse 27, nor did it do they lie beside the fallen heroes of the uncircumcised who went down to Sheol with their weapons of war, and whose swords were laid under their heads. This is where, this is the verse. The sword here is the one I was speaking of that was that I knew was a sword, that he’s speaking of a sword here. Verse 29. There is also Edom and its kings, and Edom’s about there.

There are the chief of the chiefs of the north, all of them and all the Sidonians, and we’re up in that area then, or now.

Verse 32. No, verse 31. These Pharaoh will see, and he will be offered it. Pharaoh will have the wicked alliance that he had with him in the realm of the dead to comfort him. That is the message. I do believe. And real quickly, though I instilled, verse 32, though I instilled terror of him in the land of the living, yet he will be made to lie down among the uncircumcised, along with those slain by the swords. Even Pharaoh and all his hordes declares the Lord God. Thank you for being.