EZEKIEL 29 - Prophecy against Egypt 

OVERVIEW

• Ezekiel (chapters 25-32) includes prophecies that addressed the surrounding pagan nations of Israel, also found in Isaiah (13-19) and Jeremiah (46-51)

• This series of prophecies, with one exception, was delivered at the time of the fall of Jerusalem, shortly before or after the capture of the city; they were to be a warning to the nations not to exult in their neighbor Israel’s fall  <C33>

NOTES BY VERSE

Note: each ** comment in this document is listed in numerical order according to the verse(s) from this chapter

** The first verse of Isaiah 27 paints in vivid symbolic language the judgment against the great world powers (specifically Assyria, Babylon and possibly Egypt) who had shed blood against the Lord’s people  <C32>

“Leviathan” (a large sea vessel/creature) first appears in the book of Job and represents a Supra-mundane power, and is a symbol of Satan himself; visions often incorporate animal imagery

Isaiah 27:1 NIV

[1] In that day, the Lord will punish with his sword---his fierce, great and powerful sword---Leviathan the gliding serpent, Leviathan the coiling serpent; he will slay the monster of the sea.

Ezekiel 29:3 NIV

[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.”

Job 3:8 NIV

[8] May those who curse days curse that day, those who are ready to rouse Leviathan.

Daniel 7:2-7 NIV

[2] Daniel said: “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me were the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea. [3] Four great beasts, each different from the others, came up out of the sea. [4] “The first was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted from the ground so that it stood on two feet like a human being, and the mind of a human was given to it. [5] “And there before me was a second beast, which looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, 'Get up and eat your fill of flesh!' [6] “After that, I looked, and there before me was another beast, one that looked like a leopard. And on its back it had four wings like those of a bird. This beast had four heads, and it was given authority to rule. [7] “After that, in my vision at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast---terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns.

Ezekiel 17:3 NIV

[3] Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: A great eagle with powerful wings, long feathers and full plumage of varied colors came to Lebanon. Taking hold of the top of a cedar

** In his arrogance, the Pharaoh of Egypt claimed the land was of his own making; God punished Egypt for it by allowing Babylon to take control

Ezekiel 29:9b-10,12 NIV

[9] 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. [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.

Ezekiel 29:15-16 NIV

[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. ' ”

Ezekiel 29:19-20 NIV

[19] Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: 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.

Ezekiel 32:11-12 NIV

[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.

** God is spirit and all-powerful against the mortal flesh who do evil; God, once again, promised to help Israel if they would turn from their wicked ways

Ezekiel 29:16 NIV

[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.

Isaiah 31:2-3 NIV

[2] Yet he too is wise and can bring disaster; he does not take back his words. He will rise up against that wicked nation, against those who help evildoers. [3] But the Egyptians are mere mortals and not God; their horses are flesh and not spirit. When the Lord stretches out his hand, those who help will stumble, those who are helped will fall; all will perish together.

Isaiah 31:7-9 NIV

[7] For in that day every one of you will reject the idols of silver and gold your sinful hands have made. [8] “Assyria will fall by no human sword; a sword, not of mortals, will devour them. They will flee before the sword and their young men will be put to forced labor. [9] Their stronghold will fall because of terror; at the sight of the battle standard their commanders will panic, ” declares the Lord, whose fire is in Zion, whose furnace is in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 31:5-6 NIV

[5] Like birds hovering overhead, the Lord Almighty will shield Jerusalem; he will shield it and deliver it, he will 'pass over' it and will rescue it.” [6] Return, you Israelites, to the One you have so greatly revolted against.

Hosea 11:9 NIV

[9] I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I devastate Ephraim again. For I am God, and not a man---the Holy One among you. I will not come against their cities.

Amos 5:4 NIV

[4] This is what the Lord says to Israel: “Seek me and live;

Isaiah 10:17 NIV

[17] The Light of Israel will become a fire, their Holy One a flame; in a single day it will burn and consume his thorns and his briers.

Jeremiah 37:7 NIV

[7] “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of me, 'Pharaoh's army, which has marched out to support you, will go back to its own land, to Egypt.

Ephesians 6:12 NIV

[12] For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

** Though other nations subdued Israel, her latter end in messianic times will be blessed, as referenced by a horn grown for the Israelites

Ezekiel 29:21 NIV

[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. ”

** Ezekiel’s muteness ceased in 585 BC when Jerusalem fell; the Lord would open Ezekiel’s mouth when his prophetic writings were fulfilled  <M130>

Ezekiel 29:21 NIV

[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. ”

Ezekiel 33:21-22 NIV

[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.