Book of Ezekiel: Chapter 29
In this chapter of Ezekiel, God has a set of messages for the nation of Egypt. In these messages, as we have seen previously, God warns that He will bring down his judgment upon the nation. What’s Egypt’s sins? There were many:pride, idol worship, and betraying Israel.
Before Jerusalem was conquered by the Babylonians, they had created an alliance with Egypt. This was an alliance that God did not approve. Egypt had been enemies with Israel. They enslaved God’s people, they worshiped many different deities, and they also betrayed Israel by backing out on their alliance. Egypt was a country filled with faults under God’s view.
Unfortunate for Egypt, their sinful ways were met with a somewhat ironic end. The country that enslaved the Israelites for 400 years was to be conquered by the same entity who conquered Jerusalem: the Babylonians. In doing so, God demonstrated how he could use an evil man (King Nebuchadnezzer) to carry out His will. Egypt was to learn who the true God of the universe was.
Key Verses:
“… I will bring an army against you, O Egypt, and destroy both people and animals. The land of Egypt will become a desolate wasteland and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” ~ Ezekiel 29:8-9 NLT
Questions to ponder:
- What kind of promises does God make to Egypt at the end of this chapter?
- Why did God choose King Nebuchadnezzer as His instrument of judgment?
