I find it kind of ironic that despite having subjected Israel to slavery for years, the Egyptians became the people that Israel turned to in order to deliver them from the Babylonians. But that’s exactly what they did.
During the siege of Jerusalem, the Egyptians came to the aid of the Israelites marching out against the Babylonian army, giving them some temporary relief.
But it didn’t last long. Babylon eventually vanquished the Egyptian army and then came right back against the Israelites until Jerusalem finally fell.
In this passage, God tells Egypt that like a crocodile being pulled out of a river and then left out in the desert to die, so Egypt would fall to the Babylonians.
The reason? There were several, but one was that Israel had tried turning to the Egyptians for help, rather than to God.
So God told the Pharaoh,
You have been a staff of reed for the house of Israel.
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.
Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘I will bring a sword against you and kill your men and their animals.
Egypt will become a desolate wasteland…
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.’ (Ezekiel 29:6-9, 16)
The Egyptians had thought of themselves as being strong and powerful.
In his pride, the Pharaoh Hophra made himself to be as God, saying,
The Nile is mine; I made it. (Ezekiel 29:9)
In fact, Hophra had taken the title of “He Who is strong-armed.”
But God said of him,
Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt. It has not been bound up for healing or put in a splint so as to become strong enough to hold a sword.
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. (Ezekiel 30:21-22)
Egypt also put their confidence in their alliances and treaties with other nations, and in their gods to protect them.
But God told them,
The allies of Egypt will fall and her proud strength will fail…I will destroy the idols and put an end to the images in Memphis. (Ezekiel 30:6, 13).
In chapter 31, God warned the Egyptians that the Assyrians had once been proud of their own strength and beauty as well. That they had made their own alliances to protect themselves.
But despite this, they had fallen to the Babylonians. And God said, “If they fell, and they were greater than you, what makes you think you will stand?”
Finally in chapter 32, God told Egypt that they would be like all the other evil nations that had stood up in their pride, only to be cast down into hell.
What can we learn from all of this?
What are you leaning on in your life?
Are you leaning on all the people around you to support you? Are you leaning on your own strength? Are you leaning on the gods of this earth, money, power, and possessions?
They are all fragile things to lean on.
People will let you down. Your strength will eventually fail. Money, power, and possessions, will all pass away.
And when everything is gone, what will you have left to lean on?
There is only one thing, one person, that is reliable enough to lean on, and that is Christ.
While everything else around us fails, Jesus never fails. And he is the rock that you can build your life upon without fear of having it all shatter.
As Isaiah said of Him,
See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed. (Isaiah 28:16)
Who are you putting your trust in?
Moment to Moment (Bible blog) 