October 28, 2021

Beware of the P-Word

Ezekiel 25–30

Jon Rydberg
Thursday's Devo

October 28, 2021

Thursday's Devo

October 28, 2021

Central Truth

Sin has consequences. Idolatry and pride lead to death, but by God's grace He provided a restoration plan. He sent His Son Jesus to die in our place, taking on our sin, so that through trusting in His Son we may be reunited with Him in perfect fellowship for eternity.

Key Verse | Ezekiel 28:6-7

"[T]herefore thus says the Lord GOD:
Because you make your heart
like the heart of a god,
therefore, behold, I will bring foreigners upon you,
the most ruthless of the nations;
and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom
and defile your splendor."

Ezekiel 25–30

Prophecy Against Ammon

The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, set your face toward the Ammonites and prophesy against them. Say to the Ammonites, Hear the word of the Lord God: Thus says the Lord God, Because you said, ‘Aha!’ over my sanctuary when it was profaned, and over the land of Israel when it was made desolate, and over the house of Judah when they went into exile, therefore behold, I am handing you over to the people of the East for a possession, and they shall set their encampments among you and make their dwellings in your midst. They shall eat your fruit, and they shall drink your milk. I will make Rabbah a pasture for camels and Ammon 1 25:5 Hebrew and the Ammonites a fold for flocks. Then you will know that I am the LORD. For thus says the Lord God: Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet and rejoiced with all the malice within your soul against the land of Israel, therefore, behold, I have stretched out my hand against you, and will hand you over as plunder to the nations. And I will cut you off from the peoples and will make you perish out of the countries; I will destroy you. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

Prophecy Against Moab and Seir

Thus says the Lord God: Because Moab and Seir 2 25:8 Septuagint lacks and Seir said, ‘Behold, the house of Judah is like all the other nations,’ therefore I will lay open the flank of Moab from the cities, from its cities on its frontier, the glory of the country, Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon, and Kiriathaim. 10 I will give it along with the Ammonites to the people of the East as a possession, that the Ammonites may be remembered no more among the nations, 11 and I will execute judgments upon Moab. Then they will know that I am the LORD.

Prophecy Against Edom

12 Thus says the Lord God: Because Edom acted revengefully against the house of Judah and has grievously offended in taking vengeance on them, 13 therefore thus says the Lord God, I will stretch out my hand against Edom and cut off from it man and beast. And I will make it desolate; from Teman even to Dedan they shall fall by the sword. 14 And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel, and they shall do in Edom according to my anger and according to my wrath, and they shall know my vengeance, declares the Lord God.

Prophecy Against Philistia

15 Thus says the Lord God: Because the Philistines acted revengefully and took vengeance with malice of soul to destroy in never-ending enmity, 16 therefore thus says the Lord God, Behold, I will stretch out my hand against the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethites and destroy the rest of the seacoast. 17 I will execute great vengeance on them with wrathful rebukes. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I lay my vengeance upon them.”

Prophecy Against Tyre

In the eleventh year, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, because Tyre said concerning Jerusalem, ‘Aha, the gate of the peoples is broken; it has swung open to me. I shall be replenished, now that she is laid waste,’ therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, O Tyre, and will bring up many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves. They shall destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers, and I will scrape her soil from her and make her a bare rock. She shall be in the midst of the sea a place for the spreading of nets, for I have spoken, declares the Lord God. And she shall become plunder for the nations, and her daughters on the mainland shall be killed by the sword. Then they will know that I am the LORD.

For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will bring against Tyre from the north Nebuchadnezzar 3 26:7 Hebrew Nebuchadrezzar; so throughout Ezekiel king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses and chariots, and with horsemen and a host of many soldiers. He will kill with the sword your daughters on the mainland. He will set up a siege wall against you and throw up a mound against you, and raise a roof of shields against you. He will direct the shock of his battering rams against your walls, and with his axes he will break down your towers. 10 His horses will be so many that their dust will cover you. Your walls will shake at the noise of the horsemen and wagons and chariots, when he enters your gates as men enter a city that has been breached. 11 With the hoofs of his horses he will trample all your streets. He will kill your people with the sword, and your mighty pillars will fall to the ground. 12 They will plunder your riches and loot your merchandise. They will break down your walls and destroy your pleasant houses. Your stones and timber and soil they will cast into the midst of the waters. 13 And I will stop the music of your songs, and the sound of your lyres shall be heard no more. 14 I will make you a bare rock. You shall be a place for the spreading of nets. You shall never be rebuilt, for I am the LORD; I have spoken, declares the Lord God.

15 Thus says the Lord God to Tyre: Will not the coastlands shake at the sound of your fall, when the wounded groan, when slaughter is made in your midst? 16 Then all the princes of the sea will step down from their thrones and remove their robes and strip off their embroidered garments. They will clothe themselves with trembling; they will sit on the ground and tremble every moment and be appalled at you. 17 And they will raise a lamentation over you and say to you,

‘How you have perished,
    you who were inhabited from the seas,
O city renowned,
    who was mighty on the sea;
she and her inhabitants imposed their terror
    on all her inhabitants!
18  Now the coastlands tremble
    on the day of your fall,
and the coastlands that are on the sea
    are dismayed at your passing.’

19 For thus says the Lord God: When I make you a city laid waste, like the cities that are not inhabited, when I bring up the deep over you, and the great waters cover you, 20 then I will make you go down with those who go down to the pit, to the people of old, and I will make you to dwell in the world below, among ruins from of old, with those who go down to the pit, so that you will not be inhabited; but I will set beauty in the land of the living. 21 I will bring you to a dreadful end, and you shall be no more. Though you be sought for, you will never be found again, declares the Lord God.”

A Lament for Tyre

The word of the LORD came to me: “Now you, son of man, raise a lamentation over Tyre, and say to Tyre, who dwells at the entrances to the sea, merchant of the peoples to many coastlands, thus says the Lord God:

O Tyre, you have said,
    ‘I am perfect in beauty.’
Your borders are in the heart of the seas;
    your builders made perfect your beauty.
They made all your planks
    of fir trees from Senir;
they took a cedar from Lebanon
    to make a mast for you.
Of oaks of Bashan
    they made your oars;
they made your deck of pines
    from the coasts of Cyprus,
    inlaid with ivory.
Of fine embroidered linen from Egypt
    was your sail,
    serving as your banner;
blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah
    was your awning.
The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad
    were your rowers;
your skilled men, O Tyre, were in you;
    they were your pilots.
The elders of Gebal and her skilled men were in you,
    caulking your seams;
all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in you
    to barter for your wares.

10 Persia and Lud and Put were in your army as your men of war. They hung the shield and helmet in you; they gave you splendor. 11 Men of Arvad and Helech were on your walls all around, and men of Gamad were in your towers. They hung their shields on your walls all around; they made perfect your beauty.

12 Tarshish did business with you because of your great wealth of every kind; silver, iron, tin, and lead they exchanged for your wares. 13 Javan, Tubal, and Meshech traded with you; they exchanged human beings and vessels of bronze for your merchandise. 14 From Beth-togarmah they exchanged horses, war horses, and mules for your wares. 15 The men of Dedan 4 27:15 Hebrew; Septuagint Rhodes traded with you. Many coastlands were your own special markets; they brought you in payment ivory tusks and ebony. 16 Syria did business with you because of your abundant goods; they exchanged for your wares emeralds, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and ruby. 17 Judah and the land of Israel traded with you; they exchanged for your merchandise wheat of Minnith, meal, 5 27:17 The meaning of the Hebrew word is unknown honey, oil, and balm. 18 Damascus did business with you for your abundant goods, because of your great wealth of every kind; wine of Helbon and wool of Sahar 19 and casks of wine 6 27:19 Probable reading; Hebrew wool of Sahar 19and Dan and Javan from Uzal they exchanged for your wares; wrought iron, cassia, and calamus were bartered for your merchandise. 20 Dedan traded with you in saddlecloths for riding. 21 Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your favored dealers in lambs, rams, and goats; in these they did business with you. 22 The traders of Sheba and Raamah traded with you; they exchanged for your wares the best of all kinds of spices and all precious stones and gold. 23 Haran, Canneh, Eden, traders of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad traded with you. 24 In your market these traded with you in choice garments, in clothes of blue and embroidered work, and in carpets of colored material, bound with cords and made secure. 25 The ships of Tarshish traveled for you with your merchandise. So you were filled and heavily laden in the heart of the seas.

26  Your rowers have brought you out
    into the high seas.
The east wind has wrecked you
    in the heart of the seas.
27  Your riches, your wares, your merchandise,
    your mariners and your pilots,
your caulkers, your dealers in merchandise,
    and all your men of war who are in you,
with all your crew
    that is in your midst,
sink into the heart of the seas
    on the day of your fall.
28  At the sound of the cry of your pilots
    the countryside shakes,
29  and down from their ships
    come all who handle the oar.
The mariners and all the pilots of the sea
    stand on the land
30  and shout aloud over you
    and cry out bitterly.
They cast dust on their heads
    and wallow in ashes;
31  they make themselves bald for you
    and put sackcloth on their waist,
and they weep over you in bitterness of soul,
    with bitter mourning.
32  In their wailing they raise a lamentation for you
    and lament over you:
‘Who is like Tyre,
    like one destroyed in the midst of the sea?
33  When your wares came from the seas,
    you satisfied many peoples;
with your abundant wealth and merchandise
    you enriched the kings of the earth.
34  Now you are wrecked by the seas,
    in the depths of the waters;
your merchandise and all your crew in your midst
    have sunk with you.
35  All the inhabitants of the coastlands
    are appalled at you,
and the hair of their kings bristles with horror;
    their faces are convulsed.
36  The merchants among the peoples hiss at you;
    you have come to a dreadful end
    and shall be no more forever.’”

Prophecy Against the Prince of Tyre

The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Lord God:

Because your heart is proud,
    and you have said, ‘I am a god,
I sit in the seat of the gods,
    in the heart of the seas,’
yet you are but a man, and no god,
    though you make your heart like the heart of a god—
you are indeed wiser than Daniel;
    no secret is hidden from you;
by your wisdom and your understanding
    you have made wealth for yourself,
and have gathered gold and silver
    into your treasuries;
by your great wisdom in your trade
    you have increased your wealth,
    and your heart has become proud in your wealth—
therefore thus says the Lord God:
Because you make your heart
    like the heart of a god,
therefore, behold, I will bring foreigners upon you,
    the most ruthless of the nations;
and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom
    and defile your splendor.
They shall thrust you down into the pit,
    and you shall die the death of the slain
    in the heart of the seas.
Will you still say, ‘I am a god,’
    in the presence of those who kill you,
though you are but a man, and no god,
    in the hands of those who slay you?
10  You shall die the death of the uncircumcised
    by the hand of foreigners;
    for I have spoken, declares the Lord God.”

A Lament over the King of Tyre

11 Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me: 12 “Son of man, raise a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the Lord God:

You were the signet of perfection, 7 28:12 The meaning of the Hebrew phrase is uncertain
    full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
13  You were in Eden, the garden of God;
    every precious stone was your covering,
sardius, topaz, and diamond,
    beryl, onyx, and jasper,
sapphire, 8 28:13 Or lapis lazuli emerald, and carbuncle;
    and crafted in gold were your settings
    and your engravings. 9 28:13 The meaning of the Hebrew phrase is uncertain
On the day that you were created
    they were prepared.
14  You were an anointed guardian cherub.
    I placed you; 10 28:14 The meaning of the Hebrew phrase is uncertain you were on the holy mountain of God;
    in the midst of the stones of fire you walked.
15  You were blameless in your ways
    from the day you were created,
    till unrighteousness was found in you.
16  In the abundance of your trade
    you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned;
so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God,
    and I destroyed you, 11 28:16 Or banished you O guardian cherub,
    from the midst of the stones of fire.
17  Your heart was proud because of your beauty;
    you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor.
I cast you to the ground;
    I exposed you before kings,
    to feast their eyes on you.
18  By the multitude of your iniquities,
    in the unrighteousness of your trade
    you profaned your sanctuaries;
so I brought fire out from your midst;
    it consumed you,
and I turned you to ashes on the earth
    in the sight of all who saw you.
19  All who know you among the peoples
    are appalled at you;
you have come to a dreadful end
    and shall be no more forever.”

Prophecy Against Sidon

20 The word of the LORD came to me: 21 “Son of man, set your face toward Sidon, and prophesy against her 22 and say, Thus says the Lord God:

Behold, I am against you, O Sidon,
    and I will manifest my glory in your midst.
And they shall know that I am the LORD
    when I execute judgments in her
    and manifest my holiness in her;
23  for I will send pestilence into her,
    and blood into her streets;
and the slain shall fall in her midst,
    by the sword that is against her on every side.
Then they will know that I am the LORD.

24 And for the house of Israel there shall be no more a brier to prick or a thorn to hurt them among all their neighbors who have treated them with contempt. Then they will know that I am the Lord God.

Israel Gathered in Security

25 Thus says the Lord God: When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and manifest my holiness in them in the sight of the nations, then they shall dwell in their own land that I gave to my servant Jacob. 26 And they shall dwell securely in it, and they shall build houses and plant vineyards. They shall dwell securely, when I execute judgments upon all their neighbors who have treated them with contempt. Then they will know that I am the LORD their God.”

Prophecy Against Egypt

In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him and against all Egypt; speak, and say, Thus says the Lord God:

Behold, I am against you,
    Pharaoh king of Egypt,
the great dragon that lies
    in the midst of his streams,
that says, ‘My Nile is my own;
    I made it for myself.’
I will put hooks in your jaws,
    and make the fish of your streams stick to your scales;
and I will draw you up out of the midst of your streams,
    with all the fish of your streams
    that stick to your scales.
And I will cast you out into the wilderness,
    you and all the fish of your streams;
you shall fall on the open field,
    and not be brought together or gathered.
To the beasts of the earth and to the birds of the heavens
    I give you as food.

Then all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the LORD.

Because you 12 29:6 Hebrew they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel, when they grasped you with the hand, you broke and tore all their shoulders; and when they leaned on you, you broke and made all their loins to shake. 13 29:7 Syriac (compare Psalm 69:23); Hebrew to stand Therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will bring a sword upon you, and will cut off from you man and beast, and the land of Egypt shall be a desolation and a waste. Then they will know that I am the LORD.

Because you 14 29:9 Hebrew he said, ‘The Nile is mine, and I made it,’ 10 therefore, behold, I am against you and against your streams, and I will make the land of Egypt an utter waste and desolation, from Migdol to Syene, as far as the border of Cush. 11 No foot of man shall pass through it, and no foot of beast shall pass through it; it shall be uninhabited forty years. 12 And I will make the land of Egypt a desolation in the midst of desolated countries, and her cities shall be a desolation forty years among cities that are laid waste. I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse them through the countries.

13 For thus says the Lord God: At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the peoples among whom they were scattered, 14 and I will restore the fortunes of Egypt and bring them back to the land of Pathros, the land of their origin, and there they shall be a lowly kingdom. 15 It shall be the most lowly of the kingdoms, and never again exalt itself above the nations. And I will make them so small that they will never again rule over the nations. 16 And it shall never again be the reliance of the house of Israel, recalling their iniquity, when they turn to them for aid. Then they will know that I am the Lord God.”

17 In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me: 18 “Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made his army labor hard against Tyre. Every head was made bald, and every shoulder was rubbed bare, yet neither he nor his army got anything from Tyre to pay for the labor that he had performed against her. 19 Therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and he shall carry off its wealth 15 29:19 Or multitude and despoil it and plunder it; and it shall be the wages for his army. 20 I have given him the land of Egypt as his payment for which he labored, because they worked for me, declares the Lord God.

21 On that day I will cause a horn to spring up for the house of Israel, and I will open your lips among them. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”

A Lament for Egypt

The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus says the Lord God:

Wail, ‘Alas for the day!’
    For the day is near,
    the day of the LORD is near;
it will be a day of clouds,
    a time of doom for 16 30:3 Hebrew lacks doom for the nations.
A sword shall come upon Egypt,
    and anguish shall be in Cush,
when the slain fall in Egypt,
    and her wealth 17 30:4 Or multitude; also verse 10 is carried away,
    and her foundations are torn down.

Cush, and Put, and Lud, and all Arabia, and Libya, 18 30:5 With Septuagint; Hebrew Cub and the people of the land that is in league, 19 30:5 Hebrew and the sons of the land of the covenant shall fall with them by the sword.

Thus says the LORD:
Those who support Egypt shall fall,
    and her proud might shall come down;
from Migdol to Syene
    they shall fall within her by the sword,
declares the Lord God.
And they shall be desolated in the midst of desolated countries,
    and their cities shall be in the midst of cities that are laid waste.
Then they will know that I am the LORD,
    when I have set fire to Egypt,
    and all her helpers are broken.

On that day messengers shall go out from me in ships to terrify the unsuspecting people of Cush, and anguish shall come upon them on the day of Egypt's doom; 20 30:9 Hebrew the day of Egypt for, behold, it comes!

10 Thus says the Lord God:

I will put an end to the wealth of Egypt,
    by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.
11  He and his people with him, the most ruthless of nations,
    shall be brought in to destroy the land,
and they shall draw their swords against Egypt
    and fill the land with the slain.
12  And I will dry up the Nile
    and will sell the land into the hand of evildoers;
I will bring desolation upon the land and everything in it,
    by the hand of foreigners;
I am the LORD; I have spoken.

13 Thus says the Lord God:

I will destroy the idols
    and put an end to the images in Memphis;
there shall no longer be a prince from the land of Egypt;
    so I will put fear in the land of Egypt.
14  I will make Pathros a desolation
    and will set fire to Zoan
    and will execute judgments on Thebes.
15  And I will pour out my wrath on Pelusium,
    the stronghold of Egypt,
    and cut off the multitude 21 30:15 Or wealth of Thebes.
16  And I will set fire to Egypt;
    Pelusium shall be in great agony;
Thebes shall be breached,
    and Memphis shall face enemies 22 30:16 Or distress by day.
17  The young men of On and of Pi-beseth shall fall by the sword,
    and the women 23 30:17 Or the cities; Hebrew they shall go into captivity.
18  At Tehaphnehes the day shall be dark,
    when I break there the yoke bars of Egypt,
and her proud might shall come to an end in her;
    she shall be covered by a cloud,
    and her daughters shall go into captivity.
19  Thus I will execute judgments on Egypt.
    Then they will know that I am the LORD.”

Egypt Shall Fall to Babylon

20 In the eleventh year, in the first month, on the seventh day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me: 21 “Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and behold, it has not been bound up, to heal it by binding it with a bandage, so that it may become strong to wield the sword. 22 Therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt and will break his arms, both the strong arm and the one that was broken, and I will make the sword fall from his hand. 23 I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them through the countries. 24 And 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 man mortally wounded. 25 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh shall fall. Then they shall know that I am the LORD, when I put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon and he stretches it out against the land of Egypt. 26 And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them throughout the countries. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”

Footnotes

[1] 25:5 Hebrew and the Ammonites
[2] 25:8 Septuagint lacks and Seir
[3] 26:7 Hebrew Nebuchadrezzar; so throughout Ezekiel
[4] 27:15 Hebrew; Septuagint Rhodes
[5] 27:17 The meaning of the Hebrew word is unknown
[6] 27:19 Probable reading; Hebrew wool of Sahar 19and Dan and Javan
[7] 28:12 The meaning of the Hebrew phrase is uncertain
[8] 28:13 Or lapis lazuli
[9] 28:13 The meaning of the Hebrew phrase is uncertain
[10] 28:14 The meaning of the Hebrew phrase is uncertain
[11] 28:16 Or banished you
[12] 29:6 Hebrew they
[13] 29:7 Syriac (compare Psalm 69:23); Hebrew to stand
[14] 29:9 Hebrew he
[15] 29:19 Or multitude
[16] 30:3 Hebrew lacks doom for
[17] 30:4 Or multitude; also verse 10
[18] 30:5 With Septuagint; Hebrew Cub
[19] 30:5 Hebrew and the sons of the land of the covenant
[20] 30:9 Hebrew the day of Egypt
[21] 30:15 Or wealth
[22] 30:16 Or distress
[23] 30:17 Or the cities; Hebrew they

Dive Deeper | Ezekiel 25–30

Our three-year-old daughter Landry loves singing Taylor Swift songs while riding in the car. One time in particular, my wife Laurion was driving, and Landry was riding in the backseat singing. To my wife's surprise, Landry suddenly blurted out the word stupid as part of a song's lyrics. Landry was taught to not use that word, and from that day on she referred to the word stupid as the "s-word." Landry quickly became the "s-word" police, reprimanding anyone guilty of using that word  

As adults, Landry's "s-word" is not a daily concern. There is a word, however, that should give us pause. It's the "p-word"—pride. It led to Lucifer's downfall (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:16-17) and to sin entering the world (Genesis 3:4). It has destroyed countless leaders, powerful civilizations, loving families, friendships, and marriages. In the book of Ezekiel, we learn of the dire consequences of pride for both Israel (Ezekiel 4:1–24:27), and also its neighbors (Ezekiel 25:1–32:32). 

First, we're given a front row seat to Judah's downfall. As a result of Judah's sin, God allowed the Babylonians to destroy their city and bring ten thousand Jews to Babylon (2 Kings 24:8–14). But why? Simple, Judah's kings did evil in the sight of the Lord (2 Kings 24:9). Second, we see the result of pride in the judgment of the peoples neighboring Israel. There is one consistent theme across God's dealings with all seven groups, there is a cause and effect relationship. "Because you (people group) did __________, I will (am) __________. Then you (people group) will know that I am the Lord."

God's purpose is never punishment for punishment's sake, but rather to teach His children humility and lead them to repentance. God's end game is always restoration for His people (Jeremiah 29:11). Discipline is never comfortable, but we have a Heavenly Father who loves us too much to not discipline us, because He knows it leads to fruit in our lives (Hebrews 12:7-11).

Discussion Questions

1. What is the "p-word" in your life? Maybe it's not pride, but what sin struggle is preventing you from being all God created you to be? What is preventing you from giving it to God today? Checkout Watermark's re:generation to find freedom from your struggles through a Christ-centered approach.

2. How can you relate to the self-seeking, wayward nature of Israel's neighbors (Ezekiel 25-30)? If you're a follower of Christ, would other people be able to recognize this by the fruit you bear (Matthew 7:16-20; John 15:5)? If you don't know Jesus and haven't experienced a new life in Him, would you like to learn more? If so, check out the Bad News/Good News Video.