Archive for month: August, 2020

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezekiel 31:1-18.  Let’s go!

Ezekiel 31:1 (NIV) 
1  In the eleventh year, in the third month on the first day, the word of the LORD came to me:

On verse 1:  Scholars say that this date is June 21, 587 B.C.  The prophecy concerns the defeat of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.  Ezekiel receives this prophecy two months after having received a prophecy about Pharaoh’s arms being broken in chapter 30:20-26.

On verses 2-18:  In his pride Pharaoh Hophra of Egypt considered himself to be in a class all by himself, secure in his wealth and military prowess.  To warn Pharaoh not to be so prideful, in this message the Lord reminds Pharaoh of another kingdom that was once extremely powerful: Assyria.  The mention of Assyria would have struck a chord with Pharaoh and Egypt, for less than 50 years prior, Assyria had invaded Egypt in 633 B.C. and laid waste to Egypt’s capital Thebes.  Eventually however, powerful Assyria was eventually brought down by the Babylonians as well.

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezekiel 30:1-26.  Let’s go!

On verses 1-9:  Here the Lord has a message concerning the nation of Egypt, warning that “the day is near” (v3) when “a sword will come against Egypt” (v4) causing widespread destruction there.  Despite “her proud strength” (v6) and her allies supporting her, Egypt would be defeated and made desolate (v7), and her allies would be crushed (v8).

What can we learn from this?  If God is against you, it doesn’t matter who else is for you or on your side.  But the reverse is also true: if God is for you, it doesn’t matter who is against you or who is on your enemy’s side.  As Romans 8:31 says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Praise God.  Because Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, we can know that God is definitely for us and not against us.  That is especially the case if you have responded in faith to what Jesus Christ has done on the cross, for now by faith in Jesus Christ you are God’s child, endowed with God’s Holy Spirit, an heir of His kingdom, a citizen of heaven and a member of God’s team and family on earth.  Because of Jesus Christ, we know that God is for us and not against us.

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezekiel 29:1-21.  Let’s go!
 
Ezekiel 29:1 (NIV) 
1  In the tenth year, in the tenth month on the twelfth day, the word of the LORD came to me:
 
On verse 1:  Scholars have calculated this date to be January 5, 587 B.C., about 11 months after Nebuchadnezzar began besieging Jerusalem (see Ezekiel 24:1-2).

Ezekiel 29:2 (NIV)  
 2  “Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt and prophesy against him and against all Egypt.
 
On verse 2:  Here the Lord begins His message to Pharaoh king of Egypt.  According to scholars, that would have been Pharaoh Hophra, who reigned in Egypt from approximately 588 B.C. to 569 B.C. 
 

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezekiel 28:1-26.  Let’s go!
 
Ezekiel 28:1-10 (NIV) 
1  The word of the LORD came to me: 
2  “Son of man, say to the ruler of Tyre, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: “‘In the pride of your heart you say, “I am a god; I sit on the throne of a god in the heart of the seas.” But you are a man and not a god, though you think you are as wise as a god. 
3  Are you wiser than Daniel? Is no secret hidden from you? ……

On verses 1-10:  Here the Lord has a message specifically for “the ruler of Tyre”, whom scholars identify as Ethbaal III, who ruled over Tyre from approximately 590 B.C. to 573 B.C.  The message is that because Ethbaal III in his pride called himself a god (v2, 9) and considered himself “as wise as a god” (v2, 6), Ethbaal III would be brought down by foreigners and die a violent death, proving himself to be anything but a god.   That the ruler of Tyre “will die the death of the uncircumcised” suggests that the ruler of Tyre will be cut off from God for eternity.